Today I’ll be introducing you to one of my favorite pet insurance brands! This Pets Best insurance review will let you in on the secrets of why I think Pets Best is one of the top pet insurers out there. I’ll also give some info about their most popular plans, the pros and cons of getting insurance through Pets Best, and more!
Pets Best was founded by Dr. Jack Stephens. You may not know who Dr. Stephens is, but he has played a huge part in the pet insurance industry! As a practicing vet, he saw the need for pet insurance for many owners, and he opened the first pet insurance company in America in 1981. In 2005, he helped create Pets Best, a modern-day, top-class pet insurance company.
Pets Best took the knowledge that Dr. Stephens gained as he established the pet insurance market and, with his help, updated it to fit modern day veterinary practices and pet ownership norms. Pets Best aims to end economic euthanasia of pets by owners who cannot afford treatment, and they’re doing a great job of it!
Let’s take a closer look at Pets Best’s policy information and practices.
Rating
Pets Best Insurance Review
If you’ve read any of my other pet insurance reviews, it should be no surprise to you that this Pets Best review gets 5 stars! Pets Best continues to be one of my favorite pet insurance companies, and I’m here today to tell you why.
Pros
Offer Affordable, High-Value Wellness Plans
In addition to offering great base pet insurance, Pets Best has great options for add-on Wellness Plans. These plans will help you cover the cost of routine care that your pet will need through their life. Pets Best offers two levels (EssentialWellness and BestWellness, $16 and $26/month respectively) that will go towards covering exams, x-rays, teeth cleaning, and more. Both plans have no deductibles and are very helpful for many pet owners.
Excellent Customer Service
Buying insurance (whether it be for you or your pets) can be really difficult to understand. Often, you’re just not sure what level of coverage you will use. Pets Best knows this. In addition to the comprehensive information provided on their website, they have an excellent customer service center. You can email or call them and get the answers you need to select the right insurance.
Highly Customizable
When purchasing a plan from Pets Best, you can select the deductible, annual coverage limit, and type of coverage you want. Deductibles range from zero to $1,000, and the annual coverage limits range from $5,000 to $10,000. Accident-only coverage, accident and illness coverage, or routine wellness coverage are all available. You can customize each of these to the specific level of coverage that will be perfect for you and your pet.
Covers Older Dogs
Unlike many pet insurance companies, Pets Best has no upper age limit cap on enrollment. This means that even if you have a senior dog that is 14, 15, or older, you can still get pet insurance for them. There is a waiting period before coverage starts as there is for any enrolled pet, but it’s great that they allow you to cover your pet regardless of their age.
Cover Chronic And Hereditary Conditions
Many pet old-style pet insurance companies still specifically exclude chronic and hereditary conditions. Pets Best understands that you shouldn’t be excluded simply because your dog has unfortunately been affected by one of these conditions. There are rules to what is exactly included, but Pets Best has one of the best approaches to covering chronic and hereditary conditions that I’ve ever seen.
Routine Coverage Includes Dental
Even though dental checkups should be a regular part of taking care of your dog, many routine care coverage add-ons give no stipend for dental coverage unless it is an emergency. If you get the highest level of routine coverage from Pets Best, the BestWellness Plan, it will cover up to $150 per year towards dental cleaning with no deductibles.
Cons
Cannot Buy Standalone Wellness Plan
Like most insurance companies, you cannot buy a standalone wellness plan from Pets Best. Most owners would prefer to buy this alongside their insurance anyways, but I have met some owners who want to get help covering routine costs only. Unfortunately, Pets Best does not allow you to purchase any routine care coverage unless you also own an insurance plan from them.
Plan Costs Differ By Breed
This is another problem that is common to the pet insurance industry: Price inflation due to breed. Since some breeds are more likely to develop certain medical problems, insurance companies charge more to cover them. While unfair, it’s how it is. Thankfully, Pets Best does the least inflation among my favorite companies. Their routine coverage plans do not change in price no matter what breed of dog you have.
Plan Options
This Pets Best review wouldn’t be complete without a quick look at the most popular options available from Pets Best!
1. BestBenefit Accident & Illness Coverage
This plan covers all unexpected incidents like emergencies and illnesses, including chronic conditions, cancers, emergency care, care while traveling, and more. Three different levels (bronze, silver, and gold) with different premiums and deductibles are available.
2. BestBenefit Accident-Only Coverage
This coverage only deals with things like broken legs, snake bites, swallowing something dangerous, and more. Accident Only plans do not cover medical issues. Like the Accident & Illness coverage, these plans are available at various premium and deductible levels
3. BestWellness Routine Care Coverage
This add-on plan costs $26/month and helps pay for routine coverage that your dog will need, such as exams, x-rays, dental cleanings, and other preventative treatment costs.
4. EssentialWellness Routine Care Coverage
This add-on plan costs $16/month and also helps cover preventative treatments that your dog should have. It does not give as much money for coverage as the gold level BestWellness plan does.
Pets Best Really Cares
This about wraps up my review! I hope you can see why I think this company is so great. In addition to really being there for their customers through customer service outlets, they have also made sure to come up with insurance policies that work well for pets owners of many different income levels, locations, needs, and more.
Pets Best even has some Q&A videos available about common problems pet owners face, including some information for senior dog owners:
All in all, the coverage and care that Pets Best provides pet owners can’t be beat. If you’re looking for high-quality, affordable pet insurance, Pets Best is a great option.