If you are a Canadian member of the Costco Wholesale club, you can save a lot of money on bulk purchases and discounted services. This may include signing up for Costco Pet Insurance, which is offered through a partnership with the insurance company, Pet Plus Us. All Costco members get a percentage discount on their monthly premium for insurance coverage they were probably going to get anyway. But, is the insurance all it’s cracked up to be. Let’s take a look:
- About Costco Pet Insurance
- Pros and Cons
- Costco Pet Insurance Ratings
- How Easy Is It to Get a Costco Pet Insurance Quote
- Final Thoughts
About Costco Pet Insurance:
Costco is an international membership club that saw their first store open in 1983 in Seattle, WA. The club charges a nominal annual fee for customers to shop in their stores. In exchange, customers enjoy discounts on furniture, clothing, and bulk food items. Many Costco stores also provide additional services, such as an in-store pharmacy and online shopping. Canadians who are members also have the opportunity to get discounts on pet insurance through Costco’s partner, Pet Plus Us.
Just to be clear, Costco doesn’t offer pet insurance. They have simply partnered with a pet insurance company to give their Canadian members a discount for signing up through the Costco website.
Pet Plus Us is a leading Canadian insurance company. They were acquired by Pethealth Inc. in 2016. Pet Plus Us is currently a division of PTZ Insurance Services Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Pethealth Inc. They are underwritten by Northbridge General Insurance Corporation.
>>MORE: Compare the 4 Biggest Pet Insurance Companies
Pros:
- Costco offers a 10% discount on the pet insurance monthly premium for Gold Star and Business Members, while Executive Members get a 15% discount.
- Costco members get their first month of pet insurance for free.
- Customers can buy Accident Coverage of up to $5,000 annually or Accident and Illness Coverage of $7,500 or $15,000 annually.
- Customers can also get their pet prescriptions filled at their in-store pharmacy.
>>MORE: Is There Pet Insurance With No Waiting Period?
Cons:
- Costco only offers this pet insurance to their Canadian members.
- You can’t get a quote without entering a membership number.
- The standard plans don’t cover preventative vet exams and treatments.
>>MORE: Pet Insurance that Covers Preventative Care
Costco Pet Insurance Ratings:
It’s hard to find separate customer ratings for Costco Pet Insurance, but you can find reviews of Pet Plus Us. This company has earned four out of five stars on ConsumersAdvocate, but when you read the customer reviews, they tend to be very negative. Most customers report that the company is excessive in denying claims and not providing full reimbursement. A few also report poor customer experience when they call in to speak with a representative.
Pet Plus Us also has an average three star rating on Trustpilot. One customer reported that they paid for additional dental coverage, but it wasn’t covered when they went to submit a claim. Two other customers reported that they had a very positive experience and plenty of support from the company. Although, the premiums increase a lot every year according to one report.
>>MORE: The Best Pet Insurance Companies
How Easy is it to Get a Costco Pet Insurance Quote:
A Costco membership number is required to get an insurance quote for your pet. You can find the Costco Pet Insurance page on their Canadian website, and click on the “Quote” button to proceed with the quote. It will take you to a Pet Plus Us page that is branded with Costco Wholesale logos.
This “About My Pet” page asks for information about your dog or cat like the date of birth and breed. When you scroll down, you’ll see a text field requesting your Costco membership number. However, you won’t be able to proceed to the quote page without entering this number.
The required Costco membership number is found on the back of your Costco card. It is a 12 digit number that usually starts with a 1, 3, or 8.
>>MORE: Top Companies for Cheap Pet Insurance
Final Thoughts:
- Costco Pet Insurance is only available to Canadian members of the discount shopping club.
- It is offered by Pet Plus Us through the Costco brand.
- You can’t proceed with the quote unless you have a valid Costco membership number.
- Pet Plus Us insurance has a number of customer complaints regarding claims denials.