Pet Insurance Reviews 2020: Cost & Coverage Comparison Of All Companies

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Fido just leapt for a frisbee, and now he’s limping. What’s wrong with him? Do I need to take him to the vet? How much will it cost? This is why pet insurance is so critical. In a time of panic, you should be worrying about the health of your dog, not the number in your bank account. Our experts (including a licensed professional) rate the biggest names in the pet health insurance industry based on extensive research and customer feedback.

Best Pet Insurance Companies 2020

Total Score, Policy Coverage, Customer Service & Reputation, Timeliness Of Claim Repayment, and Policy Price are all on a scale of 0 to 5.

Free Pet Insurance Quotes

Our coverage comparison is relatively straightforward, but pricing comparisons can get complicated. Why? Pricing quotes are unique because they’re based on a pet’s age, breed, geographic location, and several other factors.

For this reason, we encourage you to get quotes from multiple companies before deciding on a pet insurance provider. We’ve made this easy for you by creating a free quote form that will pull quotes from top pet insurance companies when you fill out one short form with your pet’s details. By entering your pet’s specific characteristics, you can get a better understanding of the coverage needed.

Cost & Coverage Comparison Tables

The table below shows some of the deductible, reimbursement, and claim options for each company.

• *Deductible: The amount of money you must pay for vet treatment before your policy will begin to reimburse you and after coinsurance has been applied. For most companies, you must pay this deductible annually rather than per incident. Be sure to understand your agreement, as the annual vs per incident deductible is a big deal.
• **Reimbursement: The percentage of a claim that you’re eligible for repayment by the pet insurance company after you’ve paid the coinsurance.
• ***Claim Limit Options: The highest amount a pet insurance company will reimburse during the policy period. A lower claim limit means you may be liable for more costs if your pet experiences expensive vet treatment.

We’ve compiled a couple of comparison tables that address cost and coverage issues:

1. Cost Comparison†
2. Coverage Comparison

If you’re unsure where to start, you may want to read our experts’ take on whether pet insurance is worth it, which addresses common questions such as how pet insurance works, what it covers, statistics, reimbursement stories, whether it’s worth it for everyone, and more.

†You should expect annual increases on your premiums from any pet insurance company. These rates and increases will vary based on your location, changes in vet costs and more.

Healthy Paws Review

#1

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Healthy Paws, founded in 2009, impresses us with its unlimited benefits with no per-incident, annual, or lifetime caps. The company also has fewer coverage exclusions compared to competitors, so it appears that Healthy Paws is less likely to deny your claim.

You can also customize your out-of-pocket expense risk by adjusting your policy’s reimbursement rate (70%, 80%, or 90%) and deductible ($100, $250, $500, or $750) when you sign up. There are some restrictions on the reimbursement and annual deductible amounts for pets, depending on the age when they’re enrolled.

Healthy Paws has excellent customer service reviews. Check out the comment section in our Healthy Paws individual review. It’s filled with real customer accounts.

What’s missing with Healthy Paws? It doesn’t offer a wellness plan to cover annual vet visits, which is an increasingly popular feature among pet parents.

Overall, we think Healthy Paws is the best-bet for pet insurance. It has some of the best coverage and at one of the least expensive monthly premiums. If you do run into any hiccups, we’re sure you’ll get the help you need with its excellent customer service.

Pros

Cons

Annual deductible (not per incident) Unlimited lifetime coverage so no annual or per incident limits on claims Pricing is generally the best value vs competition (get quotes) Your pet is eligible for coverage when they travel with you in the U.S. or for short trips to Canada (up to three months) High customer satisfaction Easy to submit a claim on the Healthy Paws app for quick claim reimbursement BBB rating: A+ Great email response time Good CCL (ACL) coverage Direct deposit or check reimbursement Claim repayment averages two days

