Pets Best is one of the best options for pet health insurance for your dog or cat. They also make it easy to apply online.
They offer multiple plans that will fit any budget and even include the ability to purchase preventative care coverage.
Believe it or not, only 2% of pet parents have purchased pet insurance in the U.S. which probably comes from the lack of understanding how it works.
Our Pets Best Insurance Reviews:
Pets Best is backed by American Pet Insurance Company which has an A (Exceptional) Demotech rating. Pets Best offers one of the fastest ways to get quotes and to buy pet insurance online.
And the truth is that understanding the different plans can be a bit much. That is why we created this review, to help you see how simple and fast Pets Best makes it for you to apply online for instant pet health insurance coverage.
Who Is Pets Best Insurance?
Pets Best Story is a bit unique in that it was founded by an actual Veterinarian.
You can say the founder of Pets Best is also the founder of the pet insurance industry in a whole.
Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC was founded by Dr. Jack Stephens and Greg McDonald in Boise, ID in 2005.
However, Dr. Stephens was offering pet insurance as early as 1982. When Dr. Jack created Pets Best, they partnered with a couple of companies to underwrite their policies, and the most noteworthy one is American Pet Insurance Company or APIC.
American Pet Insurance Company has been around since 2000 and has an A (Exceptional) Demotech rating.
This is an important factor because when it comes to pet insurance, you need to know that you can rely on an insurance company and that they are financially sound.
I have put their company disclosure in a quote block so that you can better view it.
What Makes Pets Best Different?
What makes Pets Best so different is that along with the ability to purchase unlimited benefits, you are also given the option to add preventative care to your coverage. Pets Best also covers hereditary & congenital conditions on all of their plans.
Why Should You Care About Demotech Ratings?
While it is great that Pets Best is continuously rated highly in customer service by all of the top review sites. They are also one of the best place to work in Idaho.
What's even more amazing is that they are backed by a solid Financial Rating from Demotech.
I like to think of Demotech like the JD Power of the property and casualty insurance industry, they have been around for over 33 years.
They provide Financial Stability Ratings (FSRs) for Property & Casualty insurance companies.
These FSRs are a leading indicator of financial stability in a Property & Casualty insurance company.
THE SIMPLY INSURANCE WAY
Pet Insurance made easy.
Agents not required.
Get quotes and sign up online without talking to an agent. But, we are here if you need us.
Unbiased, expert advice.
Get unbiased insurance education from licensed experts and also avoid dodgy sales calls.
Coverage in minutes.
You can get pet insurance coverage within minutes of getting your quotes and applying.
Pros And Cons Of Pets Best Health Insurance
Below is a list of some pros and cons of Pets Best's pet health Insurance product.
Pet's Best Review - The Pros
Pets Best Review - The Cons
It's easy to see, the pros heavily outweigh the cons and honestly, isn't that what you want in a pet insurance company? With an assortment of policy options and combinations Pets Best makes getting covered online very easy.
What Does Pets Best Insurance Cover?
One of the greatest things about Pets Best is that they offer multiple plan options and along with a quick snippet, we also detail them below:
Pets Best Accident & Illness Plans
There are three (3) different options for the accident & illness plans, they are Essential, Plus and Elite.
These plans all range in different levels of coverage and give you the ability to fit coverage into your budget.
I always believe that when it comes to insurance, anything is better than nothing, so buy what you can afford.
Below is a description of each plan and what it offers:
Essential Plan
The Essential plan covers all of the basics, it has a $5,000 annual maximum and does not cover any of the optional benefits like coverage for Exam Fees or Chiropractic Coverage.
In case you are wondering, an Annual Maximum is how much in services you can file a claim on each year.
So:
With the Essential Plan, if your pets' annual health care expenses reach over $5,000, you have to cover the remaining 100% until the next year.
A quick list of what's covered with the Essential Plan looks like this:
- Emergency Visits
- Hospitalization & Surgeries
- Rx Medications
- MRI, CAT And X-Ray
- Specialist Care
- Outpatient Care
- Medication Injections
- Cancer Treatments
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
The Essential plan will be the best option to choose if you want to keep your monthly premiums the lowest.
Plus Plan
The Plus plan will cover all of the benefits of the Essential plan as well as the $5,000 annual maximum.
The Plus Plan will also include additional coverage such as accident & illness exam fees, as well as rehabilitative, acupuncture & chiropractic coverage.
The Plus plan is their most popular plan and will be in the mid range for pricing, it's going to cover the things below:
- Accident & Illness Exam Fees
- Rehabilitative Therapies
- Alternative Therapies
- Emergency Visits
- Hospitalization & Surgeries
- Rx Medications
- MRI, CAT & X-Ray
- Specialist Care
- Outpatient Care
- Medication Injections
- Lab Tests
- Cancer Treatments
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
Elite Plan
The Elite plan will cover all of the benefits of the Plus plan; however, it comes with Unlimited Annual Coverage.
