December 14, 2024
Cheapest pet insurance
My research process involved scouring reddit threads and Forbes articles to gather recommendations and experiences with various pet insurance options. The reddit threads were a mix of questions and discussions about the best and cheapest pet insurance companies, with a wide range of responses. The Forbes articles provided more structured comparisons and cost estimates. There was significant consensus on several insurance companies such as Nationwide, PetsBest, ASPCA, Lemonade, and Trupanion. However, user experiences varied greatly, highlighting the importance of understanding policy details and personal pet needs. Overall, there was a degree of uncertainty given the diverse experiences and opinions shared by users .
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Confidence
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Time
2m 44s
Contributors
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37.2k
PetsBest
Nationwide
"'I have Nationwide's Major Medical plan, which covers illness or injuries (no preventative coverage) up to the limits listed in the plan. I have a $250 deductible and it costs me around $50 per dog per month. My girls are older, large, mixed breeds."
"For the money I know there are much better options to cover your pet."
ASPCA
"I have ASPCA pet insurance for my kittens. It's the first time I've bought pet insurance and I've heard there are better options out there but I'm on a small budget so I went with what I could afford that still had decent coverage with an acceptable preventative care plan."
"I have full coverage through ASPCA (Assurance) and they have been wonderful."
"We picked Pets Best because it has the cheapest prices for unlimited annual coverage among the companies we analyzed."
Lemonade
Trupanion
Healthy Paws
Other Recommendations
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Research
"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/compare-pet-insurance-quotes/"
- The article helps pet owners to identify suitable policies by comparing pet insurance quotes and plan options.
- Pet owners can get a pet insurance quote by requesting one online or by contacting a pet insurance company or an independent insurance agent.
- To compare pet insurance quotes, pet owners need to compare apples-to-apples coverage as much as possible.
- Pet insurance waiting periods are the specified amount of time before coverage kicks in. Accidents waiting periods are generally between one to 14 days and illness waiting periods are typically 14 days. Some insurers have extended waiting periods for orthopedic conditions such as cruciate ligament issues that can range from six to 12 months.
- Not all insurers offer the same plan choices, like annual limits, deductible amounts, and reimbursement levels.
- Make sure you shop around if coverage benefits like the option to add a wellness plan, a 24/7 vet telehealth line, or the ability to pay the vet directly is essential to you.
- The types and amount of discounts can vary by insurer, from multi-pet insurance discounts that range from 5% to 10%, to military discounts and discounts for purchasing pet insurance through your employer.
- To price a policy, insurers will look at the age, type, and breed of your pet.
- Comprehensive policies that cover accidents, illnesses, and routine pet care are the most expensive because they cover the most types of problems. Some pet owners prefer cheaper accident-only plans for emergencies, but it won’t cover illnesses like cancer and infections.
- Pet insurance accident and illness policies cover a wide range of health and medical issues, as well as hereditary and congenital conditions, often including expenses like hospitalizations, diagnostic tests, and prescription medications.
- Wellness plans are usually not standalone policies. Many insurers let you add wellness or routine care coverage to a pet insurance plan. These plans offer coverage for vaccinations, routine wellness exams, dental cleanings, and more. Adding wellness coverage to your policy can help you take preventive measures to keep your pet healthy and detect early signs of illness or disease.
- Pet owners should consult with their vet to find out the common hereditary conditions that your pet’s breed prone to.
- Age of the pet is a critical factor when it comes to pet insurance, and typically you can buy coverage for your pet when they reach seven weeks old.
- Most plans offer a choice of annual maximums and deductibles, ranging from $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,
"Need Help: Is Spot a good pet insurance?"
- OP lost their 9 year old male cat to heart disease and is considering getting Spot pet insurance for their other cats.
- Yelp reviews for Spot pet insurance are mixed, some positive and some negative.
- Two users recommend Spot pet insurance, stating that they heard good things about it and/or that they have had positive experiences regarding claim reimbursement.
- Three users warn against Spot pet insurance, citing various issues such as having to jump through hoops to get a small amount of reimbursement, being denied coverage for no clear reason, or being generally dissatisfied with the coverage offered.
- One user recommends Lemonade as a good pet insurance option they had used in the past.
- One user warns to avoid Nationwide pet insurance at all costs, citing unethical practices.
- Some users discuss their experiences with specific claims - some had trouble getting claims reimbursed while others had no issues.
- One user had their cat covered even though they have FIV, a pre-existing condition, but Spot did not cover anything related to the FIV. They still recommend Spot for their good experience with the company’s coverage of other issues.
- One user highly recommends Spot pet insurance based on their positive experience with a sickly cat and claimed that Spot covered basically everything. They even received a handwritten sympathy note when their cat passed away from a dental surgery.
- Some users complain about the prevention coverage being too low at $25 annually for vaccines.
