The best pet insurance for 2021

https://figopetinsurance.com/

Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Starting rate: $37 a month for dogs; $28 a month for cats
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 to unlimited
Deductibles: $100 to $750
Pets covered: Dogs, cats

Figo offers some of the most comprehensive pet insurance plans in the industry, with a best-in-class 100% reimbursement for covered expenses. Pet owners can choose from a $5,000, $10,000 or unlimited annual benefit with 70% to 100% reimbursement. You can also customize your pet insurance plan to include coverage for veterinary exam fees and wellness care. There’s only a one-day waiting period — the time you’ll wait for your coverage to start — for accidents, and standard 14-day waiting period for illness coverage. Figo will insure pets once they’re eight weeks old and there’s no upper age limit. We think Figo offers the best all-around coverage for most cats and dogs and will maximize your savings if you visit the vet a few times a year.

A unique feature Figo offers is an extra care pack that provides optional coverage for cremation or burial expenses, lost pet advertising, vacation cancellation for a pet emergency, boarding fees, pet theft or loss and up to $10,000 per policy for third-party property damage liability. Like other carriers, preexisting conditions, preventative dental care, elective procedures and routine wellness are not covered unless you purchase a separate rider. Figo offers discounts for multiple policies and up to 10% discounts for employees at participating vets. Costco members are eligible for a 15% discount on Figo pet insurance.

Like most traditional pet insurance policies, you’ll need to pay for your vet bills up-front and then file a reimbursement claim through the Figo Pet Cloud mobile app, online or by faxing or emailing your paid invoice. Reimbursements are issued within 10 business days by mailed check or five business days via direct deposit. The Figo Pet Cloud app also lets you store your pet’s vet records online and connect with other pet parents in your area. If you have a question, you can reach customer support directly through the app’s 24/7 live chat functionality or by Facebook messenger, text message, email or phone.

https://www.petsbest.com/

Coverage type: Accident, illness, routine care
Starting rate: $9 a month for dogs, $6 a month for cats
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 to unlimited
Deductibles: $50 to $1,000
Pets covered: Dogs, cats

For the lowest monthly premium and solid policies for accident and illness protection, we like Pets Best. This insurance company is great for pet parents looking for inexpensive insurance covering a basic range of typical vet costs. Although prices are low, this insurance has a complicated breakdown of what conditions are and are not included in their three tiers of service, which accommodate everything from basic exams to acupuncture and chiropractic care. Waiting periods for accidents are also a bit longer than competitors — starting at three days — but illness coverage is standard at three days. 

We like that Pets Best offers service plans that cover routine care such as vaccines, spay/neuter, bloodwork, heartworm preventatives and more for an extra $16 to $26 monthly fee, because many pet insurance plans do not cover all of these services. However, at this cost, you can opt into many of the same services at a lower price through Figo or Pets Assure. Pets Best offers a 5% discount for pet parents who enroll more than one pet, and if you purchase a pet through a participating adoption center or animal shelter, you can receive another 5% custom discount code. You can also get special offers on training supplies, treats and products through Pets Best. 

You can file a claim with Pets Best by snapping a picture of your paid invoice and uploading it via the mobile app or online website, answering a couple of questions then submitting it for reimbursement. You can also file via email, fax or mail by submitting their claims form and a copy of your paid, itemized vet invoice. After the claim is processed, you can expect reimbursement in as little as two days with direct deposit or five to seven days by paper check.

https://www.petassure.com/

Coverage type: Discount plan
Starting rate: $9.95 monthly
Maximum annual coverage: Unlimited
Deductibles: None
Pets covered: All: dogs, cats, birds, exotic animals, farm animals, small animals

Pet Assure may offer the best benefits if your pet has a preexisting condition that isn’t typically covered by insurance. It’s not technically pet insurance, but a discount plan that provides 25% off all in-house medical care at participating vets with no claims required. There are few restrictions — no waiting periods, deductibles or annual maximums. You’ll just want to make sure your vet accepts this insurance before signing up.

The few exclusions include non-medical services, outsourced lab work or other services, food and medications. And, if your vet offers its own discount service, you cannot combine it with the Pet Assure discount plan. 

