Companion Protect Review (2024)

+ Doesn’t base premium cost on pet breed
+ Has no waiting period
+ Includes annual wellness exams in its base plan

– Will only enroll recently adopted pets from its participating shelters
– Will only accept claims from vets in the Companion Protect network

Founded in 2015, Companion Protect aims to prevent pet parents from having to choose between needed pet care and financial strain from vet bills. According to the company’s research, rescue animals covered by insurance are 40% less likely to be returned due to medical problems.

Companion Protect pet insurance policies are underwritten by Liberty Insurance Underwriters, Inc. (LIUI), which has an A rating for financial strength from AM Best.* Companion Protect is available in all 50 states.

*AM Best ratings are accurate as of January 2023.

Companion Protect offers one comprehensive accident-and-illness plan covering accidents, illnesses and holistic pet care. According to the company’s website, your pet can receive treatment from any licensed veterinarian in the United States. It also has a gracious enrollment age limit at 24 years and 11 months.

Unlike many providers, Companion Protect’s base plan covers your pet’s annual wellness exam. At age 7, your pet will be covered for two wellness checkups per year.

Companion Protects covers the following conditions and illnesses: 

• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Cancer treatments
• Diabetes
• Emergencies
• Hip dysplasia
• Hospitalization
• Hyperthyroidism
• Kidney disease
• Prescription food (with a 50% co-pay)
• Prescription medications (with a 10% co-pay)
• Respiratory conditions
• Urinary tract infections

Companion’s policy also covers accidents and injuries if your pet has dental trauma, is hit by a car, is bitten by another animal, accidentally ingests a foreign object or needs stitches.

Holistic and alternative treatments include acupuncture, chiropractic care, herbal therapy, homeopathy and naturopathy. 

Outside of the annual wellness visit, Companion Protect’s website provides no information about a wellness add-on or routine care such as vaccinations or blood work. 

Companion Protect’s Exclusions

Companion Protect doesn’t cover preexisting conditions. However, they handle them a bit differently than most providers. Before your pet insurance policy becomes active, Companion Protect will reach out to your veterinarian (with permission) to discuss your pet’s medical records, and any preexisting conditions will be documented in your coverage contract. 

Companion Protect also excludes the following services and care:

• Breeding costs
• Dental illness (if not related to an accident)
• Elected procedures
• Flea, tick and heartworm prevention
• Issues related to owner neglect
• Preventive care services (outside of a wellness visit)
• Training costs

Companion Protect doesn’t offer any customizations for its accident-and-illness policy. All policyholders have a $100 annual deductible, a 90% reimbursement rate and a $100,000 lifetime coverage limit. 

Pricing is determined by location, pet age and species. Unlike other providers, Companion Protect doesn’t consider pet breed when determining cost. This is ideal for pet owners who have animal breeds that are susceptible to costly genetic and congenital conditions.

On average, Companion Protect premiums range from $40 to $70 for dog insurance and $20 to $40 for cat insurance. (A service fee may apply if paying by credit or debit card.)

Below are sample quotes we collected across several U.S. cities, based on varying species and ages:

*Sample quotes were compiled using Companion Protect’s online quote tool and are based on pricing from November 2022.

Discounts

Companion Protect offers several discounts to its policyholders, including a multi-pet discount, an active and retired military discount and an animal welfare discount (this includes any employee, foster, animal shelter or rescue volunteer and veterinary hospital employee). 

Companion Protect’s website doesn’t state the exact discount amount. It encourages prospective customers to call one of its Animal Care Advocates (800-304-9930) for more information.  

Waiting Periods

Companion Protect stands out from other providers for its lack of waiting periods — meaning your pet’s coverage begins immediately upon enrollment. The only exception is a 6-month waiting period for your pet’s first annual wellness checkup under the policy.

We analyzed multiple reviews for Companion Protect pet insurance. Many policyholders were happy with its quick and easy reimbursements and friendly customer service. Some policyholders complained about a recent partnership with Petco causing significant policy changes related to deductibles and co-pays. 

We reached out to Companion Protect for comment on the negative reviews but did not receive a response.

Below is a variety of Companion Protect customer reviews from Google Reviews:

“I have had Companion Protect insurance for my dog for a couple of years. During this time, I have had multiple claims with Companion and they have quickly and correctly processed each claim. I wish Companion had health insurance for humans too because this company is better to work with than any health insurance company I have had for myself! I would highly recommend this insurance to anyone looking for insurance for their animal.” —Kara O.

“This is the best pet insurance company around. I cant even begin to tell you what they have done for my dog!! If you go to an in network vet, you only pay your portion to the vet and they pay the vet what they cover. This insurance is a life saver. They have never given me or my vet a hard time about paying my claims. If I could give them 1000 stars I would!! They are the best I highly recommend this company!!” —Lori C. 

“I’ve been trying to get pre-approved for the claim for multiple months and on the day of the surgery they tell me they can not provide coverage. I sent every document from multiple clinics to be as clear as I could be. Also, months ago they wouldn’t reimburse me for the medicine he needed and now it just seems like a scam. Highly recommend to never use this pet insurance company ever!!” —Tanner J.

“I’m changing my one star to three stars. This company has been pretty good to work with and it’s convenient to have the vet send in the claim and just send me my bill. I would give more stars but they were bought out by Petco and changed my policy (this was within a few months of me signing up) and I haven’t had a claim since they switched so I haven’t had to work with them. My Deductible and copay was $100 and 10% and they sent out a message that it was changing to $300 and 30%. I didn’t think they could change your policy like that until it came time to renew, but I guess if a different company takes over that rule doesn’t apply. I really liked the company, I’m hoping that Petco taking over doesn’t change it too much. This company had so much amazing potential.” —Connie D.

We compared Companion Protect pet insurance against other top competitors in the industry. Here’s how it stacks up:

*Lemonade may offer shorter waiting periods depending on where you live.

Companion Protect offers several unique features such as wellness exam coverage, a low $100 deductible and not factoring pet breed into your monthly premium. However, its high premiums, lack of customization, or a wellness plan may be a dealbreaker for some customers.

If you’re looking for lower monthly costs and more extensive add-ons, we recommend Lemonade or Spot. We advise getting multiple provider quotes, reading the fine print of sample policies and comparing all options to find the best fit.