I am totally unfamiliar with what Canada laws are regarding insurance- as that is how insurance is regulated in the US- often on a state by state basis which can make it confusing.
I have VPI for my 2 dogs and I insured them as puppies so have not had any issues with claims being rejected since they have medical history and past claims so they know my dogs have no medical conditions. Previous claims on my dogs were minor one time things- sore spot on nose, frequent urination, bump on chest, skin rash. It could possibly get trickier if they thought one of the dogs has a genetic condition that was causing claims- but I have been fine up to this point.
And of course I have also paid insurance on Cotton for over a year with absolutely no claim- but I get a policy discount (thru vet clinic) and a multi pet discount so I pay less than $10 a month. And I just signed Schroeder up. After driving Penny to the exotics vet and having the whole way to think “Crap, I never got pet insurance for her. What if they give me an estimate for $1500 or higher? I can’t NOT agree to treatment, but I can’t afford that either- so I would have to put in on my credit card”. I was kicking myself in the butt for not getting around to signing her up- when I first got her- it was a “trial” (who am I kidding, I never would have given her back Ioved her so much) and after that my husband lost his job- so that was another reason I delayed.
But really the fact that I can not afford a large bill drove home that fact that I needed insurance- and even though Penny died- I signed up Schroeder ASAP.
But my cats are not insured- since they are strictly indoors it is cheaper for me to pay their bills- since there small chance of trauma, etc. But my dogs are active dogs that go to the dog park. And bunnies are so sensitive I figured they are worth the premium, since you never know when something will crop up with a bunny no matter how much you shelter and protect them. You really need to weigh the odds/risks and compare it to the premium.