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 of our highly-rated insurers in the ring, Healthy Paws vs Petplan, to see which plan is a better value and the best fit for you and your pup.
Visit Healthy Paws’ Website | Visit Petplan’s Website
| Healthy Paws | Petplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Coverage | 4.3 | 4.4 |
| Customer Service & Reputation | 4.9 | 4.1 |
| Claim Repayment | 4.7 | 4.1 |
| Plan Customization | 3.8 | 5.0 |
| Price of Policy | 3.9 | 2.3 |
| Overall Winner | 4.3/5 | 3.95/5 |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Policy Coverage
The table below shows specifically what Healthy Paws and Petplan cover. Both companies cover x-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, cat scans, MRIs, rehabilitation, specialized exams, surgery, hospitalization, emergency care, specialty care, hydrotherapy, chronic conditions, cancer, diagnostic treatment, alternative/holistic therapy, euthanasia, non-routine dental treatment, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and prescription medications.
| Healthy Paws | Petplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking in our Pet Insurance Reviews | 2nd | Not Ranked |
| Exam Fees |  |
|
| Pre-Existing Conditions | ||
| Check-Ups, Vaccinations, Spay/Neuter, Teeth Cleaning | ||
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 12 Months | 6 Months |
| Illnesses Waiting Period | 15 Days | 15 Days |
| Accidents Waiting Period | 15 Days | 15 Days |
| Behavioral Therapies | |
|
| Enrollment Fee | $25 | |
| 30-Day Money Back Guarantee | | |
| Annual Payout Options | Unlimited | $5,000, $15,000, or Unlimited |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| Underwriter | Westchester Fire Insurance Company/Chubb | XL Specialty Insurance Company |
| A.M. Best Rating | A++ | A+ |
| No Exam Required to Set Baseline for Pet's Health |
As you can see, Petplan covers behavioral therapies and exam fees and has no enrollment fee. It also has a shorter waiting period for hip dysplasia, which is why we think it has slightly better coverage than Healthy Paws.
Policy Coverage Winner: Petplan
Customer Service & Reputation
Both Healthy Paws and Petplan have excellent customer service. Ultimately, it comes down to Petplan having a few more negative reviews from 2016 to 2017 due to a change in underwriters. This resulted in price increases for existing customers, and Petplan received an influx of negative feedback.
Since then, Petplan has bounced back, and customers have come to terms with their new premium prices, but we give Healthy Paws the nod here since it’s been more consistent in recent years with customer feedback.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Healthy Paws
Claim Repayment
Petplan averages 22 days for claim repayment but allows up to 30 days. Healthy Paws repays 99% of claims in two days. Healthy Paws is slightly better here with a max timeline of 10 days, which is why it wins this category.
Claim Repayment Winner: Healthy Paws
Plan Customization
The major differences 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. Petplan 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. Petplan also offers reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, or 90% and annual deductibles of $250, $300, and $500.
Petplan ultimately comes out on top because of greater flexibility to build your plan no matter your pet’s age.
Plan Customization Winner: Petplan
Price Of Policy
We found it super helpful to look at some examples of specific dog quotes for pet insurance, but always keep in mind that every insurance quote is different based on your particular location, breed, age, and more. So, to make sure you understand the price differences for YOUR PET, be sure to run a quote 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 Columbus, Ohio (43205)
- Quote is from December 2020
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Payout | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $26.15 |
| Petplan | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $67.16 |
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $32.64 |
| Petplan | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $81.42 |
On average, Healthy Paws is much less expensive than Petplan. Petplan tended to fall in the middle or toward the more expensive side when we ran additional pet insurance quotes, while Healthy Paws was consistently among the least costly or towards the middle.
Price Of Policy Winner: Healthy Paws
Coupons
Healthy Paws
Petplan
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 Petplan 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 Petplan 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, which includes more than 20 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.
Do you have an experience with Healthy Paws or Petplan that you’d like to share?