Recently, I researched seven pet insurance brands and interviewed a vet professional to find out which pet insurance options were ideal for seniors. After a week of research, I determined that the following three pet insurance options are the *best.
(*Note: Talk to your vet and ask what pet insurance options are right for you and your pet.)
The following pet insurance options received the combined highest ratings between myself and Crystal Litzenberger, a veterinary technician currently working at LolaHemp.
Pets Best
User-friendliness: 10/10
Veterinary Technician’s Rating: 8/10
Total Rating: 18/10
Why I Like Pets Best:
Pets Best’s website is easy to navigate. You can easily switch between plan options and see what is and is not covered. The company also clearly states its pet insurance waiting periods below plan options.
Pets Best accepts insurance claims via your account attached to their website (desktop), mobile app, email, mail, fax, or direct payment to your vet.
Other plan benefits include behavioral condition coverage and coverage of prosthetic devices and wheelchairs. If you have multiple pets, you can take advantage of the brand’s multi-pet discount (5 percent). You can also save money by paying annually.
If you have after-hours questions, Pets Best features a 24/7 pet helpline (phone, live chat, email) operated by vet experts.
Petplan
User-friendliness: 8/10
Veterinary Technician’s Rating: 10/10
Total Rating: 18/20
Why I Like Petplan:
Petplan covers boarding fees if your pet needs hospitalization, as well as behavioral therapy. The company offers a unique “advertising and reward” benefit. You can get back up to $1,000 if your pet gets lost “during the policy period.” Petplan also offers various ways to submit claims (app, email, or mail).
Seniors looking for flexible pricing should consider Petplan because AARP provides its members with a discount.
From AARP’s website: “Members save up to 10 percent on premiums when signing up online, plus receive a Visa® Prepaid Card (up to $35) to help cover wellness expenses. Plans are accepted at every veterinarian in the U.S. and Canada.” You obtain this discount online or over the phone by calling Petplan at 1-800-239-6870.
(You can also get a discount if you pay for your plan quarterly or annually.)
Embrace
User-friendliness: 9/10
Veterinary Technician’s Rating: 9/10
Total Rating: 18/20
Why I Like Embrace:
Embrace is one of the few pet insurance options that will consider pre-existing conditions. Embrace will evaluate your pet’s health records to determine if your pet has been symptom-free of an ailment for 12 months. If this is determined, the condition may still get covered.
Also, if you’re concerned about pre-existing conditions, you can request a “free medical history review” after purchasing a policy. If you are unhappy with the review’s findings, you can “cancel your policy and receive a prorated refund of the unused premium.”
Embrace offers various discounts. There’s a 10 percent multi-pet discount, a 5 percent military discount, and you can save money by paying annually. You also can manage claims on your phone via the company’s app or on your desktop. You can submit claims by email, fax, or mail. (Embrace also features PawSupport, a 24/7 pet helpline.)
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