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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review 2024
Healthy Paws
4.0
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer complaint and customer satisfaction data.
Healthy Paws sells a straightforward plan with no annual or lifetime payout limits, but it has more exclusions than many other companies do.
Pay vet directlyThis indicates whether the company offers the option to pay a vet directly rather than reimbursing the policyholder after a claim.
Yes
Scope of coverageRatings are based on how many different scenarios a company covers.
Poor
Ability to customize planRatings are based on how easy it is to modify how much you pay for a plan by adjusting your coverage limits.
Excellent
- No annual or lifetime coverage limits.
- Processes many claims within two days.
- No wellness coverage options.
- Doesn't cover exam fees, prescription diets or behavioral modification.
Healthy Paws
4.0
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer complaint and customer satisfaction data.
Healthy Paws sells a straightforward plan with no annual or lifetime payout limits, but it has more exclusions than many other companies do.
Pay vet directlyThis indicates whether the company offers the option to pay a vet directly rather than reimbursing the policyholder after a claim.
Yes
Scope of coverageRatings are based on how many different scenarios a company covers.
Poor
Ability to customize planRatings are based on how easy it is to modify how much you pay for a plan by adjusting your coverage limits.
Excellent
- No annual or lifetime coverage limits.
- Processes many claims within two days.
- No wellness coverage options.
- Doesn't cover exam fees, prescription diets or behavioral modification.
About Healthy Paws pet insurance
4.0
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
Healthy Paws earned 4 stars out of 5 for overall performance. 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, youll get a decent plan without having to make too many decisions.
However, Healthy Paws doesnt cover certain things other companies do, such as prescription food, sick exam fees, behavioral treatment and certain dental diseases. And it doesnt offer the option to add wellness coverage to your plan.
Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.
Healthy Paws pet insurance plans and coverage
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 plan covers:
Treatment, hospitalization and surgery for injuries and illnesses, including cancer.
Prescription medications.
Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic.
The company doesnt offer accident-only or wellness plans.
Whats not covered
Your Healthy Paws plan wont pay for:
Exam fees for accidents or illnesses.
Hip dysplasia treatment if your pets coverage started at age 6 or older.
Routine dental care, or extractions or reconstructions due to dental disease.
Burial or cremation expenses.
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 pets age and breed, you might have some or all of the following annual deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750 and $1,000. A pet insurance deductible is the amount of your vet bills youll need to pay before your insurer starts reimbursing you.
Reimbursement amounts: Theres 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: A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage takes effect. In most states, Healthy Paws has a waiting period of 15 days for any accident or illness. If your pet is younger than 6 when the policy starts, theres also a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia in most states. (Healthy Paws generally doesn't cover pets for hip dysplasia if they enroll after age 5.)
Healthy Paws pet insurance rates
The cost of Healthy Paws pet insurance depends on where you live, the coverage limits you choose and your pets breed and age.
To give you a rough idea of how much you might pay, we gathered sample rates for several popular dog breeds at ages 2 and 8. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for dogs living in Katy, Texas.
Our sample plan for most younger dogs was for accident and illness coverage with a $250 deductible, unlimited annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. Other than the unlimited annual coverage, these options werent available to the 2-year-old French bulldog, whose quote came with a $500 deductible and 70% reimbursement rate. Meanwhile, the older dogs got quotes with a $1,000 deductible and only 50% reimbursement. Your own price will vary.
*The 2-year-old French bulldog was offered a quote with a 70% reimbursement rate and $500 deductible. **Older dogs were offered quotes with a 50% reimbursement rate and $1,000 deductible. |
We also gathered rates for a variety of cat breeds with the same coverage limits as above. As with older dogs, the 8-year-old cats were offered a $1,000 deductible and 50% reimbursement rate. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for cats living in Katy, Texas.
*Older cats were offered quotes with a 50% reimbursement rate and $1,000 deductible. |
Discounts
Healthy Paws doesnt offer any discounts.
State availability
Healthy Paws is licensed to sell pet insurance in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all pets in a given state.
