[juniormom]

Hi! We have a new rescue dog and were wondering if anyone had first hand experience with any of the various pet insurance carriers. Trupanion, Pets First, Healthy Paws, or Embrace were some of the ones we have been researching. Thank you so much for your help!

[SquishTheBunny]

Trupanion is a big one around here. I have not heard of the others. I know Trupanion has been fairly easy to work with for making claims.

[Pookah]

I signed up a few years ago with Trupanion after doing a lot of research on all of them. You will find good and bad opinions on every single company out there, I'm sure mostly dependent upon experiences with individual claims. Trupanion seemed to be the most recommended at the time, and although I've thankfully never had to file a claim, I've been pleased with their service when I've called with questions, etc. The only thing I've been unimpressed with is that after I'd been with them for about a year they upped my rate from $40 to $52/mo, which I thought was a bit extreme with very short notice. But I have a giant breed dog, and I can see that an evaluation of health risks could maybe have justified that. One thing I would look into, unless you expect to stay in your current location for the duration of your pet's life, is how regional they are. Often because of rates, it is not to your advantage to switch companies later in your pet's life, and some of them are a hassle to use vets not in their primary area, etc.

[ryansgirl]

I use Healthy Paws for my 4-year old Border Collie/Greyhound rescue dog. I originally tried to go with Trupanion but they were not licensed in my state of NH yet (not sure if that has changed) so I went with Healthy Paws. Both seemed to have great reviews and most people recommended them over any others. I pay about $26/month - that went up about a dollar since last year. I've only had to file one claim (run in with a porcupine - my dog lost ) but they were super fast and very helpful on the phone. No complaints. It didn't meet my deductible (mine is rather high to keep my monthly cost down) so I can't comment on how quickly they pay out but I'm guessing rather quickly based on their response time when I submitted the claim. For peace of mind, $26/month is totally worth it!

[andreab]

I use PetPlan. I like that they cover hereditary, congenital, and chronic conditions. I also like the options they offer for deductible ($50/$100/$200) and reimbursement level (80%, 90%, 100%).

[SarahKing]

The only "pitch' I've ever heard as a tech was from Trupanion. The perks I recall were ... 90% flat rate coverage, choice of deductible, coverage of congential issues, and NO caps - yearly or lifetime. Plus, they won't cancel your policy or raise your rates based on claims OR age of your pet. However, it doesn't cover wellness care or routine procedures like spay/neuter or dental cleanings. Reimbursement is based on actual out of pocket cost, not a pre-determined amount.

[vtdobes]

I use Embrace and pay $42/month and that includes both of my Dobermans. You can mix and match what you want for coverages, deductibles and co-pay. The cover a LOT of things other companies do not.
I filed a claim on the 11th and received my reimbursement on the 16th so pretty quick!

Trupanion is not available in all states so you'll have to check yours. They do not offer coverage in my state (VT).

[wendy]

I have Petplan. I like their extensive coverage of conditions, and the option to select how much coverage you want.
I can attest they pay out quickly, even for very large claims, with no fuss or complaint or raising of premiums.

[RolyPolyPony]

We have Healthy Paws for my cat and like it - not that we've ever used it, but it seems pretty straighforward. And all the reviews I've read have been good!

[CarolinaGirl]

I seriously should look into this for our black lab.... between the unknown massive abscess on his rear that required surgery to put two drains in and IV fluids/antibiotics AND his multiple UTI's we've payed more in vet bills than we have buying him... That doesn't include his regular vet stuff and how/flea stuff!! I keep telling hubby it's because we paid for him lol. The FREE Pembroke corgi that I started the relationship with has been relatively issue/sickness free in the 5 years I've had her.