Pets Best pet insurance review 2024
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 11:25 a.m. UTC June 18, 2024
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Pros
- Direct vet payments. This is an optional claims reimbursement feature that can help if you need to coordinate payment for a large, unexpected vet bill.
- No upper age limit. Although some companies will only insure pets under a certain age, Pets Best has no upper age limit.
- Broad range of deductibles. With Pets Best, you can choose a deductible between $50 and $1,000, helping you adjust your premiums based on what you can afford.
Cons
- Not all pets are eligible for full coverage. Certain health issues, such as Cushing’s Disease, may make your pet ineligible for accident and illness coverage. Instead, your pet will only qualify for accident coverage.
- Processing fees. Opting for monthly payments will cause Pets Best to add processing fees to your charges.
- Six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions. Instead of the two-week waiting period many other companies require, Pets Best requires a six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions.
Why trust our pet insurance experts
Our team of pet insurance experts evaluates hundreds of pet insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 4,000+ pet insurance rates reviewed.
- 500+ coverage details evaluated.
- 5 levels of fact-checking.
Pets Best overview
Founded in 2005 by veterinarian Dr. Jack Stephens, Pets Best had insured half a million pets by January 2022 and paid out $500 million in pet insurance policy claims as of July 2022, according to its website. The company was acquired by financial services company Synchrony in March 2019.
Pets Best has a highly-rated mobile app where you can manage your policy. Its website makes customizing your policy terms and coverage levels fast and easy. This pet insurance company also offers a direct vet pay option for those who can’t pay upfront and access to a 24/7 emergency vet hotline.
In our analysis of the best pet insurance companies, Pets Best gets our top rating of 5 stars.
Pets Best pet insurance plans
Pets Best pet insurance covers veterinary costs you incur from your dog or cat’s accidents or illnesses. These coverages include:
- Emergency care.
- Hospitalization.
- Surgery.
- Specialist care.
- Prescription medication.
- Ongoing and chronic conditions.
- Breed-specific, congenital and hereditary conditions.
- Diagnostics testing.
- Lab work and analysis.
- Behavioral condition consultations.
- Prosthetics and wheelchairs.
- Euthanasia.
The Pets Best plus plan includes coverage for exam fees, too. If you choose the elite plan, there is also coverage for acupuncture, chiropractic and rehabilitative care.
Accident-only coverage includes the same, but only as it relates to your pet’s injuries. There is no coverage for illness-related vet costs with accident-only pet insurance.
Wellness plan
Pets Best offers two wellness plan options. Its EssentialWellness plan is $16 per month ($14 in Washington) and provides up to $305 in annual benefits. The BestWellness plan is $26 monthly ($30 in Washington) and offers up to $535 in yearly benefits. There is no deductible on either wellness plan.
| VETERINARY EXPENSE | ESSENTIAL WELLNESS | BEST WELLNESS |
|---|---|---|
Spay/neuter or teeth cleaning
| $0
| $150
|
Deworming
| $20
| $20
|
Flea and tick prevention
| $50
| $65
|
Blood, fecal, parasite exam
| $50
| $70
|
Heartworm test/FELV screen
| $25
| $30
|
Heartworm prevention
| $30
| $30
|
Rabies
| $15
| $15
|
Vaccination/Titer
| $30
| $40
|
Microchip
| $20
| $40
|
Urinalysis or ERD
| $15
| $25
|
Wellness exam
| $50
| $50
|
Total Benefits
| $305
| $535
|
Pets Best waiting period
As with all pet insurers, there is a delay between when you enroll your pet and when the pet insurance benefits begin. Pets Best beats out many competitors with a three-day waiting period for accidents. It also has a 14-day waiting period for illness or hip dysplasia and six months for cruciate ligament injuries.
What doesn’t Pets Best cover?
Like other pet insurance companies, Pets Best has a few exclusions. Here is what this pet insurer doesn’t cover:
- Pre-existing conditions.
- Parasites (limited coverage with wellness plan).
- Non-veterinary expenses, like bedding, crates and other supplies.
- Food or special diets.
- Supplements and vitamins.
- Herbal, holistic or experimental medications and therapies.
- Elective and preventive procedures.
- Anal gland expression.
- Nail trims.
- Declawing.
- Dewclaw removal.
- Ear cropping.
- Tail docking.
Waiting periods for Pets Best coverage
A waiting period is the time between the policy effective date and the day the coverage is effective. If your pet experiences symptoms or sees a doctor for a condition prior to the coverage becoming effective, Pets Best may consider it a pre-existing condition and deny coverage.
Pets Best has a three-day waiting period on accidents and a 14-day waiting period on illness and hip dysplasia. There is also a six-month waiting period on cruciate ligament conditions.
Wellness plans have no waiting period with Pets Best.
