Insuring veterinary patients health: A handy comparison chart
Pet insurance could be a wise choice for many of your clients. If youve never researched pet health insurance options, now might be a good time to start.
Pet insurance is one great way clients can plan ahead for their pets' care. And pet insurance can help boost revenue (not to mention, improve patient care and pay team members more-see Dr. Ernie Ward's 10 ways to expand revenue for more ideas). We've done some of the legwork for you by gathering the details about major providers. Now, take a look and choose the one or two that sound best for your practice. Press the Next button below to view our survey of pet insurance companies and for a downloadable PDF of this information click here.
(Note: This information was provided directly by companies themselves and has not been independently verified.)
Insurance brand:
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Hartville Pet Insurance, Petshealth Care Plan, Protect Your Bubble
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Accident, illness, and wellness
Started:
1997
Where available?
United States
How many pets?
More than 100,000 pets
Customer service?
Phone Monday to Saturday; email; department for veterinarians
Waiting period?
Illness: 30 days; Accident and wellness: None; Hereditary and congenital: six months
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions; elective procedures the ASPCA opposes, such as ear cropping, tail docking, and claw removal; treatment for dental disease (injuries are covered); costs for breeding or pregnancy; pet food; grooming; others as listed
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, if the condition is cured and treatment-free for at least six months
Emergency overseas?
Yes, in Canada; travel assistance services available globally for ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
No
Exam fees covered?
Yes
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, breed, location, species
Reimbursement?
70%, 80%, or 90%
Deductible?
$100, $250, or $500 annual
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Annual
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may change at renewal or mid-year
Discounts?
Multi-pet, veterinary staff, employee benefit, and more
"Usual and customary" clause?
Yes, determined by customary charges for same procedures in same area
Maximum payout per year?
None
Lifetime limit?
Yes, for chronic, hereditary, and congenital conditions
File claims?
Email, fax, or snail mail; one-page claim form and receipts
Reimbursement?
To client or veterinarian within about one business week
Insurance brand:
Embrace
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Accident, illness, and wellness
Started:
2006
Where available?
United States
How many pets?
45,000
Customer service?
Phone Mon - Sat; web; representatives to help veterinarians
Waiting period?
2 days accident; 14 days illness; no waiting period wellness; 6 month waivable waiting period for orthopedic conditions in dogs
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions, grooming
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, if condition does not recur within 12 months
Emergency overseas?
Yes, worldwide, as long as pet ordinarily resides in US
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
Yes
Exam fees covered?
Yes
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, breed, gender, location, spay/neuter status, species
Reimbursement?
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductible?
$100, $200, $300, $500, $1,000
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Annual
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may increase deductible at any time; other changes may require rewriting policy.
Discounts?
5% spay/neuter; 5% annual pay; 5% pay by electronic check; 5% veterans/military; 5% multi-pet
"Usual and customary" clause?
No, use flat pct of vet bill
Maximum payout per year?
$5,000/$10,000/$15,000/$20,000
Lifetime limit?
None
File claims?
Email, fax, USPS; claim form and itemized invoice
Reimbursement?
Wellness claims to clients within 2 business days; 95% of accident and illness claims within 15 business days; pay direct to DVM if arranged in advance
Insurance brand:
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance and Foundation
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Injury and illness
Started:
2009
Where available?
United States
How many pets?
Undisclosed
Customer service?
Phone, web, email, fax 7 days/week
Waiting period?
15 days injury/illness
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions, office visit/exam fees, preventative care, pre-existing cruciate ligament problems to one leg as respects the cost of future treatment for problems of the other leg.
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, in some cases
Emergency overseas?
Yes, in Canada
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
No
Exam fees covered?
No
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, breed, species and zip code
Reimbursement?
90%, 80% or 70% - client chooses at enrollment
Deductible?
$100, $250 or $500 – client chooses at enrollment
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Annual
Changes to policy?
Clients may raise their pet's deductible level and/or lower their pet's reimbursement level at any time. They may do this once their policy is effective. Client's may lower their pet's deductible and/or raise their pet's reimbursement level, provided they have not previously filed a claim for their pet. They do this once their policy is effective.
Discounts?
Affinity Group & Employee Benefit
"Usual and customary" clause?
No
Maximum payout per year?
None
Lifetime limit?
None
File claims?
Mail, fax, email, upload via their Healthy Paws Online Account or paperless with IPhone App or Android App
Reimbursement?
7-10 business days for first claim, within 72 hours on subsequent claims
Insurance brand:
Petplan
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Accident and illness
Started:
2003
Where available?
United States, Canada
How many pets?
Over 130,000
Customer service?
Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Waiting period?
