Pet insurance helps you pay for certain veterinary bills when your animal friend is injured or sick. You have to be careful when buying pet insurance because policies are not all the same and there are so many options that it is difficult to compare them. For example, some policies only cover treatment after an accident, while others cover both accident and illness.
It may be cheaper to take out a policy that only covers accidents, but that won’t help you if your pet becomes ill. Many pet insurance plans have exclusions, age limits, payment limits and waiting periods before coverage begins.
Some may also pay a larger portion of veterinarian bills than others. Some companies cover annual vaccinations and wellness visits, but there are extras such as coverage to pay for pets that run away. You’ll pay more for these extras, but that’s not always the case. We’ve put together this list of the top pet insurance companies in the United States to help you figure out which one is best for you.
Pet Insurance Companies to Consider
If you want to learn more about the top pet insurance companies, check out the pros and cons below. This is an overview of what each company offers, but the details may be different in each state.
Figo
Figo offers three accident and health insurance plans, each with a different annual reimbursement limit. These plans range from $5,000 to an unlimited amount, and each has its own limit (in most states). Figo’s coverage is not exhaustive, but includes non-daily dental care, holistic treatments and genetic conditions. After that, you can choose even more options, such as health care and insurance for veterinary examinations.
Figo provides for waiting periods of one day for injuries, 14 days for illnesses and six months for canine orthopedic problems. These are the times when dogs should be seen by a veterinarian. An orthopedic examination by your veterinarian can help you avoid these six months. An excess of $50 will be deducted each year. You do not file an insurance claim when you only have $50 left. If you file a claim, the deductible will be the same amount the next time you renew.
Bivvy
Most pet insurance companies base their rates on the age, size and breed of the pet, but Bivvy is different. Bivvy does not base its rates on these criteria. All pets in the same state have the same low rate for accident and health insurance, even if they live differently. It usually costs between $10 and $15 per month. This is much less than the average cost of accident and health insurance in the U.S. What’s the problem? There aren’t as many ways to make your policy unique, and the coverage is usually less than other providers.
Here’s an example: as long as you live in Colorado, you can buy a uniform plan from Bivvy that pays up to $2,000 a year in covered expenses and up to $1,000 in the event of illness or injury. A dog was hit by a car and had to have surgery at a cost of $5,000. Bivvy would pay $1,000 for the operation. Even for small expenses, Bivvy’s insurance may not cover as much as other companies, as some states reimburse as little as 50% of the cost. Most insurance companies pay 70% to 90% of the cost. The small monthly cost may be worth it if you have a dog.
Lemonade
If you want to do everything online, Lemonade’s service, which uses digital media, is good. If you want to take out a policy, you can only do it online or through an app. There is no option to buy it over the phone. If you use the app, you can also file claims, of which the company says about 30% are paid immediately. The company deducts a fixed amount from each premium to make money. The rest is used to pay claims. If there is money left over at the end of the year, the company donates it to charitable groups chosen by policyholders and the money goes back to them.
Embrace
Embrace is more generous with its coverage than many other pet insurance providers. Chiropractic, acupuncture, physical therapy and other alternative therapies are part of your standard accident and illness plan, but can also be added. As long as behavioral therapy is provided by a veterinarian, the veterinarian will pay for the examination and reimburse you for the cost of treatment.
If you insure two or more pets with Embrace, you get a 10% discount. You can get a 5% discount in all states except New York, Tennessee and Alabama. Insurance usually takes 180 days to cover orthopedic injuries to a dog, but you can shorten this period to 14 days with a veterinary checkup.
AKC
American Kennel Club insurance not only covers registered pedigreed dogs. It also covers dogs that are not registered. Dogs and cats of all breeds can take out group policies, which include optional riders for examination, welfare and funeral expenses.
If you join the AKC when you buy a new dog, you can take out a free 30-day policy. If you wish to purchase an older pet, you may not wish to join the AKC. When you take out insurance, animals that are at least nine years old are only covered if they are injured. These are people who enrolled after the age of two. Coverage cannot be obtained for pre-existing hereditary or congenital conditions.
Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws stands out because its policies have no annual or lifetime limits. It also pays quickly, as most claims are processed within days. Healthy Paws offers a unique plan that covers both accidents and illnesses, as well as alternative cures and hereditary issues.
If a person is injured, they usually have to wait 15 days before they can return to work, which is shorter than in most states. However, hip dysplasia is not covered during the first 12 months of the policy term, and is not covered at all for animals six years of age or older at the time of enrollment for the procedure. You may not have to pay the full amount at one time if your veterinarian works with Healthy Paws. You may not have to pay the full amount at one time if your veterinarian works with Healthy Paws.
ASPCA
The American Society to Prevent Brutality to Animals is known for its animal shelters. But it also offers good pet insurance plans through its insurance partners. This plan covers prescription food, holistic treatments and behavioral therapy. Other insurance plans do not cover these items.
Neither a medical history nor a veterinary examination is required for enrollment. The waiting period for cross-injuries is only 14 days. Many companies have six-month waiting lists. There is a 10% discount if you have more than one pet.
MetLife
MetLife pet insurance company MetLife used to be called PetFirst, but now offers a good accident and health plan that you can customize with different deductibles, reimbursements and coverage amounts. You can also purchase health insurance. This covers hereditary and inherited terms, as well as alternative therapies. The plan has no time limit.
MetLife’s application process is not as simple as it should be. Before you can do anything online, you have to download and fill out a form. Then you can fax or mail it in. Most claims are paid within ten business days, but you can expect to receive your money quickly.
