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Founded by a veterinarian, Pets Best Pet Insurance consistently ranks among the top pet insurance providers in the country. They offer comprehensive coverage, an easy online claims process, and access to veterinary advice anytime on their 24/7 Pet Helpline.
Like all pet insurance, Pets Best has its pros and cons. Here’s an in-depth review to help you decide if Pets Best is the right insurance for your pet.
Pros And Cons Of Pets Best Pet Insurance
Pros
- Customizable coverage: Pets Best offers a wide range of coverage options, deductibles, and reimbursement rates.
- No upper age limits on coverage: Pets of all ages are covered and Pets Best will not cancel coverage once your pet reaches a certain age like some other providers do.
- Fast, digital claims process: Pets Best offers a fast and easy online claims process.
- Access to veterinary telehealth: Policyholders have access to a 24/7 Pet Helpline where they can chat with veterinary professionals.
- Direct-vet-pay option: Pets Best offers a direct-vet-pay option for emergencies. This can help drastically lower your upfront costs in an emergency situation.
Cons
- Extended cruciate injury waiting period: Pets Best has an extended 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament injury coverage.
- Minimum age to enroll: Puppies and kittens must be a minimum of 7 weeks to enroll in a Pets Best insurance plan.
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Pets Best Pet Insurance Plans
Pets Best offers pet insurance plans for dogs and cats with the following coverage options:
Accident and Illness Plan (Best Benefit Plan)
The Best Benefit plan by Pets Best provides coverage for your pet’s medical expenses related to accidents and illnesses.
This includes injuries like broken bones, hit-by-car accidents, and wounds, plus illnesses like cancer, diabetes, infections, and more.
Covered costs include diagnostics, lab work, treatments, hospitalizations, surgeries, rehabilitation, periodontal treatment, and more.
Accident-Only Plan
This lower-cost option provides coverage for your pet’s medical expenses strictly due to accidents and does not cover illnesses.
This includes things like broken bones, trauma, falls, hit-by-car accidents, burns, wounds, accidental poisonings, and more.
Covered costs include diagnostics, lab work, treatments, hospitalizations, surgeries, and more.
Preventative Care Add-ons
Pets Best offers two add-on options for preventative care (both include no deductible):
- Essential Wellness: Offers coverage for wellness exams, vaccines, parasite screening, and blood work.
- Best Wellness: Offers coverage for all of the above plus spays, neuters, and dental cleanings.
State Availability
Pets Best is available in all 50 states of the US and the District of Columbia.
What Doesn’t Pets Best Pet Insurance Cover?
Like all pet insurance plans, Pets Best has exclusions:
- Preexisting conditions: Any medical problems your pet had prior to enrollment.
- Illnesses or injuries during the waiting period: Similar to preexisting conditions, any illness or injury sustained during the waiting period will be excluded from coverage.
- Experimental treatments: Any treatments that are considered investigational, experimental, or beyond the standard scope of care in veterinary medicine like non-FDA approved medications or clinical trial treatments.
- Non-medical expenses: This can include things like prescription food, supplements, or herbal therapies.
Pets Best Pet Insurance Waiting Periods
Pet insurance coverage doesn’t kick in until after a specific period of time. This is known as the waiting period.
Waiting periods for Pets Best are:
- 3 days for accidents
- 14 days for illnesses
- 6 months for cruciate ligament injuries
These waiting periods are comparable to other plans on the market. Most companies have a shorter waiting period for accidents than for illnesses. The extended waiting period for cruciate ligament coverage is found in some, but not all, pet insurance plans.
How Much Does Coverage Cost?
Like all pet insurance, your monthly premium for a Pets Best plan will vary based on several factors including your pet’s age, breed, sex, and location.
