A good rule of thumb when exploring vet pet insurance reviews and choosing a plan is this: you get what you pay for.

If you see a rate that is much lower than all of the others, it is most likely because the plan is not as comprehensive. A less comprehensive plan means that your dog has a higher chance of not being covered or that you are likely to pay more when they are.

If you’re new to pet insurance or would like to brush up on your insurance terminology, see our Best Pet Health Insurance : How to Find the Plan That’s Right for You page before proceeding.

There are many options out there, so to help make your decision easier we have narrowed down our pet insurance reviews to the most reputable company in each insurance category:  Embrace, QuickCare, Pets Best Insurance and Pet Assure.

This doesn’t mean that there are not other good companies out there, but these are the ones we like the best as long as you understand what you are buying…

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Evaluating Pet Insurance Reviews

Before taking a deep dive into the fine print, peruse our high level comparison in the next couple of sections and find a plan that you are comfortable with.

What’s that? The words “insurance” and “comfortable” don’t belong in the same sentence?

Good point… let’s rephrase. You should ask yourself the following questions when evaluating each plan to understand which plan makes you feel the most comfortable.

Deep Dive (DD) Pet Insurance Comparison

As you continue down this page, we will give you the most important “high level” considerations and recommendations, but you can click over to the Deep Dive Pet Insurance Comparison to dive deeper into each insurance company and option.

When you see the letters “DD” for Deep Dive, you’ll know it’s a good time to reference our in-depth pet insurance comparison.

Tip: Read through this entire page and our Best Pet Health Insurance : Finding the Plan that’s Right for You page BEFORE getting into the Deep Dive document.  It will make a lot more sense if you do!

Now on to the questions to ask yourself when evaluating your options…

  1. What is the monthly premium compared to my out of pocket costs when I use the plan?
    1. Understand which way you lean before choosing a plan:
      1. If you’re looking for a “catastrophic” plan that will only cover your dog for very large claims or that will pay for a smaller portion of your vet bills, you are likely to pay a lower monthly premium.
      2. If you want a plan that will pay the majority of the bill when your dog does get sick or has an accident, then your monthly premiums will be higher.
  2. Is there a specific illness or condition that is causing me to consider buying pet insurance?  Does my dog already have that illness or condition?
      1. If your dog already has an illness or condition then it probably won’t be covered under a traditional plan.  This is what insurers call a “pre-existing condition exclusion.”  You are better off jumping straight to our Discount Plan recommendation as it does not have this clause in their contract.
  3. What breed is my dog and will the plans apply a breed surcharge or cover my dog differently? 
    1. Breed surcharges and caveats are common.  (DD)
  4. Could I qualify for any special deals?  
    1. Some companies will give you a discount if your pet is a Medical Service Pet, is “microchipped” (has a microchip implanted underneath their skin to track them if they get lost), for enrolling more than one pet or if you work in the veterinary business.  (DD)
  5. Does the plan require the use of a certain network of veterinarians?  If so, is my veterinarian in the network?  
    1. Of our recommendations, only the Discount Plan uses a specific network. The rest allow you to use any licensed veterinarian. If your vet is not currently in the network, there is a good chance that you can get them added.
  6. How old is my pet?
    1. Depending on their breed, they may not qualify if they are older than a certain age (if this provision is in the fine print, the age limit will usually be 6 or 8 years depending on your dog’s breed).  (DD)
  7. What’s excluded from coverage?
    1. You will have to pay 100% for any excluded conditions.  Click here for a list of standard exclusions, and go to our DD for a list of additional exclusions by plan.

Alright, now that your head’s in the right place let’s get on to the pet insurance reviews.

First we’ll cover traditional pet insurance recommendations, then further down the page we’ll get into non-traditional pet insurance reviews including Discount, Accident Only and Customizable plans.

It’s a good idea to read through all of the options before making any decisions…

Traditional Pet Insurance Reviews by Company

Traditional pet insurance reviews were probably what you had in mind when you started your research.  With traditional pet insurance, you choose a particular plan and pay a premium every month to the insurance company.

When your pet receives treatment that is covered under the plan, your insurance company will pay part or all of the bill depending on the provisions of the plan.  Traditional plans can cover accidents, illnesses and sometimes even preventive care such as immunizations.

We’ve screened the market and believe that your best two choices for Traditional Pet Insurance are Pets Best Insurance and QuickCare.  You can’t go wrong with either company, which is to say that they are both reputable and fair and you can count on them to reimburse you according to the terms of their contract (DD).  While neither of these companies is blatantly trying to trick you, like most plans they do have some limitations to consider.

Here is a high level comparison of the plans that each company offers (click here for a list of definitions if you are unfamiliar with the terminology)…

Important: Be sure to check with each company to review all of their information before making a final decision. There is a possibility that prices or benefits could change. In addition, the below information is primarily for dogs. Each of the following companies’ web sites will have information for other pets.

