Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review 2022: Pros and Cons – NerdWallet
4.0
NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer complaint and customer satisfaction data.
NerdWallet rating
Plans offered: Accident and illness.
Breadth of coverage: Poor.
Range of plan options: Excellent.
Can pay your vet directly: Yes.
The bottom line: Offers a straightforward plan with no annual or lifetime payout limits, but has more exclusions than many other companies do.
How we review pet insurance
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy in order to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, our editorial team considers both the customer and the insurer. These are some of the factors we take into account:
Plans offered. Pet insurance companies generally offer the following three types of plans:
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Accident and illness policies reimburse you for medical treatment if your pet gets sick or injured.
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Accident-only policies pay expenses if your pet is injured.
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Wellness plans help you budget for preventive care costs.
Breadth of coverage. We looked for plans that cover a wide range of potential expenses.
Range of plan options. This category looks at how many ways you can customize what you pay for your plan and how you’re reimbursed.
Can pay your vet directly. This indicates whether an insurer can pay your vet directly for medical expenses. With this service, you don’t have to pay the money yourself upfront and then wait for reimbursement.
Dive deeper with our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.
If you find it overwhelming to have too many choices, the simplicity of Healthy Paws pet insurance might appeal to you. The company offers a single plan that covers accidents and illnesses with no annual or lifetime limit.
You can customize the amount you pay your vet upfront and how much the company will reimburse you, but otherwise, you’ll get a reasonably comprehensive plan without having to make too many decisions.
Healthy Paws pet insurance
4.0
NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer complaint and customer satisfaction data.
NerdWallet rating
Healthy Paws earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, coverage options and financial strength ratings.
Healthy Paws pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No annual or lifetime coverage limits.
No wellness coverage options.
Many claims are processed within two days.
Plans don’t cover exam fees, prescription diets or behavioral modification.
Direct vet payments may be available.
A $25 administrative fee may be applied when you buy your policy.
State availability
Healthy Paws is licensed to sell pet insurance in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C., but availability may be limited in Washington state.
Healthy Paws pet insurance plans
Healthy Paws offers a single plan that covers accidents and illnesses for cats and dogs. There are no per-condition, annual or lifetime payout caps. The company doesn’t offer accident-only or wellness plans.
What Healthy Paws pet insurance covers
Healthy Paws pet insurance covers the following:
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Treatment, hospitalization and surgery for injuries and illnesses, including cancer.
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Diagnostic tests.
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Hereditary conditions.
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Congenital conditions.
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Prescription medications.
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Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic.
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Some dental conditions.
What’s not covered
Your Healthy Paws plan won’t pay for the following:
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Exam fees for accidents or illnesses.
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Hip dysplasia treatment if your pet’s coverage started at age 6 or older.
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Routine dental care, or extractions or reconstructions due to dental disease.
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Prescription diets.
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Burial or cremation expenses.
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Wellness or preventive care, including spay and neuter surgery.
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Pre-existing conditions, including those that arise during the waiting period after you purchase your policy.
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Behavioral therapies.
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Experimental treatments.
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Breeding or pregnancy.
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Cruciate injuries to one leg if the other has previously had a similar injury. (This is known as a bilateral exclusion.)
Healthy Paws coverage options
Deductibles: Depending on where you live and your pet’s age and breed, you might have some or all of the following deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000.
Reimbursement amounts: There’s similar variation among reimbursement amounts, with 70% and 80% being the most common options we saw in our sample quotes. However, you may be able to choose an amount as low as 50% or as high as 90%, depending on your pet and location.
Coverage limits: There are no coverage limits on Healthy Paws plans.
Restrictions and waiting periods
Age restrictions: Pets must be at least 8 weeks old to be covered, and may be enrolled up until their 14th birthday.
Waiting periods: In most states, there’s a waiting period of 15 days for any accident or illness. If your pet is younger than 6 when the policy starts, there’s also a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia. (Pets 6 and up aren’t covered for hip dysplasia.)
Discounts
Healthy Paws doesn’t offer any discounts.
Consumer experience
Website: You can get a quick quote and buy a policy on the Healthy Paws website. Once you’re a policyholder, you can use the online portal to file and track claims, make policy changes and update your billing information.
App: Healthy Paws’ mobile app has similar features to the website, including the ability to submit claims, view policy details and change billing information. However, poor ratings in the App Store and on Google Play suggest that the app may not work well for all users.
Claims: You can file claims online, through the mobile app or by email. The company says most claims are processed within two days, though some take 10 days or longer. You can be reimbursed by check or direct deposit. If your vet permits it, Healthy Paws may be able to pay them directly.
Customer service: You can reach customer support via a contact form on the website or by calling 855-898-8991 on Monday through Saturday.
