From: "Kristen Baker" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> I was just wondering today if they had any kind of insurance
plan for
> gerbils, I've seen it for dogs and cats, but no gerbils! Would this be
a good
> idea to start a insurance plan for gerbils, for if they are sick,or
have an
> emergency and need to go to the vet, but parents won't take them, this
would
> be a great idea, to pay a small amount every month, and when the
people need
> it, fill out some papers and proof of vet bills, and they can send you
the
> money from what you have sent them. I'm not going to try and do this,
I think
> an adult should deal with this, people i'm sure would not feel
comfortable
> giving there money to kids! I'd love to have a plan, i sure would sign
up!
> And i'm sure many people might! Just thought i'd throw in a
suggestion.
*gets a bucket of ice water*
Insurance companies are in the business to make money. With the value
of gerbils being $3/piece, or at the most, maybe $10/piece, they will
not make make money on emergency vet care for gerbils when a minimum
payout would be anywhere from 2X to 10X the value of the gerbil itself.
Adding in the short lifespan, the fact that for major injuries and
illnesses there are some severe limits on what can conceivably be done
for a gerbils because of their size and fast metabolism.
You also have to look at mass demand. As much as people here and others
we know may love their rodents, the sad fact is such people are a
minority. Maybe people see such animals as disposable. The likelihood
that a large enough group of people who buy into a gerbil insurance plan
is highly unlikely to be enough to cover costs and infrastructure for
such a program. Last I heard, the only animals currently being insured
that were not livestock were cats and dogs. Not even ferrets and
enormously expensive birds were health insurance covered, although I
believe you could cover the cost of birds against accidental death.
Now, if you're meaning to do something privately that the people here
can voluntarily pay into as your own "gerbil insurance plan", you may
get some takers, and it's worthwhile. With the sticking points of
1. Who's going to run it?
2. Can that person be trusted?
3. Can people be trusted not to take advantage of it?
Sorry to be a wet blanket.
Michelle
Flutist
