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Pets Best Pet Insurance Review
By kristin MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
Are you considering a pet insurance policy from Pets Best Insurance? This company offers customizable plans for cats and dogs at relatively affordable prices. It also earned a spot on our ranking of the best pet insurance companies for affordable premiums.
Our Pets Best pet insurance review below details everything you need to know about the coverage and services it provides as well as cost and customer satisfaction ratings.
Table of contents
- Pets Best pet insurance overview
- Pets Best’s services
- Pets Best’s credentials
- Pets Best’s accessibility
- Pets Best’s customer satisfaction
- Pets Best vs. the competition
- Pets Best FAQs
- Summary of Miami Herald’s Pets Best review
Pets Best pet insurance overview
- Affordable prices for coverage
- 24-7 Pet helpline
- Vet direct payment option
- Accident and illness, accident only and wellness plans available
- Insurance only provides coverage for dogs and cats
- Six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions
- Strict requirements for dental coverage
While working as a veterinarian, Pets Best founder Dr. Jack Stephens saw that families with sick pets had to resort to euthanasia due to economic hardship. As a result, he was inspired to give pet owners an alternative and created the very first pet insurance company in 1981 (Veterinary Pet Insurance).
Years later, in 2005, Dr. Stephens founded Pets Best, intending to offer cost-effective pet healthcare plans that cover accident, illness and routine care.
Pets Best’s services
Pets Best Insurance offers a variety of plans, including accident and illness, accident only and routine care. Read on to learn more about Pets Best’s pet insurance coverage options, costs and waiting periods.
What it offers
Pets Best provides insurance for dogs and cats as young as seven weeks, and there are no upper age limits. It offers coverage for the following issues (though your coverage will vary based on your plan):
- Accidents
- Illness
- Chronic conditions
- Cancer treatments
- Hereditary and congenital conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, glaucoma and epilepsy
- Emergency care
- Hospitalization and surgery
- Prescription medication
- Medication injections
- Diagnostics (lab tests, MRIs, CAT scans, pathology reports and X-rays)
- Prostate problems, hormonal skin conditions, perianal and mammary tumors, uterine and ovarian conditions
- Specialist care
- Outpatient care
- Behavioral conditions
- Dental care coverage
- Prosthetic devices and wheelchairs
- Euthanasia
- Chiropractic care, acupuncture, cold laser therapy, physical therapy and hydrotherapy
Its BestBenefits accident and illness plans let you choose between three levels of coverage:
- Essential: Includes accident and illness, cancer, hereditary conditions, emergency care and prescription meds
- Plus: Includes everything in the Essential plan as well as accident and illness exam fees
- Elite: Includes everything in the Essential and Plus plans as well as rehabilitative, acupuncture and chiropractic care
For those looking for a more budget friendly option, there is an accident only plan available. This type of plan omits coverage for illnesses and cancer treatment.
Pets Best also offers add-ons for wellness coverage that provide limited routine preventative care and vaccines:
- EssentialWellness plan: Includes coverage for rabies, flea/tick, heartworm prevention, heartworm tests, vaccination, wellness exams, exams for blood, fecal and parasites, microchips and deworming
- BestWellness plan: Includes everything in the EssentialWellness plan with increased coverage limits, and coverage for spay or neuter surgery
What it doesn’t offer
Pets Best’s policies have the following exclusions:
- Pre-existing conditions
- Elective procedures (nail trimming, declawing, anal glad expression and ear cropping)
- Preventative procedures (unless you purchase wellness coverage)
- Parasites
- Non-veterinary expenses (grooming and transportation fees)
- Food and special diets
- Herbal, holistic and experimental therapies
Pre-existing conditions — conditions that are recorded in your pet’s medical records prior to enrollment or that occur during the waiting period — are commonly excluded from pet insurance coverage. Conditions treated and fully healed, such as broken bones, will not be considered pre-existing.
Policyholders should note that in order to receive dental coverage, your pet must be free of dental disease at the time of enrollment and have received a teeth cleaning in the year prior to enrollment if over three years of age.
Pets Best Pet Insurance Cost
Pets Best pet insurance costs vary based on your pet’s age, breed, size and your location. Details of your plan also contribute, including the annual limit, deductible and percentage of reimbursement you choose. The company says average monthly costs for its plans range between $35 and $58 for dogs and between $22 and $46 for cats. Here are some examples based on our quotes.
Dogs:
- Essential: $36.80
- Plus: $42.93
- Elite: $44.93
Quotes above are monthly premiums as of December 2022 and are based on a six-year-old mixed breed dog (10 to 20 lbs.) located in the Midwest. The plan has an unlimited annual limit, $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.
Cats:
- Essential: $18.81
- Plus: $21.95
- Elite: $22.97
Quotes above are are monthly premiums as of December 2022 and are based on a six-year-old medium domestic shorthair cat located in the Midwest. The plan has an unlimited annual limit, $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.
If you are looking for basic coverage, Pets Best offers an accident-only plan that you can’t customize. The cost starts at $9 per month for dogs and $6 per month for cats.
For routine care coverage, EssentialWellness plans cost $14 to $16 per month and the BestWellness option costs between $26 and $30 per month.
Discounts
Pets Best insurance offers a 5% multi-pet discount. Beyond pet insurance discounts, the company has a wide selection of special offers with partner companies. These offers include discounts on dog training, pet supplies and pet safety products.
Pets Best pet insurance waiting periods
Pets Best waiting period is three days for accidents and 14 days for illness. That’s shorter than some of the competition — for example, Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses.
There is a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions.
