Pet Insurance How It Works
Take your pet to the vet
Visit any licensed vet, emergency clinic or specialist in the US. There’s no network of providers to worry about.
Send us your claim
Pay your pet’s vet bill, and send us your claim along with vet records and invoice from the visit.
Get money back quickly
MetLife will follow-up with your vet for any missing info. Claims are processed in less than 2 weeks.6
1 Pet Insurance offered by MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company , a Delaware insurance company, headquartered at 485 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10022, and Metropolitan General Insurance Company , a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886, in those states where MetGens policies are available. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is the policy administrator authorized by IAIC and MetGen to offer and administer pet insurance policies. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC was previously known as PetFirst Healthcare, LLC and in some states continues to operate under that name pending approval of its application for a name change. The entity may operate under an alternate, assumed, and/or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions as approved, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC , MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC , and such other alternate, assumed, or fictitious names approved by certain jurisdictions.
What To Look For In An Insurance Policy
From the perspective of costs, the first thing you should pay attention to is your monthly premium. This is the amount youll pay each month to keep the policy active for your pet.
You should also pay attention to your annual deductible, your reimbursements percentage, and your annual coverage limit. Your deductible is the amount you must pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in, while your reimbursement percentage is the percentage of the cost your insurance provider will reimburse after you pay your veterinarian for services.
Finally, your annual coverage limit is the maximum amount your insurance plan will reimburse you each year. Many plans come with an unlimited annual coverage limit.
Beyond your costs and reimbursement rates, you should pay attention to the levels of coverage youll receive. Most pet parents purchase what are known as accident/illness plans, which cover veterinary care for treating your pet if they get hurt or sick.
You can also purchase an accident-only plan, which only covers injuries, at a much lower monthly premium. While no pet insurance plans cover pre-existing conditions, there are options for curable conditions and alternative savings programs for those that are recurring.
Similarly, you have the option to add wellness coverage to your plan for a little extra each month. Wellness coverage will cover routine care, such as flea and tick prevention, vaccinations, and more.
How Do I Buy Multi
If you are a new customer click Get a quote, enter details for the first pet and click the Add another pet button on the form. You will be asked to select a plan for the initial pet, followed by any additional pets.
If you are an existing customer and would like to add a new pet, simply take out a policy online and email our team at with both policy numbers, your surname, date of birth, first line of address and postcode and we will update your policies to make sure they both receive the discount!
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Understand Reimbursements And Deductibles
Most pet insurance plans reimburse you for a percentage of your vet bill. You can generally choose a reimbursement level, such as 70%, 80% or 90%, when you buy the plan.
Other plans pay what the insurance company deems a standard fee for a given treatment, which might be less than what your vet charges. Youd be responsible for the remainder.
Most plans also have a deductible the dollar amount you pay out of pocket before the policy pays. You can usually choose from a range of deductibles, such as $100, $250 or more. Some plans apply deductibles to each injury or illness thats treated. Others have you pay the deductible every year.
Generally, the lower your out-of-pocket costs are, the more youll pay for coverage. A lower deductible and higher reimbursement rate can lead to a higher premium, while a higher deductible and lower reimbursement rate can mean a lower premium.
What Other Cat Insurance Add
While the main point of cat insurance is to make sure that your cat is well looked after and any vets fees and treatments are covered, there are lots of extras that you can add to your policy:
- Loss and theft cover if your cat gets lost or is stolen, you can receive compensation, as well as money towards a reward for anyone who finds them.
- Cattery/boarding fees if youre unable to look after your cat for reasons out of your control , then you can get covered for the costs of having them looked after while youre gone.
- Travel insurance if you like to take your cat abroad with you on holiday, you can get extra cover for them while youre both away.
- Holiday cancellation on the other hand, if youre forced to cancel your holiday because your cat is suddenly ill or injured, you can recover the cost.
- Death while we hate to think about it, if the worst were to happen and your cat dies in an accident, you could get compensation. Sort of like a life insurance package for your cat.
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Is Pet Insurance Worth It For Older Dogs
Dogs are more likely to need vet treatment as they get older and pet insurance can cover some of those costs. Not all providers cover older dogs but we have policies that can cover pets of any age and will pay for conditions that ended at least two years ago. If you choose lifetime insurance while your dog is young it means conditions it develops will continue to be covered each year you renew.
