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Did you know that Nationwide sells pet insurance and its first customer was Lassie? We don’t know about you, but we think it’s pretty cool that Lassie’s pet parents loved her enough to get pet insurance. This first sale by Nationwide (formerly known as VPI) quickly grew into multiple sales throughout California and now the rest of the United States.
While researching Nationwide pet insurance, we found ourselves a little overwhelmed. It displays benefits differently than other companies. For example, it lists specific illnesses that are or aren’t covered, which can be good if your dog’s breed is prone to a particular disease. After digging a little deeper, we unraveled the complexities to help you learn about this product.
Article Overview
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Nationwide Pet Insurance
Pros
- Track claims in real-time online and submit them through your smartphone
- Unlimited claims for Major Medical and Whole Pet with Wellness plans
- One of the only pet health insurance companies to offer exotic pet insurance
- BBB rating: A+
Cons
- Wellness plans are not available in all states
- High number of complaints overall (finding negative reviews is not difficult)
- 12 month waiting period for CCL (ACL) surgery
- 14-day waiting period for Whole Pet with Wellness and Major Medical plans. 24-hour waiting period for Pet Wellness plan
- Nationwide BBB page has an alert about fraudulent checks
- Major Medical Plan has annual limits per condition
- $2 transaction fee for those who pay monthly
Key Features
- Underwriter: National Casualty Company (outside CA); VPI (in CA)
- A.M. Best rating: A+
- No exam period
- Pre-existing conditions defined by Nationwide:
- Any condition that began or was contracted, manifested, or incurred up to twelve months before the effective date of this policy or during any waiting period, whether or not the condition was discovered, diagnosed, or treated. A chronic condition is a pre-existing condition unless it began after the effective date of this policy.
- No bilateral exclusions (a condition or disease that affects both sides of the body)
- Pays claims within 30-days after receipt of all documents (averages 5-15 days)
- Must submit claims within 90-days of treatment
- Submit your claim via fax, mail, email or mobile app
- Customer service hours:
- Phone, email and live chat: 24/7
What Are My Plan Options?
Nationwide has three different plan options:
- Whole Pet
- Whole Pet with Wellness
- Major Medical
The Whole Pet and Whole Pet with Wellness plans are similar to other pet insurance companies in that they reimburse a percentage of what you paid the vet for treatment.
On the other hand, the Major Medical plan differs significantly from the competition because it uses a benefit schedule for any given condition or treatment that outlines the maximum amount that you can ever expect as reimbursement, regardless of how much your vet charges you.
What Does Nationwide Cover?
Nationwide doesn’t list what is and isn’t covered the same way other pet insurance companies do. Instead, it’s extremely specific with what’s included in your coverage. Below are some pages we suggest you read carefully since there could be exclusions.
The table below includes what is and isn’t covered with the Whole Pet plan.
| Covered | Not Covered |
|---|---|
| Accidents and illnesses, including hospitalizations and surgeries | Pre-existing conditions |
| Chronic and ongoing diseases (e.g., allergies) | Diagnosis, treatment, tests or procedures associated with breeding |
| Cancer | Boarding, grooming and bathing |
| Dental surgeries and diseases | Non-veterinary services such as tax and waste disposal |
| Hereditary conditions | Any service or procedure used to prevent, preserve or improve general nutrition or health, even if prescribed by a veterinarian |
| Congenital conditions | Food or treats of any type other than prescription pet food |
| Prescription medications | Membership fees for medical, wellness, or preventive care plans, clubs, subscriptions, or cash back programs provided by your veterinarian or a third-party provider |
| Exam fees | |
| Alternative/holistic therapy |
Is Hip Dysplasia Covered?
Nationwide covers hip dysplasia after a 14-day waiting period, but it has the following exclusions.
