This content was reviewed by our licensed insurance agent, Michelle Schenker.
To keep the lights on, we receive affiliate commissions via some of our links. Our review process.
Pet insurance is essential for all responsible pet owners. It prepares you financially to deal with any unexpected (and expensive) accident or illness. This is why we regularly review the top pet insurance companies to find out who comes out on top.
This time, we’re putting two big name insurers in the ring, Healthy Paws vs Fetch by The Dodo, to see which plan is a better value and the best fit for you and your pup.
Visit Healthy Paws’ Website | Visit Fetch’s Website
| Healthy Paws | Fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Coverage | More Limited | Extensive |
| Customer Service & Reputation | Excellent, Stable | Uncertain, New |
| Claim Processing Average | 2 Days | 12-22 Days |
| Price Of Policy | Varies | Varies |
| Plan Customizations | Restricted Options | Many Options |
| Overall Winner |  |  |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Policy Coverage
The table below shows specifically what Healthy Paws and Fetch 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.
| Healthy Paws | Fetch | |
|---|---|---|
| Illness Waiting Period | 15 Days | 15 Days |
| Accident Waiting Period | 15 Days | 5 Days |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 12 Months | 6 Months |
| CCL Surgery Waiting Period | 15 Days | 6 Months |
| Behavioral Therapies | |  |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | | |
| Wellness Care For An Extra Fee | | |
| Exam Fees | | |
| Underwriter | Westchester Fire Insurance Company/Chubb | XL Specialty Insurance Company |
| A.M. Best Rating | A++ | A+ |
*Healthy Paws only offers hip dysplasia coverage to dogs enrolled before the age of six.
As you can see, Fetch has shorter waiting periods for most conditions (except CCL surgery) and covers behavioral therapies, alternative/holistic therapy, and exam fees.
You’ll notice that Healthy Paws has an A++ A.M. Best rating (a measurement of financial stability), which is the best we’ve seen from any pet insurance company. Fetch’s underwriter has an A+ rating, which is excellent as well.
Another key deciding factor for you may be the age restrictions attached to Healthy Paws, which doesn’t enroll pets older than 14 years old (no new enrollment for pets older than four in New York state). And if you choose to enroll your pet with Healthy Paws after their sixth birthday, you’ll notice plan customization restrictions and exclusions for hip dysplasia coverage.
Overall, we feel Fetch has better coverage than Healthy Paws. In fact, Fetch offers coverage for items that aren’t typically covered by a pet insurance company, including virtual vet visits, advertising and paying a reward for a stolen or lost pet, and more.
Policy Coverage Winner: Fetch
Customer Service & Reputation
Healthy Paws has excellent customer service and has offered stability in the pet insurance space since its inception.
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.
We like the consistency that Healthy Paws has shown in the pet insurance space. 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, Healthy Paws wins this category.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Healthy Paws
Claim Processing
Fetch averages 12-22 days for claim processing but allows up to 30 days. Healthy Paws processes most claims in two days. Healthy Paws is significantly better here with a max timeline of 10 days, which is why it wins this category.
You may be able to have Healthy Paws pay your vet directly, so you don’t have to afford a hefty vet bill in advance and wait for reimbursement, but this isn’t available everywhere, so check with your vet to see if it’s an option for you. Fetch doesn’t offer this option.
Claim Processing Winner: Healthy Paws
Price Of Policy
Looking at some examples of specific dog quotes for pet insurance can be helpful, but always keep in mind that every insurance quote is different based on your particular location, breed, age, and more. So, to ensure you understand the price differences for your pet, be sure to run quotes from at least three companies to compare and contrast pricing and what each covers to make sure you’re getting the most out of your policy.
Characteristics considered for these quotes:
- Yorkshire Terrier, female 4 months old
- No microchip, multi-pet discount, or pre-existing conditions
- Residency in Ohio (43205)
- Quote is from December 2021
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Payout | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $26.60 |
| Fetch | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $53.68 |
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $33.22 |
| Fetch | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $66.23 |
Healthy Paws requires a one-time $25 fee, while Fetch has no one-time fees. On average, Healthy Paws is less expensive than Fetch for unlimited payouts (the only option offered by Healthy Paws). However, Fetch may offer lower prices for $5,000 or $10,000 annual payouts if you don’t require unlimited payouts.
Price Of Policy Winner: Healthy Paws
Coupons
Healthy Paws
Use this link to take advantage of the best possible price and get a quote for your pet from Healthy Paws. You can also visit our dedicated Healthy Paws 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 significant difference between these two companies in your ability to customize your plan comes down to age restrictions. While Healthy Paws has unlimited payouts for all plans, they do have some restrictions on reimbursement and annual deductible amounts, depending on your pet’s age at enrollment.
- Dogs and cats 5 years and under:
- 90%, 80%, and 70% reimbursement
- $100, $250, and $500 deductible
- Dogs and cats 6 and 7 years old:
- 80%, 70%, or 60% reimbursement
- $250, $500, or $750 deductible
- Dogs 8 years and older:
- 50% or 60% reimbursement
- $750 or $1,000 deductible
Healthy Paws only enrolls pets from 8 weeks to 14 years old. Fetch has no age restrictions and offers a lot of customizable options. You can choose your annual payout option from $5,000, $15,000, or unlimited. Fetch also offers reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, or 90% and annual deductibles of $250, $300, and $500.
Fetch ultimately comes out on top because of greater flexibility to build your plan no matter your pet’s age.
Plan Customization Winner: Fetch
When Does Pet Insurance Matter?
Six million dogs and six million cats are diagnosed with cancer every year, according to estimates. See how Healthy Paws pet insurance helped Baxter get much-needed cutting-edge treatment for his cancer.
What’s The Verdict?
In the end, Healthy Paws is our winner, but Fetch puts up a great fight with excellent coverage and customer service. As always, we suggest you run quotes for your specific pet and location. If you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts have gone in-depth with individual reviews of Healthy Paws and Fetch so you can expand your comparison.
Overall Winner: Healthy Paws
There are other pet insurance companies out there beyond these two. Our experts have spent hundreds of hours researching to bring you our comprehensive pet insurance reviews, including our top picks as well as details of the most popular pet insurance companies.
If you prefer to see winners by category, we award the best price, multiple pets, 100% reimbursement, unlimited payouts, and “best for” categories, including puppies, older dogs, dental, wellness coverage, bilateral conditions, behavioral therapy, and more in our best pet insurance comparison. You’ll even see winners for exotic pets and cats.
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