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The Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2021

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Reviews Report 

  • Healthy Paws pet insurance has the lowest deductibles of all providers we reviewed, but PetPlan is Reviews.com’s top pick for best pet insurance company.
  • Geico pet insurance is provided by Embrace Pet Insurance and has the most discounts available.
  • For tech-savvy pet owners, Figo offers a bevvy of digital tools and resources for pet wellness, as well as 100% reimbursement rates.

Pet owners and experts agree: pet insurance is worth it. With pet insurance, you will never have to choose between their health and your own financial concerns.

To help you find the best pet insurance policy for your four-legged friend, your budget, and your preferences, we scoured the market. In addition to looking for affordable pet coverage, we also looked at the claims submittal and payment processes, ensuring it’s easy to use your policy when you need it.

Based on these findings, here are our top six pet insurance providers.

The 6 Best Pet Insurance Companies

Compare the Best Pet Insurance Companies


Reviews.com ScoreVet Exam Fees CoveredReimbursement RateDeductible
Figo4Optional, for sick/injury exams70%–100%$100–$750
Petplan4.4Yes, for sick/injury exams and virtual exams70%–90%$250–$500
Nationwide4Yes50%–90%$250–$500
Geico3.6Yes70%–90%$200–$1,000
Healthy Paws2.75No60%–90%$100–$1,000
Pet AssureN/A*Yes25% discountNone

Information accurate as of March 2021. *Due to the nature of Pet Assure’s pet insurance product, we are unable to calculate a Reviews.com score within our methodology.

Figo Pet Insurance

Best for User Technology

Why we chose it

Figo offers an AI claims assistant, 24/7 live chat with a vet, and their Pet Cloud app. Within the app, you can get round-the-clock virtual access to a live vet, connect with other pet owners in your area, and get scheduled reminders.
  • 4 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • $100–$750/yr. Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 70%–100% Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 3 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

Figo offers an AI claims assistant, 24/7 live chat with a vet, and their Pet Cloud app. Within the app, you can get round-the-clock virtual access to a live vet, connect with other pet owners in your area, and get scheduled reminders.

Pros

  • Full reimbursement
  • Intuitive digital tools
  • Telehealth vet appointments

Cons

  • Doesn’t cover preventative care
  • Comparatively new company
  • Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Illness/accidents
  • Hereditary/congenital conditions
  • Emergency care/hospitalization
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Prescriptions
  • Knee conditions

Exclusions

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Preventative care
  • Births/pregnancy
  • Spaying/neutering
Petplan

Best for Boarding in Emergencies

Why we chose it

Petplan provides no-copay, no-deductible VirtualVet visits and coverage for boarding costs if you have to board your pet while you’re in the hospital.
  • 4.4 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • $250–$500/yr. Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 70%–90% Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 1 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

Petplan provides no-copay, no-deductible VirtualVet visits and coverage for boarding costs if you have to board your pet while you’re in the hospital.

Pros

  • No age limits
  • Sick exam fees covered
  • Up to $1K behavioral therapy coverage

Cons

  • Doesn’t cover preventative care
  • 365-day exclusion period for curable conditions
  • Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Illness/accidents
  • Hereditary/congenital conditions
  • Prescriptions
  • Surgery/rehabilitation
  • Diagnostics/imaging/ultrasounds
  • Advertising/reward costs

Exclusions

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Preventative care
  • Elective procedures
Nationwide

Best for Exotic Pets & Birds

Why we chose it

On top of offering extensive coverage options — including plans that cover wellness-related care — Nationwide is the only major insurer to offer policies to people who own birds or exotic pets.
  • 4 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • $250–$500/yr. Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 50%–90% Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 3 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

On top of offering extensive coverage options — including plans that cover wellness-related care — Nationwide is the only major insurer to offer policies to people who own birds or exotic pets.

Pros

  • Exotic pets and bird coverage
  • Covers preventative care
  • Multi-pet discount

Cons

  • Possible low reimbursement rate
  • Six-month exclusion period for curable conditions
  • Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Illness/accidents
  • Hereditary/congenital conditions (in Whole Pet with Wellness plan)
  • Prescriptions
  • Surgery/rehabilitation
  • Diagnostics/imaging/ultrasounds

Exclusions

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Hereditary/congenital conditions (in all other plans)
Geico Pet Insurance

Best for Discounts

Why we chose it

Geico’s pet insurance offers discounts for spaying/neutering your pet, insuring multiple pets and paying in full, making it easy to save when insuring your furry friend.
  • 3.6 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • $200–$1,000/yr. Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 70%–90% Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 3 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

Geico’s pet insurance offers discounts for spaying/neutering your pet, insuring multiple pets and paying in full, making it easy to save when insuring your furry friend.

