Compare Healthy Paws and Embrace
Healthy Paws and Embrace scored similarly well in our review standards, with Embrace earning a slightly higher score of 4.7 out of 5 stars compared to Healthy Paws’ 4-star rating. Both providers have one accident and illness pet insurance policy and offer unlimited coverage.
Embrace is the more expensive option — averaging around $118 a month for a medium-sized dog and $75 per month for a cat — but it provides more control over your premium. The company offers more options for deductibles and coverage limits, discounts for multiple pets and a diminishing deductible for remaining claims-free.
Embrace justifies its higher price tag by offering some unique perks, like covering exam fees, offering a wellness plan and providing a 24/7 helpline for questions and emergencies. It edges out Healthy Paws with shorter waiting periods, including two days for accidents compared to Healthy Paws’ 15-day period. Embrace also offers an opportunity to waive its six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions. In comparison, Healthy Paws administers a 12-month wait for hip dysplasia.
See a side-by-side comparison of these providers in the table below.
insert comparison table below with the following metrics:
| Star Rating | ||
| Best For | Most Affordable Unlimited Coverage | Our Pick for Savings |
| Coverage limits | Unlimited | $5,000-Unlimited |
| Deductibles | $250-$500 | $100–$1,000 |
| Reimbursement rates | 70%-90% | 70%-90% |
| Wellness care add-on | No | Yes |
| Pre-existing condition coverage | No | No |
| Multi-pet discount | No | 10% |
| Star Rating | ||
| Best For | Most Affordable Unlimited Coverage | Our Pick for Savings |
| Coverage limits | Unlimited | $5,000-Unlimited |
| Deductibles | $250-$500 | $100–$1,000 |
| Reimbursement rates | 70%-90% | 70%-90% |
| Wellness care add-on | No | Yes |
| Pre-existing condition coverage | No | No |
| Multi-pet discount | No | 10% |
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace Coverage
Healthy Paws offers one accident and illness plan with no per-claim, annual or lifetime coverage caps. The plan covers pet-related accidents, illnesses, cancer and hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions. All recommended vet care is also covered, from diagnostic tests and prescription medications to surgery, hospitalization and emergency care. Healthy Paws even covers alternative treatments in the base plan, such as acupuncture, physical therapy and chiropractic care.
Embrace also offers one accident and illness policy, but you can adjust the coverage limit from $5,000 to unlimited and choose from five deductible options rather than two. Its base coverage is similar to Healthy Paws’ but excludes alternative care. However, Embrace covers exam fees, behavioral therapy and some preventable conditions. It also covers dental illnesses, such as tooth extractions, gingivitis and root canals up to a $1,000 annual sub-limit.
Waiting periods are similar for both providers, only differing regarding orthopedic issues. Healthy Paws imposes a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia, while Embrace’s six-month waiting period for canine orthopedic issues can be waived with a successful orthopedic exam by a licensed veterinarian. Per industry standards, neither plan covers pre-existing conditions — but Embrace may cover any that are completely curable and show no symptoms for 12 months of policy coverage.
| Coverage | Healthy Paws | Embrace |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fees | ✘ | ✔ |
| Microchip implantation | ✘ | In wellness plan |
| Hip dysplasia | After 12 months | Orthopedic conditions (dogs only) after six months; can be waived to 14 days |
| Alternative therapy | In base plan | In wellness plan |
| Dental treatment | Only if related to accident or illness | Only if related to accident or illness, plus $1,000 per year for dental illness |
Preventive Care Options
One big way Embrace stands apart from Healthy Paws is its preventative care options, which can help you smooth out everyday vet bills. Embrace offers three levels of wellness coverage through its Wellness Rewards plan, which you can add to accident and illness coverage for an additional cost. In helping to cover more routine preventative care costs, Embrace sees Wellness Rewards as a budgeting tool rather than an insurance plan.
With Wellness Rewards, you can choose from $250, $450 or $650 in annual allowance to cover your pet’s routine care and everyday training and grooming costs. Reimbursable items include wellness exams, vaccinations, microchipping, nutritional supplements, alternative care, spaying and neutering, heartworm medication and more. The $650 level may be appropriate for puppies and kittens, while the $250 level may be adequate for older pets that don’t need as much wellness coverage.
Healthy Paws does not offer preventative care options.
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace Premiums
Monthly premiums often depend on factors like your location and your pet’s age and breed. Policy details like coverage level, deductible and reimbursement options also factor into your price. However, even with those factors remaining constant, each pet health insurance provider assesses risk differently and sets its own costs. Embrace consistently charges nearly twice as much as Healthy Paws in our quoted scenarios — and in some cases even more.
