No one disputes that health care costs are going up. But that’s also true for health care costs for people and pets. Even though rising costs are bad for healthcare, the good news is that this is mostly because of big technological changes and how people and pets are treated. But because of these changes, insurance is now more important and desirable than ever. We made this guide to help you find what we think are the 7 best pet insurance companies for 2022.
Full Reimbursement: Figo One of their three plans, Ultimate, stands out from the rest because it offers almost complete vet care each year. The premiums for that plan will, of course, be more. But they also have Essential and Preferred plans with lower extra gains of $5,000 and $10,000.
The premiums for each plan are lower than those for the Ultimate plan. You can upload veterinary bills to the all-online platform and then pay for them electronically. Most payments are handled in less than three business days. Because Figo pays you, not the vet, you can take your pet to any licensed vet.
Best Dental Coverage: Embrace Pet Insurance has dental insurance that pays up to $1,000 yearly for treatments. Also, they will have to pay for visits because they are sick or hurt. Embrace also has a deductible that goes down over time. You don’t get any money back for claims yearly that your pet is on the plan. The amount of the deductible is cut by $50.
The deductible can even be set to nothing. You can buy a Wellness Rewards plan that will reimburse $250, $450, or $650 per year. There is no restriction on the number of claims you can make per incident, and there is no limit on how long your pet is covered. But you should know you can get insurance for pets younger than 14.
Best for Older Pets: TrustedPals is our choice for the best supplier for senior dogs. That’s because neither dogs nor cats can get too old. Most pet insurance companies limit a pet’s age, usually 14. Also, it’s important to know that this company has a plan that covers everything. Claims are usually taken care of within 10 days, the same for all health insurers. But the business discounts premiums to people in the military, first responders, veterans, and a few other jobs.
Best for unusual pets: Nationwide Pet Insurance covers dogs and cats for health insurance, but it is also one of the few companies covering exotic pets. They say they are the largest pet insurance company and cover more than 1 million pets nationwide. The best thing about Nationwide is that it is a big insurance company.
So, you can purchase more than one policy from the same company. They even give a 5% discount if you buy a new policy for your pet. Nationwide gets paid by getting reimbursed. You can choose a set number of benefits or a percentage of each bill.
Best for Quick Reimbursements: Healthy Paws may have the quickest reimbursement times in the business. When these claims are sent in, they are processed and paid within two days. Healthy Paws also doesn’t have annual or lifetime limits on how much it will cover your pet. A foundation is also part of Healthy Paws. In 2023, the business gave more than $1.6 million to help homeless pets. You should know that Healthy Paws does not require a full physical exam from nose to tail by a licensed veterinarian for your pet to be covered. Also, there is no need for diagnostic tests like x-rays or blood work.
Pets Best is the best for direct payments. Pets Best is the best pet insurance company that pays directly to veterinarians and other providers. You can choose to pay and have the company reimburse you, or you can choose to have the payment forwarded straight to your provider.
That can speed up the process and keep you from paying for things with your money. We also like that the Pets Best plan covers vets throughout the US and Canada. Pets Best has easy-to-understand terms, like deductibles ranging from $50 to $1,000 and maximum benefits of $5,000 or unlimited.
Best for Complete Coverage: Fetch by the Dodo Petplan is now called Fetch by the Dodo. But it may have the most thorough plan of any pet insurance company. That’s because every policy comes with coverage for exam fees and dental care. In addition, they cover conditions that are unique to each breed. This could be important for people with a dog breed that gets sick often.
They say the average monthly premium for a dog is $35, and for a cat, it is $25. If even a little bit of that is true, it means that Petplan is on the cheaper end of pet insurance costs. The company also says that your bills will be paid back directly into your bank account in as little as two days.
What does the insurance cover?
Most pet insurance policies cover accidents and sickness, but cheaper policies only cover accidents. There will be injuries, overdoses, sprains, and torn ACLs due to accidents. Common illnesses like ear infections and diarrhea will be there, as well as long-term ones like allergies and arthritis.
They will also cover serious diseases like cancer and diabetes. Diagnostic tests like x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, and blood tests are usually covered by insurance. Many policies also cover conditions like hyperthyroidism and blood disorders in the family.
Some extended wellness plans cover comprehensive and alternative therapies like acupuncture and chiropractic care. But most policies exclude wellness care. This includes regular trips to the vet, yearly checkups, vaccinations, and care to keep fleas and heartworms away. Most companies that sell pet insurance will give you a well-being package for an extra fee.