Pros

  • Flexible, customizable coverage
  • Multiple discounts

Cons

  • Service provided through 3rd-party provider
  • Limited online resources
  • 14-day waiting period for coverage
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Accidents (e.g. broken bones, swallowing something)
  • Illnesses (not pre-existing)
  • Dental issues
  • Cancer
  • Routine care (optional coverage)
  • Congenital/hereditary conditions

Exclusions

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Cosmetic procedures
  • Pregnancy/breeding
  • DNA testing
Healthy Paws

Best for Claims Processing

Why we chose it

We love Healthy Paws because it ticks all the boxes and the process of filing a claim is a breeze — most Healthy Paws claims get paid in a week or less.
  • 2.75 Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • $100–$500/yr. Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 90% Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 1 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

We love Healthy Paws because it ticks all the boxes and the process of filing a claim is a breeze — most Healthy Paws claims get paid in a week or less.

Pros

  • Fast claims processing and payments
  • No payout limit
  • Online quote and comparisons

Cons

  • Doesn’t cover pet exams
  • Doesn’t cover hip dysplasia after 6 years old
  • Not 100% coverage
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Illness/accidents
  • Hereditary/congenital conditions
  • Emergency care/hospitalization
  • Surgery
  • Diagnostic tests
  • Cancer

Exclusions

  • Preventative treatment
  • Examination fee
  • Pre-existing conditions
Pet Assure

Best for Pre-Existing Conditions

Why we chose it

Pet Assure is a low-cost discount membership program that provides pet owners with 25% off vet visits and medical procedures with little to no exclusions. Pet owners just need to find a vet in Pet Assure’s network.
  • N/A Reviews Score Score is based on company’s customer experience, financial stability, and coverage options.
  • None Deductible A deductible is the amount of money you pay out of pocket before insurance kicks in.
  • 25% Discount Reimbursement Rate This is the percentage of the vet bill that a pet insurance company will pay you after submitting a claim.
  • 1 No. of Plans

Why we chose it

Pet Assure is a low-cost discount membership program that provides pet owners with 25% off vet visits and medical procedures with little to no exclusions. Pet owners just need to find a vet in Pet Assure’s network.

Pros

  • All animals covered
  • No deductibles or usage limits
  • Money-back guarantee
  • No waiting

Cons

  • Not full pet insurance
  • No medication or prescription
Read More

What’s Covered

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Medical procedures
  • Sick/illness visits

Exclusions

Certain vet offices (by area)

Pet Insurance: What You Need to Know 

Pet insurance works much like health insurance does for humans. If you take your pet to the vet for an emergency or for a medical procedure, pet insurance will help you cover part or all of the cost.

Many of the best pet insurance providers we reviewed have deductibles — similar to other types of insurance like car insurance, homeowners insurance, or health insurance — that pet owners must reach before insurance kicks in. Then, reimbursement rates are the percentage that pet insurance will cover or pay you back for a covered event.

For example, if you have a $500 deductible plan and a 90% reimbursement rate when you discover your dog is sick. After a trip to the vet, your bill is $1,000. After paying your $500 deductible, your insurance will cover 90% of the last $500 — or $450 — so you only end up paying $550.

What pet insurance covers

Pet insurance mostly covers accidents, injuries, medical procedures, and non-pre-existing illnesses. If your pet is diagnosed with cancer or needs surgery to correct an issue, pet insurance steps in to help reduce your overall costs. This can even include diagnostic tests like X-rays, ultrasounds, and bloodwork. 

Some carriers, like Petplan, even cover the costs of boarding your pet in case you are hospitalized and can’t take care of your pet yourself. Here’s a list of what pet insurance can cover: 

  • Prescriptions
  • Ultrasounds
  • Bloodwork
  • Emergency vet visits
  • Illnesses except pre-existing conditions
  • Dental issues
  • Congenital or hereditary conditions
  • Medical procedures and surgery
  • X-rays
  • Accidents and injuries
  • Rehabilitation after surgery

Common pet insurance exclusions

Unfortunately, our furry friends don’t have the same protections that we do when it comes to health insurance. Even the best pet insurance carriers have exclusions for pre-existing conditions and even age. 

Furthermore, many pet insurance companies don’t cover preventative care like vaccinations, annual checkups, spaying, or neutering. 

Further Reading

Pet Insurance FAQ

Pet Insurance Methodology

We evaluated pet insurance providers based on exclusions, deductibles, payout limits, claim filing, and reimbursement rates to determine Reviews.com scores and create our best travel insurance provider reviews. To compare pet insurance providers with other brands across the board, we calculate each Reviews.com score based on the following:

  • Exclusions: When comparing pet insurance providers, we awarded providers that had fewer exclusions higher scores. 
  • Deductibles: Reviews.com compared the deductible options offered by each pet insurance provider — lower deductible ranges resulted in higher scores in this metric.
  • Payout Limits: Pet insurance companies that had higher — or none — payout limits, annual or lifetime, were awarded higher scores.
  • Claim Filing: We reviewed the claim filing process for pet insurance companies and awarded higher scores in this metric to companies that had easier (i.e. mobile) claim filing processes.
  • Reimbursement Rates: Pet insurance companies with higher reimbursement rates, typically 90% or more, score higher in this metric while pet insurance companies with lower rates scored less.

About the Authors

Kacie Goff

Kacie Goff Contributing Writer

Kacie Goff is a insurance and personal finance writer with over five years of experience covering personal and commercial coverage options.

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