Accident: 24 hours; Illness: 14 days
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions, elective procedures, routine and preventive care, grooming
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, in some cases
Emergency overseas?
Yes, in the United States and Canada
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
No
Exam fees covered?
Yes
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, breed, location
Reimbursement?
80%, 90%, or 100%
Deductible?
$50, $100, or $200
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Per-incident
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may increase coverage once per policy term and at renewal; coverage can be decreased at any time.
Discounts?
5% online, 5% AARP member, 10% multi-pet, 10% medical services animal, 10% veteran/military, 15% veterinary professional and group discounts.
"Usual and customary" clause?
No
Maximum payout per year?
$10,000, $14,000, or $22,000
Lifetime limit?
No
File claims?
Paperless claims through the Petplan Claims app (no claim form needed) or by email, fax, or snail mail; one-page claim form, medical records, invoices and proof of payment.
Reimbursement?
95% of claims paid within five business days or less to the client (or veterinarian directly if requested)
Insurance brand:
Pets Best
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Accident, illness, and wellness
Started:
2005
Where available?
United States
How many pets?
157,000 policies sold
Customer service?
Phone and web Monday to Saturday; Claims preauthorization available
Waiting period?
Accident: 3 days; illness: 14 days; wellness: 14 days. With veterinary exam 10% discount certificate, accident: none; illness: 7 days
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions; conditions preventable by vaccine; nonmedical veterinary expenses
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, in some cases
Emergency overseas?
Yes, worldwide
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
No
Exam fees covered?
Yes
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, breed, location
Reimbursement?
70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%
Deductible?
$0, $50, $100, $200, $500, or $1,000
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Annual
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may change anytime
Discounts?
5% multi-pet, 10% discount for signing up 10 days or fewer after physical exam, 5% veterinary web link discount, veterinary team discount (5% to 12%)
"Usual and customary" clause?
No
Maximum payout per year?
$20,000
Lifetime limit?
$200,000
File claims?
Email, fax, online upload; or snail mail; claim form, medical records needed in less than 10% of cases
Reimbursement?
To client in three to five business days; veterinarians can receive payment directly
Insurance brand:
Trupanion
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Trupanion
Started:
2000
Where available?
United States, Canada, Puerto Rico
How many pets?
207,843
Customer service?
Phone 24/7; online, chat and email; territory partners and hospital support teams to help veterinarians
Waiting period?
Injury: 5 days; illness: 30 days
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions, elective procedures, routine care, grooming
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, in some cases
Emergency overseas?
Yes, in Canada, Puerto Rico, any region under U.S. and Canadian control such as military installations/bases in foreign countries.
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
Yes, unless veterinary hospital is enrolled in Trupanion Express
Exam fees covered?
No
Third-party liability?
Yes, in optional Pet Owner Assistance Package
Basis for premiums?
Species, breed, age at the time of enrollment, gender, location and spay/neuter status
Reimbursement?
90%
Deductible?
$0 to $1,000
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Per-incident
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may change deductible/premium amount anytime
Discounts?
No
"Usual and customary" clause?
No
Maximum payout per year?
None
Lifetime limit?
No
File claims?
Electronically through Trupanion Express, fax, email, or send photo of claim form
Reimbursement?
Paid directly to veterinary practice within minutes or to client within seven to 10 business days for first claim; subsequent claims within 24 hours
Insurance brand:
VPI (Nationwide)
Accident, illness, or wellness?
Injury, illness, and wellness
Started:
1982
Where available?
United States
How many pets?
523,000
Customer service?
Phone Monday to Saturday; email and mail; dedicated department to help veterinarians
Waiting period?
Standalone Wellness & Injury: next day; Illness: 14 days
Not covered?
Pre-existing conditions, grooming, elective procedures, congenital conditions, behavioral conditions, preventable conditions (if vaccine available and recommended by DVM)
Can pre-existing conditions be "cured"?
Yes, if the condition is curable and doesn't recur within six months
Emergency overseas?
Yes, worldwide
Do veterinarians need to fill out any part of the claim forms?
No
Exam fees covered?
Yes
Third-party liability?
No
Basis for premiums?
Age, location, size (as adult), species, deductible
Reimbursement?
100%
Deductible?
$0 to $1,000
Annual or per-incident deductible?
Annual
Changes to policy?
Policyholders may change anytime
Discounts?
Multi-pet (5% for two or three, 10% for four or more), group discounts
"Usual and customary" clause?
No
Maximum payout per year?
$7,000 to $14,000
Lifetime limit?
No
File claims?
Email, fax, or snail mail; claim form and itemized invoice
Reimbursement?
To client or veterinary provider within 14 business days
