Pets Best Pet Insurance

Pets Best Pet Insurance offers a range of flexible policies to cover up to 90% of unexpected veterinary costs. You can take out accident-only cover or cover for accident and illness, while there are two optional routine care plans that can be added to your policy for extra peace of mind.

Founded in 2005, Pets Best offers policies that are underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company or Independence American Insurance Company. To work out whether it offers the right protection for your dog, check out our detailed guide to Pets Best Pet Insurance pricing, cover features, claims, and reviews.

The cost of Pets Best Pet Insurance varies depending on:

• Your dog’s age
• Your dog’s breed
• Where you live
• The cover you choose

First, you’ll need to decide whether you want an Accident and Illness Plan or an Accident Only Plan. Second, you can then choose how to customize your plan.

If you choose an Accident and Illness Plan, the cost of cover depends on:

• The annual policy limit you select: $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, or unlimited
• The reimbursement rate you select: 70%, 80%, or 90% of eligible vet bills
• The annual deductible amount you select: $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, or $1,000

There’s a 5% discount if you enroll more than one pet. You also have the option of adding either EssentialWellness or BestWellness cover to your policy to provide routine care coverage.

However, if you choose an Accident Only Plan, this features a $10,000 annual limit, a $250 deductible, and a reimbursement rate of 90%.

Finally, a $2 processing fee applies if you make monthly, quarterly, or semi-annual premium payments.

Pets Best allows you to visit any licensed veterinarian, including emergency centers and specialists. After paying for treatment, you’ll need to submit a claim to be reimbursed for eligible expenses.

You can submit your claim:

• via the Pets Best app
• online
• via email
• by mail
• by fax

You’ll need to include an itemized invoice with your completed claim form, and you must submit your claim within 180 days of the treatment date.

Pets Best Accident and Illness Plans cover:

• Accidents (such as poisoning or broken bones)
• Illnesses (such as diabetes and arthritis)
• Cancer treatments
• Hereditary and congenital conditions
• Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery
• Prescription medications
• Chronic conditions
• Diagnostic tests
• Periodontal disease (conditions apply)
• Behavioral consults
• Euthanasia
• Exam fees (can be excluded from some plans)
• Acupuncture and chiropractic treatments (can be excluded from some plans)
• Physical rehabilitation (can be excluded from some plans)
• Prescription medication (can be excluded from some plans)

Exclusions

No cover is provided for these expenses and conditions:

• Pre-existing conditions
• Injuries due to any intentional act
• Elective procedures
• Boarding and transport expenses
• Herbal and holistic treatments
• Experimental therapies and medications
• Burial and cremation

Check with the insurer for a full list of what is and isn’t covered by your policy.

Optional cover for routine care

You can also choose between two optional routine care plans. EssentialWellness is the cheaper of the two and covers flea/tick prevention, blood and fecal tests, heartworm prevention, vaccinations, and more. The more expensive BestWellness option includes higher benefit limits and also offers cover for spaying/neutering and teeth cleaning.

Your dog will need to be 7 weeks of age or older to be eligible for Pets Best insurance. However, no upper age limits apply. 

The first step in applying for cover is to request a quote. You can do this on the Pets Best website by providing:

• Your dog’s name, age, gender, and breed
• Details of any pre-existing conditions your dog has
• Your name, ZIP code, and contact details

You can then select the annual limit, annual deductible, and reimbursement level you want, before reviewing what’s covered and adding routine care cover if you wish. If you’re happy with the quote you receive, it’s then time to enter your payment details.

Routine care coverage starts on your policy effective date. The following waiting periods apply to Pets Best accident and illness policies:

• 14 days for illnesses
• 3 days for accidents
• 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions

There are mixed customer reviews for Pets Best. On Trustpilot, the insurance provider scores an average of 4.1 out of 5 from almost 1,300 customer reviews. Positive reviewers praise Pets Best for its simple claims process and fast processing of claims. However, slow claims processing was a common complaint among negative customer reviews.

Over at the Better Business Bureau, Pets Best Pet Insurance scores an average of just over 1 out of 5 from 36 customer reviews. Complaints centered on issues with the insurance contract and slow processing times.

Pets Best has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. However, it has also been the subject of 77 complaints on the platform in the last 3 years (as of July 15, 2020).

On May 14, 2020, Better Business Bureau posted an alert highlighting a pattern of complaints from consumers about Pets Best regarding the business’ contract and lengthy claim processing times. In June, Pets Best responded to the bureau with an explanation and a commitment to improving their turnaround time.

If you’re searching for flexible cover that you can tailor to suit your budget and your dog’s unique needs, Pets Best Pet Insurance is definitely worth a look. The choice of adding optional routine care cover is also a plus.

However, given the concern over customer complaints submitted to the Better Business Bureau, check the latest independent customer reviews to find out whether the insurer is offering acceptable claim processing times. The lack of cover for alternative and holistic treatments may also be a dealbreaker for some pet parents.

And as always, make sure to compare quotes and cover features from several insurers before choosing a pet insurance policy. Need a little help? Check out our pet insurance comparison tool on our Wellness page today!