Which Other Companies Offer Multi
Below youll find an alphabetical listing of other companies weve reviewed that offer multi-pet discounts.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance has a 10% multi-pet discount, which is the same as our #1 pick. So why didnt it make our top picks? Well, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance has longer waiting periods and more coverage restrictions than the competition.
Companion Protect offers the highest multi-pet discount, up to 15%. But why didnt we place it in our top picks? There is more to pet insurance than just price.
Companion Protect requires you to visit an in-network vet otherwise, your deductible is doubled. This isnt a common practice in the pet insurance industry. There are also fewer customization options to adjust your policy to fit your budget.
Hartville Pet Insurance is administered by Crum & Forster Insurance Agency . Hartville has a 10% multi-pet discount, but it has longer waiting periods, more coverage restrictions, and customers report lower reimbursements than expected.
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Best Pet Insurance Companies For 2022
Vet bills can add up fast. The right pet insurance can protect your pet — and your bank account.
Courtney Johnston
Mandy Sleight
Mandy Sleight is a freelance writer and has been an insurance agent since 2005. She creates informative, engaging, and easy-to-understand content on the topics of insurance, personal finance, sustainability, and health and wellness. Her work has been featured in Kiplinger, MoneyGeek and other major publications.
CNET editors independently choose every product and service we cover. Though we can’t review every available financial company or offer, we strive to make comprehensive, rigorous comparisons in order to highlight the best of them. For many of these products and services, we earn a commission. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact how ads and links appear on our site.
We are an independent publisher. Our advertisers do not direct our editorial content. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in editorial content are those of the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the advertiser.
In a digital world, information only matters if it’s timely, relevant, and credible. We promise to do whatever is necessary to get you the information you need when you need it, to make our opinions fair and useful, and to make sure our facts are accurate.
Discounts:
When Should I Get Cat Insurance
The sooner you get Fetch, the sooner we can help. If you have a kitten, you shouldnât wait to sign up. And the same goes if youâve adopted an older cat, too â itâs likely an older pet will develop a new illness or injury as they continue to age. But, if you wait until your pet gets sick or hurt, we wonât be able to cover your vet visit.
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Why Is Coverage For Multiple Pets Important
Pet insurance for one pet is an excellent way to ensure you have a financial cushion for unexpected vet expenses. Having pet insurance if you have multiple pets is crucial it allows you to make decisions about each of your pets needs without worrying about your wallet.
Heres a real-life example of why multi-pet insurance is essential:
A couple of years ago, a 365 Pet Insurance team member with two adorable Labrador Retriever puppies got into poisonous fungus in their backyard, resulting in a trip to the emergency vet clinic. Once diagnostic testing and treatments were done, the pups had each racked up a $1,000 vet bill.
The fungus also triggered an autoimmune disorder called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in the dogs, leading to more frequent health problems and vet bills down the road.
Less than a year later, one of the dogs developed a genetic disorder called Exercise Induced Collapse. The testing and treatment for this condition accumulated another $1,500 in veterinary expenses.
With pet insurance, the pet owner would have paid predictable monthly fees in exchange for up to a 90% reimbursement for the $3,500 veterinary expenses.
Learn More About Pet Insurance
To find a pet insurance policy for your pet based on coverage, value, age, health needs, or species, read our best pet insurance article. You can also compare the top pet insurance companies in our pet insurance comparison, which includes multiple tables analyzing coverage, plan customization, waiting periods, and more.
Whats most important to you in your pet insurance policy?
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Is Pet Insurance Tax
Unfortunately, pet insurance is not tax-deductible in the vast majority of cases. The only exception may be if you rely on a guide dog or service animal for a disability. According to the IRS, the costs of feeding and caring for a legitimate service animal fall under tax-deductible expenses, which might include an insurance policy that helps pay for veterinary expenses. This rule does not apply to emotional support animals.
How Does Insurance For Multiple Pets Work
When you buy pet insurance for multiple pets, you will either have one policy for all your eligible pets or separate policies for each one. You may also have a separate annual deductible and reimbursement amount for each pet, even if they’re on the same policy. Filing a claim works the same way with multiple pets as it does with one pet. You’ll pay your pet’s vet bill upfront and then submit a claim for reimbursement with the insurance company. You’ll just need to indicate which pet the claim was submitted for.
Pro tip:
If you do have separate policies for each of your pets, you can typically manage all of them through your provider’s mobile app or online portal.
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What Is Pet Insurance
Pet insurance is a health insurance policy for your pet that pays for medical expenses and sometimes other costs. Pet insurance plans are typically reimbursement-based, meaning you pay up-front for the pets vet bills and submit a claim to the insurance company. A few companies can pay the vet directly, which helps keep your out-of-pocket payments low.
