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 | Varies |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ranking In Our Pet Insurance Comparison | Best Discount For Multiple Pets | Unranked |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 Days | 15 Days |
| Accident Waiting Period | 2 Days | 5 Days |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 6 Months | 6 Months |
| CCL Surgery Waiting Period | 6 Months | 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 |
| A.M. Best Rating | A+ | A+ |
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.
Below are some pet insurance quotes we pulled in January 2022. All information is for pets with no pre-existing conditions or multi-pet discounts.
| Breed | Birthday | Gender | Location | Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Payout | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embrace | Labrador Retriever | April 2017 | Female | California (90024) | $200 | 80% | $5,000 | $77.27 |
| Fetch | Labrador Retriever | April 2017 | Female | California (90024) | $250 | 80% | $5,000 | $163.70 |
| Embrace | 40 lb Mixed Breed | January 2015 | Female | Illinois (60604) | $500 | 70% | $15,000 | $66.90 |
| Fetch | 40 lb Mixed Breed | January 2015 | Female | Illinois (60604) | $500 | 70% | $15,000 | $103.97 |
| Embrace | American Pit Bull Terrier | July 2021 | Male | New York (10012) | $300 | 80% | $30,000 | $143.40 |
| Fetch | American Pit Bull Terrier | July 2021 | Male | New York (10012) | $300 | 80% | Unlimited | $81.65 |
When comparing apples to apples, we found that Embrace was less expensive more often than Fetch. However, this may not always be the case, which is why we recommend getting quotes for your specific pet.
Price Of Policy Winner: Embrace
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 15% 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 offers five deductible options ($200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000) and six annual payout limits ($5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000, and unlimited). However, new customers must call Embrace to access the unlimited payout option. This is uncommon because other pet insurance companies (including Fetch) allow you to sign up for unlimited online.
Fetch offers three deductibles ($250, $300, and $500) and three annual payout options ($5,000, $10,000, and unlimited). Both companies offer 70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursements.
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.
Although Embrace technically has more deductible and annual payout options, we’re disappointed that it requires pet parents to call in for unlimited payout limits. A phone call to Embrace complicates the sign-up process more than competitors, so we give Fetch the nod here.
Plan Customization Winner: Fetch
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 14-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 hundreds of hours researching to bring you our comprehensive and frequently updated pet insurance reviews, including our top picks and details for each of the most popular pet insurance companies.
If you prefer to see winners by category, see our best pet insurance comparison. We give awards for the best price, multi-pet discounts, 100% reimbursement, unlimited payouts, and other “best for” categories, including puppies, older dogs, dental, wellness coverage, bilateral conditions, behavioral therapy, vet direct pay, and more. You’ll even see winners for exotic pets and cats as well as for breeders.
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