- There are other mentions of costs and affordability, some praising Spot for being a good value and others criticizing them for not covering enough or finding reasons to deny claims.
"Best Cheap Pet Insurance Companies of 2024 | U.S. News"
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"Best Pet Insurance Companies & Plans 2024 | U.S. News"
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"https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/best-cheap-pet-insurance/"
- The webpage provides a list of 6 cheapest pet insurance companies for dogs and cats.
- Prices are based on average cost for $5,000 and unlimited coverage per year, with different deductible and reimbursement options.
- Pros and cons and plan details are listed for each company reviewed.
- ASPCA, Pets Best, Healthy Paws, Lemonade, AKC, Figo are the cheapest pet insurance companies reviewed.
- ASPCA has cheap dog insurance at an average of $25 monthly for $5,000 in annual coverage, a $250 deductible, and 80% reimbursement level for dogs and $14 monthly for cats.
- Pets Best has cheap pet insurance for dogs with an average monthly cost of $48 for unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible, and 80% reimbursement level, and $24 per month for cats.
- Healthy Paws has the cheapest cat insurance at an average of $22 monthly for unlimited annual coverage, $250 deductible, and 80% reimbursement level, and $52 per month for dogs for unlimited coverage and $25 per month for cats.
- Lemonade has the cheapest average cost for $5,000 coverage for $34 per month for dogs and $18 per month for cats and $52 per month for dogs and $28 per month for cats for unlimited coverage.
- AKC provides a good number of add-on coverage options but exams are not covered. The company covers curable conditions, a 2-day waiting period for accident coverage, and 24/7 pet telehealth line. The average cost is $48 per month for dogs and $26 per month for cats for $5,000 coverage and $56 per month for dogs and $33 per month for cats for unlimited coverage.
- Figo has low prices and only a 1-day waiting period for accident coverage, the shortest among the companies reviewed. The average cost is $38 per month for dogs and $16 per month for cats for $5,000 coverage and $60 per month for dogs and $26 per month for cats for unlimited coverage.
- ManyPets’ approach reduces accident, and illness waiting times for 24 hours if you’re switching over from another pet insurer. The company does not have a specific waiting period for severe cruciate ligament issues, which can range from six to twelve months at other insurers. The average cost is $49 per month for dogs and $30 per month for cats for $5,000 and unlimited coverage.
- The webpage offers expert take and insight for pets’ insurance companies reviewed
"Best Pet Insurance Companies for 2024 - NerdWallet"
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"The 8 Best Cheap Pet Insurance Companies 2024 | Bankrate"
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"Pet Insurance Comparison Charts (2024): Compare Quotes, Plans, Coverage ..."
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"The 10 Cheapest Pet Insurance Plans of December 2024 - Newsweek"
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"Thoughts on pet insurance options in the US? PetsBest vs. Healthy Paws - coverage and premium increases?"
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"Thoughts on pet insurance options in the US? PetsBest vs. Healthy Paws - coverage and premium increases?"
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"Best Pet Insurance Companies Of December 2024 - Forbes"
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"What's the best Pet Insurance?"
URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/1d3hm1g/whats_the_best_pet_insurance/
- Post title: “What’s the best Pet Insurance?”
- Post date: 6 months ago
- Subreddit: r/Pets
- Upvotes: 2 points
Comments:
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User mentions that every insurance has exclusions and that pet insurance doesn’t work like health insurance; it’s reimbursement-based in the US
- Comments: 8 karma
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User recommends Nationwide’s Major Medical plan, which includes coverage for illness or injuries, with no preventative coverage, up to the limits on the plan. The user has a $250 deductible and pays around $50 per dog per month. The user is an insurance adjuster and knows how insurance works and what to expect.
- Comments: 8 karma
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User shares that they are happy with PetsBest. They use a high deductible plan because it’s cheaper, and use CareCredit to cover the upfront cost. The reimbursement comes in before they have to pay that bill.
- Comments: 7 karma
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User explains that pet insurance is a highly regulated industry, and it’s essential to read and understand all policy documents. It’s important to know everything that insurance covers, financial responsibilities, and the maximum amount that insurance will pay.
- Comments: 3 karma
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User shares that they’re happy with Embark pet insurance and mentioned that they use CareCredit to cover the upfront costs, and they pay it off once they get reimbursed.
- Comments: 3 karma
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User shares that they have ASPCA pet insurance for their kittens. It’s their first time buying pet insurance, and although they’ve heard there are better options out there, they went with ASPCA due to their budget. They mention using CareCredit to cover the upfront costs while waiting for reimbursements to arrive.
- Comments: 1 karma
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User recommends not getting pet insurance and instead saving the premiums. Other users disagree and share personal experiences where pet insurance saved them from paying expensive veterinary bills.
