PetSmart Pet Insurance: Banfield Wellness (2020 Review)
I often get asked about the pet insurance PetSmart offers, because loyal PetSmart customers want to stick with a trusted brand. So, today I’m bringing you this review to include information about PetSmart pet insurance cost, customer reviews, coverages, and more.
First, it’s important to note that this pet insurance isn’t actually insurance. Instead, it’s wellness coverage through its partner, Banfield Pet Hospital. Banfield started in 1955, and has since expanded to over 900 locations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The company is dedicated to giving back to pets through volunteering, donations, and resources. In 1994, Banfield partnered with PetSmart to provide quality, full-service pet care inside of its stores.
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PetSmart Pet Insurance Rating
PetSmart Pet Insurance Review
As a reminder, PetSmart dog insurance actually comes in the form of wellness coverage through Banfield. How is a wellness plan different from pet insurance? Here are a few of the key differences between a wellness plan and pet insurance:
- Coverage. Insurance coverage is typically for accidents and illnesses. In the event of you dog having a sudden accident, injury, or illness, you’ll pay your deductible and your insurance company will reimburse you for your medical bills once they’re paid, usually up to 90%. A wellness plan, however, pays a specified amount per covered service. Additionally, wellness plans cover some costs for routine care, like vet exams and vaccinations, that pet insurance doesn’t cover.
- Cost. Pet insurance requires you to pay a deductible before it will reimburse you. A wellness plan, on the other hand, will pay you a specific amount per service, no deductible required. You simply pay a monthly amount that helps you budget your dog’s care.
- Needed Services. When you pay for dog insurance, you’ll likely pay for a lot of services you’ll never use. A wellness plan will give you discounted costs whenever you use a covered service, so you’re not paying for what you don’t need.
Need an Alternative? Try Healthypaws Pet Insurance:
Pros
Customizable Wellness Plans
Banfield’s plans are customizable. It offers three base plans for adult dogs: Essential Wellness, Active Prevention, and Special Care. Additionally, there are two Optimum Wellness plans for puppies: Early Care and Early Care Plus.
With whatever plan you choose, you can add extra coverage options to tailor the plan to fit your needs. For your puppy, you can add spaying or neutering coverage or genetic testing coverage. Adult dog wellness plans can include spaying or neutering, chronic condition care, genetic testing, parasite control, and dental care options.
Discounts On Services
No matter your Optimum Wellness plan, you’ll receive discounts on Banfield services not covered by your plan. For puppy plans, you’ll get 5% or 10%. Adult dog owners can get between 10% and 20% for other services. And, if you have multiple dogs with Optimum Wellness plans, you’ll get a $15 discount on your membership fee.
Budget-Friendly Routine Care
If you’re concerned about the cost of routine care, this is where a wellness plan comes in handy. Puppies, especially, require a lot of vet care between exams, vaccinations, and more. A wellness plan can help you spread out the cost of care by paying your monthly fee and getting reimbursed for the covered services you use.
Cons
Additional Cost For Basic Services
If you are hoping to have some basic services reimbursed, like spaying or neutering and parasite control, you’ll have to add them to your plan. Unfortunately, this means an extra cost to you. You may want to consider whether the extra cost is worth it, or if you can afford to pay for these services without the plan. Remember that you’ll receive a discount on other Banfield services, anyway.
You May Have To Wait For Renewal To Change Plans
Banfield explains on its website that you may have to wait for your plan to renew before you change your plan. For example, say you have more coverage than you think you need for your dog about 3 months after you started your wellness plan. Banfield may make you wait until it’s time to renew at the 12-month mark to change your plan to a lower level. So, for the next 9 months, you may be paying more than you need to.
Not For High-Cost Medical Care
If you want coverage for high-cost services, like surgeries or emergency room visits, a wellness plan won’t work for you. Banfield’s Optimum Wellness plans are best for routine and preventative care.
Instead, look for an affordable dog insurance from a company like Healthy Paws, Pets Best, or Pet Plan. Then, add a Banfield Optimum Wellness plan for the best, all-around protection for your dog.
PetSmart Insurance For Dogs
Banfield is a company dedicated to making the lives of pets better. In fact, this video shows its compassion for animals and how the company works to give back to pets in our communities:
Additionally, you can tell how dedicated Banfield is to the well-being of your pets by the way its Optimum Wellness plans are set up. Your Banfield Optimal Wellness plan will include:
- Unlimited office visits
- Physical exams
- Recommended vaccinations
- Diagnostic screenings
- Fecal exams
- Deworming
If you choose the Active Prevention plan, you’ll get all of the above services, plus urine testing and dental cleaning. The highest plan, Special Care, includes all other services in addition to electrocardiograms, eye pressure test, and preventative x-rays.
Plus, with each plan you’ll receive a discount on Banfield’s other medical services, from 10% to 20%. You may also consider adding optional coverages for spaying and neutering, parasite control, and more.
The Best Alternatives to PetSmart Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance
Check the Pet Insurance Plan and Wellness Plan by Embrace to get the decent alternative to Banfield. Embrace provides reimbursement in wide variety of health issues, it also has clear policies.
For everyday pet care, get the Wellness Rewards for Routine Care. Every plan includes maximum of services for dog wellbeing which you can choose depending on your needs. It's designed for those who's concerned about possible extra expenses on pet health.
There is a new affordable way to reduce your vet bills, except for traditional insurance. Learn about the Eusoh community providing the clear pet health plan for every pet.
Conclusion: PetSmart Animal Insurance
related resources
I think I cleared up exactly what type of pet insurance Petsmart offers. In fact, it’s a wellness plan that can help dog owners afford the cost of routine and preventative care services throughout the year, rather than paying for it all at once and out of pocket.
Remember that, with Banfield Optimum Wellness plans, you’ll receive not only reimbursements on covered services, but also discounts to use on other Banfield services and products. When you take all costs into consideration, a wellness plan from Banfield may be just what you were looking for to help make routine care affordable.
