Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review 2021

Healthy Paws insurance ranks No. 1 in our Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2021 rating. Healthy Paws started in 2009 as Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation, a non-profit created to help pet owners deal with the financial obligations of caring for their pets while also helping animal rescue organizations care for sick pets. Healthy Paws insurance has partnered with the global insurance broker Aon Corporation, and its pet insurance plans are underwritten by Chubb Group. With Healthy Paws insurance, pet owners get coverage for accidents, illnesses, cancer, emergency care, genetic conditions, dental care, and alternative care like acupuncture and chiropractic.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance offers a single plan for dogs and cats that covers accidents, illnesses, and injuries, including emergency care, cancer care, breed-specific conditions, and hereditary and congenital conditions. There are no limitations or caps on coverage.

Healthy Paws does not offer coverage for typical vet check-ups, vaccinations, and preventive care like dental cleanings. While premiums are competitive with other Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2021 policies we ranked, there is a one-time fee of $25, when you first enroll your pet in a plan. Also, Healthy Paws doesn’t offer multipet discounts, so you’ll pay the full premium price for every animal in your household enrolled in a plan.

Healthy Paws offers comprehensive medical, illness, and accident coverage that includes alternative services. It’s also easy to enroll and file claims online or through the Healthy Paws mobile app. Claims are processed within 10 days and paid within 24 hours, and all you have to do is take a picture of the invoice and upload it.

Healthy Paws’s comprehensive coverage includes treatment for new accidents and illness, along with hereditary and congenital conditions (following a waiting period), and chronic conditions. The plan covers cancer, diagnostic treatment, and surgery including spaying and neutering. Pet owners who purchase Healthy Paws insurance will reduce the expense of hospitalization, medication, and emergency and specialty care. A stand-out feature of Healthy Paws is its coverage of alternative therapies like acupuncture and chiropractic care for animals. A downside is that vet exam fees are not included.

In most states, there are waiting periods before Healthy Paws coverage kicks in. Your pet must be enrolled in the plan for 15 days before an accident or illness claim, and 12 months for hip dysplasia if your animal is older than six. New Hampshire and Maryland do not have waiting periods for accidents or illnesses.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance has no caps on payouts, per-incident caps, annual caps, or lifetime caps.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance allows dog and cat owners to pay a monthly or annual premium to defray the cost of veterinarian care such as accidents, illness, emergency care, cancer, and medications. Pet health insurance is similar to human health insurance because it includes premiums, deductibles, and caps. However, pre-existing conditions and most wellness-related expenses such as vet exams, dental cleaning, vaccinations, etc., aren’t covered.

Healthy Paws is a specialty program from the global insurance broker Aon Affinity. Today, many pet insurance companies are aligned with major insurance brokerages.

With a Healthy Paws Pet Insurance policy, you will still pay out of pocket for veterinarian wellness-checks, vaccinations, preventive care, and teeth cleaning. If your dog or cat has a pre-existing condition when you enroll, the policy generally will not cover that medical issue. There are some exceptions, which is why it’s important to view a Healthy Paws sample pet insurance policy and read the fine print. For example, the company does cover hip dysplasia in dogs if the animal is enrolled before the age of six.

Pet insurance is designed to reduce the cost of caring for your pet over time, but you’re still responsible for routine veterinarian visits, spaying/neutering, and pre-existing conditions. However, if your dog or cat is covered by a plan and should get into an accident, become ill, require emergency or specialty care, be diagnosed with cancer, or need medications, a Healthy Paws insurance plan will help defray the cost. That said, before purchasing any pet health insurance, pay attention to co-pays, limitations, and exclusions.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer optional features like some other Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2021 we ranked. However, you can customize the premium by changing the reimbursement rate and deductible. For example, if you want lower monthly premiums, you can reduce the reimbursement level, which means paying more out-of-pocket for veterinarian care. You can also reduce the cost of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance by increasing your deductible.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance costs $39.10 per month for dogs, based on a sample policy for a one-year-old female mixed-breed dog weighing between 50 and 90 pounds when fully grown with a 90% reimbursement rate and a $500 annual deductible. For a one-year-old male domestic shorthair cat with the same type of policy, the cost is $12.71 per month for cats. Pet owners will pay a one-time new customer fee of $25. There are no billing fees, nor is there a multi-pet discount like some other companies in our rating.