Here’s a breakdown from one study on pet insurance quotes for Dallas, a populated Texas city.
| Accident Only | Accident + Illness | Accident + Illness + Wellness plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labrador Retriever | |||
| 8-week-old puppy | $9.00 | $65.00 | $68.00 |
| 5-year-old | $9.00 | $88.00 | $92.00 |
| Senior | $9.00 | $157.00 | $164.00 |
| French Bulldog | |||
| 8-week-old puppy | $9.00 | $107.00 | $112.00 |
| 5-year-old | $9.00 | $144.00 | $151.00 |
| Senior | $9.00 | $210.00 | $220.00 |
| Golden Retriever | |||
| 8-week-old puppy | $9.00 | $66.00 | $69.00 |
| 5-year-old | $9.00 | $89.00 | $93.00 |
| Senior | $9.00 | $157.00 | $165.00 |
| German Shepherd | |||
| 8-week-old puppy | $9.00 | $58.00 | $61.00 |
| 5-year-old | $9.00 | $78.00 | $82.00 |
| Senior | $9.00 | $114.00 | $119.00 |
| Poodle | |||
| 8-week-old puppy | $9.00 | $39.00 | $41.00 |
| 5-year-old | $9.00 | $44.00 | $47.00 |
| Senior | $9.00 | $71.00 | $75.00 |
| Exotic Shorthair Cat | |||
| 8-week-old kitten | $6.00 | $29.00 | $30.00 |
| 5-year-old | $6.00 | $37.00 | $38.00 |
| Senior | $6.00 | $106.00 | $111.00 |
Other Factors Determining Cost
Pets Best offers customizable coverage with multiple options for choosing your annual coverage limit, deductible, and reimbursement rate.
Annual Limit
This is the most your pet insurance will pay out for the year. Once you reach your annual limit, you’ll pay out-of-pocket for any remaining vet bills until your renewal date. The higher the annual limit, the higher your monthly premiums usually are.
Pets Best offers either a $5,000 or unlimited annual limit.
Deductible
This is the amount you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket for your pet’s veterinary expenses before you are eligible for reimbursements.
Pets Best offers the following deductible options:
- $50
- $100
- $200
- $250
- $500
- $1000
Reimbursement
This is the percentage of your veterinary expenses the insurance will pay after the deductible has been met.
Pets Best offers the following reimbursement options:
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
Possible Discounts
- 5% multi-pet discount
- 5% discount for military veterans
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does Pets Best Offer A Wellness Plan?
Pets Best offers two wellness add-on packages: Essential Wellness and Best Wellness (coverage for each package is outlined in section two).
Does Pets Best Cover Pre-existing Conditions?
Like all pet insurance, Pets Best does not cover preexisting conditions. A medical records review and/or veterinary exam may be required in order to complete your enrollment.
Does Pets Best Cover Dental Cleaning?
Pets Best covers routine dental cleanings in the Best Wellness Package. Advanced cleanings needed for periodontal treatment are covered in the Accident and Illness Plan.
Does Pets Best Have Any Coverage Limits?
Pets Best has two coverage limits to choose from, $5,000 or unlimited.
How Do I File A Claim With Pets Best?
Pets Best policyholders can file claims from their computer or mobile phone through the company’s claims portal. For those that prefer paper filing, a claims form can be sent via fax, email, or postal mail.
How Long Does It Take Pets Best To Pay Out?
Pets Best doesn’t advertise a specific timeframe for how long claims take to process but many online reviewers have indicated it can be anywhere from a few days to two weeks.
How Can I Cancel A Policy From Pets Best?
You can request to cancel your policy via email or phone. Pets Best will provide you with a cancellation form to fill out and further instructions based on what plan you have.
Does Pets Best Cover Spaying And Neutering?
Spaying and neutering are only covered under the Best Wellness add-on.
Does Pets Best Cover Euthanasia?
Euthanasia is covered by the standard accident and illness plan.
Does Pets Best Cover Hip Dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia is covered under the basic accident and illness plan as long as there were no symptoms prior to the start of coverage (preexisting condition).
Is Pets Best Accepted ByEvery Vet?
Pets Best will reimburse claims for medical treatment provided by any licensed veterinarian. There is no network of veterinary providers you must adhere to.
Does Pets Best Pay The Vet Directly?
Pets Best offers a direct-vet-pay option for emergency situations where you are unable to pay upfront. Your veterinarian will have to approve and submit a special billing form and release.
