PetPlan Pet Insurance Review 2019

BravoDollar Editor rating:

Navigating pet health insurance can be trickier than deciding on a human health insurance policy — mostly because you’re not even sure if buying a pet insurance policy is necessary. Petplan Pet Insurance is one of the most popular pet insurance companies out there today. Let’s take a look at the kinds of premiums, coverage options, and ratings you’re looking at with Petplan, as well as details on how to get a quote today.  

About PetPlan Insurance:

The original Petplan was founded in the United Kingdom in 1976; its United States affiliate — Petplan Pet Insurance North America — was launched in 2003. Since then, the company has grown from a small start-up to around 200 employees and the exclusive pet insurance provider for AARP members and the preferred pet insurance provider of the American Animal Hospital Association. Petplan Pet Insurance is also partnered with the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC), Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Pets for Patriots.

Additionally, Petplan Pet Insurance’s philanthropic initiative, The Petplan Charitable Fund, works to promote animal health and welfare and awards funding for a variety of causes including research for life-saving treatments and pet rehoming charities.

Pros:

  • Provides comprehensive coverage for accidents, injuries, and illnesses including both hereditary and chronic conditions.
  • Covers holistic and alternative treatments and has options for behavioral therapies.
  • Doesn’t place an age limit on applications and doesn’t cancel your pet’s coverage as it gets older.
  • Has flexible options for premiums, deductibles, and annual maximum payouts.

>>MORE: Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

Cons:

  • Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions or routine care.
  • Only covers cats and dogs; no birds or reptiles.
  • Has quite a few negative customer reviews online.

>>MORE: Exotic Pet Insurance

PetPlan Pet Insurance Ratings:

Petplan Pet Insurance (Fetch, Incorporated) has been accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2008. It currently holds an A+ rating with the BBB, but an average customer rating of 1 star.

Currently, the company has about a 2.5-star rating with Yelp out of more than 400 customer reviews. Some reviewers report claims handled according to the terms of the policy and supportive customer service staff. However, chief complaints include:

  • Slow response time to complaints.
  • Finding out too late they didn’t have coverage for a specific issue.
  • Annual premium increases unrelated to age.

Consumers Advocate gave Petplan Pet Insurance an overall 4.4 out of 5 stars (“Excellent), with Coverage, Benefit Limits, Deductibles, and Reimbursement all getting 5 stars. The lowest was Pricing coming in at 3 stars.
Petplan Pet Insurance isn’t accredited with ConsumerAffairs. Reviews are mixed and the company has a little under two stars.

How Much Does PetPlan Pet Insurance Cost?

We obtained 12 pet insurance quotes from Petplan based on the following dog profiles:

  • Dog breed and size. (Labrador Retrievers representing small/medium dogs and German Shepherds representing large dogs.)
  • Dog age. (Either one or five years old.)
  • Location. (California, Texas, and Florida.)

Petplan provided us with the following quotes based on their Most Popular Plan*, which has a $300 deductible and $15,000 annual max, and provides 80% reimbursement:

Small/Medium dogsBig dogs
1-year-old5-year-old1-year-old5-year-old
California$62$117$76$143
Texas $30$54$35$63
Florida$38$73$48$92

Unsurprisingly, California had the highest pet insurance premium quotes; small breeds across each state had lower premiums than larger breeds.

* Petplan’s Most Popular Plan is a sort of “middle-of-the-road” policy as far as cost goes. Pet owners can also choose from the Most Affordable Plan, which has lower premiums, a $5,000 max payout, and a $500 deductible, and their Most Reimbursement Plan, which has higher premiums, an unlimited annual payout, and a $250 deductible.

>>MORE: How Much does Pet Insurance Cost?

How PetPlan Pet Insurance Quotes Compare with Other Pet Insurance Companies

We obtained quotes from Embrace, Figo and Healthy Paws using the same dog profiles as we used for Petplan. Below are how the companies stack up against one another when considering their “most popular” plans.

Small/Medium dogsBig dogs
1-year-old5-year-old1-year-old5-year-old
CaliforniaPetPlan$62$117$76$143
Figo$56$75$64$86
Healthy Paws$58$81$58$81
Embrace$53$63$53$63
Texas PetPlan$30$54$35$63
Figo$42$60$57$81
Healthy Paws$36$51$36$51
Embrace$77$90$77$90
FloridaPetPlan$38$73$48$92
Figo$80$105$86$114
Healthy Paws$42$55$39$51
Embrace$38$59$41$63

In California, PetPlan tends to be more expensive than Embrace, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance and Figo Pet Insurance.

The opposite is true in Texas where PetPlan is the most inexpensive option for both large and small dog breeds and both age ranges.

In Florida, PetPlan is more expensive than both Embrace and Healthy Paws, but it is cheaper than Figo Pet Insurance.

>>MORE: Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

How Easy Is Getting a Quote From PetPlan Insurance: 

Getting a Petplan Pet Insurance quote is super quick and easy. Just provide your pet’s name, species, breed, and age as well as your zip code and email address.

Once you submit that information, you’ll immediately get three quotes: one for the Most Affordable, one for the Most Popular, and one for the Most Reimbursement.

Each plan has a different deductible and annual maximum payout. Additionally, you can choose to customize your plan. Select a deductible up to $1,000, an annual max up to unlimited, and a reimbursement up to 90%.

Coverage Options

Petplan Pet Insurance offers coverage for:

  • Accidents, injuries, and illnesses.
  • Diagnostic treatments.
  • Vet exam fees.
  • Prescription medicines.
  • Imaging (MRI, CAT scan, ultrasound).
  • Cancer treatments.
  • Non-routine dental treatments.
  • Surgery and rehabilitation.
  • Holistic therapies.
  • Referral and specialist treatment.

Petplan doesn’t cover routine and preventive visits, pre-existing conditions, or elective procedures.

Take a peek at a sample policy with Petplan.

>>MORE: Pet Insurance That Covers Preventative Care

The Bottom Line:

  • Petplan Pet Insurance doesn’t offer coverage for everyday care like routine wellness exams or for pre-existing health conditions, but it does provide a quite comprehensive coverage package that includes everything from the basics like accidents, injuries and illnesses to extras like holistic therapies.
  • Policies run sort of “middle-of-the-road” financially, and you can easily customize your plan’s premium, deductibles, reimbursement percentage, and annual maximum payout.
  • Despite having an almost uncomfortable number of negative customer reviews online, some reputable agencies — such as Consumers Advocate — praise Petplan Pet Insurance. Because of these agency ratings, affordable premiums, and comprehensive coverage, it’s worth it to give Petplan Pet Insurance a look.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

%d bloggers like this: