Compare Pet Health Insurance
| Product Features | Pets Best Insurance |
QuickCare |
Embrace |
| Price What are the monthly premiums? |
|||
| Can you choose your own licensed veterinarian? |
Yes. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Deductible. Uusally, deductibles are per incident. |
$75, $100 or $300 |
$100 to $200 depends on plan and pet |
$100, $200 or $500 |
| Does it pay based on the actual vet bill? Some companies will only reimburse " allowable" veterinary expenses. In other words, they set the price. |
Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reimbursement % | 80% | 80% to 100% | Choose from 90%, 80%, or 65% |
| Waiting Period | 3 days for accidents, 14 days for illness | Next day for accident and illness coverage except for their plans QuickCare Gold and QuickCare Complete on which there is a 30 day illness waiting period. | 14 days for accidents and illnesses and 6 months for cruciate injury coverage |
| Discount for multiple pets | Yes 7%-15% | Yes -3 or more pets get 10% discount per policy | Yes |
| Is alternative medicine covered? | Yes, accupunture and holistic treatments are covered | Yes | Yes, accupuncture, hydrotherapy |
| Does it cover prescription medication? | Yes | Yes | Yes (optional) |
| Select Breed restrictions? |
Pregnancy coverage excluded for some breeds | Surcharges may apply on selected breeds | Surcharges may apply on selected breeds |
| Are pre-existing conditions covered? | No | No | No |
| Are specialist and emergency care covered? | Yes | Yes (emergency care available at extra cost) | Yes |
| Does it cover hereditary or congential conditions | Limited coverage | Depends on plan and breed | Yes |
| Are there annual limits on claims? | No | No | Yes. You get to choose the amount of the annual limit. |
| Does it cover routine and wellness care? | Yes depending on plan | Yes depending on plan | No |
| Does it cover chronic and recurring conditions? | Yes | Yes | Yes, but must add Continuing Care coverage to policy |
| Does it cover dental care? | Yes, if Wellness Plan chosen. Does not cover dental illness | Yes, if Wellness Plan chosen. Does not cover dental illness | Only dental diseases, if dental coverage added to policy |
| Get your free, no-obligation pet insurance quotes. |  |
|
|
Pet Health Insurance Programs Overview
-------Pets Best Insurance
---------Pros:
No annual limits. Per incident limits apply.
After-hours emergency visits are covered
Pet recovery service available
Wellness plan available
You enroll your dog or cat as early as 7 weeks of age. No other age limitation
------Cons:
X Does not cover dental illness
X Hereditary conditions coverage is very limited. From $100 to $300 lifetime coverage depending on policy chosen
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------QuickCare Pet Health Insurance
---------Pros:
Almost no wating period on most policies
Offers policies for Canadian residents
Includes pet recovery coverage if your pet is lost. Up to $150, no deductible depending on policy chosen
Accepts pets of any age. These policies are called "Senior Plans"
Wellness plans available
------Cons:
X Website difficult to navigate
X Compared to other websites, not as informative. You need to get an actual quote in order to get more info.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------Embrace Pet Health Insurance
---------Pros:
Customizable policies -- Signing up for pet health insurance is like adding features to your shopping cart
Sign up interface is intuitive and user friendly
You can choose your own vet as long as he/she is certified
Deductible is applied annually, not per incident as with most pet health insurance plans
Covers dental illness. Most plans cover dental accidents but not dental illness such as gingivitis and periodontitis
--------Cons:
X Some procedures and conditions require pre-certification. Although it is not mandatory it is highly recommended
X Continuing care costs extra and there is a cap of 25% of the policy's maximum for continuing care
X Routine and wellness care is not offered
X There are age limitations on illness coverage (If your pet is a certain age, they will only offer accident insurance)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: We have done our best to provide you with the latest and most accurate information on these pet health insurance companies. Please note that rates and terms are subject to change. Click on the various pet insurance company names to be directed to their website.
Learn More:
According to the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association) the basic overall expenses for a dog owner are as follows:
- Surgical Vet Visits $453
- Food $217
- Kennel Boarding $225
- Routine Vet $219
- Groomer/Grooming Aids $127
- Vitamins $77
- Treats $66
- Toys $41
Looking at these numbers, the one that stands out is the cost of health care. Imagine then what the costs would be if your dog suffers a serious injury from an accident or a catastrophic illness that might require surgery and hospitalization. Unfortunately, most pet owners will incur the expense whether they can afford it or not because we love our pets and they are considered part of the family.
This is the reason why pet health insurance is now becoming mainstream and more pet owners are looking into purchasing some sort of insurance plan for their cats and dogs.
Although pet health insurance is not the perfect solution, it certainly provides peace of mind in extreme cases where health care expenses could become a financial burden.
Pet health insurance has been around for some time and it was once thought it was only for the very rich but many insurers are now offering pet plans and prices have become more competitive.
As with human health insurance, pet health insurance has monthly or annual premiums, deductibles, even co-payments and these may vary depending upon the health of the insured, and the different coverage plans that are often available. Keep in mind that different dog breeds have a direct effect on the cost of premiums since certain breeds are prone to chronic diseases.
Comprehensive pet health insurance plans may or may not cover the costs of annual checkups, vaccinations, routine care and preventive medications, and spay/neuter surgeries.