Petplan Pet Insurance Reviews - Legit Animal Health Plans?
Petplan is a pet insurance company that covers up to 90% of vet bills.
New York, NY - ( NewMediaWire ) - September 02, 2020 - As one of the leading pet health insurance providers in the United States and Canada, Petplan frequently appears among the top-rated pet insurance providers available today. Petplan is also the preferred pet insurance provider for the American Animal Hospital Association and AARP.
Is Petplan the right choice for you? Is Petplan pet insurance good? How does Petplan pet insurance work? Find out everything you need to know about Petplan today in our review.
What is Petplan?
Petplan is an American pet health insurance company that provides insurance to pet owners across the United States and Canada. For the last 15 years, Petplan has carved a reputation as one of the leading pet health insurance providers in North America.
With Petplan pet health insurance plans, you can cover up to 90% of your vet bills. Policyholders can claim unexpected injuries and illnesses.
In 2020, Petplan added specific coverage for COVID-19. If your pet needs to be hospitalized due to COVID-19, then you can make a Petplan pet health insurance claim for any related veterinary bills.
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Other perks of Petplan include online vet visits at no charge, exam fees covered, and no signup fees, among other advantages.
Petplan Features & Benefits
Petplan emphasizes all of the following features and benefits:
- Comprehensive Pet Insurance with One Simple Plan: The core benefit of Petplan is that you get complete pet coverage with a simple plan. You buy a pet health insurance policy, and that policy covers many unexpected injuries and illnesses for your pet.
- Online Vet Visits: Petplan policyholders get online vet visits at no extra charge. You can get up to $1,000 of coverage with no copay and no deductible by taking advantage of Petplan “VirtualVet” visits feature. You can pick any vet in the United States or Canada.
- Exam Fees Covered: Petplan covers complete examination visits for your pet, saving $50 to $250 per visit on average.
- No Signup Fees: Petplan claims other pet insurance providers charge $35 for signup fees. Petplan has no signup fees.
- Boarding Fee Coverage: If you become hospitalized and cannot care for your pet at home, then you can make a Petplan claim for boarding fees. Petplan will cover any boarding costs you need to pay while in the hospital.
- Pick your Payment Date: Pick a date that works with your monthly budget.
- 30% Healthy Pet Discount: Petplan gives discounts of up to 30% if you keep your pet healthy. If you don’t make any claims with your pet, then you get a discount on coverage – similar to how car insurance providers charge lower rates to safer drivers.
What Does Petplan Cover?
Petplan covers up to 90% of veterinary bills from unexpected injuries and illnesses, including viruses like COVID-19.
Some of the things covered by pet insurance include injuries like fractured teeth and diseases like cancer.
If your pet suffers an accident, for example, or is diagnosed with an unexpected illness, then Petplan should cover any veterinary bills related to this unexpected event.
Petplan can cover holistic therapies, prescription medication, and any bills for testing or treating the condition.
Common things covered by Petplan pet insurance plans include:
- Diagnostic treatments
- Imaging (MRI, CT scans, and ultrasounds)
- Surgery and rehabilitation
- Holistic therapies
- Exam fees
- Prescriptions
- Emergency dental treatments
- Petplan covers both dogs and cats.
One of the advantages of the Petplan is that it covers pets of any age, with few exclusions overall.
What Does Petplan Not Cover?
Petplan does not cover routine or preventative visits. If you regularly take your pet for a checkup or physical, for example, then you cannot make a claim through Petplan for this visit.
Petplan also does not cover pre-existing conditions. The company has published a list of pre-existing conditions here. Common pre-existing conditions in pets including Addison’s disease, allergies, cancer, chronic conditions, Cushing’s disease, degenerative joint disease, diabetes, elbow dysplasia, heart disease, hip dysplasia, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and luxating patellas.
- Most pet insurance plans do not cover non-curable pre-existing conditions, so none of this is surprising.
- Additionally, Petplan does not cover spaying, neutering, or dental cleanings. Petplan also does not include elective procedures.
- Petplan does not cover animals that are not dogs or cats.
How Much Does Petplan Pet Insurance Cost?
Petplan is priced between $20 and $60 per month, depending on your pet and coverage options.
- Dog Insurance: $35 to $55 per month
- Cat Insurance: $20 to $40 per month
This pricing assumes you have a healthy dog or cat. It also assumes the average deductibles.
Pricing varies based on the health of your pet, the breed, and other options. If you have a senior dog with a chronic condition, for example, you might pay higher pet insurance premiums than someone with an 8-week old puppy.
You can also reduce premiums based on your deductible. You can pay a deductible of $500, for example, to reduce your monthly premiums.
Other factors that impact Petplan pet insurance prices include:
- Annual Deductible: Petplan lets you choose a yearly deductible from $250 to $1,000. When you pay a higher deductible, you have a lower monthly premium.
- Reimbursement Percentage: You can customize how much reimbursement you get for vet bills. Petplan lets you choose from 70% to 90% reimbursement, which means you only pay 10% to 30% of your vet bill for covered events.
- Annual Limits: Some Petplan insurance plans have $2,500 annual limits. Other plans are unlimited.
- Discounts: Petplan offers several insurance discounts, including discounts for medical service animals, multiple pet discounts, and microchip discounts, among others.
How Petplan Dog Insurance Works
Petplan dog insurance covers dogs and puppies ‘from tooth to tail.’ You can buy Petplan pet insurance for senior dogs or young puppies (6 weeks and older). If your dog gets sick or injured unexpectedly, then Petplan covers the vet bill.