Pets Best’s credentials
Pets Best is a reputable company that has been in business for 17 years. Read on for more information about their credentials.
Licenses and registrations
Pets Best Insurance Services LLC administers insurance services and products. Pets Best Insurance is underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company (APIC) and is a subsidiary of Synchrony Financial (SEC CIK #0001601712).
Awards and certifications
Pets Best hasn’t received any awards or certifications. However, Dr. Jack Stephens, founder of Pets Best, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) in 2015.
Regulatory or legal actions
Our research on websites such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and BBB has revealed that Pets Best isn’t currently involved in any regulatory or legal actions (as of December 2022).
Pets Best’s accessibility
We tested Pets Best’s accessibility through phone and chat and found that the company provided good customer service. Response times were fairly quick for both phone and chat. Representatives were knowledgeable, friendly and patient.
Availability
Pets Best Insurance is only available online and provides pet insurance services in all 50 states.
User experience
We found Pets Best’s website to be easy to use and transparent. Plan options are listed, and free online quotes are readily available. Pets Best also provides numerous learning resources for pet owners, such as guides for new pet owners. It also provides an interactive vet search to help you find a local veterinarian.
You can file a claim with Pets Best via the online portal, email, standard mail, smartphone app or fax.
Limitations
Pets Best’s pet insurance policies only cover dogs and cats. Additionally, customer service support isn’t available after 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. However, they do offer a 24-7 pet helpline for medical emergencies.
Pets Best’s customer satisfaction
Pets Best Insurance has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and a 4.1 rating (out of 5) on the review platform TrustPilot.com. The company’s app currently has a 4.7 rating (out of 5) on both the Apple Store and Google Play as of December 2022.
By scanning customer reviews online, we found that positive reviews mention affordability, reliability and an easy-to-use platform.
Customer complaints
Customers who submitted negative reviews mention premium increases without notification, claims denied due to pre-existing conditions and long turnaround times for claims.
Pets Best vs. the competition
The table below shows a comparison of coverage from Pets Best and various competitors.
| Company | Pets Best | Trupanion | Nationwide | Embrace |
| Annual coverage limits | $5,000, unlimited | Unlimited | $3,000 $4,000, $5,000, $10,000, unlimited (amounts listed may not be available in all states) | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000 ($20,000 and unlimited coverage limits may be available in some states) |
| Reimbursement amount options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% |
|
70%, 80%, 90% |
| Annual deductible options | $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, $1,000 | $0- $1,000 (in $5 increments) | $100, $250, $500 (additional deductibles may be available in some states) |
|
Pets Best FAQs
How to get a free Pets Best quote?
Getting a Pets Best quote for one or more pets is easy and can be done online. You have to enter your name and email, but they don't ask for any additional personally identifiable information.
You can edit your quote to see how premium costs might change with different deductibles and annual limits. Customer service can also provide you with a quote via phone or chat.
How does deductible work for Pets Best pet insurance?
A deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay out-of-pocket before your pet insurance provider begins to cover costs. Pets Best lets you choose a deductible amount of $50, $100, $200, $250, $500 or $1,000. You also choose a reimbursement amount (the percentage of the bill that the insurance will cover) of 70%, 80% or 90%.
To understand how the deductible works, let's look at the following example: Suppose you choose a plan with a $100 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate. If your pet has a bill of $1,000, you would multiply that amount by 80% and subtract your deductible amount (1,000 x .80 = $800 and then $800 - $100= $700). In this example, your insurance will reimburse you $700. Once you have paid your deductible amount, you'll receive a payout for the full 80% of all future bills.
Does Pets Best offer insurance for multiple pets?
Pets Best offers pet insurance plans for multiple pets at a 5% discounted rate.
How long do I have to wait for a Pets Best insurance claim?
Pets Best estimates a 30-day turnaround time for claims. The company offers a few different ways to file a claim. You can file online in their customer portal, through their mobile app, by fax or by U.S. mail. You must include an itemized receipt. Pets Best offers direct deposit reimbursement.
Does Pets Best have an annual limit on claims?
Pets Best doesn't have an annual limit on claims. It has a few different annual coverage limits, though: $5,000 or unlimited.
How we evaluated Pets Best pet insurance
In order to evaluate Pets Best for this review, we assessed plan options, coverage and customization. We reviewed premium prices, reimbursement amounts, annual coverage limits, benefits, discounts and policy restrictions and exclusions.
To evaluate customer service, we reached out by phone and online chat at various times over the course of many days. We also analyzed customer complaints and reviews on third-party websites and searched for any regulatory or legal issues.
Summary of our Pets Best review:
Pets Best Insurance offers customizable, relatively affordable plans. It also offers unique coverage for mobile devices (such as wheelchairs and prosthetics) and therapies such as acupuncture. Pets Best falls short with its strict requirements for dental coverage. While there were some negative reviews concerning claim denials for pre-existing conditions, overall, it received many positive customer reviews.
So, is pet insurance worth it? Depending on the pet’s needs, it may not be worth it for everyone, since the policy’s premiums and other costs will likely exceed the its payouts. If, however, you worry that your pet will need very expensive treatment for a serious accident or illness, getting a policy may provide you with peace of mind, and might save you money in the long run.
Read more to learn about the best pet insurance companies. Shop around by getting quotes from multiple companies to compare costs and policy features.
Kristin Cobos has worked as a writer, researcher, and educator for 18 years. She holds a B.A. in International Relations from Webster University in Leiden, Netherlands and M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language from Southern Illinois University — Edwardsville. She covers finance and technology.