How to find the best pet insurance
1. Check coverage details
All pet insurance policies cover necessary medical expenses such as diagnosis, general treatment, prescriptions, surgery and hospitalization. The differentiating factor is coverage for things like alternative therapies.
The best pet insurance companies in our review also don’t require add-ons to get basic coverage, such as veterinary exam fees.
Among the best pet insurance companies in our review, these companies cover the cost of behavioral therapy, alternative therapies, and veterinary exams in their base policy with no add-ons:
2. Consider unlimited annual insurance
For the best pet insurance, consider unlimited annual coverage, which has no cap on the claims you can make. While you might not make eye-popping claims very often, unlimited annual coverage allows you to hedge your bets. For example, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association reports that the most expensive dog insurance claim last year was $66,600 for a chronically ill Bernese mountain dog in Philadelphia.
Among the best pet insurance companies in our analysis, these companies offer unlimited annual coverage:
- Figo
- MetLife
- Best for pets
- pumpkin
- point
3. Pay attention to the special waiting period
The best pet insurance policies do not impose special, lengthy pet insurance waiting periods for orthopedic problems. If your pet had an orthopedic problem before purchasing the policy, or if it develops an orthopedic problem during the special waiting period, the pet will be excluded from coverage. A typical special waiting period lasts six months.
According to our analysis, among the best pet insurance companies, these companies don’t mandate special waiting periods:
4. Understand the claims calculation method
Some pet insurance companies have a sneaky way to reduce claims: They first apply a reimbursement percentage (coinsurance) and then subtract the deductible. Based on our analysis, this results in claim payments being lower than the “deductible priority” calculation.
Of the best pet insurance companies we analyzed, these companies use deductible priority calculations:
5. Find out if rates will increase as a result of your claim
Some pet insurance customers are surprised when their premiums go up at renewal time because they make a claim. In our analysis, we rated pet insurance companies that said they would not increase rates due to individual pet claims. (Pet insurance companies can increase rates for other reasons.)
Of the best pet insurance companies we analyzed, none will raise your rates because of your own claims.
6. Check out the direct veterinary payment system
Pet insurance that pays directly to your veterinarian can be a huge convenience. It greatly simplifies the checkout process because you don’t need to pay the full bill at the vet’s office and then file a claim. You only pay your portion, such as your deductible and/or coinsurance.
Of the best pet insurance companies we reviewed, the ASPCA and Pets Best have systems that pay your veterinarian directly.
7. Beware of bilateral exclusions
If your pet has certain orthopedic conditions, bilateral exclusion can end up costing you a lot of money. If certain conditions develop on one side of the body before or during the pet insurance waiting period, the condition will be excluded if it later develops on the other side. This includes costly cruciate ligament disease.
Among the best pet insurance companies in our rankings, Figo and MetLife have no bilateral exclusions.