Healthy Paws vs. competitors
Here’s how Healthy Paws pet insurance stacks up against other popular plans.
Healthy Paws vs. Trupanion
Like Healthy Paws, in most states Trupanion offers a single accident and illness plan with unlimited coverage. Trupanion’s plan also comes with a standard 90% reimbursement rate, while Healthy Paws offers a range of reimbursement options between 50% and 90%, depending on your pet and where you live.
The primary difference between the two companies is how they handle deductibles. Healthy Paws charges its deductible annually, while Trupanion offers lifetime condition deductibles in most states. If your pet develops a chronic condition that needs treatment year after year, you’d only pay the Trupanion deductible once.
When it comes to coverage, there are a few minor differences. Healthy Paws covers alternative therapies in its standard plan but doesn’t cover behavioral therapies at all, while Trupanion offers coverage for both at an extra cost. Neither company covers exam fees or offers an option to pay for wellness care.
Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period for illnesses and injuries. Trupanion has a shorter period for injuries (five days) and a longer one for illnesses (30 days). Both companies offer quick claims processing with the option to pay your vet directly.
Coverage options
Healthy Paws
Trupanion
Deductible
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
$0 to $1,000 per condition (except in Florida, where no deductible applies).
Reimbursement
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
90% (except in Florida, where you can choose any reimbursement amount between 50% and 90%).
Annual limit
Unlimited.
Unlimited.
Healthy Paws vs. Pets Best
Healthy Paws keeps things simple with a single accident and illness policy, but Pets Best offers multiple plans and riders. With Pets Best, you can opt for an accident and illness plan or cover accidents only. You can also pick and choose whether your plan pays for exam fees or preventive care, neither of which is covered by Healthy Paws.
Standard Pets Best accident and illness policies cover behavioral consults with a vet, while Healthy Paws doesn’t. However, acupuncture and chiropractic care cost extra with Pets Best but are included with Healthy Paws policies.
Pets Best offers shorter waiting periods than Healthy Paws: three days for injury and 14 days for illness.
If you’re enrolling an older animal, Pets Best may be a better bet. It has no upper age limit, while pets must be enrolled by their 14th birthday to get Healthy Paws coverage.
Coverage options
Healthy Paws
Pets Best
Deductible
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
$50 to $1,000 per year.
Reimbursement
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
70%, 80% or 90%.
Annual limit
Unlimited.
$5,000 or unlimited for accident and illness plans. $10,000 for accident-only plans.
Healthy Paws vs. Nationwide
Nationwide has two accident and illness plans. Its Whole Pet offering is similar to the Healthy Paws plan, reimbursing a percentage of your vet bill and covering a wide range of illnesses. Unlike Healthy Paws, it pays for exam fees when you visit the vet for an accident or illness. It also covers prescription diets and behavioral consults, which Healthy Paws doesn’t pay for.
Nationwide’s Major Medical plan works differently, with claim payouts based on a set benefit schedule per condition. Major Medical doesn’t cover as many scenarios as Healthy Paws’ plan, but it does offer wellness coverage as an optional add-on. Healthy Paws doesn’t cover any wellness expenses.
Healthy Paws’ two-day processing for most claims is significantly faster than Nationwide’s 30-day turnaround time.
Coverage options
Healthy Paws
Nationwide
Deductible
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
$250 per year. (Other options available by phone.)
Reimbursement
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.)
50% or 70%.
Annual limit
Unlimited.
$10,000.
Frequently asked questions
Does Healthy Paws cover dental care?
Healthy Paws covers some, but not all, dental care. It will pay for dental care due to accidents and for conditions such as stomatitis (an inflammatory disease common in cats) and malocclusion, a misalignment of the teeth. Healthy Paws won’t pay for dental cleaning or other preventive care.
How do I cancel Healthy Paws insurance?
You can cancel a Healthy Paws plan by email, fax, regular mail or phone. In most states, you’ll get a full refund if you cancel within the first 30 days before any claims have been filed.
Does Healthy Paws cover spaying or neutering?
No. Healthy Paws doesn’t pay for any routine care, including spay and neuter surgery.
Does Healthy Paws cover dental care?
Healthy Paws covers some, but not all, dental care. It will pay for dental care due to accidents and for conditions such as stomatitis (an inflammatory disease common in cats) and malocclusion, a misalignment of the teeth. Healthy Paws won’t pay for dental cleaning or other preventive care.
How do I cancel Healthy Paws insurance?
You can cancel a Healthy Paws plan by email, fax, regular mail or phone. In most states, you’ll get a full refund if you cancel within the first 30 days before any claims have been filed.
Does Healthy Paws cover spaying or neutering?
No. Healthy Paws doesn’t pay for any routine care, including spay and neuter surgery.