Nationwide is a company known for selling different types of insurance policies, including homeowners, renters, and auto insurance, but it is also offers plans to protect pets. Nationwide pet insurance plans cover accidents, illnesses, and wellness , currently insuring more than 950,000 pets1.
Unlike other pet insurance providers that only insure dogs and cats, Nationwide covers a range of animals, including birds and exotic pets.
Keep reading our Nationwide Pet Insurance review to learn more about the company's plans, benefits, and pricing to see how it stacks up against other providers.
Table of Contents
- Does Nationwide offer pet insurance?
- Overview of Nationwide Pet Insurance
- What we like about Nationwide’s coverage
- What could be improved
- Is Nationwide Pet Insurance worth it?
Does Nationwide offer pet insurance?
Known for offering a variety of insurance policies — including auto, renter's, homeowner's, and life insurance — Nationwide acquired Veterinary Pet Insurance in 2009 and started selling pet insurance policies that cover illnesses, accidents, and general wellness with up to 90% reimbursement rate and a flat deductible of $250.
Today, the company's insurance policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance Company in California and National Casualty Company across the rest of the country.
Overview of Nationwide pet insurance
What’s unique about Nationwide Pet Insurance is that they offer an Avian and Exotic Pet Plan specifically designed to meet the unique needs of these pets. It’s the only plan available in the U.S. that covers birds and exotic pets.
Nationwide also offers three pet insurance plans for cats and dogs, including:
- Whole Pet with Wellness is the most comprehensive of the plans and includes vaccinations, preventive care, prescriptions, hospitalization, surgeries, as well as some hereditary conditions.
- Major Medical might cover treatments and surgery for most illnesses or injuries but it doesn’t include preventative care.
- Pet Wellness covers wellness exams, tests, vaccinations, as well as flea and heartworm prevention.
Like most other insurance companies, Nationwide pet insurance policies typically exclude pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures, boarding, grooming, as well as non-veterinary fees.
In addition, Nationwide excludes several diseases from its policies, such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, collapsed trachea, patellar luxation, and primary glaucoma.
A pet insurance policy through Nationwide for your pet will vary depending on your pet’s age, species, and any pre-existing conditions. The monthly premium can range from $15 to $35 for cats and between $25 and $60 for dogs. The wellness plans range between $12 and $22 per month, depending on your reimbursement level.
The good news is Nationwide does offer ways to save; for instance, you can enroll multiple pets to get a discount of 5% to 10%, depending on the number of animals in the household. Customers might also qualify for an additional 5% discount if they already have another type of Nationwide insurance policy, such as auto insurance or renter’s insurance.
What we like about Nationwide’s pet insurance coverage
Nationwide offers comprehensive benefit options. Whether you’re looking for coverage for specialty procedures or basic care, you’re sure to find an option for almost every type of veterinary treatment available.
Another important benefit is that customers can submit claims online through the Nationwide Pet Account Access Page and track claims in real-time on smartphone devices.
The company's Whole Pet with Wellness plan comes with a 90% reimbursement, $250 deductible, and unlimited annual benefits.
Nationwide has a 100% money-back guarantee for cancellations within ten days of the policy start date or when the policy went into effect and the company hasn't reimbursed the policyholder for any claims in that time.
What could be improved
Nationwide pet insurance policies are more expensive than average. In addition, their reimbursement structure is quite complicated, which can be confusing to pet owners. For instance, most of the policies include different amounts of coverage for each treatment, instead of reimbursing a certain percentage of all covered services.
Another downside is the lack of a customization option. Unlike competitor companies who allow customers to choose from a range of benefit and deductible options, Nationwide is not very flexible in this area. The company offers a selection of only three plans, all with set reimbursement amounts, annual coverage limits, and deductibles.
The Nationwide pet wellness plan isn’t available in all states and it is only offered in the company’s highest-priced Whole Pet with Wellness plan.
Finally, Nationwide’s online services are limited. Even though customers can take a picture of their invoice and submit it online or via smartphone, the company doesn’t offer live chat support or a mobile app. Basic support is only available by phone or email. Policyholders can also download and print a PDF claim form and submit it by mail, email, or fax. The claims are usually processed within a 30-day period.
Is Nationwide Pet Insurance worth it?
Being the first and largest provider of pet health insurance in the United States, Nationwide has a strong reputation within the industry and certainly deserves a look if you’re shopping for pet insurance.
The company is the perfect choice if you need insurance for birds and exotic pets. Their Avian and Exotic Pets Plan covers animals such as guinea pigs, reptiles, amphibians, turtles, and more. Coverage details and pricing vary depending on the species and medical history of the exotic pet.
In addition, some plans include wellness care, which is typically not offered by other pet insurance companies or is offered only as an add-on. This can be beneficial for pet parents looking for more comprehensive coverage. However, the fact remains that the premiums are quite high and the company doesn’t offer many ways to reduce the cost, so this provider might not be the best option if your budget is limited.
Before choosing a pet insurance policy, it is important to research and compare the available plans by using a site like Pawlicy Advisor. Pawlicy Advisor provides comparison charts, free quotes, and assistance from licensed agents to help you select the right one for both your pet and your pocket.
References
- FinanceBuzz, Nationwide Pet Insurance. Accessed Aug. 16 2021.
