I must admit I have thought the idea for pet health insurance is WAY
overdue.  I realize it has been around in a limited form for sometime,
but it certainly is lacking, especially for us ferret owners.
 
I think Bob's vision of insurance is a good one, but I think it may be even
better if we could organize a larger scale operation.  I'm sure we'd have
to actually organize a non-profit company, elect officers, etc.  But it
seems like we'd be in a much better position to help the fuzzies with a
large base perhaps in the thousands across the country, rather than just
the few members of local clubs.
 
My idea would basically involve surveying the ferret community, through
mailing lists, newsgroups, web sites, and print magazines, to determine the
critical statistics sowe can better estimate the costs.  We would also poll
the respondents for their recommendation of good vets, and qualified
emergency vets.  Those recommended vets would then be our starting point,
since we'll be responsible for managing the distribution of money, we want
to be sure the services we're paying for is worth it.
 
This organization could also help facilitate getting ferrets to better vets
for surergies and the like.  Often we don't think about those things until
we're forced to.  This way we'll be able to leverage other people's (and
ferrets) experiences, both good and bad, so that if a tough desicion needs
to be made we'll have more options as guardians of our little fuzzies.
 
There are a lot of organizational, procedural and other issues that would
need to be resolved, which is another reason why I think a big organization
to start would be helpful.  A big organization will force lots of people to
think about and come up with the best way to resolve issues.  If a bunch of
little organizations start and decide they want to band together later,
they will all be set in there ways, and may not be willing to change for
the better of a larger group.  Of course there will be compromises and not
everybody can be 100% happy.  But the goal needs to be to create something
that can better suit the needs of ferts and their devoted people.
 
Feel free to drop me a line regardng this, but remember the list is an
open forum, and I know there are much more people interested besides me
so PLEASE share with the group.
 
Thanks for the opp.urtunity to share my $.02.
Brandon Phillips
[Posted in FML issue 2512]