Guest Article by Brian Shelley (Last Updated 18 January 2018)
For many of us, our pets are irreplaceable four-legged members of our family. We take care of them, we love them, we invest time and energy into making sure they are happy and healthy. As a pet owner, you know it’s important that your pets have everything they need to live long and healthy lives. Having pet insurance can bring peace of mind, knowing you’ve done everything you can to be prepared for any surprises that come your way.
But how can you be sure that you’re picking the best provider?
While some plans only cover sudden accidents and injuries (Accident Only), other plans go above and beyond, even assisting in finding a lost pet (Complete Coverage). Depending on what type of pets you have, their ages, where you live, what needs they have, and your preferences for coverage, your monthly premiums will vary vastly. Because of this, quality of service becomes the biggest factor.
Now, before we start declaring who is best or worst, we need to say that this list is highly competitive and that all of the pet insurance providers featured here offer excellent services that surpass even the best coverage of 10 years ago. In a list like this, however, we are looking for the best, no matter how narrow the margins may be.
Additionally, prices vary from $9.95/month to over $150/month per plan across providers. This is heavily influenced by your dog or cat and the coverages you desire, so a straight comparison of prices in a broad-ranging article like this isn’t plausible. You can get a personalized quote here to get a better idea about insurance prices for your pet.
Now, without further ado, take a look at this comprehensive comparison guide for some of the nation’s most popular and highly-rated insurance providers:
Score: 4.2/5
To start the list off with a bang, Pet Premium covers a variety of things, including ongoing conditions, accidents, illness, hereditary and congenital conditions, alternative therapies and behavioral treatment. Each main plan also has an option for preventative care coverage. They do not cover grooming, boarding, dental cleanings, prescription food, illness/injury as a result of neglect or abuse or pre-existing conditions. With a relatively high rating for being 10th on our list, Pet Premium falls behind other providers on claim reimbursement waiting times, lack of some common coverages, and a higher-than-average monthly insurance premium cost.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $100-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $5,000-Unlimited
- Available in the US
Score: 4.4/5
Trupanion covers accidents, illnesses, injuries, hereditary/congenital conditions, diagnostic tests, hospital stays, surgeries, medications and prosthetic devices/carts. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, exam fees, sales tax, wellness care or elective/cosmetic surgeries. Trupanion has a wide range of comprehensive services and a highly-praised direct-pay option, however, ratings suffered slightly for no exam fee coverage, longer claims process waiting periods and occasional coverage inconsistencies.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $0-$1,000
- Reimbursement Options: 90%
- Policy Limit Options: Unlimited
- Available in the US and Canada
Score: 4.6/5
PetFirst covers emergency care, accidents, illness, injuries, image tests, surgery, prescriptions, hospitalizations and alternative treatments. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, spaying and neutering or elective procedures such as declawing or tail docking. However, they often offer the widest range of coverages despite a higher price tag.
- Deductible Type: Per Incident
- Deductible Options: $50-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $2,000-$10,000
- Available in the US
Score: 4.6/5
Figo covers surgeries, accidents, illnesses, injuries, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, veterinary exam fees, MRIs, x-rays, ultrasounds, cancer treatments, knee conditions, alternative and holistic therapies, prosthetics and veterinary specialists. Figo does not cover pre-existing conditions, routine care, experimental procedures, spaying or neutering, breeding and cosmetic surgeries. Their mobile app is convenient and makes things easy for tech-savvy users, however, ratings suffer in claims with users citing unexpected claim denial on occasion.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $50-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-100%
- Policy Limit Options: Unlimited
- Available in the US
Score: 4.6/5
PetPlan US is an extension of PetPlan UK and the oldest pet insurance company in the world. They’ve earned a solid reputation and have great services at reasonable prices. PetPlan covers exam fees, specialist visits, surgeries, hospitalizations, outpatient care, prescriptions, emergency visits and cancer treatments as well as alternative therapy. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, vaccinations, routine teeth cleaning, spay/neuter procedures and flea medications. Customers cite few complaints with generally quick payout times and solid customer service.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $100-$1,000
- Reimbursement Options: 70-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $2,500-Unlimited
- Available in the US, Canada, and the UK
Score: 4.6/5
The ASPCA is known for preventing cruelty and helping animals in need find forever homes. Today, they are partnering with Crum and Forster Pet Insurance, giving them the opportunity to provide financial assistance, coverage and quality care to pet owners in need. They currently provide coverage for preventative care, hospitalizations, cancer treatment, diagnostic tests, accidents, illness, injuries and prescriptions. They cover both hereditary and chronic conditions and there is an option for monthly flea and tick medicine. They do not cover breeding or pregnancy, pre-existing conditions, supplements or unethical procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, declawing, etc.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $100-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $5,000-Unlimited
- Available in the US
Score: 4.6/5
Pets Best strives to provide a variety of policies, including those that cover standard care, accidents, illness, and injuries as well as hospitalization and hereditary conditions. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, parasites, elective procedures, non-veterinary expenses and experimental therapies and medications. Customers rate service, no-hassle payout and a wide variety of coverage areas as one of the best in the business. The only reported downfall is noticeably more expensive insurance premiums.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $100-$1,000
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $5,000-Unlimited
- Available in the US
Score: 4.7/5
Coverage options include accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, teeth cleanings, flea and tick medication and more. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, grooming, behavioral training, dietary supplements, boarding or transportation. Pet owners who have tried Nationwide are pleased with their clear and open communication, variety of coverage options and their consideration of advice from real veterinary professionals.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $250
- Reimbursement Options: 90%
- Policy Limit Options: Unlimited
- Available in the US
Score: 4.8/5
Embrace covers all the essentials and then some, including exam fees, allergy testing, lab tests, biopsies, MRIs, x-rays, laparoscopies, acupuncture, laser surgery and physical therapy. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, injuries as a result of neglect or abuse, cosmetic procedures and DNA testing. They pride themselves on excellent customer service, low waiting times, and speedy payouts, and they nearly took first place on our list. Only a slight variation in standard versus optional coverage kept them from our #1 spot.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $200-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: $5,000-$15,000
- Available in the US
Score: 4.8/5
Healthy Paws has consistently rated highly in customer satisfaction all around and holds our #1 spot for best pet insurance provider in 2018. This is the only pet insurer we know of where premiums decrease as your pet gets older, which is when you’re more likely to spend money at the vet. The only caveat is that payouts are less for younger pets at the beginning of the policy. Healthy Paws covers a variety of ailments, including illness, accidents, hospitalizations, hereditary conditions, chronic conditions, cancer, diagnostics, x-rays, ultrasounds, emergency care and alternative treatments. They do not cover pre-existing conditions, exam fees, spaying and neutering, wellness care, elective or cosmetic surgeries, behavioral therapy and parasite control.
- Deductible Type: Per Year
- Deductible Options: $100-$500
- Reimbursement Options: 70%-90%
- Policy Limit Options: Unlimited
- Available in the US and the UK
Brian is a writer from Phoenix, Arizona, who loves pets! He is a proud owner of a beautiful black cat and wants to share the joy of pet ownership with others. He hopes to encourage people to keep their pets happy and healthy year-round.