Pet Insurance

Fetch vs Pets Best: Who’s Best In Class?

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Last Updated: July 25, 2024 | 4 min read | 3 Comments

This content was reviewed by our licensed insurance agent, Michelle Schenker.

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Two large dogs fighting over a red frisbee tugging either direction in the grass with leaves scattered

Fetch and Pets Best are two of the best pet insurance companies, offering excellent coverage, competitive prices, and easy claim repayments. So how do you choose between the two?

As always, be sure to get your own quote to get an idea of what each will cost you. Additionally, consider the criteria we include in this comparison.

FetchPets Best
Policy CoverageExtensiveExtensive
Customer Service & ReputationGoodGood
Claim Processing Average5-6 Days18-30 Days
Average Price Of PolicyVariableVariable
Plan Customization OptionsManyMany
Overall WinnerOrange X (No or Not)Brown checkmark (Yes)
Get Fetch QuoteGet Pets Best Quote
 Compare QuotesCompare Quotes

Policy Coverage

Policy Coverage TIE

The table below shows specifically what Fetch and Pets Best cover. 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.

FetchPets Best
Illness Waiting Period*15 Days14 Days
Accident Waiting Period*15 Days3 Days
Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period*6 Months14 Days
CCL Surgery Waiting Period*6 Months6 Months
Behavioral TherapiesBrown checkmark (Yes)Brown checkmark (Yes)
Alternative/Holistic TherapyBrown checkmark (Yes)Orange X (No or Not)
Wellness Care For An Extra FeeBrown checkmark (Yes)Brown checkmark (Yes)
Exam FeesBrown checkmark (Yes)Extra Fee
UnderwriterXL Specialty Insurance Company
AXIS Insurance Company
American Pet Insurance Company
Independence American Insurance Company (IAIC) (CA only)
A.M. Best RatingA+
A
Unrated
A-

*States are slowly adopting a Model Law for pet insurance. This Model Law attempts to standardize each state’s regulations, which includes a standard for waiting periods that all companies must follow. Waiting periods for California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Washington are as follows:

  • Accidents – 0 days
  • Illnesses – 14 days
  • Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 30 days
  • Routine Care – 0 days

Both Fetch and Pets Best offer exceptional coverage. Fetch provides coverage for more unique things like virtual vet visits, advertising and paying a reward for a stolen or lost pet, and more. Meanwhile, Pets Best lets you choose whether or not you want to pay extra for exam fee coverage or not. Opting out of this coverage could be a way to decrease your monthly premium.

The biggest concern with Pets Best is that its primary underwriter is unrated by A.M. Best (a measurement of financial stability), which means it’s considered higher risk than a company like Fetch, whose underwriters have an A+ and A rating from A.M. Best.

Overall, we feel this category is a tie. Both companies offer comprehensive coverage.

Customer Service & Reputation

Customer Service & Reputation Winner

Fetch previously licensed the Petplan name from Petplan UK until The Dodo purchased it in 2022. While operating as Petplan in 2016, an underwriter change took place, resulting 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.

As for Pets Best, it has many negative reviews regarding a prolonged claim processing timeline. This is because Pets Best received an influx of customers (due to its excellent coverage and lower prices in the past), which has caused an increase in claims. Unfortunately, Pets Best hasn’t been able to keep up with all the filed claims, which has delayed many repayments and caused some negative backlash from customers.

Overall, Fetch has been more stable with fewer recent complaints than Pets Best, which is why Fetch is this winner of this category.

Claim Processing

Claim Processing Winner

Fetch average 5-6 days for claim processing.

Pets Best used to average claim processing in eight or fewer days, but they’ve fallen behind over the last two years due to a higher volume of customers. Now, their averages are 18-30 days. 

Pets Best has a vet direct pay option, so you don’t have to pay a hefty vet bill in advance and wait for reimbursement. However, this may not be available everywhere, so check with your vet to see if this is an option for you. Fetch doesn’t offer a vet direct pay option.

Price Of Policy

Price Of Policy Winner

Neither company has one-time fees, and Fetch has no transaction fees, while Pets Best charges $2 per transaction.

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 almost always came out less expensive than Pets Best in the quotes we’ve run. However, 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).

Coupons

Fetch

Fetch offers the following discounts: 

  • Up to 10% off for animal shelter adoptees and employees, corporate benefit plans, medical services pets, strategic partners, military, veterinary staff, and students
  • 10% off premiums for Walmart shoppers
  • Save $25 or more when you pay quarterly or annually
  • 10% off for AARP members for life

Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. No promo code is needed. Alternatively, call 800-237-1123.

Pets Best

Pets Best offers the following discounts:

  • 5% off for multiple pets 
  • 5% off for military members and their families

Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price. No promo code is needed.

Plan Customization

Plan Customization Winner

The other significant differences between these two companies are the level of plan customization available.

FetchPets Best
Annual Payout Options$5,000, $10,000, $15,000$5,000, unlimited
Deductible Options$300, $500, $700$50, $100, $200, $250, $500, $1,000
Reimbursement Options70%, 80%, 90%70%, 80%, 90%
Accident-Only PlanNo x markcheckmark

This category goes to Pets Best because it offers many customization options and an accident-only plan.

What’s The Verdict?

Overall Winner

This is an extremely tight race. In the end, Pets Best is the winner because of its detailed policy coverage and plan options. However, if you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts have gone in-depth with individual reviews of Fetch and Pets Best so you can expand your comparison.

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.

The information provided through this website should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease; it is not intended to offer any legal opinion or advice or a substitute for professional safety advice or professional care. Please consult your health care provider, attorney, or product manual for professional advice. Products and services reviewed are provided by third parties; we are not responsible in any way for them, nor do we guarantee their functionality, utility, safety, or reliability. Our content is for educational purposes only.

Disclaimer: Information regarding insurance company offerings, pricing, availability, and other contract details are subject to change by the insurance company at any time and are not under the control of this website. Information published on this website is intended for reference use only. Please review your policy carefully before signing up for a new insurance contract or any other contract as your unique circumstances will differ from those of others who may be used for example purposes in this article.

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