Veterinary exam fee and behavioral therapies are not covered Excludes hip dysplasia in animals enrolled after age six (may not be best for older, large dogs). There is also a 12-month waiting period. There are age restrictions (if pet is older than six you must have vet exam within past 30 days for enrollment or within 15 days of policy issuance) Pets older than eight years old are restricted to 60% reimbursement and a $750 annual deductible 15-day waiting period for accident and illness No wellness plan Charges a one-time $25 setup fee Can’t enroll pets over four years old in NY

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Read Our Full Review Of Healthy Paws

Pets Best Review

#2

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Pets Best, founded in 2005, has stepped it up with its coverage and “Accident-Only Plan.” This unique policy insures against pet emergencies without charging you monthly for the lower priced (vet exams) or less-likely costs (rehab, chiropractic, and acupuncture care).

Pets Best was consistently among the least expensive pet insurance companies when we ran quotes. We’re also impressed with its 24/7 Pet Helpline, which allows you to speak with a vet expert any time of day.

Pets Best typically has a reasonable claim repayment time averaging eight days, but it has recently had an increase in customers which means an influx of claims too. Unfortunately, their claim repayment is averaging 25 to 40 days, but we hope to see it go back to its eight day average soon. We will keep you updated while we continue to monitor this situation.

Its deductibles range from $50 to $1,000, and it offers two wellness plans from which to choose. You can truly customize your coverage with Pets Best. Pets Best doesn’t require an exam to set your pet’s health baseline (something Healthy Paws requires).

What kept it from being #1? Pets Best has one of the same underwriters (American Pet Insurance Company or APIC) as Trupanion (another pet insurance company), which is unrated by A.M. Best. We consider this a higher risk factor vs those who are rated.

However, we can’t dispute Pets Best’s low prices and excellent coverage, which is why it’s in our top three.

Pros	Cons
No lifetime limits on any plan Great pricing, consistently among the least expensive when we ran quotes Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico BBB rating: A+ Multiple forms of customer support: live chat, phone, email, FAQ 30-day money-back guarantee 5% multi-pet discount No age limits	$2 transaction fee (waived if you pay annually or live in Maryland or Alaska) Alternative/holistic therapies are not covered Average claim repayment has been longer than most during the past year

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View Our Full Review Of Pets Best

Figo Review

#3

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We’re impressed with Figo’s coverage details, and it’s the only company in our top three to offer a 100% reimbursement option. You can submit claims through the app, fax, email, or mail.

Should you run into any issues, you can reach Figo by phone, text, live chat, email, fax, Facebook Messenger, or Twitter. Its waiting periods are comparable to competitors, although anything regarding the knees has a one-year waiting period (many others have shorter waiting periods).

Figo, founded in 2013, entered our reviews in 2019 in our top three picks. This is extremely uncommon and speaks volumes that Figo has come out so strong and has maintained a place in the top three for 2020 as well. Figo has some of the lowest prices, comparable to companies that have been around much longer.

Pros	Cons
Annual deductible (not per incident) Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico BBB rating: B+ Claims are typically paid within five to seven business days Vet exam fees covered for an additional cost App available to support claims via iOS and Android 10% multi-pet discount	If there is a knee injury prior to enrollment or during the waiting period, Figo will not cover the second leg if an injury occurs One-time $9 admin fee + $2/mo or $10/annual fee (waived if ACH setup w/bank)

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View Our Full Review Of Figo

More Pet Insurance Companies To Consider

The companies listed below did not make our top three rankings, but we’ve reviewed them in case you want to learn more. Every pet and every situation is different. You might find an excellent fit for your family below.

24PetWatch | AKC Pet Insurance | ASPCA | Embrace | Nationwide | PetFirst | Petplan | Trupanion

24PetWatch Review

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24PetWatch, founded in 2000, offers pet insurance for dogs as long as you enroll them before the age of 10 years old. In the quotes we ran, 24PetWatch was consistently among the more expensive options (but you get a lot of value for the price so could be worth it).

