Have you ever heard of the Pet Assure discount? While not a true pet insurance plan, many pet owners choose to enroll in the Pet Assure program instead of getting a traditional pet insurance policy. This type of veterinary cost assistance program still helps you cover the unexpected costs of owning a pet.
Pet Assure pays for 25% of all vet included costs at network veterinarians. Whether it’s an emergency visit or a regular checkup, 25% of the cost will be covered. You don’t have to file a claim; you simply show your card at the veterinary office, and the discount is automatically applied to your bill.
Some people recommend buying Pet Assure to supplement traditional insurance while others believe that Pet Assure doesn't add much value if you already have pet insurance. The fact of the matter is that people use Pet Assure in many different ways. How you would use it is up to you.
Is this type of pet care discount better than pet insurance? Or are you better off going with a more tradition plan? Let’s go through the pros and cons of this type of insurance plan and find out!
Pet Assure Rating
Pet Assure Review
This is not a traditional pet insurance plan, and you have to know what you are buying before you invest in it. However, for some owners, this type of plan will work out to be more valuable than a traditional plan that they never end up using because it only covers emergencies and accidents.
Pros
25% Off All Vet Bills
The main positive point in many Pet Assure reviews is that they cover 25% of all bills without needing to file a claim or submit any paperwork. All you have to do is show your card at the vet, and the discount will be taken from the cost of care provided that day. You will always know what percentage you are going to end up paying at the vet, and that’s a great relief to many pet owners. Dental cleanings, exams, and more are all covered.
No Age Limits or Pre-Existing Exclusions
Other huge benefits listed in most Pet Assure insurance reviews are that pre-existing conditions are included, and there are no age limits. Because you are simply getting a 25% discount on all services, there is no reason for pre-existing conditions to be excluded. For owners who just found out that they’ll be paying a lot of money for their dog care going forward, this is a great benefit.
No Deductibles
There are no annual limits on how much Pet Assure will reimburse you for, and there are no deductibles. They pay a flat rate of 25% of the bill no matter what. You can use it as many times as you want, no matter how often your pet needs to see the vet.
No Waiting Period
Most insurance companies have a waiting period that you must make it through without incident before your coverage begins. Since Pet Assure is not a typical pet insurance plan, they do not have this. As soon as you enroll, you are eligible to receive the 25% discount at the veterinary, even if your appointment is the same week!
Cons
Not Pet Insurance
Some Pet Assure reviews bring up the fact that Pet Assure simply isn’t pet insurance. If your pet needs an emergency procedure that costs $10,000, only $2,500 of that will be covered. With traditional pet insurance, your deductible might be reached at $1,000, which would mean $9,000 would be covered. Depending on what emergencies your pet faces in their lifetime, traditional insurance might wind up being the better choice.
Only A Few Different Options
When you visit www.petassure.com, you’ll see that there are only four enrollment options (see below) that decides how much you have to pay per month or year. For some owners, they with they would be able to customize their coverage more. However, since this is more of a discount program than an insurance plan, I’m not surprised by these coverage options.
Coverage Only Offered At In-Network Vets
If you were to go to a vet that is out-of-network, you would not be able to get the 25% discount. There are no exceptions to this rule, so you should not even consider enrolling in Pet Assure if your usual vet or locals are not in the network. You would never be able to use the discount in that case.
Plan Options
There are four different options you can use to enroll in Pet Assure. Each plan can be enrolled in yearly or monthly. If you do monthly, there is a $9.95 processing fee added to the cost.
Single Cat Plan
- 1 small pet
- $79 per year
- $7.95 per month
Single Dog Plan
- 1 large pet
- $99 per year
- $9.95 per month
Family Plan
- 2-4 pets
- $149 per year
- $14.95 per month
Unlimited Plan
- Every pet
- $199 per year
- $19.95 per month
Is Pet Assure Worth It?
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Whether Pet Assure insurance for your dog is a good or bad choice depends on how many veterinary emergencies your pet ends up having per year. Depending on how much you spend at the vet annually, the cost of Pet Assure might be worth it. If your pet ends up facing costly emergencies every year, you would have been better served to get traditional insurance.
It all comes down to the math, which can be frustrating for owners to figure out. If you have enough funds that a 25% discount would be helpful enough for a costly ($5,000+) emergency medical procedure, then Pet Assure is a great, affordable choice.
If you worry more about how you would handle that large of an emergency cost, then traditional pet insurance policies are for you. I recommend Go Pet Plan, Healthy Paws, and PetsBest as great options when it comes to standard dog insurance. They all offer affordable, comprehensive coverage that will save you from paying too much out-of-pocket.
It might also make sense to have both Pet Assure and an insurance plan. It’s all up to how much help you want paying for your pet’s care!