Pets Best vs. competitors
| COMPANY | OUR RATING | AVERAGE MONTHLY DOG INSURANCE | AVERAGE MONTHLY CAT INSURANCE | LEARN MORE | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $44 | $25 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
| $59 | $32 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
| $52 | $23 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
| $46 | $27 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
| $76 | $47 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
| $47 | $43 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | ||||||||
| ||||||||||
 Paw Protect | $77 | $47 | See Plans Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
|
Average monthly pet insurance cost assumes unlimited reimbursement (or the highest level offered by that company), a $250 deductible and a 80% reimbursement percentage for a dog insurance accident and illness plan. These top-rated pet insurance company rates are based on the average cost to insure dogs and cats of various ages, breeds and ZIP codes. Source: PetInsurer.com.
Learn more: How to compare pet insurance quotes
Pets Best insurance rates
Your pet’s species, breed, age and where you live will determine your Pets Best insurance rates. Choosing different deductibles, reimbursement percentage and annual limit will also affect your cost.
Pets Best price comparison for dogs
| DOG BREED | AGE 3 MONTHS | AGE 3 YEARS |
|---|---|---|
Beagle
| $51
| $50
|
Bulldog
| $84
| $79
|
Dachshund
| $41
| $39
|
French bulldog
| $97
| $92
|
German shepherd
| $58
| $55
|
Golden retriever
| $62
| $59
|
Labrador retriever
| $61
| $58
|
Mixed breed (large)
| $45
| $43
|
Mixed breed (medium)
| $36
| $34
|
Mixed breed (small)
| $28
| $26
|
Poodle
| $54
| $51
|
Rottweiler
| $98
| $100
|
Average dog insurance rates for two age groups with a $250 deductible, unlimited annual limit and 80% reimbursement percentage.
Pets Best price comparison for cats
| CAT BREED | AGE 3 MONTHS | AGE 3 YEARS |
|---|---|---|
Abyssinian
| $33
| $32
|
Bengal
| $25
| $24
|
Bombay
| $26
| $25
|
British shorthair
| $29
| $28
|
Exotic shorthair
| $27
| $26
|
Maine coon
| $29
| $29
|
Mixed breed
| $22
| $21
|
Persian
| $28
| $27
|
Ragdoll
| $26
| $25
|
Siamese
| $24
| $24
|
Average cat insurance rates for two age groups with a $250 deductible, unlimited annual limit and 80% reimbursement percentage.
Methodology
To find the best pet insurance, we analyzed 15 pet insurance companies using data provided by PetInsurer.com. Each pet insurance company was eligible for up to 100 points, based on its performance in the following key categories:
- Cost: 50 points. We calculated average rates for accident and illness pet insurance plans for dogs with the highest level of coverage available, a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement percentage.
- Annual coverage limits: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an annual reimbursement level of $100,000, or unlimited annual coverage scored in this category.
- 24/7 vet line: 10 points. Insurance companies that offer access to a 24/7 vet line earned points. Being able to call for medical advice might save you money on vet visits.
- Routine wellness plan: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an optional wellness plan add-on scored full points. Wellness plans can reimburse you for preventative care for your pet.
- Pays vet exam fees: 10 points. If a pet insurance plan includes pet exam fees, the insurer received 10 points. If this is offered as a coverage add on, the insurer received 5 points.
- Multipet discount: 5 points. Pet insurance companies that offer a discount for insuring more than one pet received full points.
- Euthanasia or end of life expenses included: 5 points. If euthanasia or other end of life expenses are covered in pet insurance plans, a pet insurance company scored in this category.
Pets pet insurance review FAQs
Yes, you can get an online quote from Pets Best. You’ll need to provide your name and ZIP code, plus your pet’s name, age, breed and gender.
The Pets Best quote tool will also ask if your pet has been seen or diagnosed for any health conditions.
Once you enter the information, you can choose your coverage options and complete the application to get your pet insured.
Learn more: How to compare pet insurance quotes
No, like other pet insurance companies, Pets Best does not cover pre-existing conditions.
A pre-existing condition is anything your pet shows signs for, even if they haven’t been diagnosed by a veterinarian.
If your pet is seen for a curable pre-existing condition, such as a broken bone, sprain, upper respiratory infection or dental fracture, Pets Best will cover them after the condition is healed or cured.
Pets Best does have an annual coverage limit, which is either $5,000 or unlimited.
If you choose the $5,000 coverage limit, your premium will be lower, but your coverage will be capped at $5,000 per year.
With the unlimited coverage limit, there is no cap on the amount Pets Best will cover for your pet’s health care costs each year.
Learn more: How much does a dog cost per year?
According to Pets Best, you can expect reimbursement in as little as two days (for direct deposit) or five to seven days (paper check).
Pets Best will hold your claim until all medical records are provided, so be certain to provide all relevant documentation with your claim to expedite the process.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
