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Pets Best Pets Insurance Review

Reviews 5,000
Pets Best
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Pets Best
Pets Best
Great
Reviews 5,000
Jacob Parker
Oct. 15, 2024
4 min read
Jacob Parker
Pets Best Summary
Pets Best is one of the most established pet insurance providers on the web today. It was launched in 2005 by Dr. Jack Stephens, who actually helped to kick start the pet insurance industry some 40 years ago. Today, the Pets Best service stands out thanks to its international pet coverage and unlimited protection.

Pros

  • Affordable accident-only coverage
  • Unlimited plans available
  • 24/7 pet helpline

Cons

  • Some coverage exclusions are vague
  • Wellness treatments are not included

Pets Best at a glance

9.2
Editorial score

Online experience

Excellent site with mobile optimization, learning resources, and live chat
10.0

Customizable rates and services

Customizable plans and rates, 50-90% reimbursement, no upper age limit
10.0

Claims payout waiting period

Days
8.0

Customer support

24/7 communication and a pet hotline available
10.0

Bundles

Multi-pet bundles available
8.0

Pets Best Pets Best View Rates

What's Covered?

Because Pets Best has a wide range of different plans, certain expenses, such as medical evaluations, are only be covered by certain packages. With the exception of the budget accident-only policy, all Pets Best policies will cover these costs:

  • Illnesses including cancer, diabetes, allergies, and cruciate ligament injuries
  • Skin and ear infections
  • Hereditary and congenital conditions
  • Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgeries
  • Dental issues
  • Prosthetics and wheelchairs

Insurance Plans & Pricing 

the best pet insurance providers like Pets Best offer three different core service packages: Essential, Plus, and Elite. There’s not a massive amount of difference between them as all three can be used to pay for costs such as emergency room visits, medications, and surgeries. However, the Plus plan also provides coverage for veterinary exam fees. The Elite plan goes a step further with coverage for rehabilitation, acupuncture, and chiropractic treatments.

Pricing varies based on your location, your pet’s characteristics, your chosen deductible, reimbursement percentage, and annual limit. When we requested a quote for our female, mixed breed puppy with a $250 annual deductible, 90% reimbursement rate, and no coverage limit, Pets Best quoted us $32.48 per month for the Essential Plan and $39.65 for the Elite package. 

By contrast, with the same plan setup, Pets Best quoted between $44.31 and $54.09 per month to protect our 10-year old American short-hair cat. It’s worth noting that your premiums will be dropped by 5% if you insure more than one pet.

Pets Best also has a fixed-rate accident-only plan. This costs $6 per month for cats and $9 per month for dogs, regardless of age or breed. 

What’s more, you can add wellness protection through Pets Best with two add-on policies: between $14-  $21.75 per month for the EssentialWellness plan or between $26 - $32.58 per month for the BestWellness supplement. These extra subscriptions have no deductible and can be used for costs such as flea prevention, vaccination, and microchipping.

*Price varies by state, and by pet age. Get a quote to see pricing for your pet

What's Not Covered

No Pets Best plan will reimburse you for expenses related to pre-existing conditions or non-medical costs like special diets. Also, Pets Best won’t pay for problems generated by preventable conditions where a vet has previously advised you to take measures to avoid something turning into an issue.

Waiting Periods

A waiting period refers to the amount of time after your policy start date before your pet is eligible for coverage. Waiting periods vary by the type of coverage. Waiting periods are waived for continuous, uninterrupted policy renewals. Pets Best offers some of the shortest waiting periods in the industry following the policy effective date. Get a quote for specific information on waiting periods in your state.¹

Coverage Limits

With all Pets Best plans, you can choose between unlimited coverage or a $5,000 annual limit. If your pet encounters any major medical issues, you could easily face over $5,000 in costs in a given year, so many Pets Best customers are better off with the unlimited option. 

Reimbursement and Deductibles

When you take out a Pets Best policy, you can choose between a 70, 80, or 90% reimbursement rate and an annual deductible of $50 to $1,000. The deductible is what you’ll pay out of pocket every year for treatment before your policy kicks in.

Let’s say you have a labrador insured with Pets Best on an Essential policy with an 80% reimbursement rate and a $500 deductible. If your pet requires an emergency $700 surgery at the start of the year, you’ll get $160 towards the cost. However, if $1,800 worth of medication is required later in the same year, Pets Best will reimburse you $1,440 because you’ve already paid your deductible.

Claims and Service 

Filing a claim through Pets Best is extremely easy thanks to the helpful online portal. All you need to do is fill out a short claim form and attach it along with photos of paid invoices and proof of payment, such as a credit card receipt.

If you have any problems entering a claim, you can get in touch with the Pets Best customer care team over the phone or via live chat. Agents are available from 5 AM to 7 PM MST Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings.

What You Might Like

Lots of Pets Best clients enjoy the pre-authorization system for claims of more than $500. This can give you peace of mind that the cost of a major procedure will be reimbursed before you decide to go ahead with it. All you need to do is submit a few documents, including an itemized estimate and your pet’s medical records, to get pre-authorization.

What Pets Best Could do Better

A downside of Pets Best is that the platform excludes parasites, pre-existing conditions, and preventative procedures from its coverage. Unfortunately, few insurers are willing to pay for costs relating to pre-existing conditions, but some alternative providers do have packages that cover parasitic infections and preventative treatments. 

Contact Details and Address

You can reach Pets Best on the phone at 1-877-738-7237 or by mail at:

Pets Best

2323 S. Vista Ave. Ste. 100

Boise, ID 83705

How Pets Best Compares


Pets Best
Reimbursement rate70% - 90%70% - 90%
Annual deductible$50 - $1,000$100, $250, or $500
Coverage limit$5,000 or unlimited$5,000 or unlimited

Pets Best Pets Best Visit Site

Bottom Line

Cat and dog owners wishing to make sure the needs of their beloved pets are taken care of are sure to love Pets Best. Claim pre-authorization along with limit-free policies mean, once you’ve subscribed to Pets Best, you can rest easy in the knowledge that you won’t be left with a huge bill if your pet requires emergency treatment. Do keep in mind, however, that the Pets Best core plans don’t cover any wellness treatments or pre-existing conditions. 

To compare more financial products and read more guides and reviews, visit BestMoney

Disclosure

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.


¹For all states except Maine & North Dakota:

· Accidents: 3 days

· Illnesses: 14 days

· Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 6 months

· Routine Care: 0 days

¹ Maine Only

· Accidents: 0 days

· Illnesses: 14 days

· Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 30 days

· Routine Care: 0 days

¹ North Dakota Only

· Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 30 days



Jacob Parker
Written by
Jacob Parker
Jacob Parker is a financial and technology writer. With a background in climate science, he's deeply interested in the intersection of fintech and sustainability and has a passion for impact investing and ESG research. He writes for BestMoney and enjoys helping readers make sense of the options on the market.‎
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