Factors that affect the cost of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance include the age of your animal, whether you have a cat or dog, and the breed. This is because some breeds are predisposed to hereditary and congenital conditions that can drive up the cost of coverage, so monthly premiums might be slightly higher.

With Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, you will pay for exam fees because preventive care like wellness visits and vaccinations are not covered. However, there are no caps or limitations on claims payouts, which means the insurance will continue covering care for a medical condition or illness for the life of the policy vs. resetting each year or limiting the payout per condition, which can result in extra out-of-pocket expenses for pet owners. This differentiates Healthy Paws from other pet insurance companies we ranked.

Both Healthy Paws and Trupanion have no caps or limits on coverage, and reimbursement is based on the vet bill rather than a benefit schedule. Healthy Paws covers some alternative therapies like chiropractic and acupuncture for pets, which is only available as an add-on to the main policy for Trupanion. Healthy Paws and Trupanion also have different types of deductibles. Trupanion has a lifetime per-condition limit, meaning that if your pet becomes sick, you will pay a deductible for that condition. Once you do so, you never have to pay a deductible for the condition again no matter how long it goes on. By contrast, Healthy Paws has an annual deductible. This means that you pay a deductible once per year, after which you won’t pay again until the next policy period, no matter how many different accidents or illnesses your pet may have. Each type has advantages and disadvantages.

If you have pets other than cats and dogs that you’d like to cover, Nationwide may be your best option because it is the only company we rated that covers exotic pets like parrots and other birds, rabbits, ferrets, turtles, lizards, rats, hedgehogs, and potbellied pigs. Nationwide also offers a wellness plan if you want to reduce the cost of vet exams, vaccinations, and preventive care.

Wellness is not an option with Healthy Paws, but if you want insurance for a cat or dog, the company offers a single, comprehensive plan that covers breed-specific conditions including hip dysplasia.

To buy pet insurance from Healthy Paws, start by filling out an online form to get a quote. Indicate whether you have a cat or dog, whether it’s a male or female, the breed type, your pet’s name, and your ZIP code. Finally, provide your email. Healthy Paws will provide a quote within a few seconds. Once you’ve received your quote, you can decide whether or not to move forward and purchase a pet insurance policy with Healthy Paws.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer a wellness plan for routine veterinarian visits such as vaccinations, check-ups, or dental cleaning.

To contact Healthy Paws customer service, call Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST. Alternatively, fill out an email form and a representative will respond. Healthy Paws says you can handle nearly all account management issues online.

You can cancel a Healthy Paws policy via mail, fax, email, or phone. The company asks for notification at least 14 days before your next premium payment.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance doesn’t have payment limits such as per-incident limits, or annual or lifetime caps. This could reduce your out-of-pocket financial responsibilities compared to policies that do have payment limits.

Healthy Paws has an annual deductible. All claims related to accidents, illnesses, and injuries go toward the deductible. If you want a lower deductible, you can opt for a higher reimbursement level before any claim is submitted. This means you’ll pay less out of pocket, but your monthly premium will cost more.

In most states, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance plans have a waiting period of 15 days after the policy’s effective date, which is the day after you enroll. After that, you can submit claims. If your pet is younger than age six, there is a 12-month waiting period for illness related to hip dysplasia. There are no waiting periods in Maryland and New Hampshire, but check your policy for verification.

To file a claim with Healthy Paws, send the company the paid veterinary invoice through its online customer service center or the Healthy Paws app. Healthy Paws also accept claims through email, fax, or mail. To follow up on a claim or ask questions, you can email the company. You do not need a claim form; simply take a picture of the invoice and upload it. However, if you prefer to use a form, there is a template in the My Account section of the Customer Center.

Healthy Paws processes claims within 10 days, and you can expect reimbursement within 24 hours. If you choose to receive a check, allow for up to 10 days for reimbursement. How quickly direct deposit reimbursements land in your account depends on your bank.

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