This content was reviewed by our licensed insurance agent, Michelle Schenker.
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Embrace and Fetch by The Dodo are both big players in the pet insurance industry. You may have heard about Embrace through your insurance carrier if you have Allstate, Geico, or USAA because they sell policies administered by Embrace. Meanwhile, you may have heard of Fetch through Walmart because the company services pet insurance policies purchased via Walmart.
No matter where you’ve heard of them, you’re probably wondering if they’re reputable companies. Do they offer thorough coverage at a reasonable price? Find out which one we rank better and why.
Visit Embrace’s Website | Visit Fetch’s Website
| Embrace | Fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Coverage | Extensive | Extensive |
| Customer Service & Reputation | Excellent, Stable | Uncertain, New |
| Claim Processing Average | 5 Days | 12-22 Days |
| Price Of Policy | Higher On Average | Highly Variable |
| Plan Customizations | Many Options | Many Options |
| Overall Winner |  |  |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Policy Coverage
The table below shows what Embrace and Fetch cover. Note: Both companies cover emergency care, surgery and hospitalization, specialized exams and specialty care, X-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, cat scans, MRIs, rehabilitation, cancer, chronic conditions, euthanasia, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, non-routine dental treatment, and prescription medications. Neither covers pre-existing conditions, cremation and burial costs, pregnancy and breeding, or unnecessary cosmetic procedures.
| Embrace | Fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Illness Waiting Period* | 14 Days | 15 Days |
| Accident Waiting Period* | 2 Days | 15 Days |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period* | 6 Months or 14 Days†| 6 Months |
| CCL Surgery Waiting Period* | 6 Months or 14 Days†| 6 Months |
| Behavioral Therapies | | |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | | |
| Wellness Care For An Extra Fee | | |
| Exam Fees | | |
| Underwriter | American Modern Property and Casualty Insurance Company | XL Specialty Insurance Company AXIS Insurance Company |
| A.M. Best Rating | A+ | A+ A |
*Waiting periods for Maine are as follows:
- Accidents - 0 days
- Illnesses - 14 days
- Cruciate Ligament Conditions - 30 days
- Routine Care - 0 days
†Waiting periods for orthopedic conditions can be decreased to 14 days with an orthopedic report card. An orthopedic report card is a veterinary exam and waiver process designed to assess any bone or muscle deformities in your dog. To reduce the six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions, take your dog to the vet and have an orthopedic exam conducted after your policy is purchased. Your vet will record any health findings for your dog’s hips, legs, shoulders, forelimbs, spine, joints, and bones. You can learn more about Embrace’s orthopedic exam and waiver process for dogs.
Embrace and Fetch arguably have some of the best coverage in the pet insurance industry. As you can see, Embrace covers all of the items in the table above and has reasonable waiting periods. While Fetch doesn’t offer optional wellness coverage, it provides coverage for more unique things like virtual vet visits, advertising and paying a reward for a stolen or lost pet, and more.
You’ll also notice that both companies’ underwriters have A+ A.M. Best ratings, which is a measurement of financial stability.
We’re going to classify this category as a tie because both companies have exceptional extensive coverage. If you want wellness coverage, then you should choose Embrace. But if wellness coverage isn’t a must for you, you may select Fetch for its unique coverage.
Policy Coverage Winner: Embrace & Fetch (Tie)
Customer Service & Reputation
Most of Embrace’s complaints consist of claims going unpaid or low reimbursement. However, these complaints aren’t entirely fair because many of the reasons for unpaid claims are explained in the policy that the pet parent signed. For example, complaints about orthopedic surgeries not being covered because of the six-month waiting period or a low reimbursement due to the coverage details the policyholder selected.
Unfortunately, this shows us that many policyholders don’t thoroughly read or understand their policy before purchasing it. (We hope to help our readers be more informed when they sign up for a policy.) Embrace’s customer support team has proven very responsive to complaints, and we saw many responses from them in our research.