Pets Best Insurance
PlanPets BasicPets FirstPets Premier
CostFrom $10.57/monthFrom $24.77/monthFrom $44.10/month
Waiting
period
3 days for accidents
14 days for illnesses
Annual
Deductible
none
Per Incident Deductible$100, $250, or $500$100, $250, or $500$250 or $500
Coinsurance
or Co-pay
Percentage
80%
Per Incident
Maximum
$2,500$7,000$14,000
Lifetime Plan
Maximum
$42,500$100,000$100,000
QuickCare
PlanGoldCompleteSenior
CostFrom $26.95/monthFrom $50.90/month$32.95/month
Waiting periodNo waiting period for accidents
30 days on illnesses from the point of enrollment
none
Annual Deductiblenone
Per Incident Deductible$100 (“may vary by state”)$200 for only the following: heart disease, cancer, stroke and/or seizure
Coinsurance or Co-pay PercentageYou choose plan: 70% or 90%70%100%
Per Incident Maximum$3,000$5,000$500 – $2,000 depending on incident
Lifetime Plan MaximumUnlimited for accidents $36,000 for all illnesses (option to increase to $72,000 for higher cost)Unlimited

Tip: If you are willing to pay the entire annual premium up front instead of paying the monthly premium, you may receive a discount. Check with each company before making your first payment!

We’ll boil down the traditional pet insurance plans in a bit, but first let’s get into reviews of the non-traditional plans…

Pet Insurance Reviews for Other Plan Types, Including Discount, Accident Only and Customizable Plans

Some definitions are in order before getting into the detailed “other plan type” pet insurance reviews…

Customizable Pet Health Insurance is just like traditional pet insurance discussed above, except you are allowed to choose the levels of coverage and in some cases what is actually included under the plan.

Accident Only Plans are also just like traditional plans except only accidents are covered.  There will be no coverage for anything else, including illnesses or preventive treatment.

With Discount Plans, you pay a fee to have access to a network of veterinarians.  As long as your pet is treated at a vet on the list, your bill will be discounted by a set percentage.

If you are unclear about any of the terminology used in the following chart, click here for a list of definitions.

Now on to our non-traditional plan recommendations by plan type…

Important: Be sure to check with each company to review all of their information before making a final decision. There is a possibility that prices or benefits could change. In addition, the below information is primarily for dogs. Each of the following companies’ web sites will have information for other pets.

EmbracePet AssureQuickCare
Plan TypeCustomizableDiscountAccident Only
CostFrom $26.95/monthFrom $50.90/month$32.95/month
Waiting periodNo waiting period for accidents 30 days on illnesses from the point of enrollmentnone
Annual Deductiblenone
Per Incident Deductible$100 (“may vary by state”)$200 for only the following: heart disease, cancer, stroke and/or seizure
Coinsurance or Co-pay PercentageYou choose plan: 70% or 90%70%100%
Per Incident Maximum$3,000$5,000$500 – $2,000 depending on incident
Lifetime Plan MaximumUnlimited for accidents $36,000 for all illnesses (option to increase to $72,000 for higher cost)Unlimited

That’s a lot of information to digest. Let’s wrap up with a summary of all plan types…

Boiling Down Our Recommendations

We only included the best of the best pet insurance reviews in the above summaries. If one of them is calling your name, go for it! You’ll be in good hands.

If you’re still not sure, here are some additional thoughts to guide you in the right direction…

We are huge fans of Embrace because we like to customize our own plans.  It ensures that we are getting and paying for exactly what we want.

No other plan lets you mix and match different coinsurance percentages, deductibles and annual maximums to the level that fits your situation.  This includes the ability to add prescription drug and dental coverage.

Pet Assure’s unique discount approach and low monthly fees are also attractive.  If you are looking for the lowest possible premium with absolutely no restrictions, this should be your choice.

Keep in mind that you will be likely to pay more each time you go to the vet, but the benefits never run out as long as you are using a vet that is a part of their network.  If you like the plan and find out that your vet does not belong, you can always ask your vet to join.

In addition, they have negotiated some great discounts on pet products and services that you get to take advantage of as a member.  The discount savings on these product and services alone could offset the cost of the plan.

Pets Best Insurance and QuickCare are very comparable in their approach.  Like the other two companies, they are reputable and backed by financially sound insurance companies and their prices are competitive.

If traditional insurance is what you are going for, between these two we give the edge to Pets Best Insurance.  Their web site is much more polished, professional and user-friendly and its plans have no age restrictions.

We included the Accident Only Plan through QuickCare for those looking for an inexpensive plan.  If you have an active or sporting dog that tends to get in harm’s way, this could be a good one for you.  Remember that it won’t cover any illnesses, so if they get sick you are on your own.

Remember, before making any final decisions you should review the web site and contracts of each company. Their web sites will have details about how to get a quote and how to file a claim once you are covered under the plan.

Do you believe in holistic pet care?  If so, please tell your friends about us! Thank you for supporting our efforts!


 

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