It also doesn’t offer unlimited claims as an option, which is a feature we’ve come to expect from pet insurance providers. However, one cool thing 24PetWatch does is to provide coverage for chronic conditions if your pet has gone 24 months symptom-free. This is not standard for pet insurance providers.

Pros

Cons

Wellness coverage available as an add-on No waiting period for accidents and no additional waiting period for ACL, elbow, and hip dysplasia Submit and track claims in real-time online Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the U.S., and Puerto Rico and up to 182 days in Canada Chronic condition coverage if they go 24 months without symptoms Annual deductible (not per incident) Direct deposit or check for reimbursement Cover invoiced amount, including exam fees

Limited enrollment age (8 weeks – 10 years) compared to other insurance companies If one leg has a CCL (ACL) injury before enrollment, the other leg will not be covered even if there are no prior issues. It’s considered a bilateral condition. No unlimited claims options $2.50 monthly transaction fee Priced on the higher end when we ran quotes Only 80% reimbursement option (other companies offer 70%, 90%, and sometimes more) Allows 60 days for claim repayment

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Read Our Full Review Of 24PetWatch

AKC Pet Insurance / PetPartners Review

Visit Websites: AKC Pet Insurance / PetPartners

PetPartners, Inc. partnered with AKC in 2003 to administer AKC Pet Insurance and started offering insurance under its own brand name, PetPartners, in 2009. The policies offer the same exact coverage for customers, so the information shared here applies to both brands.

Vet records and exams aren’t required prior to enrollment. It has strict age restrictions and requires an additional fee for coverage of hereditary and congenital conditions, which we expect the average pet insurance plan to include.

It has more limitations compared to other pet insurance providers and only covers hip dysplasia for dogs enrolled prior to their second birthday. For all of these reasons, PetPartners Insurance and AKC Pet Insurance are not included in our top three.

Pros	Cons
No vet records or exam required to enroll Option to add on a wellness plan, exam fee, memorial coverage, and hereditary condition coverages BBB rating: A+ through PetPartners, Inc. (who administers both pet insurance brand’s policies) Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the United States or Canada 5% multi-pet discount Claims are typically paid within seven days	No illness coverage for dogs enrolled after age nine Must purchase coverage for inherited/congenital conditions Hip dysplasia and congenital and hereditary conditions are only available for coverage if you enroll your dog at two years old or younger $3-$4 transaction fee (depending on the state), highest in this comparison

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Read Our Full Review of AKC Pet Insurance

ASPCA Insurance / Hartville / PetPremium Pet Insurance Review

Visit Websites: ASPCA / Hartville / PetPremium

C&F Insurance Agency, the administrators of the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program, pays a royalty fee to the ASPCA for the use of its mark through a licensing agreement. C&F Insurance Agency also administers Hartville and PetPremium, which have identical offerings to that of ASPCA pet insurance but is not affiliated with the ASPCA organization.

ASPCA/Hartville/PetPremium doesn’t require an exam to set your pet’s health baseline. It covers behavioral therapies and has an optional wellness plan. It has reasonable waiting periods and pays claims in eight to nine days on average.

Unfortunately, the company, founded in 1997, has a history of low reimbursements, even under its highest cost plan, which is why it’s not in our top three.

Pros	Cons
Offers optional wellness coverage Conditions which are free of symptoms and treatment for 180 days prior to enrollment aren’t considered pre-existing conditions BBB rating A+ (C&F Insurance Agency, Inc.) Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada 30-day money back guarantee Claim repayment averages eight to nine days	$2 transaction fee, if not paying annually Can’t change/add some items to plan until the next 12-month period begins Low reimbursements reported by customers No unlimited claims option

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Read Our Full Review Of ASPCA Pet Insurance

Embrace Review

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Embrace, founded in 2003, has great customer support options and a rather good reputation overall. When it comes to monthly premiums, Embrace can be all over the board, so we recommend getting an individual quote for your pet.

Regarding claims, Embrace promises to service them within 10 to 15 business days. Embrace tends to fall a little behind on technology for claims submissions versus the top players in this field.