Here’s how Petplan dog insurance works:
- Step 1) Get Treatment: Visit any licensed veterinarian in the United States or Canada when your dog is sick or injured.
- Step 2) File a Claim: Submit a pet health insurance claim online or from your phone with the Petplan app.
- Step 3) Get Reimbursed: Receive reimbursement of up to 90% of your vet bill (depending on the coverage you selected). Petplan will approve or deny your claim, then send compensation to your bank account.
Petplan’s dog insurance does not cover routine and preventative visits, pre-existing conditions, or elective procedures.
The cost of Petplan dog insurance varies based on your dog’s age and breed. Petplan also considers your location, annual coverage, reimbursement level, and a yearly deductible.
How Petplan Cat Insurance Works
Petplan cat and kitten insurance cover accidents, illnesses, and injuries. It works similar to Petplan dog insurance:
- Step 1) Get Treatment: Visit any licensed vet in the US or Canada.
- Step 2) File a Claim: File a claim online or from your phone using the Petplan app.
- Step 3) Claim is Approved or Denied: Receive up to 90% reimbursement if your claim is approved.
Petplan cat insurance doesn’t cover routine and preventive visits, pre-existing cat conditions, or elective procedures.
Petplan cat insurance costs vary based on your cat’s age and breed. Petplan also considers your location, annual coverage, reimbursement level, and a yearly deductible. Petplan covers cats six weeks and older.
About Petplan
Petplan describes itself as “a company of passionate pet parents on a mission to create a better world for animals – and the humans who love them.”
Over the last 15 years, Petplan has grown from a small startup to a company of over 200 people.
Key members of Petplan include Paul Guyardo (President and CEO), Brian Duval (Chief Underwriting Officer), John Giannuzzi (Chairman of the Board).
Petplan is based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. You can contact the company via the following:
- Phone: 1-877-665-5339
- Email Form: https://www.gopetplan.com/form/contact-form
- Mailing Address: 3805 West Chester Pike, Suite 240, Newtown Square, PA 19073
Petplan Reviews: What Do Customers Have to Say About Petplan?
Petplan has fair reviews online. The company emphasizes reliable customer service and a fast claims process. You can find complaints from customers who have had disappointing claims experiences, although most Petplan policyholders seem to be happy with their coverage.
Some of the pros and cons reviews mention online include:
Pros
- Get pre-approval for pet insurance coverage quickly
- Easy online vet visits
- Insurance covers examination fees (something most pet insurance doesn’t cover)
- Cons
- You may be better off self-insuring your pet (i.e., paying premiums into a savings account, then using this money in an emergency)
- Many customers have complained about having claims denied
- Claims could be denied for unclear pre-existing conditions like ‘allergies’ (one customer filed a claim after her pet developed an infection while hiking, for example, and had the claim denied because of a suspected allergy issue)
- Costly premiums for older pets or certain breeds
- Some customers have complained about a lack of COVID-19 coverage, although the company now officially claims to cover COVID-19 and related expenses
Overall, most Petplan complaints seem related to pet insurance overall – not Petplan specifically. Generally, customers have had a decent experience with Petplan and the pet insurance claims process. However, the company has poor ratings on websites like ConsumerAffairs.com, where their average rating of 1.1 stars out of 5 with 50+ customer reviews.
PetPlan FAQ’sWhat is pet insurance?
Petplan pet insurance can help protect you against unexpected vet bills. And pays for unexpected veterinary expenses due to accidents or illnesses.
Who is the underwriter for Petplan insurance policies in the US?
According to the official Petplan website, “Petplan insurance policies are administered by Fetch Insurance Services, LLC (Fetch Insurance Agency, LLC in Michigan), d/b/a Petplan (Petplan Insurance Agency, LLC in California) and underwritten by XL Specialty Insurance Company, a Stamford, CT Insurance Company, A.M. Best rated A+ and AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a Chicago, IL Insurance Company, A.M. Best rated A+ and a member of the Allianz Group, in the U.S. and XL Specialty Insurance Company - Canadian Branch in Canada.”
Is a pre-authorization needed before my pet is treated?
“No. Pre-authorization is not required by Petplan for your pet to be treated. However, if you are seeking increased financial peace of mind before you commit to an expensive treatment for your pet, we do offer pre-authorization as a service to you. To request a pre-authorization form, please call one of our Happiness Managers at 1-855-573-2420.”
How does the Petplan deductible work?
“An annual Deductible is applied once per policy term to all covered conditions.” per the Petplan website;
Per-Condition Deductible
- A per-condition deductible is applied to each separate condition during the policy term and can help keep your premium low.
- If you file multiple claims for the same condition (e.g. three claims for treatment related to one foreign body ingestion), your deductible will only be applied once, providing all treatment that took place within one policy year.
- If you file claims for multiple unrelated conditions (e.g. one ear infection claim and one foreign body ingestion), your deductible will be applied for each claim.
- For both deductible types, both your annual limits and your selected deductible will be reset at renewal.
Final Word
Petplan is one of the leading pet insurance providers in the United States and Canada. The company offers affordable premiums and a smooth claims process.
You can find complaints about Petplan online from customers who have had claims denied, or customers who pay high premiums for higher-risk pets. Generally, however, Petplan policyholders are happy with the coverage – assuming they understand the terms and conditions of pet insurance.
To learn more about Petplan or to request a quote today, visit the website online at GoPetPlan.com.
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