Pet Insurance Review Categories
Our team of seasoned writers, editors, and experts evaluate and rate pet insurers across the following five categories, using the detailed criteria for each category outlined below.
Coverage Terms
Plan Offerings: Does the insurer offer all or just some of the most popular pet plan types, such as accident, accident-and-illness, and wellness plans?
Plan Flexibility: How broad or narrow is its selection of deductibles, coverage limits, and reimbursement rates?
Waiting Periods: Are standard waiting periods for accidents and illnesses competitive with the industry averages?
Special Waiting Periods: Are there special waiting periods for select conditions, like hip dysplasia? If so, how long are they?
Exclusions: Does an insurer’s list of coverage exclusions align with or go beyond industry standards?
Additional Coverage: Conversely, does the insurer provide coverage for commonly excluded items? Is this coverage available as part of its standard plans or sold as an add-on? Commonly excluded items include, but are not limited to:
Exam fees
Behavioral therapy
Dental illness
Euthanasia or end-of-life expenses
Holistic treatments, such as acupuncture or chiropractic treatment
Prescription food
“Curable” pre-existing conditions
Availability
In how many U.S. states are policies available?
Does the insurer impose specific city or zip code restrictions within those states?
What is the minimum age at which a pet is eligible for coverage?
What is the maximum age at which a pet is eligible for coverage?
Does the insurer restrict policies for certain breeds?
Costs
What is the insurer’s average rate compared to industry averages established by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association?
How does the insurer’s average rate compare to competitor pricing?
How does a plan’s price compare to its value? For instance, is a higher rate justified by broader coverage terms?
Does the insurer offer discount opportunities? Discount opportunities include, but are not limited to:
Multi-policy discount
Veterans or military member discount
Veterinary staff discount
Senior or AARP member discount
Discount for paying premiums annually versus monthly
Discount for adopting pets from a shelter or rescue
Healthy pet deductible reductions or other healthy pet incentive programs
Claims process
What are an insurer’s quoted reimbursement times? How do these times compare to industry averages and competitor timeframes?
How can policyholders file a claim? Is there an online portal, email, fax number, address, or mobile app?
Does the insurer offer ways for policyholders to avoid paying out-of-pocket for claims, like a vet direct pay option or a 100% reimbursement rate?
Do personal experience, user reviews, and testimonials support an insurer’s quoted payout policies and reimbursement times? What other themes do they support regarding the claims process?
Customer Service
How many years has the insurer been in business?
What is an insurer’s Trustpilot score?
What is an insurer’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating, accreditation, and customer review score?
If an insurer has a mobile app, how well is the app rated in the Google Play or Apple App stores?
How can a policyholder contact an insurer to troubleshoot issues? Is there an email, phone line, and chat function? Are they available 24/7 or are customer support hours limited?
When tested by our experts, how quickly does the insurer respond across these customer service channels?
How hard or easy is it to obtain pricing quotes and buy a policy?
Are there common themes among negative feedback obtained through personal experience, expert insight, or user reviews? If so, what is their breadth and scope?
Are there common themes among positive feedback obtained through personal experience, expert insight, or user reviews? If so, what is their breadth and scope?
Rating and Reviewing Pet Insurers
Our experts score pet insurers in each review category on a scale of one to 10 based on their performance against the detailed criteria. One is considered the lowest score, and 10 is the highest score. We average those scores to determine our BestMoney Editorial Score.
Pet insurers with a high BestMoney Editorial Score are considered for our top pet insurance company picks. We may also include a pet insurer for this list if it has an industry-leading feature, like vet direct pay, or offers the lowest rates for a specific pet type, age, or breed, like older French bulldogs.
Comparing pet insurance costs
For individual reviews, to get a read on how an insurer’s rates compare to industry averages and competitor pricing, we pull quotes for an accident-and-illness plan with a $10,000 coverage limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement rate in these zip codes: Albany, 12242; Austin, 78746; and Sacramento, 95620. We request quotes for the following pet types:
1-year-old medium-sized mixed breed dog
4-year-old French bulldog
6-year-old Poodle
10-year-old chihuahua
1-year-old domestic shorthair cat
4-year-old Maine coon cat
6-year-old Ragdoll
10-year-old Scottish fold
All dogs are male, and all cats are female. Because pet insurers don’t always offer these specific terms across all breeds, we will note any deviations from the plan or pet type in the review.
Disclaimer:
The rates and information provided in our reviews are based on publicly available data and sample quotes at the time of evaluation. Insurance rates and terms are subject to change and may vary depending on factors such as location, pet breed, age, health, and coverage selections. We recommend obtaining personalized quotes directly from the insurer to ensure accuracy and suitability for your specific needs.