Consumer experience
Website: You can get a quick quote and buy a policy on the Healthy Paws website. Once youre 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 on Google Play suggest that the app may not work well for all Android users.
Claims: You can file claims online, through the mobile app or by email. The company says it processes most claims within two days, though it may take up to 10 days to receive your payout after approval. You can choose reimbursement 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
Heres how Healthy Paws pet insurance stacks up against other popular plans.
Healthy Paws vs. Trupanion
Like Healthy Paws, Trupanion offers a single accident and illness plan with unlimited coverage. Trupanions plan also comes with a standard 90% reimbursement rate in most states, 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, youd pay the Trupanion deductible only once.
When it comes to coverage, there are a few minor differences. Healthy Paws covers alternative therapies in its standard plan but doesnt cover behavioral therapies at all, while Trupanion offers coverage for both at an extra cost in most states. 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.
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.) | $0 to $1,000 per condition (except in a handful of states, where no deductible applies). |
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.) |
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 Healthy Paws covers.
Standard Pets Best accident and illness policies cover behavioral consults with a vet, while Healthy Paws doesnt. 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 in most states: three days for injury and 14 days for illness.
If youre 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.
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.) |
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.) |
$5,000 or unlimited for accident and illness plans. $10,000 for accident-only plans. |
Healthy Paws vs. Nationwide
Healthy paws touts the simplicity of its accident and illness plan, while Nationwide has a variety of policies. Nationwide's 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 the Healthy Paws plan, 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 doesnt pay for.
Nationwides Modular plan is more customizable, so you can pick and choose coverage for things like congenital and hereditary conditions, behavioral treatments and wellness care. But it still reimburses you for a percentage of your vet expenses.
Nationwides Major Medical plan works differently, with claim payouts based on a set benefit schedule per condition. Major Medical doesnt cover as many scenarios as Healthy Paws plan, but it does offer wellness coverage as an optional add-on. Healthy Paws doesnt cover any wellness expenses.
Healthy Paws two-day processing for most claims is a bit faster than Nationwides five-day turnaround time.
$100 to $1,000 per year. (Not all options are available to all pets.) | $250 per year. (Other options may be available online or by phone.) |
50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%. (Not all options are available to all pets.) | 50% to 90%, depending on the plan. |
$5,000 to unlimited, depending on the plan. |
The bottom line
Healthy Paws pet insurance may be right for you if youre looking for unlimited annual coverage for accidents and illnesses but not interested in wellness coverage.
Strengths: Healthy Paws processes most claims quickly and offers unlimited annual and lifetime coverage for all pets.
Weaknesses: The lack of coverage for things like sick exam fees, behavioral therapies and prescription food makes this plan less comprehensive than others on the market.
How we review pet insurance
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, we consider coverage, discounts, financial strength ratings from AM Best and more to determine our star ratings.
Our rating system rewards companies that cover a wide range of potential expenses, offer many ways to customize your plan and have a strong financial rating. Within the consumer experience category, we looked at features such as mobile app ratings and whether the company offers direct vet payments. To calculate each insurers rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.
Frequently asked questionsDoes Healthy Paws cover dental care?
Healthy Paws covers some, but not all, dental care. It will pay for dental injuries due to accidents and for conditions such as stomatitis (an inflammatory disease common in cats) and malocclusion, a misalignment of the teeth. Healthy Paws wont pay for dental cleaning or other preventive care. Learn more about pet dental insurance.
How do I cancel Healthy Paws insurance?
You can cancel a Healthy Paws plan by email, fax, regular mail or phone. In most states, youll 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 doesnt 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 injuries due to accidents and for conditions such as stomatitis (an inflammatory disease common in cats) and malocclusion, a misalignment of the teeth. Healthy Paws wont pay for dental cleaning or other preventive care. Learn more about
pet dental insurance
.
How do I cancel Healthy Paws insurance?
You can cancel a Healthy Paws plan by email, fax, regular mail or phone. In most states, youll 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 doesnt pay for any routine care, including spay and neuter surgery.