Unlimited Annual Coverage means that no matter how much your pets' annual medical bills come out to, they will be covered.
This plan is going to give you the most coverage and maximum benefit for your pet.
This is the final and most expensive plan offered by Pets Best.
Accident Coverage
The Accident Coverage Plan has a $10,000 annual limit with a $250 deductible and 90% reimbursement for a very affordable *$6.00/month.
However, in other states the prices can vary as the disclaimer says below:
- Trauma
- Poisoning
- Bite (Animal, Insect, Snake)
- Hit By Car Or Moving Vehicle
- Foreign Body Ingestion
- Bone Fracture
- Laceration, Cut, Abrasion
- Wound
- Torn Nail
- Lab Tests
- Cancer Treatments
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
- Medical Problems Caused By Accidental Injury
*In WA state: the Accident Plan is $10/mo for dogs and $7/mo for cats and the EssentialWellness plan is $14/mo. The 5% multi-pet discount is available in all states on the BestBenefit Accident and Illness Plans only; and in WA state it is available on all plans.
This is the only plan for Accident Coverage offered by Pets Best and gives you a great level of reimbursement, a mid range of deductible and a maximum limit that should cover you if an accident happens.
If your pet has a medical condition that makes them unable to qualify for traditional coverage or pet parents are just looking for more cost effective coverage.
The Accident plan does not cover any illnesses, routine care, acupuncture, or chiropractic treatment.
Accidents that result in:
Routine Care Coverage
Once you have chosen your plan, you have the option to add additional routine care coverage.
Routine Care Coverage is also available if you choose the accident only coverage.
This is a great benefit to add and most companies don't offer this type of coverage.
There are two types of coverage offered by Pets Best and they both come at an additional cost.
Below we show you side by side the pricing as well as the benefits that come with each plan.
Essential Wellness - $16.00/Month
Pays up to the following limits:
- Spay/Neuter - Teeth Cleaning - $0
- Rabies - $15
- Flea/Tick Prevention - $50
- Heartworm Prevention - $30
- Vaccination/Titer - $30
- Wellness Exam - $50
- Heartworm test - $25
- Blood, fecal, parasite exam - $50
- Microchip - $20
- Urinalysis or ERD - $15
- Deworming - $20
- Total annual benefits - $305
Best Wellness - $26.00/Month
Pays up to the following limits:
- Spay/Neuter - Teeth Cleaning - $150
- Rabies - $15
- Flea/Tick Prevention - $65
- Heartworm Prevention - $30
- Vaccination/Titer - $40
- Wellness Exam - $50
- Heartworm test - $30
- Blood, fecal, parasite exam - $70
- Microchip - $40
- Urinalysis or ERD - $25
- Deworming - $20
- Total annual benefits - $535
Annual Deductible
"In Plain English." An annual deductible is a cost you pay per year for covered health care services for your pet before your insurance plan starts to pay
You only have to meet the deductible once a year, for whatever condition or conditions that may happen.
So:
If you have a $250 Annual Deductible with 90% Reimbursement.
It's the beginning of the year, and your pet has to go in for something like a chronic ear infection.
This can cost around $3,750 to treat. With your above plan this is how it would work:
You would pay the first $250.00 since that is your deductible and then you would only be responsible for 10% of all costs for the rest of the year.
So you would pay a total of $625.00 for the chronic ear infection. At that point, any additional issues or conditions would be covered at 90%.
No Age Limits For Enrollment
Pets Best has no age limits for enrollments. Most carriers actually have a cap on the enrollment age of pets.
This is an awesome benefit for pet parents that need coverage for an older pet.
As long as your pet is 7-weeks or older they can be enrolled.
The coverage will not lapse due to age or illness.
INSURANCE WHERE YOU LIVE
Pet insurance by state.
What Isn't Covered By A Pets Best Insurance Policy?
Pre-Existing Conditions
Pets Best, like all pet insurance companies, does NOT cover pre-existing conditions.
A pre-existing condition is a condition that your pet has before your pets' coverage started.
That is why we recommend getting coverage for your pet immediately.
Like other insurance companies, Pets Best will not pay out on a claim for a pre-existing condition. All other conditions would be covered.
Coverage Outside Of The Country
Pets Best will only cover your pet while you are in the US, Canada, or Puerto Rico.
This is something you must be mindful of if you decide to take your pet out of the country.
Pay Your Vet Directly
Unlike most companies, Pets Best gives you the option to pay your vet directly.
The way it works is that you can choose this option when the bill may be more expensive than you are able to pay out of pocket and wait for reimbursement.
It avoids you from having to max out credit cards or deplete savings.