Certain bone or joint conditions associated with (1) hip dysplasia, or any luxation or subluxation associated with hip dysplasia, (2) elbow dysplasia, (3) patellar luxation or subluxation, (4) osteochondritis dissecans, or (5) any fracture, luxation, or subluxation associated with aseptic necrosis of a femoral head, but we do provide limited additional coverage for specified ineligible conditions
Pricing Quotes
The cost of each policy is unique to your pet and depends on many variables, including your pet’s age, breed, location, health conditions and more. You can go directly to Nationwide’s site to get a better estimate of what your specific price would be. The sample quotes below are from December 2018.
| Breed | Labrador Retriever | English Cocker Spaniel | German Shepherd | Yorkshire Terrier | Yorkshire Terrier | Mixed Breed Cat (Medium Hair) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 2 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 6 months | 2 |
| Location | Iowa (Zip code: 50125) | Illinois (Zip code 60604) | California (Zip code: 90001) | New York (Zip code: 10001) | New York (Zip code: 10001) | Ohio (Zip code: 44101) |
| Whole Pet with Wellness ($100 deductible, unlimited annual benefit) | N/A | N/A | $97.97 | $125.80 | N/A | $36.98 |
| Whole Pet with Wellness ($250 deductible, unlimited annual benefit) | $85.45 | $221.16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Whole Pet ($250 deductible, $10,000 annual benefit) | $61.52 | $178.34 | N/A | N/A | N/A | $26.63 |
| Major Medical ($250 deductible, unlimited annual benefit) | $26.65 | $70.96 | $48.32 | $61.50 | $35.55 | $15.57 |
| Major Medical + Wellness Plus (with no deductible) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $53.55 | N/A |
You can get personalized price quotes for your pet(s) from reputable companies when you fill out just 1 short form. Also visit our Pet Insurance Quotes page to see how the cost of Nationwide stacks up against the competition.
Coupon Code
There are no active Nationwide Pet Insurance coupon codes at this time.
Waiting Periods
- 14 days: Whole Pet with Wellness and Major Medical plans
- 24 hours: Pet Wellness plan
- 12 months: Cruciate ligament events
Nationwide Customer Reviews
Positive Reviews
I have had nothing but a positive experience with Nationwide (formerly VPI) in the many years I’ve had it. The entire claim procedure is easy and can be done online. Reimbursements are reviewed and paid within 30 days with a full explanation on their site. Payments are made directly to one’s bank. My cat recently had his eye removed due to glaucoma. For some reason the diagnosis was incorrect so only a small amount was paid. When I went back and got the diagnosis reviewed and changed by our doctor (he had no idea who created the first diagnosis) Nationwide reimbursed the difference (over $1000) within 30 days. Anytime I’ve called the representative has been helpful and informative. I would HIGHLY recommend Nationwide to anyone considering pet insurance. – Irish Lady G., Yelp 3/15/2018
Nationwide is not a typical insurance company, but it works. Breakdown: if your pet has a pre-existing condition the claim will not be approved. The older your pet is, the more expensive your plan will be. If you deplete your benefit amount for that policy year, it won’t be paid out if the same incident happens again. I have this insurance because it’ll cover PREVENTATIVE care which are the checkups, shots, flea medication, heartworm preventative, chips, etc. My plan also covers any major accidents, but the downfall is that whatever the diagnosis is there is a set amount for it for the policy year. If your pet suffers from that same condition and you’ve already been reimbursed for the amount, you may not get paid out again if you’ve been refunded the entire benefit claim amount until the next policy year. I have another insurance company for my dogs as a backup that will cover the remaining amount. – Jennifer, Consumer Affairs 3/23/2018
Negative Reviews
Beware! Nationwide Pet Insurance is a scam operation. With a new puppy, I thought it would be wise to immediately purchase insurance for him. After waiting a couple of weeks for final approval and providing Nationwide with our vet’s contact information, I assumed Nationwide contacted the vet for his medical records. When I submitted my first claims several months later, ALL of the claims were denied!!!! (I purchased the most expensive/comprehensive package available). They wrote and said they now need all of his medical records and that they mailed me forms for this!! 1) I never received the forms 2) why didn’t they obtain his records before taking our $$$ and not waiting until claims were submitted. Also, they claim to cover teeth cleaning…..what they have in small print is the cleaning MUST be done by a certified vet and not a vet tech (non-aesthetic cleaning)!!! – Rita G., Yelp 1/25/2018
My job started offering pet insurance and Nationwide is who provided it. I got insurance for two of my cats. My 9 year old Olive and 2 year old Grover. I got the most expensive and comprehensive plans they offer. Two months after getting the insurance Olive needed her teeth cleaned so I had to have bloodwork done before she went under. The bloodwork showed she had hypothyroidism. She had never shown any symptoms but I was so happy I had the insurance. Nationwide wanted all her records which I provided and I am hypervigilant about bringing my cats to the vet. They denied my claims for subsequent visits saying she had a pre-existing condition even though she did not. Then they told me she was ten years old and could not receive the coverage I applied for. I have her adoption paperwork and she wasn’t ten yet. – Mary, Consumer Affairs 5/2/2018
Need Exotic Pet Insurance?
