Pets Best Insurance Review: How Does It Stack Up?

This Pets Best Pet Insurance review will explain the provider's unique features - and how it stack up when compared to other top providers.

Table of Contents:

• The history of Pets Best Pet Insurance
• An overview of Pets Best insurance plans
• Why we love Pets Best insurance plans
• Important Pets Best considerations for owners
• Pets Best customer ratings and reviews
• Is Pets Best Pet Insurance worth the cost?
• Key Takeaways

When you compare pet insurance plans, it's important to find the right provider for your specific needs. Use Pawlicy Advisor's comparison tool to learn specific details regarding the coverage and cost of pet insurance from top providers based on your pet's age, breed, and location.

The history of Pets Best Pet Insurance

Pets Best Pet Health Insurance was founded in 2005 by Dr. Jack Stephens, who began practicing as a veterinarian in 1979.

Stephens is credited as the “founder of pet insurance in North America” and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) in 2015 for his work in establishing and expanding pet insurance.

The first pet insurance policy was issued in the United States in 1982 (to the dog who starred in Lassie!), but the industry as we know it wasn’t fully established in the U.S. until much later. As one of the first pet insurance brands on the scene, Pets Best played an essential role in building the market industry we know today.

(Source: Pets Best)

An overview of Pets Best insurance plans

Pets Best lets you choose between an accident/illness plan and accident-only plan. You can also opt into their supplemental pet wellness plan for an additional charge. We'll take a look at all three options below.

Pets Best accident-only plan

The accident-only plan is the least expensive option, but it won’t provide coverage for illnesses and diseases. It features a $10,000 annual limit, a $250 deductible, and a 90% reimbursement rate.

It comes at a flat-rate price of $9 per month and covers the following:

• Trauma
• Poisoning
• Bites (animal, insects, snake)
• Being struck by a car or moving vehicle
• Foreign body ingestion
• Bone fractures
• Lacerations, cuts, or abrasions
• Wounds
• Torn nails
• Other medical problems directly attributable to accidental injury

NOTE: The accident-only plan won’t cover cruciate ligament injuries.

Pets Best accident and illness plan

The accident and illness plans offer much broader protection. Although they are slightly more expensive, they are partially customizable, so you can adjust your desired level of coverage based on your budget or your pet’s unique needs.

• Select your annual limit (the maximum amount of reimbursement you receive per year): unlimited or capped at $5,000.
• Select your reimbursement level (the percentage of your vet bill Pets Best will reimburse for each claim): 70%, 80%, or 90%.
• Select your annual deductible (the dollar amount you must pay out of pocket annually before your insurance kicks in): $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, or $1,000.
• Select your optional benefits: Essential, Plus, or Elite.

Pets Best accident and illness pet insurance plans cover the following:

• Accidents, Illnesses, Cancer, Hereditary Conditions, Emergency Care, Surgeries & Rx Meds
• Accident & Illness Exam Fees (“Plus” and “Elite” plans only)
• Rehabilitative, Acupuncture & Chiropractic Coverage (“Elite” plan only)
• Emergency care
• Hospitalization and surgeries
• Rx medications
• MRI, CAT, and X-ray
• Specialist care
• Outpatient care
• Medication injections
• Lab tests
• Cancer treatments
• Hereditary and congenital conditions

(Source: Pets Best)

Pets Best wellness plan

If you’d like, you can also add a pet wellness plan to your insurance policy for an additional price. Pets Best offers two choices, “EssentialWellness” and “BestWellness,” which cover the following services:

• Spay/neuter (no coverage under “EssentialWellness” plan)
• Teeth cleanings (no coverage under “EssentialWellness” plan)
• Rabies
• Flea/tick prevention
• Heartworm prevention
• Vaccination/titer
• Wellness exams
• Heartworm tests or FELV screens
• Blood, fecal, and parasite exams
• Microchipping
• Urinalysis or ERD
• Deworming

You can add a wellness plan to any Pets Best policy for a flat, monthly rate of $16 or $26. Both options cover most preventative care with no deductible, but you can get a higher reimbursement limit if you opt for the “BestWellness” plan.

Why we love Pets Best insurance plans

Pets Best offers significant customization for its accident/illness plans, which allows owners to find a plan that fits their monthly budget. They also provide a substantial amount of coverage for a relatively low monthly premium.

Example: For a one-year-old, mixed-breed dog weighing 20 to 55 pounds, we we found a quote for about $64 per month (or about $745 per year) that includes a great deal of protection:

• “Elite” accident/illness plan
• BestWellness routine care plan
• Annual coverage: unlimited
• Deductible: $250
• Reimbursement: 90%

This type of plan would cover most of the things you’d need when going to the vet, including many preventative services that tend to add up.

(Source: Pets Best)

Pets Best also offers flat rates for its accident-only plans and wellness plans. This makes shopping for pet insurance easy to budget for years down the road because you won’t have to worry about wellness coverage costs going up, even as your pet ages.

Pets Best lets you file claims digitally, directly through the company website. Their online portal keeps track of all your ongoing and completed claims, which you can refer to at any time.

You can set up direct deposit for reimbursement, so there’s no need to wait for a check to arrive after you’ve filed your claim. Or, if you prefer, they can pay verterinary claims directly to minimize out-of-pocket costs.

All you have to do is sign a release form and submit your completed claim; once it's processed, Pets Best will send the reimbursement straight to your vet’s office. The Vet Direct Pay feature is available with all of Pets Best pet insurance plans.

Finally, this provider offers great discounts. You can save money by enrolling multiple pets, serving in the military, or paying your premiums in an annual lump sum rather than monthly.

(Source: Pets Best)

Important Pets Best considerations for owners

From unexpected accidents, routine checkups, and preventative care, you can find comprehensive coverage from Pets Best Pet Insurance. However, there are some considerations owners should bear in mind when comparing providers:

• This pet insurance company allows you to select one of two limits for annual reimbursement, but it’s impossible to predict what could happen within a year.
• Pre-existing conditions and end-of-life care are not covered by any Pets Best insurance plan.
• Customized plans provide budget-friendly flexibility, but they can also become a bit confusing. Be sure to keep track of what is and isn't covered in your specific policy, or use Pawlicy Advisor for a clear and concise breakdown of the fine details.

Pets Best customer ratings and reviews

What do customers have to say in the Pets Best insurance reviews? According to over 6,612 reviews on Reviews.io, they receive an:

• Overall - 4.37/5 stars
• Customer service - 4.65/5 stars
• 83% positive recommendation
• 5-day average reimbursement

Although the pet insurance industry is still relatively new, Pets Best is one of the most experienced brands in the marketplace. The company prides itself on its friendliness to customers, even offering a 24/7 hotline to answer pet health questions.

Is Pets Best Pet Insurance worth the cost?

Pets Best is a good option for most pet parents who want comprehensive accident and illness coverage. With the right customizations, most plans are relatively affordable, and the company reimburse you for most vet-related expenses.

Flat rates on wellness coverage are also attractive because you won’t have to worry about increased costs as your pet progresses through age. But keep in mind that your monthly premiums for a standard accident and illness plan may go up as your pet gets older.

If you’re a veteran or you want to cover multiple pets with health insurances, Pets Best offers valuable discounts.

So, is pet insurance worth it? We recommend comparing plans on Pawlicy Advisor to evaluate your options. If you want pet insurance for an older dog that covers end-of-life care, you might be able to find a provider whose policy includes such services.

You can also compare different companies, monthly premiums, and annual reimbursements to find the best solution for your needs. Start your Pawlicy Advisor search today to shop with confidence.