Petplan and Pets Best are two of the best pet insurance companies, offering great coverage, competitive prices, and easy claim repayments. So how do you choose between the two?
As always, be sure to get your own quote to get an idea of what each will cost you. Additionally, consider the criteria we include in this comparison.
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Our licensed insurance professional, Michelle Schenker, has reviewed all content & its supporting research, including each company’s policy, customer feedback, underwriters, and more.
Visit Petplan’s Website | Visit Pets Best’s Website
| Pets Best | Petplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Coverage | 5.0 | 4.4 |
| Customer Service & Reputation | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Claim Repayment | 2.6 | 4.1 |
| Plan Customization | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Price of Policy | 4.4 | 2.3 |
| Overall Winner | 4.25/5 | 4.05/5 |
| Visit Website | Visit Website |
Policy Coverage
The table below shows specifically what Petplan and Pets Best 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.
| Pets Best | Petplan | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ranking in our Pet Insurance Reviews | 3rd | Not Ranked |
| Pre-Existing Conditions | ||
| Check-Ups, Vaccinations, Spay/Neuter, Teeth Cleaning | Extra Fee | |
| Exam Fees | Extra Fee |  |
| Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period | 14 Days | 6 Months |
| Illnesses Waiting Period | 14 Days | 15 Days |
| Accidents Waiting Period | 3 Days | 15 Days |
| Behavioral Therapy | Cover related exam fees & RX meds | |
| Prescription Medications | | |
| Enrollment Fee | ||
| 30-Day Money Back Guarantee | | |
| Claim Limits | $5,000 or Unlimited | $5,000, $15,000, Unlimited |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
| Underwriter | American Pet Insurance Company | XL Specialty Insurance Company |
| A.M. Best Rating | Unrated | A+ |
| No Exam Required to Set Baseline for Pet's Health | |
As you can see, coverage is pretty similar for these two companies. Both cover exam fees (although you must upgrade your plan with Pets Best for this coverage) and most of the necessary treatment needs for accidents or illnesses. Pets Best offers wellness coverage, while Petplan doesn’t.
However, Pets Best wins this category by a slight edge because its waiting periods for accidents and hip dysplasia are much shorter than Petplan’s. And Petplan charges a 20% copay for all non-life-threatening emergency care, while Pets Best does not.
Policy Coverage Winner: Pets Best
Customer Service & Reputation
Both companies have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, Petplan’s underwriter has an A+ rating from A.M. Best, while Pets Best’s is unrated.
This is an indication that Petplan is less of a risk than Pets Best. This rating, combined with Petplan’s history of excellent customer service, makes Petplan the winner here.
Customer Service & Reputation Winner: Petplan
Claim Repayment
Petplan allows up to 30 days for claim repayments, but they have an average of 22 days. Petplan used to have a shorter claim repayment average (around 5 days) but is experiencing delays due to COVID-19.
Pets Best used to average claim repayments in eight or fewer days, but they’ve fallen behind over the last year or so due to a higher volume of customers. Now, their averages are 25 to 40 days.
Both companies have a vet direct pay option, so you don’t have to pay a hefty vet bill in advance and wait for reimbursement. However, this may not be available everywhere, so check with your vet to see if this is an option for you, no matter which provider you choose.
Claim Repayment Winner: Petplan
Plan Customization
Pets Best offers two annual coverage limits: $5,000 or unlimited. You can also choose your reimbursement level of 70%, 80%, or 90% and deductible of either $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, or $1,000.
Petplan also offers a lot of customizable options. You can choose your annual maximum from $5,000, $15,000, or unlimited, reimbursement level of 70%, 80%, or 90% and annual deductibles of $250, $300, or $500.
This category is a draw because both Pets Best and Petplan are among the top pet insurance companies that give you a great deal of flexibility when building your plan.
Plan Customization Winner: Pets Best & Petplan (Tie)
Price Of Policy
Another way to compare two of the best pet insurance providers is to run quotes for both. Keep in mind that quotes vary based on breed, age, location, and more, so it’s essential to get quotes for your particular pet. We recommend running quotes from our top pet insurance companies to help you make your decision.
Characteristics considered for these quotes:
- Male Yellow Labrador Retriever, 8 months old
- No microchip, multi-pet discount, or pre-existing conditions
- Residency in Chicago, Illinois (60615)
- Quote is from January 2021
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Maximum | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets Best | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $38.97 |
| Petplan | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $64.42 |
| Pets Best | $500 | 80% | Unlimited | $43.84 |
| Petplan | $500 | 80% | Unlimited | $72.16 |
| Pets Best | $250 | 80% | $5,000 | $54.37 |
| Petplan | $250 | 80% | $5,000 | $46.99 |
Characteristics considered for these quotes:
- Female Standard Poodle, 2 years old
- No microchip, multi-pet discount, or pre-existing conditions
- Residency in Tulsa, Oklahoma (74128)
- Quote is from January 2021
| Deductible | Reimbursement % | Annual Maximum | Price Per Month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets Best | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $31.03 |
| Petplan | $500 | 70% | Unlimited | $71.39 |
| Pets Best | $500 | 80% | Unlimited | $34.91 |
| Petplan | $500 | 80% | Unlimited | $80.01 |
| Pets Best | $250 | 80% | $5,000 | $43.30 |
| Petplan | $250 | 80% | $5,000 | $51.96 |
The quotes above show how much of a toss-up it can be between these two companies. When we ran additional quotes, Pets Best was among the top three least expensive companies, and Petplan was either in the middle of the pack or leaned towards the expensive end.
This is why we encourage you to get quotes for your specific dog, so you have a clear idea of how much it will cost to cover your pet from multiple companies. With the information from our collected quotes, Pets Best wins this category.
Price Of Policy Winner: Pets Best
Coupons
Petplan
Pets Best
- 5% multi-pet discount
- 5% discount for military members and their families
What’s The Verdict?
In the end, Pets Best is the winner because of its low prices and thorough policy coverage. However, if you didn’t find what you were looking for, our experts have gone in-depth with individual reviews of Petplan and Pets Best so you can expand your comparison.
Overall Winner: Pets Best
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 claims, 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.
Which company do you think is better: Petplan or Pets Best? Why?