Best Pet Insurance Companies
Investing in a good pet insurance policy is an excellent choice and may save you thousands of dollars over the life of your pet.
When you have a pet, the chances of them getting sick at some point in their lives is relatively high—as is the case with humans. But, if your pet receives a severe disease that requires extensive care and treatment, you’re looking at thousands of dollars worth of medical bills.
You can avoid these costs or pay only a fraction of the price when you invest in a good insurance company and policy. There are many things to consider when getting insurance for your companion.
This blog post will share the best pet insurance companies according to Indulge Your Pet and everything you should know before getting a policy.
So, let’s jump right in.
What Exactly is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance pays for treating the insured person’s injured or ill pet. Some pet insurance policies give the owner money if the pet passes away or gets stolen.
Veterinary health insurance for your pet is all about being prepared for the unexpected. Investing in a plan with a top-tier company is a good idea as it provides you with financial protection.
Pet insurance usually covers costs between $40 to $70 per month and a significant portion of your pet’s medical bills if they fall sick. These bills can generally cost between $5,000 to $10,000.
Insurance is a good option as it prepares you for the worst-case scenario and protects your finances if something happens to your pet.
How to Choose the BEST Pet Insurance for Your Furry Friend
In this section of the blog, I will go through some essential factors you need to consider before investing in an insurance policy for your pet.
Could you take a look?
Coverage
There are a lot of medical problems that your pet can face. It could be an aching paw, a broken tooth, or a life-threatening condition like cancer.
You want your pet to be covered for all of that.
Pet insurance is meant to be for unexpected circumstances and to have you covered. Some breeds are also prone to getting specific health problems, like Golden retrievers are prone to getting cancer, Dalmatians are prone to getting kidney stones, etc.
A good policy has broad coverage and limited exclusions.
Wellness coverage or preventive care covers routine procedures like vaccinations and checkups. While the benefits look awesome, getting wellness coverage isn’t necessarily a good deal.
Here’s why.
Adding wellness coverage to your pet insurance inflates the amount of your monthly premiums. This means you end up paying more for these services than you would in the long run.
It’s also easier to pay off from your pocket.
Three Primary Types of Pet Insurance Coverage
A pet insurance policy includes three different types of coverage. This includes:
- Accident and illness care: The best insurance covers include accidental and illness care. These include swallowed objects, broken bones, ear infections, cancer, and other illnesses
- Accident-only protection: These include accidental injuries and harm caused to your dog, such as harm from swallowed objects, broken bones, etc.
- Wellness coverage: This includes the cost of routine procedures such as annual exams, flea protection, vaccines, etc.
Let’s look at other important considerations.
Benefit Limits
These depend on the Pet Insurance company of choice.
Some plans typically provide benefits capped on an annual, lifetime, per-condition basis, or unlimited lifetime benefits.
Choosing plans with unlimited lifetime benefits is better, as this means the plans don’t have a payout cap. The price of Veterinary Care has been increasing with time, and bills of around $5,000 are becoming more common.
So, if you have a plan without limits, you can give your furry friend the best care possible.
Different Types of Benefit Limits
There are four significant types of benefit limits that you should know about. These include the following:
- Unlimited lifetime: There is virtually no upper limit to what the insurance company will pay to cover your furry friend’s medical bills
- Annual Maximum: Some companies cap the payouts or have an annual limit; once you reach the limit, you won’t be reimbursed for the amount spent after
- Annual Per Incident: This is the maximum amount of money the insurance company will pay you for a given condition, illness, or procedure in a given year
- Lifetime Maximum: The maximum amount of money the company will pay you, either per condition for the lifetime or in total. This isn’t good if your pet has a chronic condition such as allergies, asthma, etc.
Reimbursements and Deductibles
This is often the most tricky part for pet owners. I’ll help you simply with it.
A deductible is the amount of money you must pay out of your pocket before the pet insurance company steps in. Reimbursement, on the other hand, is the percentage of the bill the insurance will pay.
Most plans are flexible enough to let you customize the deductible and reimbursement options.