Theres usually a deductible before coverage starts. For example, you might pay the first $500 in vet bills before the pet insurance starts to pay.
Even after your deductible is paid, the pet insurance may not pay 100% of vet bills. You can typically choose your reimbursement level. Common reimbursement options are 70%, 80% or 90% of your vet bills.
How To Find The Best Cover For Multiple Pets
Finding the best cover is a simple process:
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use our comparison to find a policy that suits your needs and your number of pets
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get quotes for individual pet policies with different insurers and compare the cost against a multi-pet policy
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choose the option that gives you the cover you need for the best price
Make sure you check each policy to see what cover it offers.
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Which Is The Best Pet Insurance Company For You
Lemonadeis an ideal choice for pet parents who want a comprehensive policy and a hassle-free claims-filing and policy-management process.Embrace might be a better option for those who want to take advantage of discounts and the Healthy Pet Deductible benefit. Prudent Pet is great for those looking to add a few optional coverage items to their policy.
Ology: Our System For Ranking The Best Cheap Pet Insurance Companies
Our review of pet insurance companies is based on in-depth industry research that includes reading hundreds of customer reviews, simulating the quote and purchasing process, speaking to representatives on the phone to assess the customer service experience and surveying 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage. We have scored each provider on a 100-point scale based on those elements.
Here are more details about each factor and how theyre weighted:
We use our rating system to compare and contrast each company against key factors to help us determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. Additionally, we keep our research up to date and revisit our reviews on a regular basis.
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Common Types Of Multi
Lifetime multi-pet insurance
- Gives you a maximum claim limit, per condition, per year, per pet. For example, in one very unlucky year you could claim £5,000 for hip dysplasia, £5,000 for diabetes and £5,000 for cancer treatment for each pet on the policy
- If you renew the policy every 12 months, the cover resets for annual-limit policies
- Buy the policy when your pets are young, or have a clean bill of health, and the insurer should cover their treatment throughout their lives
- If your pet has any pre-existing conditions, you wont be able to get cover for them
- A policy that lasts for a set time, usually 12 months
- You can renew the policy to continue the cover
- It’ll cover injury or illness claims within 12 months. If the injury or illness is still a problem after the time limit, you wont be able to claim for treatment. Even if you renew your cover
- If your pet has any pre-existing conditions, you wont be able to get cover for them
How Do Pet Insurance Companies Know About Pre
A pre-existing condition is an injury or illness that started prior to your pet insurance coverage or during the waiting period. When you apply for pet insurance, the insurer might require a medical exam or medical records before enrolling your pet.
Some plans, such as ASPCAs pet insurance, do not require a veterinary exam or medical records for enrollment. But injuries or illnesses that precede your enrollment date wont be covered. For example, if your dog busted a paw after tumbling down the stairs in March and you enrolled in April, medical costs related to the injury wont be covered.
You can get pet insurance for some pre-existing conditions. Some insurers will cover curable pre-existing conditions, such as an ear infection. For example, ASPCAs pet plan will cover curable pre-existing conditions if there are no symptoms for 180 days . If the condition recurs after 180 days, it will be covered as a new problem.
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Which Pet Insurers Are Not Reviewed
Are any pet insurance providers excluded from your comparison? The pet insurance market is growing rapidly, and new providers are continually entering. We dont rank companies until they have a five-year history in the pet insurance industry due to frequent price fluctuations, and we want to ensure that they will still be around. However, we do review them.
Visit our alphabetical company catalog for a comprehensive listing of all the pet insurance companies we cover, along with basic stats, including their founding year, headquarters location, underwriter, customer service options, and support hours. We also list deductible, payout limit, and reimbursement options for each company so you can make a quick side-by-side comparison.
What Type Of Pet Insurance Is Right For Me
Every cat is individual and unique so we have a range of plans for your needs, from time-limited to lifetime policies we even have a multi-pet discount if you have more than one furry friend. Weve compiled a handy guide explaining the different types of policies in the market to help you decide which is right for you.
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Decide How Much Coverage You Want
Most pet insurance plans cap the amount they pay out per year, and some include lifetime limits. Only you can decide the amount that gives you reasonable peace of mind for paying vet bills.
If your dog or cat is relatively healthy, you might go years without paying for anything but routine care. But an unexpected surgery or serious illness could add up to thousands of dollars in expenses.