While the Fetch brand has only been a consumer option since January 2022, the former brand name went through an underwriter change in 2016 that resulted in sharp price increases and upset customers. It’s not uncommon to see price adjustments when an insurance company switches underwriters. The company received a lot of negative backlash with this change. However, it has mostly bounced back since then, and negative reviews have subsided, but we will be interested to see how the rebranding and new partnership with The Dodo affect customers.
Embrace is the winner for this category because of the consistency it’s offered in the pet insurance industry. We’d like to see how Fetch fares through its rebranding efforts. Often, we see companies go through turbulence when making a significant change, and because of this, Embrace wins this category.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Embrace
Claim Processing
Embrace averages a five-day claim process for accidents and illnesses. This is shorter than many competitors.
Fetch averages 22 days for claim processing via check. However, if you opt for direct deposit, they may get your money back to you 5-10 days sooner. A 22-day claim process is toward the long end of the spectrum, but if Fetch can process your claim via direct deposit in 12 days, it is a more average timeline.
In the end, Embrace has a much shorter claim process, even when you consider the Fetch direct deposit option. This is why Embrace wins this category.
Claim Processing Winner: Embrace
Price Of Policy
Embrace has a one-time fee of $25 and a $1 per month transaction fee if you pay monthly. Fetch has no one-time fees or transaction fees.
Your premium price quote is based on your pet’s details (age, breed, location, etc.). We recommend obtaining quotes from each company for your specific pet. You can also visit our pet insurance comparison quotes to see a few sample prices we’ve gathered.
Fetch typically came out less expensive than Embrace in the quotes we ran, however, there were instances where Embrace was the more affordable option. Remember that it’s always best to get quotes for your specific dog to compare what pet insurance could cost for you. You can use our pet insurance quote form to get multiple company quotes when you complete this one-quick form.
Both companies have annual deductibles, which is important if your pet experiences multiple accidents or illnesses during the policy period (one year).
Price Of Policy Winner: Fetch
Coupons
Embrace
Embrace offers the following discounts:
- 10% off (5% off in NY) for multiple pets
- 5% off for military and veterans (NY and TN excluded)
- 10% off if your company or clinic offers Embrace as an employee benefit (FL, ND, NY, and TN excluded)
- 5% off in NY if you pay annually
- Up to 25% off for eligible USAA customers
- Your deductible automatically goes down $50 each year you don’t receive a claim payment
No promo code is needed. Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. You can also visit our dedicated Embrace promotions page to learn more.
Fetch
Fetch offers the following discounts:
- 10% off the first year for new customers
- Up to 10% off for animal shelter adoptees and employees, corporate benefit plans, medical services pets, strategic partners, military, veterinary staff, and students
- 15% off for each consecutive 12-month period without a claim
- 10% off premiums for Walmart shoppers
No promo code is needed. Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. Alternatively, call 800-237-1123. You can also visit our dedicated Fetch promotions page to learn more.
Plan Customization
The other significant differences between these two companies are the level of plan customization available and age restrictions.
| Embrace | Fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Payout Options | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000, unlimited | $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 |
| Deductible Options | $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 | $300, $500, $700 |
| Reimbursement Options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| Accident-Only Plan | Pets enrolled after their 15th birthday | |
If your pet is older than 14, accident-only coverage is the only option available from Embrace. Both companies offer enrollment for pets as young as six weeks old.
Embrace has more deductible and annual payout options to help find a plan that fits your budget and needs.
Plan Customization Winner: Embrace
What’s The Verdict?
Overall, Embrace wins our comparison due to its shorter waiting periods, better customer service reputation, faster claim processing, and more affordable pricing. However, if you want a company that can cover your newly insured 15-year-old pet for illnesses, you may want to consider Fetch.
If you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts dig even deeper into each company in our individual reviews of Embrace and Fetch.
Overall Winner: Embrace
Our experts have spent thousands of hours researching to bring you our comprehensive and frequently updated pet insurance reviews, including our top picks, along with details on each of the most popular pet insurance companies. So, if you want to know how other providers compare against one another, you may find this review helpful in your pet insurance search.
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