Deductibles
Paying higher deductibles means that you will pay lower monthly premiums.
Don’t confuse a deductible with a co-payment, though.
Let’s assume that you have a $400 deductible. So, during a year, you’ll pay all the bills for the first $400. After this, your insurance plan will kick in, and the insurance company will pay some percentage of all the medical bills.
You have 90% reimbursement and a $1000 vet fee.
The company will pay $900, and you’ll pay $100 from your pocket. This will be your co-payment.
Easy, right?
Types of Deductibles
There are three types of deductible schedules that pet insurance companies offer.
- Annual deductibles include all accidents, conditions, and illnesses in a year under one umbrella. The pet insurance company pays according to the reimbursement model when the deductible is met. When the year ends, the deductible resets
- Per Condition Lifetime: This separates the varying deductibles by condition. When that deductible is met, the insurance company pays for that particular condition according to the reimbursement model and resets for the pet’s lifetime
- Per Condition Annual: This is similar to the lifetime condition. In this case, the condition deductible resets annually
The Reimbursement Model
Pet insurance companies usually employ three different options for reimbursement.
- Actual cost means that once you have completed your deductible payment, the company will pay you a percentage of the actual veterinarian bill.
Most plans that apply this model allow you to have the freedom to choose the percentage - Benefit Schedules mean that the company has predetermined a fixed amount that you will be reimbursed for each condition, procedure, or illness. These plans have fallen out of fashion
- Usual & Customary is the least used model, meaning the company has determined a fixed amount it’ll reimburse you for each procedure. This is based on your location
Pet Insurance Rates
A good pet insurance cover usually costs around $30 to $70 monthly. Depending upon your needs, the cost and be towards the lower end or the higher.
Following are some factors that’ll change the quote from the company.
- Insuring a dog costs more than insuring a cat
- Insuring an older pet costs significantly more than insure than a younger pet
- If you and your pet live in an urban area, insurance costs more to insure than a pet that lives in a rural area
- The more extensive your dog is, the more expensive the insurance is going to be
Top 7 Best Pet Insurance Companies
There are a lot of pet insurance companies available on the market—some have policies that are dirt cheap.
However, when you’re looking to get your pet insured, you must invest in a company that has a good reputation, excellent feedback, and is known to be reliable and easy to work with.
In this blog post, I will share the best of the best.
Take a look at the companies:
| Company | Key Features |
|---|---|
 | ● Exceptionally comprehensive coverage ● Waives deductible and copays for lifesaving care ● Offers up to 100% reimbursement ● Includes the exam fees ● Comes with an innovative cloud-based platform which helps manage your pet's lifestyle ● Visit any, veterinary practice, licensed emergency hospital or specialist ● Plans start for less than $1.50 per day |
 | ● Comprehensive Coverage which even includes vet exam fee! ● The flexible annual reimbursement up to Unlimited ● Freedom to choose the Annual Deductible from $100-$1,000 ● 24/7 Customer Service which is top rated and always available ● Use any veterinarian in the United States or Canada ● Paperless and fast claim reimbursement via the Petplan App ● 10% Online Discount & Free Barkbox Offer |
 | ● First and the largest pet insurer in the United States ● The Whole Pet & Wellness Plan even covers spay/neuter ● 24/7 vet helpline access to clients ● Discounts available on auto and home ● Even insurers most birds and other exotic pets! ● $250 annual deductible with as well as Unlimited Claims ● Covers hereditary and congenital conditions |
 | ● Consistently rated number 1 in customer satisfaction, A+ BBB ● The choice of almost 90% of ConsumersAdvocate.org visitors ● Comprehensive illness and accident coverage ● Unlimited lifetime benefits + no claim caps! ● Annual deductible ● Free mobile app & no claims forms |
 | ● Strong Illness & Accident Coverage and you can Use Any Vet ● Optional wellness plan & Rx coverage even covers spay/neuter ● Benefits limited to $15k/yr ● Customizable Annual Deductible from $200-$1000 |
 | ● A+ rated with Better Business Bureau ● Short waiting period before coverage begins ● Hereditary, chronic, and congenital conditions covered ● No exam required ● Coverage for exam fees |
 | ● No Lifetime Limits ● Unlimited Plan Option ● 24/7 veterinary support line for all customers ● Reasonably good coverage ● No hereditary or congenital condition limitations |
Now that we’ve looked at each of these companies, it’s time to review each of them in detail and figure out which is the best choice for your pet.
