Pets Best Pet Insurance Review 2024

Like other best pet insurance companies, Pets Best offers accident and illness plans, as well as an accident-only plan. You can also buy an optional wellness plan to pay for routine expenses like wellness exams and vaccinations.

Pet Accident and Illness Insurance

Pets Best offers different levels of accident and illness plans, which is the most common type of pet insurance and covers the widest range of problems. This includes major illnesses like diabetes and common illnesses like skin infections. It also covers injuries like lacerations and broken bones.

Pet Accident-Only Insurance

Pets Best offers an accident-only plan, which covers injuries like torn ligaments, bite wounds and broken bones. Since it covers fewer problems, it’s cheaper than an accident and illness plan. It can be a good option for budget-minded pet owners who only want coverage for accident-related emergencies.

Pet Insurance Add-Ons

Wellness plans pay for preventive care costs like annual wellness exams and vaccines. Pets Best offers two plans (EssentialWellness and BestWellness) and was among the winners in our evaluation of the best pet wellness plans for routine care.

Pet Accident and Illness Insurance Covers:

The BestBenefit Plan is the most robust plan that Pets Best offers. This policy covers a wide range of expenses related to accidents and injuries. Pets Best offers different levels of its accident and illness plan, so you can find a policy based on your budget, but you can typically expect a plan to cover:

• Accidents, such as foreign object ingestion, car accidents and broken bones.
• Illnesses, such as ear infections, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
• Hereditary and congenital conditions, such as cherry eye, hip and elbow dysplasia, glaucoma and epilepsy.
• Emergency care.
• Hospitalizations and surgeries.
• Diagnostics, such as bloodwork, MRIs and CAT scans.
• Prescription medications.
• Chronic conditions.
• Dental issues such as periodontal disease.
• Prosthetic devices and wheelchairs.
• Physical rehabilitation.
• Exam fees.
• Acupuncture and chiropractic treatments.

Pet Accident-Only Insurance Covers:

Pets Best offers an accident-only plan that strictly covers expenses related to emergencies, such as snake bites, broken bones and ingestion of a foreign object. This plan doesn’t cover illness-related vet costs, such as allergies or cancer treatment.

Pet Insurance Add-Ons Cover:

Both the EssentialWellness plan and the BestWellness plan pay for expenses, such as blood work, heartworm medications, vaccinations and wellness exams. The BestWellness plan is a more expensive plan but it provides higher reimbursement amounts.

Wellness expense	Pets Best EssentialWellness plan reimbursement amount	Pets Best BestWellness plan reimbursement amount
Blood, fecal parasite exam	$50	$70
Deworming	$20	$20
Flea/tick prevention	$50	$65
Heartworm prevention	$30	$30
Heartworm test or FeLV screen	$25	$30
Microchip	$20	$40
Rabies vaccination	$15	$15
Spay/Neuter or teeth cleaning	$0	$150
Urinalysis or ERD	$15	$25
Vaccination/titer	$30	$40
Wellness exam	$50	$50
Total annual benefits	$305	$535

Source: Pets Best

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While Pets Best pet insurance covers a broad range of health-related expenses, there are some expenses it won’t. Some examples of exclusions include:

• Elective and preventative procedures like nail trimming, dew claw removal, ear cropping or tail docking
• Pre-existing conditions that begins before your coverage kicks in
• Expenses not related directly to the medical care of your pet, such as bathing and grooming, food, vitamins, supplements, waste disposal fees or any service not done under the supervision of a veterinarian
• Holistic, herbal and experimental therapies and medications
• Vitamins, special food, or supplements

Generally, after you buy a pet insurance policy, you must wait a specified period of time before your coverage kicks in. This amount of time is known as the waiting period.

Pets Best has three different waiting periods for all states except for Maine:

• Three-day accident waiting period
• 14-day illness waiting period
• Six-month cruciate ligament issue waiting period
• No waiting period for routine care

Pets Best has the following waiting periods in Maine:

• No waiting period for accidents
• 14-day illness waiting period
• Six-month cruciate ligament issue waiting period
• No waiting period for routine care

The three-day accident waiting period is better than some other insurance companies that have 14- or 15-day accident waiting periods like Spot or Healthy Paws. However, the 14-day illness waiting period is usually an industry standard.

While Pets Best has a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament issues, not every insurer has an extended waiting period. So, if cruciate ligament events are a common issue with your pet’s breed, you may want to consider a pet insurance plan that does not have extended waiting periods for this condition.

Maximum Annual Limit Options

Most pet insurance companies limit the amount they will reimburse you for claims in a given year. Pets Best has two coverage limit options:

• $5,000
• Unlimited

Deductible Options

Before you get reimbursed for any health-related expense, you must pay the policy deductible toward vet costs. Pets Best offers several deductible options, including:

• $50
• $100
• $200
• $250
• $500
• $1,000

Reimbursement Options

In addition to payout limits, most pet insurance policies come with reimbursement levels. A reimbursement level is the percentage of expenses the insurer will pay out after the deductible is met. Pets Best gives you three options:

• 70%
• 80%
• 90%

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

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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

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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

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Pets Best pet insurance costs an average of $38 per month, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance costs. That’s for $5,000 of annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level. The average cost is $50 per month for unlimited coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.

