Costco members can use their benefits to get big discounts on premium pet insurance but what if you are not a Costco member? Is this the best choice for you and your pet or should you check with competitor companies to see if you can get a better price elsewhere?
Read on to learn about Costco Pet Insurance plans, prices, and more so that you can make the best choice for your pet and your family budget.
Table of Contents
- Does Costco offer pet insurance?
- Costco Pet Insurance review
- What we like about this coverage
- What could be improved
- Is Costco Pet Insurance worth it?
- Choosing the best pet insurance
Does Costco offer pet insurance?
As of August 2021, Costco — a chain of membership-only discount stores — began offering its members exclusive savings on pet insurance plans. The warehouse club’s latest perk is made available by Figo Pet Insurance, a pet insurance company founded in 2013 whose plans are covered by Independence American Insurance Company.
With this new partnership, Costco entered the pet insurance marketplace, joined other brands known for member-exclusive savings, such as USAA.
Costco Pet Insurance review
Available plans
Costco offers standard Accident & Illness coverage through Figo Pet Insurance. Customers can choose from three plans with different annual limits:
- Essential - $5,000 annual limit
- Preferred - $10,000 annual limit
- Unlimited - no maximum amount for annual benefit coverage
From there, they can customize their policies by choosing from three reimbursement rates (70%, 80%, or 90%) and four deduction options ($100, $250, $500, or $750 per year).
Customers can get coverage for a range of services and conditions, including hip dysplasia, knee conditions like ACL, cancer treatments, chronic conditions, congenital and hereditary conditions, surgeries, hospitalization, prescription medications, emergency services, veterinary specialists treatments, behavioral issues, imaging, laboratory and diagnostic testing, orthotic and prosthetic devices, acupuncture and chiropractic therapies, euthanasia, cremation, and more.
Costco doesn’t cover vet consultation or exam fees related to covered conditions but it does offer a Veterinary Exam Fees rider. However, it should be noted that this policy rider will only cover exam fees related to accidents and injuries, not preventative, wellness, and routine visits.
Additionally, Costco offers a pet wellness plan which provides coverage for vaccines, annual exams, neuter/spay, dental care, etc.
Customers can file an illness claim 14 days after enrollment and an accident claim just one day after enrollment. The company has also introduced an Orthopedic Conditions waiver that you can get upon request that eliminates the six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions.
Exclusions
Like most pet insurance companies, Costco doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, as well as neutering/spaying, breeding, pregnancy, cosmetic surgeries, experimental procedures, and cloning procedures.
Pricing
As mentioned before, Costco offers three Accident and Illness policies with set annual limits through Figo and customers have an option to customize their reimbursement by
Customers can choose to pay their premiums on a monthly or annual basis, and for each year they go without making a claim, the company will reduce the annual deductible by $50 whenever they decide to renew their policy.
As with most pet insurance companies, the price of your policy will depend on your pet’s age, breed, and location, as well as the coverage you select.
Discounts
Costco Business and Gold Star members get a 15% discount on pet insurance rates. Executive members enjoy the same savings, plus the first month of premiums and $15 enrollment fee waived.
Claims and reimbursement times
Costco customers can easily submit pet insurance claims through the Figo app, or by web, email, snail mail, or fax. Claims are processed online or via Figo’s app, as well as through email, phone, snail mail, or fax. The company usually takes between two and 10 days to process claims.
What we like about this coverage
- One of the greatest advantages of buying pet insurance through Costco is the 15% discount available for its members.
- The waiting periods are somewhat shorter than those of other pet insurers. Just to compare, Pumpkin Pet Insurance has a 14-day waiting period for all conditions, including illnesses and accidents, whereas Healthy Paws Pet Insurance requires customers to wait 15 days before submitting any claim.
- Some providers do not offer pet insurance for older pets, but there is no maximum enrollment age for Costco’s plans.
- Costco pet insurance policyholders will get access to Figo’s Pet Cloud app that allows them to file claims, search for other pet parents, share photos, find dog walkers, and get 24/7 access to a licensed vet for expert advice.
- The company has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which means that if you decide that the policy isn’t for you, your money will be refunded within 30 days as long as you haven’t made a claim.
What could be improved
- Exam fees are not included. Costco has optional coverage that covers vet exam fees related to a covered injury or accident.
- There is also no Accident-Only policy, which is offered by most other pet insurance providers.
Is Costco Pet Insurance worth it?
Not sure if Costco's pet insurance is worth it? Their plans could be a good option for existing members due to the discounts, the 24/7 hotline, and the complimentary concierge support you will receive. However, membership costs for the warehouse club can be expensive and if you are not a member, you are ineligible for their exclusive pet insurance policies.
How to choose the best pet insurance
When choosing what type of insurance coverage would be best for your pet, owners need to take into consideration a number of factors, including their pet’s breed, age, previous medical issues their pet might have, as well as their financial situation. Sounds overwhelming, but fortunately, you don’t have to do everything yourself.
To help you make an informed decision, Pawlicy Advisor has created a series of pet insurance reviews that highlight the pros and cons of each pet insurance company and the most important details to consider when comparing different pet insurance policies. You can also make use of our pet insurance comparison charts to see how each company stacks up side-by-side.
