Healthy Paws vs Pets Best Pet Insurance
In a healthy paws vs pets best comparison, Healthy Paws handles claims in 2 working days on average, and Pets Best covers vet exam fees.
Plan terms for Healthy Paws and Pets Best
| Term |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Pets covered | Dogs and Cats | Dogs and Cats |
| Plan types | Accident and illness | Accident and illness, Accident only, Wellness add-on |
| Underwriter | 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) | MS Transverse Insurance Company, Independence American Insurance Company, American Pet Insurance Company, or Independence Pet Insurance Company |
| Plans offered through | not published | Pets Best Insurance Services, LLC |
| Deductible options | $250 or $500 (annual) | $100 to $1,000 |
| Deductible type | Annual | not published |
| Reimbursement options | 50% to 90% | 70%, 80%, or 90% |
| Yearly limit choices | $5,000, $7,000, or unlimited | $5,000 or unlimited |
| Wait before accident cover | 15 days | 3 days |
| Illness waiting period | 15 days | 14 days |
| Youngest age to enroll | 8 weeks | 7 weeks |
| Oldest age to enroll | Varies by state | No upper age limit |
| Exam fee cover | No | Covered |
| Pre-existing conditions | Not covered; a condition counts as pre-existing when signs or symptoms showed up before coverage began (no diagnosis needed). | Not covered |
| Cured pre-existing conditions | After 365 days with no symptoms and no treatment, curable conditions may become eligible | Once certain conditions (for example broken bones, bruises, kennel cough) are healed or cured and stay that way for 12 to 18 months, they can be covered. |
| Hereditary and congenital conditions | Covered | Covered |
| Dental illness | Covered | Limited |
| Behavioral conditions | No | Limited |
| Alternative therapy | Covered | Add-on |
| Wellness add-on | No | Covered |
| Multi-pet discount | not published | 5% |
| Pays the vet directly | Covered | Covered |
| Claim payment speed | In 2 business days on average | not published |
| Claims app | You can use the Healthy Paws App or the online Customer Center, and email and fax work too. | Use the Pets Best mobile app (Android and iOS), or go online to your Customer Account |
| Where it is sold | not published | All 50 states and Washington, D.C. |
| Free-look period | not published | 30 days, full refund if no claims paid |
Sources: Pet Insurance Terms Explained | Healthy Paws, Frequently Asked Questions | Healthy Paws, Frequently Asked Questions, What Are Waiting Periods | Pets Best
Healthy Paws suits owners of dogs and cats who want their base policy to cover dental illness and alternative therapy.
Pets Best suits households with more than one pet that want a 5% discount plus optional routine care.
Healthy Paws vs Pets Best at a glance
Healthy Paws provides only an accident and illness plan, without a wellness add-on. Pets Best offers an accident-and-illness plan, an accident-only plan, and a wellness add-on through its coverage choices. Each company lets you choose a reimbursement level, which is the share of a covered vet bill that the plan pays back. You also pick an annual limit, the most your policy pays each year, and both insurers include an unlimited option. Either insurer can also pay your vet directly.
Prices and deductibles
A MarketWatch review puts the Healthy Paws dog plan at $60 per month on average. What you actually pay depends on your location, your pet's age, and the breed. In a U.S. News sample covering all 50 states and Washington, D.C., monthly average prices from Pets Best are $37.68 for dogs and $23.23 for cats. That quote used 6-year-old and 1-year-old neutered medium mixed-breed dogs plus domestic shorthair cats, all quoted on the Essential plan for accidents and illness.
Your deductible is what you pay yourself before your insurance begins covering costs. In that Pets Best sample quote, the deductible was $500, reimbursement was 90%, and the limits chosen were $10,000 or unlimited.
Healthy Paws lets you pick an annual deductible of $250 or $500, which you pay once in each policy year. With Pets Best, you can choose a deductible from $100 to $1,000. At Healthy Paws, reimbursement ranges from 50% to 90%, while Pets Best offers 70%, 80%, or 90%. Healthy Paws sets annual limits at $5,000 or $7,000 or unlimited, while Pets Best sets $5,000 or unlimited.
Waiting times and age limits
Your coverage starts after a set waiting period, which begins when you sign up. Healthy Paws applies a 15-day waiting period to accidents and another 15-day waiting period to illnesses. Orthopedic conditions, including hip dysplasia, require a 12-month wait under its waiting period terms. Pets Best requires a 3-day wait for accidents and a 14-day wait for illnesses. Orthopedic and cruciate ligament conditions require a 6-month wait under its waiting period policy.
Health problems with signs that appeared before your coverage began aren't covered by either plan. However, Healthy Paws may cover curable conditions once 365 days pass with no symptoms or treatment. Pets Best may cover conditions such as broken bones, bruises, or kennel cough once they're healed, after 12 to 18 months.
Healthy Paws enrolls pets starting at 8 weeks old. Its highest age allowed depends on your state. Pets Best accepts enrollments from 7 weeks old and has no upper age limit.
Which plan fits your pet
The right fit comes down to your pet's age and what care it needs, once you compare the coverage rules:
- Senior dogs and cats: Pets Best suits older pets, because it doesn't set an upper age limit for new policies.
- Routine care and exam fees: vet exam fees are covered by Pets Best, which also has a wellness add-on, while Healthy Paws leaves both out.
- Dental and alternative care: Healthy Paws covers dental illness plus alternative therapy. Pets Best offers limited dental coverage and sells alternative care as an add-on.
- Behavioral care: limited behavioral coverage comes with Pets Best (training excluded), while Healthy Paws excludes behavioral modification plus training.
- Hereditary conditions: hereditary conditions for dogs and cats are covered by both insurers.
- Refund window of 30 days: Pets Best issues a full refund if no claims have been paid, within 30 days.
- Filing claims by email or fax: Each insurer offers a mobile app and an online portal. Healthy Paws also takes claims by email and fax.
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