Pet Assure plans are size-dependent — you choose a plan for one small or large pet (based on weight), plans for multiple animals or a multi-pet plan, which covers up to four animals of any size. The unlimited plan covers five or more animals. You can save approximately 30% by paying annually instead of monthly. 

https://www.petinsurance.com/

Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Starting rate: $34 a month for medical coverage, $64 a month for complete coverage
Maximum annual coverage: $10,000 to defined per condition
Deductibles: $250
Pets covered: Dogs, cats, birds, exotic pets

Based on our research, Nationwide is the only company currently offering pet insurance coverage for birds and exotic pets. To get quotes for your exotic pets, you’ll have to call Nationwide directly, but you can purchase pet insurance for a dog or cat online. This plan’s wellness features are robust and include annual exams, vaccinations, blood work, urinalysis and flea and heartworm preventatives. Pets under 10 years old can be added to a plan and are then covered throughout their entire life. The pet wellness plan has a one-day waiting period when purchased alone, while the other plans have standard 14-day waiting periods.

Each plan comes with a $250 annual deductible, 90% reimbursement and defined annual benefits per condition, which is different from most pet insurance plans. The whole pet plan has a cap of $10,000 in annual benefits and pet owners can choose from a 50%, 70% or 90% reimbursement level. Nationwide also offers whole pet coverage, which includes congenital conditions. Pet parents have access to a 24/7 vet customer service line you can call for advice and quick help. You get a 5% discount for enrolling more than one pet and an additional 5% discount if you’re an existing Nationwide policyholder. 

You can file a claim online, through the app, or email, mail or fax a state-specific claim form along with your paid veterinarian invoice.

https://www.pumpkin.care/

Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Starting rate: $72 monthly for dogs, $31 monthly for cats
Maximum annual coverage: $20,000
Deductibles: $100 to $500
Pets covered: Dogs, cats

A newcomer to the pet insurance industry, Pumpkin offers comprehensive coverage that will reimburse you for many conditions other pet insurance companies deny, including dental disease, behavioral issues, parasite infection and hereditary disorders. But you’ll also pay higher monthly premiums in exchange. That said, if you’re visiting the vet frequently, this insurance offers a higher maximum annual coverage than most. 

Pumpkin also offers 90% reimbursement coverage for dogs and cats with a choice of a $100, $250 or $500 annual deductible. Opting for a lower deductible will raise your monthly bill. You can also add $11.95 to $18.95 to your monthly plan to cover 100% of eligible wellness exam fees, vaccines and fecal tests. Pets that are eight weeks old and up are eligible, and there are no age cap or breed restrictions. Waiting periods are standard — it takes 14 days before coverage kicks in — but Pumpkin does not have a separate waiting period for cruciate conditions and hip dysplasia like other pet insurance companies.

Though preexisting conditions are not covered, a curable condition like a fractured paw or UTI will be covered if your pet remains symptom- and treatment-free for six months, except for knee and hind leg ligament conditions. Pumpkin does not cover spay or neuter surgery, though prescription food and supplements to treat an eligible accident or illness are covered. There’s also a 10% discount added for each additional pet you sign up.

In addition to more comprehensive coverage, Pumpkin will pay a portion of your vet bill upfront. If your vet requires full payment in advance, you’ll have to submit a claim as usual. 

https://www.embracepetinsurance.com/

Coverage type: Accident, illness
Starting rate: $38 monthly for dogs, $24 monthly for cats
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 to $30,000
Deductibles: $200 to $1,000
Pets covered: Dogs, cats

If your pet is injury-prone, Embrace may have the best policy for emergency visits, vet specialists and hospitalization costs. You can purchase accident and illness coverage for pets up to 15 years old and accident-only coverage for pets 15 and older. The waiting period for accidents is just two days; illnesses require 14 days. Embrace offers wellness reward plans that allow you to pay for routine care right away, while spreading out payments throughout the year. You’ll save a minimum amount of money — the $250 wellness reward plan will save you $25 overall since it costs $18.25 a month, totaling $225 a year — but the real benefit here is receiving access to upfront funds.

Embrace’s Healthy Pet program decreases your deductible by $50 for each year you don’t receive a claim reimbursement. Once a claim is filed, your deductible resets to the original amount. If you have multiple pets, you’ll receive a 10% discount on both policies, and if you’re a military member, you’ll receive a 5% discount.

Claims can be filed online, by fax or by mail and are typically processed within 10 to 15 business days, with reimbursements paid by mailed check or direct deposit. If you need to get in touch with Embrace, you can reach customer support via a 24/7 pet telehealth line or through the MyEmbrace app.