Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review 2022

Healthy Paws ties for No. 5 in our Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2022 rating. Healthy Paws has partnered with the global insurance broker Aon Corporation, and its pet insurance plans are underwritten and issued by the Chubb Group. With Healthy Paws insurance, pet owners get coverage for accidents, illnesses, cancer, emergency care, genetic conditions, dental care, and alternative care, like acupuncture and chiropractic.

With a focus on illness and injury, Healthy Paws – which provides coverage for cats and dogs – offers no annual, lifetime, or per-incident cap on its claims payouts.

Healthy Paws requires a short waiting period of about two weeks before accident and illness coverage kicks in. A 15-day waiting period is not out of the ordinary for companies or agencies in our rating. However, there is a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia for newly insured pets under the age of six.

It can take up to 10 days for most claims to be processed, but you wouldn’t need to fill out claims forms. After a vet visit, you would simply take a photo of the vet bill and submit the image using the Healthy Paws app or through the company website.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer multiple pet discounts, but you’re able to choose any licensed vet as part of its insurance package.

Healthy Paws offers accident and illness pet insurance policies with smartphone-based, form-free claims submissions. It can take about 10 days for claims to be processed and another 24-hours for the reimbursement to be issued.

Healthy Paws’ comprehensive coverage includes treatment for new accidents and illnesses, along with hereditary and congenital conditions (following a waiting period) and chronic conditions. The plan covers cancer, diagnostic treatment, and surgery. Pet owners who purchase Healthy Paws insurance will be reimbursed for some of the expense of covered hospitalizations, medications, and emergency and specialty care.

A stand-out feature of Healthy Paws is its coverage of alternative therapies like acupuncture and chiropractic care for animals. A downside is that vet exam fees are not included.

In most states, there are waiting periods before Healthy Paws coverage kicks in. Your pet must be enrolled in the plan for 15 days before an accident or illness claim and 12 months for hip dysplasia if your animal is younger than six. New Hampshire and Maryland don’t have waiting periods for accidents or illnesses.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance has no caps on payouts, per-incident caps, annual caps, or lifetime caps.

Healthy Paws doesn’t have optional features like some of the other companies and agencies on our Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2022 rating. Despite this, you can customize the premium by changing the reimbursement rate and deductible.

For example, if you want a lower monthly premium, you can reduce the reimbursement level. This means you will pay more for out-of-pocket vet expenses. You can also reduce the cost of premiums by increasing your deductible, this would also raise your out-of-pocket expenses if you needed to go to the vet.

The cost of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance will vary, depending on some of the following factors:

For example, if you have a 1-year-old female mixed-breed dog weighing between 50 and 90 pounds with a 90{35112b74ca1a6bc4decb6697edde3f9edcc1b44915f2ccb9995df8df6b4364bc} reimbursement rate and a $500 annual deductible, you will pay $44.37 per month. For an under 1-year-old male domestic shorthair cat with the same policy, the cost would be $16.54 per month.
Learn more about what might determine how much you pay for a policy in our How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost? guide.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer multi-pet discounts like some of the other companies in our rating. With this insurance, you will pay for exam fees, and preventive care is not covered.

Both Pets Best and Healthy Paws offer pet insurance coverage for cats and dogs only. Neither insurer offers coverage for exotic pets, like rabbits or reptiles. Both companies say they offer an easy claims process that enables customers to submit a photo of their vet bill through either the company app or website.

Pets Best and Healthy Paws generally have similar waiting periods for illnesses before the policy provides coverage, but Pets Best has a three-day waiting period for accidents while Health Paws has a 15-day waiting period. Both insurers have an exception for specific conditions. Pets Best requires a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions, and Healthy Paws has a one-year waiting period for hip dysplasia.

Both companies offer plans without limits on claim payouts, although Pets Best also offers plans with coverage limits. While Pets Best usually takes five to seven days to pay out a claim, Healthy Paws quotes its customers from two to 10 days to process the claim.

Unlike most pet insurers, Nationwide offers coverage for exotic pets, including rabbits and birds, as well as cats and dogs. Healthy Paws insures only dogs and cats. Another thing that sets Nationwide pet insurance apart from Healthy Paws is that it offers plans that include wellness.

Nationwide offers policies that include a variety of care including acupuncture, while Healthy Paws offers alternative care and genetic conditions coverage in all its plans. Nationwide has reimbursement caps for different conditions but Healthy Paws says it has no coverage limits, including per injury caps. Both insurers allow you to use your own vets as long as they are licensed.

You can get a quote from Healthy Paws in just a few seconds by filling out a form online using your pet’s breed, gender, name, ZIP code, and your email. Then you can decide whether or not you want to purchase a pet insurance policy through the company.

If you’re still on the fence about pet insurance, you can learn more in our Is Pet Insurance Worth it? guide to help you decide if it’s right for you.

In most states, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance plans have a waiting period of 15 days after the policy’s effective date for accident and illness claims, which is the day after you enroll. After that, you can submit claims. If your pet is younger than age six, there is a 12-month waiting period for illness related to hip dysplasia. There are no waiting periods in Maryland and New Hampshire, but check your policy for verification.

Healthy Paws doesn’t offer a wellness plan for routine veterinarian visits such as vaccinations or check-ups.

Pre-existing conditions are not covered by Healthy Paws insurance.

Healthy Paws policies do not cover the cost of spaying or neutering your pet.

Healthy Paws does not cover the cost of dental cleaning, nor does the company cover pre-existing dental issues or treatment for periodontal issues due to lack of preventive care. However, Healthy Paws does cover dental injuries caused by accidents, such as a tooth chipped by gnawing on a toy.

The policy also covers these dental issues:

To contact Healthy Paws customer service, call Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST. