Our Take On Pets Best
Pets Best ranks #10 on our list of best pet insurance companies due to imposing no age limit and offering coverage on unique treatments, such as rehabilitation, acupuncture and chiropractic care.
According to our survey, Pets Best is one of the more popular pet insurance providers, with over 14% of our respondents reporting they use Pets Best Pet Insurance. Of those people, many report issues with claims processing. Respondents report that while some of them received claim reimbursement within one to two weeks, almost half of them reported having to wait three to four weeks for claim resolution.
Despite this, Pets Best earned 4.8 out of 5 stars according to our methodology. Pets Best scored well in cost and covered treatments, with an average premium cost of $44 coming in below the industry standard of $49 and covering all treatments we looked for.
Overall, we would recommend Pets Best to any pet owner, but specifically to those with older pets.
Pros and Cons of Pets Best
How Does Pets Best Compare To Other Pet Insurance Companies?
Compare Pets Best to other top-rated pet insurance companies:
What Does Pets Best’s Cover?
Pets Best offers an accident-only plan for $6 per month for cats and $9 per month for dogs that cover accidents, such as broken bones, animal bites, swallowed foreign bodies, open wounds and traumatic injuries.
The plan covers diagnostic- and treatment-related costs, including exams, X-rays, surgeries, hospitalization and medications. The accident-only plan has a $10,000 annual limit, a $250 deductible and a 90% reimbursement percentage rate. The accident-only plan is ideal for pet parents on a budget, but it doesn’t cover illnesses, diseases, or cancer treatments.
The BestBenefit plan provides accident and illness coverage and has three tiers to choose from:
- The Essential plan: This is the most basic option, covering accidents, illnesses, hospitalization, cancer treatments, emergency care, surgery, diagnostic testing, prescription medications and hereditary conditions.
- The Plus plan: This plan covers everything in the Essential plan in addition to exam fees for covered injuries or illnesses.
- The Elite plan: This plan provides the most comprehensive coverage, including everything in the Essential and Plus plans as well as coverage for rehabilitation, acupuncture and chiropractic care.
Add-on Coverage
Pets Best offers two wellness add-ons that cover a variety of routine veterinary care services, up to a specified limit with no deductible, for an additional monthly fee.
EssentialWellness
The EssentialWellness add-on costs $16 per month* and covers the following preventive care services:
| Treatment | Annual Limit |
|---|---|
| Blood, fecal, parasite exam | $50.00 |
| Flea/tick prevention | $50.00 |
| Deworming | $20.00 |
| Heartworm prevention | $30.00 |
| Heartworm test or FELV screen | $25.00 |
| Microchip | $20.00 |
| Rabies | $15.00 |
| Spay/neuter surgery or teeth cleaning | $0.00 |
| Urinalysis or E.R.D.-Screen (i.e., early renal disease screen) | $15.00 |
| Vaccination/titer | $30.00 |
| Wellness exam | $50.00 |
*$14 per month in Washington.
BestWellness
The BestWellness add-on costs $26 per month** and covers everything in the EssentialWellness package, but at a higher reimbursement level, and includes a spay, neuter or teeth cleaning.
| Treatment | Annual Limit |
|---|---|
| Blood, fecal, parasite exam | $70.00 |
| Deworming | $20.00 |
| Flea/Tick prevention | $65.00 |
| Heartworm prevention | $30.00 |
| Heartworm test of FELV screen | $30.00 |
| Microchip | $40.00 |
| Rabies | $15.00 |
| Spay/neuter or teeth cleaning | $150.00 |
| Urinalysis or E.R.D.-Screen | $25.00 |
| Vaccination/titer | $40.00 |
| Wellness exam | $50.00 |
*30 per month in Washington.
Pets Best’s Exclusions
Like all pet insurance companies, Pets Best doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. The company defines pre-existing conditions as any illness or injury that begins before enrollment or during your waiting period. Curable conditions such as broken legs and kennel cough are not considered pre-existing since they can heal without further treatment.
In addition to pre-existing conditions, Pets Best excludes the following services from its base plan:
- Alternative treatments such as herbal, holistic and experimental therapies and medications.