Examples of Pets Best Pet Insurance Cost by Dog Breed

Dog breed	Average cost per month
Beagle	$56
Bulldog	$94
Dachshund	$48
French bulldog	$94
German shepherd	$61
Golden retriever	$61
Labrador retriever	$61
Mixed breed (large)	$49
Mixed breed (medium)	$40
Mixed breed (small)	$34
Poodle	$73
Rottweiler	$106

Source: Petinsurer.com. Costs are based on $5,000 in annual coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.

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Pets Best Pet Insurance Price Comparison for Cats

Cat breed	Average cost per month
Abyssinian	$27
Bengal	$22
Bombay	$23
British shorthair	$24
Exotic shorthair	$23
Maine coon	$25
Mixed breed	$19
Persian	$24
Ragdoll	$22
Siamese	$21

Source: Petinsurer.com. Costs are based on $5,000 in annual coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.

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If you’re looking for a way to reduce your pet insurance costs, Pets Best offers these discounts:

• A 5% multipet discount when you insure more than one pet.
• Up to 10% discount for veterinarians, staff members and their clients.

Pets Best pet insurance is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Company	Company - Logo	Forbes Advisor Rating	Forbes Advisor Rating	Reimbursement Choices	Deductible Choices	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text	Learn 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.

Pet insurance benefits and waiting periods vary depending on the company. For example, Pets Best offers both an optional wellness plan and a 24/7 vet helpline, but you won’t find either of these options at Trupanion. But Pets Best has a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament issues, while Spot and Trupanion do not have a waiting period for cruciate ligament issues.

Pets Best Pet Insurance vs. Embrace Paws Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	Pets Best pet insurance	Embrace pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating
Accident coverage waiting period	3 days	2 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	14 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligaments, 14 days for hip dysplasia	6 months for canine orthopedic conditions; can be waived with an orthopedic exam
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Only with Plus and Elite plans	Yes
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	Yes
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

Details can vary by state.

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Pets Best Pet Insurance vs. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	Pets Best pet insurance	Healthy Paws pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating
Accident coverage waiting period	3 days	15 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	15 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligaments, 14 days for hip dysplasia	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?	Only with Plus and Elite plans	No
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	No
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

Details can vary by state.

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Pets Best Pet Insurance vs. Spot Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	Pets Best pet insurance	Spot pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating
Accident coverage waiting period	3 days	14 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	14 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligaments, 14 days for hip dysplasia	None
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Only with Plus and Elite plans	Yes
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	Yes
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	Yes

Details can vary by state.

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Pets Best Pet Insurance vs. Trupanion Pet Insurance

Rating and coverage details	Pets Best pet insurance	Trupanion pet insurance
Forbes Advisor rating		N/A
Accident coverage waiting period	3 days	5 days
Illness coverage waiting period	14 days	30 days
Special waiting periods	6 months for cruciate ligaments, 14 days for hip dysplasia	None
Pays for the vet exam fee?	Only with Plus and Elite plans	No
Optional wellness plan available?	Yes	No
24/7 vet helpline available?	Yes	No

Details can vary by state.

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To cancel your Pets Best pet insurance policy, contact Pets Best:

• Phone: (877) 738-7237
• Fax: (866) 777-1434
• Mail: Pets Best Insurance Services, 965 Keller Road, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

After the traumatic euthanasia of a beloved dog named Buffy, veterinarian Dr. Jack Stephens launched the first pet insurance company in North America in 1981. He wanted to make health-related expenses more affordable so that pet owners could make medical decisions for their pets based on needs instead of cost. In 2005, Dr. Jack Stephens partnered with Greg McDonald (Pets Best CEO) to launch what we now know as Pets Best.

*Pet insurance coverage offered and administered by Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC is underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company, a New York insurance company headquartered at 6100 4th Ave. S. Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98108, or Independence American Insurance Company, a Delaware insurance company located at 11333 N. Scottsdale Rd, Ste. 160, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC (CA agency #0F37530) is a licensed insurance agency located at 10840 Ballantyne Commons Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28277. Each insurer has sole financial responsibility for its own products. Please refer to your declarations page to determine the underwriter for your policy. Terms and conditions apply. See your policy for details.

To find the best pet insurance we used data provided by PetInsurer.com to score each pet insurance company based on the following:

Pet insurance rates (40% of score): We calculated average rates for medium sized mixed breed dogs age 3 months, 2 years, 5 years and 7 years for plans with unlimited coverage, a $250 deductible and a 80% reimbursement level, or the closest options available.

Special waiting period (10% of score): Many pet insurance companies have a special waiting period for problems such as cruciate ligament issues and hip dysplasia. Plans that had no waiting period, a waiting period of fewer than six months or the ability to have the waiting period waived scored higher.

Direct payment to vet (10% of score): Pet insurance companies that have the ability to pay a vet directly earned points.

24/7 vet health line (10% of score): Insurers that provide access to a 24/7 vet health line scored in this category.

Routine wellness plans (10% of score): Insurers that offer optional wellness plans earned points.

Pays veterinary exam fees (10% of score): Not all insurers cover exam fees, even if the fee is for an illness or accident-related visit. Plans that cover the vet exam fee scored in this category.

Euthanasia or end of life expenses (5% of score): Insurers that cover end of life expenses, such as euthanasia, cremation or burial fees, scored in this category.

Multipet discount (5% of score): Many pet insurance companies offer a discount if you insure more than one pet. Insurers that offer a multipet discount earned points.