Would you like us to begin?
Figo Pet Insurance
Figo Pet Insurance is one of the best Pet Insurance Companies. Figo’s three tiers of coverage even include comprehensive medical protection. The company has generous policies, which make it one of the best.
The insurance covers the vet exam fee, reimburses the claim within 30 days, and waives copay and deductible if your pet ever needs immediate, lifesaving treatment.
Here are some key features:
- Exceptionally comprehensive coverage
- Waives deductible and copays for lifesaving care
- Offers up to 100% reimbursement
- Includes the exam fees
- Comes with an innovative cloud-based platform that helps manage your pet’s lifestyle
- Visit any veterinary practice, licensed emergency hospital, or specialist
- Plans start for less than $1.50 per day
Here are the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Comprehensive coverage
● Waives deductible for lifesaving care ● Includes the exam fees |
● Pre-existing conditions are not covered |
Figo Pet Insurance is one of the best as it covers almost everything necessary without charging too much from the clients. The company is also highly reliable.
For a more detailed review of Figo Pet Insurance, you can check out our Figo Pet Insurance Company Review article.
PetPlan Pet Insurance
PetPlan Pet Insurance is one of the best pet insurance companies. They offer comprehensive coverage, including everything from the vet exam fee to hospitalization.
Thousands of clients trust the company and have been on the block for quite a while. It covers accidents, hereditary conditions, illnesses, and exam fees.
Here are some key features:
- Comprehensive Coverage, which even includes vet exam fee!
- The flexible annual reimbursement up to Unlimited
- Freedom to choose the Annual Deductible from $100-$1,000
- 24/7 Customer Service, which is top-rated and always available
- Use any veterinarian in the United States or Canada
- Paperless and fast claim reimbursement via the Petplan App
- 10% Online Discount & Free Barkbox Offer
Following are the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Comprehensive Coverage
● Flexible annual reimbursement ● Use any veterinarian in the United States or Canada |
● People have complained about poor customer service (but your experience may vary). |
In summary, PetPlan Pet Insurance is one of the best as the company has had a lot of experience and is trusted, loved, and referred by thousands of pet owners.
You can check out our PetPlan Insurance Company Review article for a more detailed review of Figo Pet Insurance.
Nationwide
Nationwide Pet Insurance is another reputed pet insurance company. They have the broadest coverage available, and you can go to any vet without worrying. Some plans even cover spay/neuter costs.
This is the largest insurer in the US and even covers exotic pets and birds so that you don’t have to worry too much.
The following are the key features:
- First and the most extensive pet insurer in the United States
- The Whole Pet & Wellness Plan even covers spay/neuter
- 24/7 vet helpline access to clients
- Discounts available on auto and home
- Even insurers most birds and other exotic pets!
- $250 annual deductible with as well as Unlimited Claims
- Covers hereditary and congenital conditions
Take a look at the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Even covers spay/neuter
● Insurers most birds and exotic pets! ● Reputed company |
● Has a waiting period |
To summarize, Nationwide Pet Insurance Company is America’s most trusted pet insurance company, and for a good reason. The plans are comprehensive, and the coverage is impressive.
For a more detailed review of Nationwide Pet Insurance, you can check out our Nationwide Pet Insurance Review article.
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is one of the best pet insurance companies. The policies have no caps on lifetime or annual payouts, the payment of claims is relatively speedy, and you can go to any licensed vet.
This company has top-rated insurance plans covering illnesses, accidents, cancer, genetic conditions, emergency care, and more!