- Non-veterinary expenses such as taxes, administration fees, waste disposal fees, transportation fees, shipping and handling fees, bathing, grooming, and any service not performed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
- Parasite testing and treatment and preventives for fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, tapeworms, giardia, coccidia, ear mites or scabies.
- Preventive and elective care such as anal gland expression, tail docking, ear cropping, nail trimming, feline declawing and dewclaw removal.
Plan Customizations
Pets Best offers the following coverage options:
- Deductibles: $50, $100, $200, $250, $500 or $1000
- Annual coverage limits: $5,000 or unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80% or 90%
How Much Does Pets Best Cost?
The cost of Pets Best’s monthly premiums are typically lower than average, but can vary by your pet’s species, age, gender and breed, as well as your location and selected deductible. You can also take advantage of Pets Best’s 10% multi-pet discount if you enroll more than one pet in a plan.
To give you an idea of the cost of Pets Best’s monthly premiums, we collected quotes for four pet types in all 50 states and Washington D.C, averaging a total of 204 quotes. We obtained quotes for Pets Best’s Plus plan with a $250 deductible, 80% reimbursement rate and $10,000 annual coverage limit:
| Pet Type | Average Monthly Cost | Average Monthly Cost with EssentialWellness | Average Monthly Cost with BestWellness |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-year-old medium mixed-breed male dog | $52 | $73 | $84 |
| 2-year-old large Golden Retriever female dog | $67 | $89 | $100 |
| 5-year-old mixed breed male cat | $28 | $50 | $61 |
| 2-year-old Siamese female cat | $29 | $50 | $61 |
Pets Best Reviews
We read more than 100 Pets Best reviews on third-party websites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot to get a sense of customers’ experiences. The company has received mixed reviews. Some customers appreciate the quick, responsive customer service, while others complain of high prices and a long claims process with denied claims.
Though some negative reviews mention high pricing, we did not receive high-price quotes during our simulated quote process. Pay attention to your quote’s details and compare Pets Best’s prices and coverage to other pet insurance companies.
We reached out to Pets Best about these reviews but did not receive a response.
Here are some samples of what customers had to say about Pets Best:
“Pet’s Best has been wonderful for us, always lets us know what’s going on with claims, and always prompt with payments. I highly recommend them for any pet! And, based on your needs they have a policy to suit you! Very professional and friendly.” – Beverly K. via BBB
“We have always used Pets Best for our dog insurance. Now we have a new puppy, and had to have his wellness check-up. I submitted the bill to Pets Best, and in less than a week, we had most of the money paid back. The only items not covered were those that were not part of the wellness check-up and go against my deductible. I am very happy with the service we received.” – L.L. via TrustPilot
“When I got the policy, the sales rep never mentioned the premium would go up every year, exponentially. I remember having a detailed conversation with the rep about my budget, and we determined that it was affordable at $35 a month. The rep failed to mention it would increase. I saw increases and just absorbed them, we love our dog! But now, 5 years into it, [I’m] paying almost $80 a month! I finally called yesterday and asked what the cap is – the rep said he couldn’t tell me – that I would just have to wait every year to see what underwriting increased it to.” – Jenny B. via BBB
“Paid almost $1400 over 3 years for Pet’s Best insurance and wellness coverage… dog is a Morkie only 4 years old. I submitted many claims that were denied (lots of stupid excuses) and ended up only being reimbursed around $400.” – Jason Howe via TrustPilot
The Bottom Line: Is Pets Best Pet Insurance Worth It?
Pets Best is a good choice if you have an older pet or want 24/7 support from veterinary professionals. Some customers complained of high pricing, so you may want to consider Lemonade for more affordable coverage options. Pets Best also has limited customization options compared to competitors; Spot Pet Insurance is an alternative that offers more flexibility.
We recommend getting quotes from at least three different pet insurance providers to find the best policy for your pet’s needs and your budget.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pets Best Insurance
Yes, Pets Best Insurance is accepted in all 50 states.
Pets Best insurance has been around since it was founded by Dr. Jack Stephens—a working veterinarian since 1979—in 2005.
Yes, like most pet insurance companies Pets Best requires a copy of your pet’s medical records to identify any pre-existing conditions that will be excluded from coverage.
Pets Best has a three-day waiting period for accidents and a 14-day waiting period for illnesses.
Methodology: Our System for Rating Pet Insurance Companies
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