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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 2 of our top-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
Policy Coverage
We find it often helps to compare 2 companies side by side to see how they stack up. Below is a pet insurance comparison table to help show you some differences and similarities between Healthy Paws and Petplan.
| Healthy Paws | Petplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking in our Pet Insurance Reviews | 1st | Not Ranked |
| Blood Tests |  | |
| MRI | | |
| Rehabilitation | | |
| Surgery | | |
| Hospitalization | | |
| Emergency Care | | 20% copay unless it's life threatening (covered at 100%) |
| Specialty Care | | |
| Exam Fees | |
|
| Pre-Existing Conditions | ||
| Check-Ups, Vaccinations, Spay/Neuter, Teeth Cleaning | ||
| Non-Routine Dental Treatment | | |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 12 Months | 6 Months |
| Chronic Conditions | | |
| Illnesses Waiting Period | 15 Days | 15 Days |
| Accidents Waiting Period | 15 Days | 15 Days |
| Hereditary Conditions | | |
| Congenital Conditions | | |
| Diagnostic Treatment | | |
| Behavioral Therapies | |
|
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | | |
| Prescription Medications | | |
| Enrollment Fee | $25 | |
| 30-Day Money Back Guarantee | | |
| Claim Limits | Unlimited | $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $25,000 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. It also has a shorter waiting period for hip dysplasia, which is why we think it has slightly better coverage than Healthy Paws.
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.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Timeliness Of Claim Repayment
Petplan averages 5 to 14 business days for claim repayment but allows up to 30 days. Healthy Paws repays 99% of claims in 2 days. Healthy Paws is slightly better here with a max timeline of 10 days, which is why it wins this category.
Winner: Healthy Paws
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 3 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 16, 2019
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Maximum | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $19.60 |
| Petplan | $250 | 80% | Unlimited | $36.26 |
| Healthy Paws | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $24.41 |
| Petplan | $250 | 90% | Unlimited | $43.59 |
Healthy Paws is much less expensive than Petplan. When we ran additional pet insurance quotes, Petplan tended to fall in the middle or toward the more expensive side, while Healthy Paws was consistently among the least expensive.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Coupons
Healthy Paws
Petplan
When Does Pet Insurance Matter?
It’s estimated that 6 million dogs and 6 million cats are diagnosed with cancer every year. See how Healthy Paws pet insurance has 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. Although Healthy Paws is our winner here, we think if you choose Petplan, you’ll be pleased with your experience as well.
Winner: Healthy Paws
Obviously, there are other pet insurance companies out there beyond our heavyweights. Feel free to see how they stack up against Healthy Paws and Petplan in our large pet insurance reviews article.
Do you have an experience with either Healthy Paws or Petplan you’d like to share?
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