Despite its costlier coverage with all plan options being equal, Embrace can offer you more control over your premiums. The company lets you pick an annual deductible between $100 and $1,000, whereas Healthy Paws only has $250 and $500 options. Embrace also offers coverage levels from $5,000 to unlimited, making room for an affordable plan if you aren’t seeking high coverage levels for your pet.
The table below shows monthly rates based on sample quotes for 4-year-old pets in Raleigh, N.C., with unlimited coverage, a $500 deductible and a standard 80% reimbursement rate.
| Breed | Healthy Paws | Embrace |
|---|---|---|
| Labrador retriever | $61.11 | $118.31 |
| Golden retriever | $61.11 | $118.31 |
| Miniature poodle | $41.35 | $78.88 |
| Ragdoll cat | $24.17 | $74.90 |
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace Discounts
Healthy Paws doesn’t offer any policy discounts, while Embrace gives a 10% multiple pet discount. This isn’t enough to square off the monthly cost of both providers, but it’s a nice touch if you’re a pet owner seeking coverage for multiple fur babies.
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace Reviews
We analyzed third-party reviews for both providers on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website. Healthy Paws has an A- rating with the BBB, and Embrace has an A+. Following a similar trend, Healthy Paws scores 4 out of 5 for its overall customer review rating while Embrace scores 4.7 out of 5 at the time of this writing. Both providers have mixed customer reviews and have responded to positive and negative feedback on the site.
We asked both providers for comments on negative reviews but didn’t receive a response.
Healthy Paws customer reviews:
“We highly recommended Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. It is easy to sign-up and navigate their website … premiums are reasonable and competitive … submitting a claim is extremely user-friendly and reimbursements are handled efficiently and promptly.” —Martha B. via the BBB
“Have been paying my premiums for the past several years. Had to file a small claim … found the documents I provided were not enough. Had supplied every document from invoice to X-rays. At least I found out that [Healthy Paws’] customer service is horrible before I had to file a large claim. I’m still trying to get my few dollars owed to me though.”—Mark A. via the BBB
Embrace customer reviews:
“I just enrolled our family’s two dogs, and couldn’t be happier with the cost, coverage and customer service that I received.”—Chyloe F. via the BBB
“Do not use this company for your pet’s insurance. It does everything in its power to deny the claim. It [uses] loosely unrelated issues to claim your pet has a pre-existing condition. Do not waste your money here.”—Ram M. via the BBB
The Bottom Line: Which Provider Is the Best for You?
While Embrace is the pricier pet insurance provider, it offers nice perks to pet parents who are willing to pay more. It offers a higher reimbursement rate and more options for your coverage limit and deductible. Its diminishing deductible and 10% discount for multiple pets can also help reduce the price gap between the two carriers.
If you’re looking for affordable unlimited coverage with fast claims or if giving back to the animal community is important to you, Healthy Paws is worth looking into. The company processes most claims within two business days, whereas Embrace can take 10 to 15 days. Additionally, for every online quote, the Healthy Paws Foundation donates to animal shelters and rescues. So far, the company has given nearly $1.7 million to animals in need.
If you’re intrigued but not completely sold, Healthy Paws offers a 30-day free look period to try out a policy and get a refund if it’s not for you. This perk is unavailable in New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina.
Embrace pet insurance may be the better choice for pet parents who want the most comprehensive plan and don’t mind paying more to get it. Embrace offers a 90% reimbursement rate, covers additional costs such as exam fees and parasites and offers multiple tiers of optional wellness care. You’ll also get up to $1,000 per policy year for dental illnesses.
There is no wrong answer when choosing between Embrace and Healthy Paws — each provider caters to a different kind of pet parent. It’s important to do your research and get quotes from at least three providers before deciding on the best coverage for your four-legged friend.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance
Yes — you will have both accident and illness coverage if you purchase a pet insurance policy through Embrace or Healthy Paws. Any injury sustained from an accident that happens while your pet is covered and after your policy’s waiting period is a reimbursable event.
With Embrace pet insurance, you are responsible for an annual deductible, which means you pay your deductible once per year — not per incident — before your coverage kicks in. Once you meet your deductible, you are only responsible for your plan’s copay, or the amount of each claim that Embrace does not reimburse.
You can find specific information about your plan’s deductible, copay and other details in your policy documents.
Yes, Healthy Paws considers parvovirus reimbursable if the signs and symptoms first appear after you enroll in insurance and pass the waiting period.
No, Healthy Paws doesn’t have a wellness plan. It offers one simple accident-and-illness pet insurance plan with unlimited coverage for an affordable monthly premium.
With Healthy Paws, heartworm treatment isn’t eligible for a claim payout. It is considered preventive care, which isn’t covered by a Healthy Paws insurance policy. Rather, Healthy Paws states that its pet insurance plan is meant for unexpected vet care, not routine or wellness care.
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pet Insurance Companies
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