Embrace vs Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Plan choices are where comparing Embrace vs Healthy Paws begins: Embrace offers optional add-ons plus a 10% second-pet discount, and Healthy Paws offers simple coverage.
Plan terms for Embrace and Healthy Paws
| Term |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Pets covered | Dogs and Cats | Dogs and Cats |
| Plan types | Accident and illness, Accident only, Wellness add-on | Accident and illness |
| Underwriter | American Modern Insurance Group (policies come from its subsidiary American Modern Home Insurance Company; in Florida, policies come from American Southern Home Insurance) | Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, Westchester Fire Insurance Company, ACE American Insurance Company, ACE Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Atlantic Employers Insurance Company (Chubb Group) |
| Deductible options | $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000 (annual) | $250 or $500 (annual) |
| Deductible type | Annual | Annual |
| Reimbursement options | 70% to 90% | 50% to 90% |
| Yearly limit choices | $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000, or unlimited | $5,000, $7,000, or unlimited |
| Wait before accident cover | No wait | 15 days |
| Illness waiting period | 14 days | 15 days |
| Youngest age to enroll | 6 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Oldest age to enroll | No upper age limit | Varies by state |
| Exam fee cover | Add-on | No |
| Pre-existing conditions | Anything noticed before the waiting period ends isn't covered: injuries, illnesses, and irregularities. Curable conditions may become covered | Pre-existing means a condition showed signs or symptoms before coverage began (no diagnosis needed), and it isn't covered. |
| Cured pre-existing conditions | not published | Conditions that are curable can qualify after 365 days without symptoms or treatment |
| Hereditary and congenital conditions | Covered | Covered |
| Dental illness | Limited | Covered |
| Behavioral conditions | Covered | No |
| Alternative therapy | Covered | Covered |
| Wellness add-on | Covered | No |
| Multi-pet discount | 10% off when adding a second pet | not published |
| Pays the vet directly | No | Covered |
| Claim payment speed | Over 90% of claims are paid in under 10 days | In 2 business days on average |
| Claims app | There's a mobile app for Embrace Pet Insurance (find it in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store), plus a MyEmbrace online account | The Healthy Paws App and online Customer Center are available; you can also use email and fax |
| Where it is sold | All 50 states | not published |
| Free-look period | A full refund is available within a 30-day window when no claims are submitted (may vary by state) | not published |
Source list: Embrace Pet Insurance Review & Pricing (2026), What Waiting Periods Does Embrace Have? | Embrace Pet Insurance, Pet Insurance Terms Explained | Healthy Paws, Frequently Asked Questions | Healthy Paws
Looking for exam fee options, and for over 90% of claims to be paid in less than 10 days? Embrace fits owners in all 50 states.
Healthy Paws fits your needs if you want the vet paid directly, dental illness coverage, and claims handled in 2 working days on average.
Embrace vs Healthy Paws at a glance
Embrace offers an accident-only plan, a wellness add-on, and a policy covering accidents and illness. Healthy Paws offers only a policy covering accidents and illness. Reimbursement means the share of a covered vet bill your insurer returns to you once you've paid your part. Reimbursement choices are broader with Healthy Paws than with Embrace, and both let you select an annual limit that can pay out without a cap. An annual limit caps what a policy pays during a year, and Embrace offers more capped dollar options than Healthy Paws.
Deductibles and prices
Most Embrace dog owners pay $20 to $70 a month, a figure that depends on coverage choices, your dog's age, breed, and location. According to a MarketWatch review, Healthy Paws costs an average of $60 a month for dogs on the accident and illness plan. Location, pet age, and breed also affect your Healthy Paws rate.
A deductible is what you pay out of pocket for covered vet bills before your plan begins paying. Both insurers use an annual deductible, and it resets each policy year rather than applying to every separate vet visit. Healthy Paws offers annual deductibles of $250 or $500, while Embrace offers $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000.
You can choose 70% to 90% reimbursement with Embrace, while Healthy Paws offers 50% to 90%. If a yearly cap doesn't suit you, either company can offer an unlimited annual limit. Healthy Paws offers annual limits of $5,000 or $7,000, while Embrace offers $2,000, $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, or $30,000.
How long you wait and what ages qualify
Coverage for new health problems kicks in only after a waiting period that begins when your policy starts. Embrace applies a 0-day wait for accidents and 14 days for illnesses. A separate 180-day waiting period covers orthopedic conditions, and cruciate ligament injuries also wait 180 days. At Healthy Paws, accidents have a 15-day waiting period, illnesses wait 15 days, and orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia wait 12 months.
With Embrace, you can enroll a puppy or kitten at 6 weeks old, and older pets have no upper age limit. Healthy Paws enrolls pets starting at 8 weeks old, and the maximum enrollment age varies by state. Issues noticed before the waiting periods end are excluded by both. Healthy Paws does cover curable conditions after 365 days with no symptoms or treatment.
Which one is right for your pet
Your dog's or cat's biggest needs should guide your choice:
- Behavioral care or exam fee coverage is what you need: Embrace covers behavioral conditions and has an exam fee add-on. Healthy Paws includes neither.
- If you want direct vet payment plus dental illness coverage, Healthy Paws can pay the vet directly, and it covers dental illness. Coverage for dental illness at Embrace is limited. You pay the vet, then make your claim.
- For senior pets and young puppies, Embrace sets no upper age limit and enrolls pets at younger ages than Healthy Paws.
- Both plans cover hereditary conditions along with alternative therapies like acupuncture, and neither adds an extra charge for them.
- A 30-day full refund comes from Embrace if you file no claims, though state rules may vary.
Ask about plan costs for your pet
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