Pros

Cons

No per-incident limits on their claims as they use an annual deductible No lifetime limit Offers optional Wellness Rewards BBB rating: A+ Pays claims between 10-15 business days Up to a 10% max discount for multiple pets (5% in NY)

$1.00 monthly transaction fee and $25 enrollment fee Only covers enrolled pets aged 14 and younger for illness (accident only may be available for ages 15+) If one leg has a CCL (ACL) injury prior to enrollment, the other leg will not be covered even if there are no prior issues. It’s considered a pre-existing condition. New customers must call to access unlimited claims option Does not cover your pet if they travel outside the U.S. with you

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Read Our Full Review Of Embrace

Nationwide Review

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Nationwide Insurance (previously VPI) is one of the most well-known dog health insurance companies. VPI was founded in 1982, and Nationwide acquired and started selling VPI’s pet insurance product in 2015.

The Whole Pet and Whole Pet with Wellness plans are like most pet insurance companies, reimbursing a percentage of your vet bill for covered treatments. In the past, it only offered what it now calls its Major Medical policy, which uses a standard list of prices to determine payback prices for procedures and covered items, regardless of what your vet actually charges you. Major Medical is a cheaper option than the Whole Pet plans.

Nationwide is among the most expensive, and it doesn’t have a reputation for timely reimbursements despite the ability to track claims in real-time online. Unfortunately, Nationwide has a track record of poor customer service and quietly raising monthly premium rates as pets age. Plans starts at $35 per month, which is pretty high compared to competitors starting costs.

Pros

Cons

Track claims in real-time online, and submit them through your smartphone Unlimited claims for Whole Pet with Wellness plans One of the only pet health insurance companies to offer exotic pet insurance BBB rating: A+

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 for Major Medical plan Nationwide BBB page has an alert about fraudulent checks Major Medical Plan has annual limits per condition $2 transaction fee for monthly payment Does not cover your pet if they travel outside the U.S. with you Allows 30 days for claim repayment

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Read Our Full Review Of Nationwide Pet Insurance

PetFirst Review

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PetFirst was founded in 2004 and bought by MetLife in December 2019. Even though it has been in business for more than a decade, there are not a ton of reviews out there for us to share. It has a short waiting period for accidents (only one day after enrollment).

PetFirst is the only company in this review to offer a $0 deductible. It also offers a 100% reimbursement, something only Figo offers in our top three. We suggest you request a quote and read a sample policy to see if PetFirst is a good fit for you and your pup. When we ran our quotes, PetFirst was consistently among the middle of the pack.

Pros	Cons
Wellness plan option No vet exam required for enrollment No waiting period for accidents BBB rating: A+ 5% discount for second policy and 10% discount for three or more policies Claim repayment averages 10-14 days	Does not cover all non-routine dental treatments Must purchase routine care coverage for behavioral therapy coverage Does not cover your pet if they travel outside the U.S. with you

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Petplan Review

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Petplan, founded in 2003, offers unlimited annual coverage but the main thing keeping it from our top spots is its higher prices for similar coverage. The quotes we ran indicate that in most cases you can get unlimited annual coverage from Healthy Paws, Pets Best, and Figo for a less expensive monthly premium. However, we still think Petplan offers some of the best coverage and is worth getting a quote from to see if it works for you.

Petplan has a great claim repayment reputation and allows 30 days for claim repayment but averages 5-14 business days. In addition, Petplan’s policy has coverage for travel cancellations due to life-threatening pet injury or illness, as well as coverage for advertising expenses related to a lost pet. In some cases, it even offers reimbursement for the cost of your pet if they’re never found.

Petplan offers discounts on your premiums if you don’t file a claim for a period of time, rewarding you for keeping your pet safe and healthy. It has an annual coverage limit of $2,500 to unlimited, annual deductibles of $250 to $1,000 and 70%, 80%, or 90% reimbursement rates. There may be even more options available to you through the call center at this number: 800-237-1123 (our exclusive reader discount will be honored for this phone call as well).