Nationwide also offers pet insurance for exotic pets, including birds, rabbits, reptiles, rodents or other exotic pets. The plan covers accidents and illnesses in addition to exams, lab fees, x-rays, hospitalization, prescriptions and more.
Why Do I Need Pet Insurance?
Check out our video explaining why we think it would be wise to get pet insurance for your furry companion.
How Do We Rate Nationwide Pet Insurance?
From what we’ve uncovered, we feel that Nationwide strong-arms you into purchasing the Whole Pet with Wellness plan because it’s the only package that offers both prevention and illness coverage.
The lower packages are reasonably priced for the amount of coverage you get, but we’re not sure it covers enough to justify having pet insurance at all. And the price for the Whole Pet with Wellness plan is pretty high. We think there are better options available. To learn about your other choices, take a look at our Pet Insurance Comparison.
Are you considering getting pet insurance from Nationwide?
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Our dog was on the brink of death and was admitted to a veterinary clinic and thankfully survived. The bill was over $10,000 for all the care and life saving care he received from the incredible vets at at Blue Pearl in Waltham MA.
Nationwide/VPI offered a settlement of $1,700 per their fee schedule which is based on outpatient treatment. They hire such stupid people who can’t tell the difference between inpatient and outpatient.
So we’re going to court to fight them. You’ll see it all on Facebook and Twitter.
No point in having insurance if they don’t pay legitimate claims when you need it most
Nationwide continued to ask repeatedly for medical records which had been faxed three times by my veterinarian hospital. It went on for two months then I just decided to Cancel and they continue to deduct from my check . I called and asked why I was told because it’s a fee for canceling the plan early. This company does not care about animals just how much money they can get from clients. Don’t waste your money and time it’s not worth it.
We are seriously reavaluatig whether the cost of this insurance is worth the cost. They sell themselves to us, then all we get for our money are more requests for more information. Trust me, we do not hold back any information and if the expenses come from our vets office and are itemized, they are legit. My husband and I both work at major teaching institutions and you can trust that we have discussed this issue with many colleagues who agree that our experience has been very negative.
We have carried Nationwide Pet Insurance for several years. We are not happy with the constant review of each and every charges and the constant request for additional information. You do not feel as if a partner in the care of our family pet, but an adversary. Our claims are thorough and complete and all requests have been met with information, yet we are still barraged with additional requests.
I was optimistic when Nationwide took over and I signed my new puppy Bleu (French Bulldog) up for their Whole Pet With Wellness plan. Around the time I signed Bleu up, we started to notice his paw turning outwards, got xrays, and consulted with an Orthopedic Specialist who diagnosed him with Congenital (likely) Angular Limb Deformity. Per the specialist, there were no prior signs of injury or infection (aka pre-existing condition) which meant he very well could have been born with it (congenital).
The surgery cost about $2,500. I filed my claim, provided ALL medical records, and waited more than TWO MONTHS with this open payable on my Care Credit account before I finally heard back from Nationwide with the disappointing news that they would not cover a dime. Even though congenital disorders ARE COVERED, since we OBSERVED the resulting symptoms as they worsened (the curved paw got worse as he began to grow) before my policy started they said it is a pre-existing condition.
They stopped just short of accusing me of getting insurance because of this issue when I have been a long time pet insurance holder with them through my original VPI contract. I will likely not renew insurance for either of my dogs with them once up for renewal. I had a very competitive quote with Healthy Paws that I should have stuck with.