- Comments: -2 karma, 4 karma, 10 karma
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The last user shares a personal example: when they first got their cats, they got insurance immediately. Two months later, one of the cats had an urinary blockage and had to go to the ER, which cost them $900. They would have only saved $30 if they hadn’t gotten insurance.
- Comments: 2 karma
"pet insurance recommendations"
- After the initial query, a user in r/dogs suggests searching for previous recommendations for pet insurance on Reddit.
- r/dogs is a discussion forum for dog owners to share advice and recommend resources.
- The subreddit has rules against drama and encourages ethical breeding and responsible dog ownership.
- One user recommends the pet insurance company Lemonade, which they describe as cheap with low monthly payments. They also mention quick and easy claims processing with no issues. (3 karma)
- Another user has Lemonade as well, but is unhappy with the vaccine limits. They blow through the limit with the flu shot and booster, so rabies and bordatella vaccines were denied. They mention going to Petco for vaccines instead and finding a program for $20/month that offers unlimited pet visits and cash back. They say they’ll be switching from Lemonade after it expires. (1 karma)
- One user recommends Trupanion and has been happy with it. No further details about pricing. (1 karma)
- Another user recommends ASPCA (Assurance) and mentions full coverage. No further details about pricing. (1 karma)
- A user recommends Pets Plus Us, but gives no further details about the company other than having no complaints. (1 karma)
- One user recommends Figo for their higher claim limits and 24/7 vet through their mobile app. They mention researching seven companies before deciding on Figo. No further details about pricing. (1 karma)
"Pet insurance plan annual limit"
Relevant: true Importance: 3 Notes:
- The subreddit r/dogs has a post discussing different annual limit options offered by pet insurance plans.
- Users recommend different pet insurance plans they have used with different annual limits.
- Some places mentioned for pet insurance: Pets Best, Spot, AKC, Metlife
- Users recommended getting an unlimited annual limit if possible.
- Users also recommended considering the breed of the dog and their propensity for certain conditions, like cancer, when choosing a pet insurance plan.
- One user suggests getting pre-existing conditions considered after a certain amount of time has passed by AKC or ASPCA insurance only.
- Another user advises getting the highest amount of coverage possible, citing cancer treatment for their dog as a reason for needing a higher coverage plan.
- The cost of a dog’s insurance plan depends on options such as coinsurance, deductible, and coverage limit.
- Some plans let you increase coverage but not decrease it.
- Goldens are listed as one of the most cancer-prone breeds of dog.
- Neutering a dog before full maturity increases their risk for certain conditions, such as joint disorders, cruciate tears, hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, and osteosarcoma.
- One user mentions that entropian eyelid surgery may be considered a pre-existing condition.
- Spot insurance will consider pre-existing conditions cured after 180 days, while AKC insurance does so after 365.
- One user notes having a policy with an annual premium of $846, a $500 deductible, and 90% reimbursement.
- Another user states their plan had an unlimited annual coverage, $500 deductible, 90% reimbursement, and includes accidents, illnesses, surgeries, and emergency care.
"My experience with Nationwide pet Insurance"
- Reddit post titled “My experience with Nationwide pet insurance”
- Author had a Vizsla bit by a rattlesnake, underwent treatment for ~$4500, and submitted a claim to Nationwide pet insurance
- Author is on the Major Medical plan and pays $45/month
- Nationwide paid $1000 of the $4500 claim
- Author’s second claim with Nationwide for a big medical bill, overall covers about 25% of actual costs, and has a strict schedule of benefits
- Comment with 20 karma: mixed bag of experiences, recent insurance payout of nearly 100% for one dog’s tumor removal surgery and vaccine reaction treatment while a chronic eye issue for another dog reaching the lifetime amount paid for this condition
- Comment with 16 karma: has Trupanion pet insurance with a high deductible ($1000) at 90% for anything catastrophic, experienced a slipped disk in one of their Frenchies’ necks, paid around $1700 for an $8000 bill
- Comment with 16 karma: currently fighting Nationwide for emergency surgery claim, has taken two months and no reimbursement yet
- Comment with 11 karma: had few complaints with Nationwide, has coverage for emergency care and medications but was denied higher paying plan for prescription food due to trace urinary crystals on an x-ray
- Comment with 6 karma: Trupanion has been a lifesaver for their Saint, covered a lot of costs related to leg amputation and subsequent chemotherapy visits
- Comment with 6 karma: switched from Nationwide to Healthy Paws, had a bad customer experience with Nationwide
- Multiple comments with few to no karma discussing delayed claim processing from Nationwide, dissatisfaction with customer service, and worries about claims being rejected
- Subreddit on Dogs with rules for being respectful and promoting healthy, responsible dog-owner relationships, against drama, and supporting adoption and ethical breeding practices
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