The way you use this process is explained by Pets Best below:
"To use Vet Direct Pay, send us a signed copy of our veterinarian reimbursement release form along with your completed claim. Once your claim has been processed, we send any eligible reimbursement amount straight to your vet's office. It's the easiest way to manage expensive vet bills without breaking the bank!"
THE SIMPLY INSURANCE WAY
Pet Insurance made easy.
Agents not required.
Get quotes and sign up online without talking to an agent. But, we are here if you need us.
Unbiased, expert advice.
Get unbiased insurance education from licensed experts and also avoid dodgy sales calls.
Coverage in minutes.
You can get pet insurance coverage within minutes of getting your quotes and applying.
Fast & Paperless Claims
The Pets Best Mobile App allows you the ability to just take a picture of your receipt and upload it to the app to file your claim.
This is a super simple and fast way to get the process started, no paperwork needed.
Check out the video here to see how easy it is to file a claim.
One added benefit is that if you add your banking details in the customer center, you can have your claim sent via direct deposit.
This is an impressive feature because now you no longer have to wait for a check to come in the mail, it's all seamless.
How Much Does Pets Best Cost?
Just like how life insurance works, pets get underwritten on an individual basis. Which means rates will vary based on your pet. Below are some sample quotes:
Sample Pets Best Insurance Rates For Dogs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Age | Essential Plan |
|
|
1 | $18.46 | $22.54 | $25.03 |
4 | $20.59 | $25.14 | $27.93 |
5 | $24.89 | $30.38 | $33.75 |
7 | $36.20 | $44.19 | $49.09 |
Sample Pets Best Insurance Rates For Cats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
7 weeks | $10.93 | $13.34 | $14.82 |
5 | $12.29 | $15.00 | $16.67 |
7 | $16.83 | $20.55 | $22.83 |
The above quotes are based on getting the maximum benefit amount for someone making 50k per year. However, you can make several changes a
Along with the cost of pet insurance, we also have to think about the cost of not having pet insurance.
Check out this great resource about why you probably need to get your pet covered and how much money you can save.
Pets Best Availability & Policy Options
Annual deductible options of:
- $50
- $100
- $200
- $250
- $500
- $1000
Reimbursement level options of:
- 90%
- 80%
- 70%
Eligibility And Waiting Periods:
- No Upper Age Limits, Cover Your Pet Anytime After They Reach 7 Weeeks
- 14 Day Waiting Period For Accident And Illness.
- 3 Day Waiting Period For Accidents.
- 6 Months For Cruciate Ligament Events And Any Related Conditions
Veterinary Exam Requirement:
Unlike a few companies I have researched or reviewed, Pets Best Does NOT require medical records or any type of medical exam.
This is great because you really can get coverage started immediately.
Like most carriers they do have health questions and with any type of insurance product it's always best to answer them honestly.
Withholding any information can really come to hurt you and your pet in the long run.
Is There A Waiting Period?
There is a waiting period of 14-days after your pets' policy effective date. The policy on your pet is effective 12:01 a.m. the day after you enroll your pet(s) with Pets Best Insurance.
You can submit claims for accidents & illnesses that occur after the 14-day waiting period. You can submit claims for accidents that occur after a 3 day waiting period.
You have a 6 month waiting for cruciate ligament events and any related conditions
30 Day Money Back Guarantee
Pets Best offers a 30 Day Free Look period; basically, this is how we say a "30 Day Money Back Guarantee" in the insurance world.
If you have not filed a claim and decide to cancel your policy within the first 30 days, Pets Best will give you a full refund.
24/7 Pet Help Line From whiskerDocs®
I really saved the Best for Last! When your pet becomes part of the Pets Best family, you guys get to ask your pet health questions.
You can do this any time of day with their 24/7 Pet Helpline powered by whiskerDocs® at no extra cost.
The veterinary experts at whiskerDocs® are available to help educate and provide advice and decision support to pet parents.
This service is available by phone, live chat, and email, from urgent care to behavioral questions, and everything in between.
This service is valued at $100 per year and has no limits on usage during your policy term, so you'll always have access to veterinary experts as long as you are a customer with them.
THE SIMPLY INSURANCE WAY
Pet Insurance made easy.
Agents not required.
Get quotes and sign up online without talking to an agent. But, we are here if you need us.
Unbiased, expert advice.
Get unbiased insurance education from licensed experts and also avoid dodgy sales calls.
Coverage in minutes.
You can get pet insurance coverage within minutes of getting your quotes and applying.
Taking Action
I know our Pets Best Insurance review is one of the longer ones out here.
However, I wanted to make sure that I gave as much detail & information as possible.
If you have been holding off on buying pet insurance for any reason, I say give the 30-day free look period a shot or start with an Accidental Only policy.
As I stated above, you get 30 days to look over the policy and decide if it's the right thing for you and your family.
Just click here or on any of the above buttons to get started.