Pros

Cons

No claims credit (15% discount for each consecutive 12-month policy period without a claim, up to 30% max discount) No lifetime or per condition claims limit BBB rating: A+ (under its incorporated name, Fetch, Inc.) Claims are typically paid within 5-14 business days, although it allows up to 30 days App available to support claims via iOS and Android Covers exam fees for sick visits ($50-$250 on average) Covers advertising lost pets, losing your pet, canceled vacation due to pet illness, etc. Offers a 5% discount for users purchasing their insurance plan online Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the U.S. or Canada

No multi-pet discount For coverage to apply, you must take your dog to the vet within 48 hours of noticing symptoms of an illness or injury Several policyholders complain that Petplan delays payment on claims (often due to a short upfront waiting period as a new customer) and requires an invoice from your vet Dogs must have annual health and dental checkups to qualify for coverage. Failure to do so may mean your dog won’t get insurance coverage until that checkup is done. Only covers CCL (ACL) on a second leg if the first leg remains healed for 12 months (if your pet received treatment for a cruciate or soft tissue injury to one knee before policy inception, then the other knee is automatically excluded) Sample quotes were higher than competitors No wellness plan available $3.50 credit card processing fee for monthly and quarterly payments

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Read Our Full Review Of Petplan

Trupanion Review

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Trupanion’s deductibles are per condition and lifetime, meaning that once it’s paid, you never pay the deductible again for that condition. However, it also means that if your pet is sick or injured multiple times in one year, you may be paying a lot in deductibles. Trupanion, founded in 2000, is on the expensive side for similar coverage compared to our top three picks in the quotes we ran.

FLORIDA RESIDENTS: The plan reviewed here is not available for new customers in Florida. Contact Trupanion to learn more about what is available in your state and read the policy carefully for details.

Pros

Cons

90% reimbursement with no payout limits Offers optional benefits for additional expenses that cover acupuncture, physical therapy, hydrotherapy, and behavioral modification training and therapy Hip dysplasia has no age restrictions (but 12-month waiting period) BBB rating: A- 30-day money back guarantee Pet is covered in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico

Quotes tend to be more expensive than competitors One time $35 administration fee ($25 in WA and $0 in MD and MI) Policies have 30-day waiting period for illnesses (industry average is 14) Allows up to a 20% increase on premiums from year to year (based on the state you live in) Pets are not eligible for enrollment after their 14th birthday No wellness plan Doesn’t cover exam fees No multi-pet discount Claim repayment is within 60 days (but averages 14 days)

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Read Our Full Review Of Trupanion

Decide Which Pet Health Insurance Company Is Best For You

The number of pet insurance companies to choose from is overwhelming, for sure. Most of the time, people choose to go with the largest, most well-known company, so they don’t have to compare the companies themselves. If you decide to do the research yourself, consider these factors:

1. Your biggest concern as a pet parent should be the reputation of a pet insurance provider as offering the coverage you need at a price you can afford. Getting a pet insurance policy is useless if it doesn’t cover what you expect it to cover or if you can’t afford the monthly premium. Remember, although cost is important, it’s not the most crucial factor. Your pet’s protection and coverage in the case of an emergency is your number one priority so be sure to make your decision with the long term in mind.
2. After you narrow your search down based on these requirements, the next step is to decide what type of coverage you want for your dog and which additional perks may be negotiable to lower your costs. If you’d like to learn more about terms you should know regarding insurance for dogs, reference our terminology info.

Picking a pet insurance plan is a personal choice, and no one knows what your dog needs better than you. Take the time to make an informed decision, and know that in the long run, it’ll be worth having the added protection. Check out our pet insurance comparison for more on our top three, and don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments below.

Which factor is most important to you when choosing a pet insurance company?

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ReviewsPetplanEmbracePets BestTrupanionHealthy PawsASPCAFigo