Take a look at the key features:
- Consistently rated number 1 in customer satisfaction, A+ BBB
- The choice of almost 90% of ConsumersAdvocate.org visitors
- Comprehensive illness and accident coverage
- Unlimited lifetime benefits + no claim caps!
- Annual deductible
- Free mobile app & no claims forms
Following are the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Comprehensive illness and accident coverage
● Annual deductible ● Unlimited lifetime benefits |
● Long reimbursement period |
All in all, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance is one of the best pet insurance companies. They provide comprehensive plans with unlimited lifetime benefits, which is fantastic.
Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance is one of the most popular pet insurance companies. The company provides up to 90% money back on vet bills, offers complete protection for your pet, and has a dependable claims payment.
This insurance company covers breed-specific conditions, cancer treatment, chronic disorders, surgery, hospitalization, behavioral therapy, and more!
The following are the key features:
- Strong Illness & Accident Coverage, and you can use Any Vet
- Optional wellness plan & Rx coverage even covers spay/neuter
- Benefits limited to $15k/yr
- Customizable Annual Deductible from $200-$1000
Look at the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Use the services of any vet
● Benefits limited to $15k ● Up to 90% money back on vet bills |
● Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions |
To summarize, Embrace Pet Insurance is one of the best and most reliable ones. It provides satisfaction as it covers almost everything, has a dependable payment system, and is a reputable company.
For a more detailed review of Embrace Pet Insurance, be sure to check out our Embrace Pet Insurance Review article.
Petfirst Pet Insurance
Petfirst Pet Insurance is a company with a heart. They organize annual adoption events, partner with nationwide shelters, and find dogs and cats a forever home.
The insurance covers accidents, illnesses, surgeries, emergency care, x-rays, etc. The claim filing process is fast, and you get your refund quickly.
Take a look at the key features:
- A+ rated with Better Business Bureau
- Short waiting period before coverage begins
- Hereditary, chronic, and congenital conditions covered
- No exam required
- Coverage for exam fees
Following are the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Short waiting period
● Covers accidents, illnesses, surgeries, emergency care, x-rays, and much more ● No exam required |
● Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
● Elective procedures aren’t covered ● Organ transplants are not covered |
In summary, Petfirst Pet Insurance is one of the best. The company covers everything necessary, protects your pet, and ensures that your pet gets the best possible medical care.
For a more detailed review of Embrace Pet Insurance, check out our Petfirst Insurance Review article.
Pets Best Pet Insurance
Pet’s Best Pet Insurance is one of the best pet insurance companies. There are no lifetime limits, allowing the user to make plans that suit their needs.
For a more detailed review of Embrace Pet Insurance, check out our Petfirst Insurance Review article.
The company covers hospitalization, hereditary conditions, accidents, injuries, illness, etc.
Have a look at the key features:
- No Lifetime Limits
- Unlimited Plan Option
- 24/7 veterinary support line for all customers
- Reasonably good coverage
- No hereditary or congenital condition limitations
Following are the pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Good coverage
● Covers congenital conditions ● Unlimited Plan Option |
● Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
● Elective procedures aren’t covered ● Doesn’t cover parasites ● Herbal, holistic, and experimental therapies and medications |
Overall, Pet’s Best Pet Insurance is one of the best and is a reliable company to invest your money in.
For a more detailed review of Embrace Pet Insurance, be sk out for our Pets Best InsuraBestReview article.
Final Words: Best Pet Insurance Companies in 2021
Getting insurance for your pet is a preventive measure and a good investment.
However, you are better off putting your money down the drain than investing in some companies that are unreliable, undependable, and unfair. When buying pet insurance, there are a lot of things to consider.
While price should be a factor, it shouldn’t be the only one.
Investing your money in a good pet insurance company means that you will get coverage and benefits without any delays. These companies have value-for-money services and are pretty reliable.
In this blog post, I reviewed the best pet insurance companies in 2021 and some important information you should know before purchasing a policy.
Did you find what you were looking for? If so, thank you for in the comments section.
Leave your questions in the comments section, and I will reply soon!