MetLife Pet Insurance Review 2024

Here are the types of MetLife pet insurance plans available.

Accident and Illness Coverage

MetLife’s “major medical plan” for pets covers accident- and illness-related medical expenses, including:

• Accidents such as fractured bones or toxic ingestion
• Advertising and reward if your pet is lost or stolen
• Boarding if you’re hospitalized for more than 48 hours
• Diagnostics such as blood tests, CT scans or ultrasounds
• Grief counseling if your pet passes away
• Hereditary conditions
• Hospitalizations
• Illnesses like rashes, vomiting or ear infections
• Prescription food purchased from a veterinary provider
• Serious and chronic illnesses like allergies, cancer and diabetes
• Surgeries

Accident-Only Coverage

You may be able to purchase a MetLife accident-only pet insurance policy. As the name implies, you’ll be covered for accident-related vet expenses such as hospitalizations, surgeries and diagnostics, but you won’t be covered for illness-related vet expenses. There is an exception for infections that results from an external injury.

Pet Insurance Add-Ons

Optional coverage from MetLife can help pay for expenses such as routine wellness exams and other preventive care.

Optional preventive care plan covers:

• Parasite prevention and treatment (such as heartworms)
• Routine veterinary care

Optional wellness plan covers:

• Spaying and neutering
• Vaccinations

Exclusions in pet insurance plans are typical and MetLife has several coverage exclusions, including:

• Pre-existing conditions
• Elective procedure like declawing or tail docking
• Grooming costs (including medicated baths)
• Expression or removal of anal glands
• Breeding and breeding-related conditions
• Vitamins and mineral supplements
• Organ transplants
• Illness or injury that arises out of commercial guarding, coursing, organized fighting or racing

Keep in mind, if you purchase an accident-only plan, you won’t be covered for illness-related problems. Shop around on Forbes Advisor’s list of best pet insurance companies if you aren’t seeing coverage that fits your needs.

Featured Partner Offers

1

Paw Protect

Maximum annual coverage

$5,000, $10,000, Unlimited

Reimbursement choices

70%, 80%, 90%

Deductible choices

$100, $250, $500

1

Paw Protect

Compare Plans

Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website

2

Embrace

Maximum annual coverage

$5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, Unlimited

Reimbursement choices

70%, 80%, 90%

Deductible choices

$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000

2

Embrace

Compare Plans

Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website

3

Spot

Maximum annual coverage

$2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, Unlimited

Reimbursement choices

70%, 80%, 90%

Deductible choices

$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000

3

Spot

Compare Plans

Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website

Pet insurance typically doesn’t begin until a specific amount of time passes after you buy the policy. This amount of time is referred to as the waiting period. MetLife is unique because coverage for accidents begins at midnight Eastern Standard Time on the day you purchase your policy. MetLife pet insurance has a 14-day waiting period for illnesses.

Most pet insurance companies have a waiting period between two to 15 days for accidents. For example, Embrace pet insurance has a two-day accident waiting period and Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period for accidents.

MetLife’s 14-day waiting period for illnesses is average across the industry.

MetLife has a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease for policies that are underwritten by American Insurance Company (IAIC). Policies underwritten by Metropolitan General Insurance Company (MetGen) do not have a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc.

Maximum Annual Limit Options

The cap on reimbursement your insurer will pay in a policy year is known as the annual coverage limit. MetLife offers annual coverage limits ranging from $500 to unlimited.

Deductible Options

A deductible is an amount you must pay out-of-pocket for vet bills before your coverage begins to reimburse you. MetLife pet insurance offers deductible options from $0 to $2,500.

Reimbursement Options

MetLife pet insurance insurance is reimbursement-based, meaning you’ll pay up front for your pet’s medical expenses and submit a claim for reimbursement for problems covered by your policy. MetLife offers choices of reimbursement levels from 50% to 100%.

MetLife pet insurance for dogs starts at $15 per month and $9 per month for cats, according to MetLife’s website. Your MetLife pet insurance costs will vary depending on:

• Breed of pet
• Age of pet
• Gender of pet
• Where you live
• Deductible and reimbursement selection
• Annual coverage limit

MetLife offers a variety of discounts to pet parents, such as:

• Multipet discount if you insure more than one pet on the same policy
• Multiplan discount if you insure more than one pet on separate policies
• Employer benefit discount
• Affinity group discount
• Internet purchase discount
• Military, veteran & first responder discount
• Health care workers discount
• Animal care discount

Also, each year you don’t file a claim, your deductible can decrease by $25 or $50, depending on your state and policy.

MetLife pet insurance is available in all 50 states.

Company	Company - Logo	Forbes Advisor Rating	Forbes Advisor Rating	Reimbursement Choices	Deductible Choices	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text	View More
Pets Best		5.0		70%, 80%, 90%	$50, $100, $200, $250, $500, $1,000	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Embrace		4.5		70%, 80%, 90%	$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Paw Protect		4.5		70%, 80%, 90%	$100, $250, $500	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Fetch		4.0		70%, 80%, 90%	$300, $500, $700	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Figo		4.0		70%, 80%, 90%, 100%	$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000, $1,500	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Healthy Paws		4.0		50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%	$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Lemonade		4.0		70%, 80%, 90%	$100, $250, $500, $750	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Spot		4.0		70%, 80%, 90%	$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website

Reimbursement and deductible choices may vary by state.

Here’s a look at how MetLife Pet Insurance compares to other pet insurance plans.

MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	MetLife pet insurance	Healthy Paws pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating	N/A
Accident coverage waiting period	Midnight on the day you buy a policy	15 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	15 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease	12 months for hip dysplasia; coverage for hip dysplasia not available for pets age six or older at time of enrollment
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Yes	No
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	No
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

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MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Pets Best Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	MetLife pet insurance	Pets Best pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating	Midnight on the day you buy a policy
Accident coverage waiting period	N/A	3 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	14 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease	6 months for cruciate ligaments, 14 days for hip dysplasia
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Yes	Yes
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	Yes
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

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MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Spot Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	MetLife pet insurance	Spot pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating	N/A
Accident coverage waiting period	Midnight on the day you buy a policy	14 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	14 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease	None
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Yes	Yes
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	Yes
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

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MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Trupanion Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	MetLife pet insurance	Trupanion pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating	N/A	N/A
Accident coverage waiting period	Midnight on the day you buy a policy	5 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	30 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease	None
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Yes	No
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	No
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	No

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You can cancel a MetLife pet insurance policy in the following ways:

• Phone: (855) 270-7387
• Email: pet_info@metlife.com
• Fax: (877) 281-3348
• Mail: 400 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville, IN 47130

MetLife got its start in 1864 by selling insurance to sailors and soldiers serving in the Civil War for wartime-related disabilities. Headquartered in New York City, MetLife now sells insurance in 40 countries.

In 2021, MetLife expanded its insurance offerings to pet insurance, underwritten by Independence American Insurance Co. (IAIC) and Metropolitan General Insurance Co. (MetGen).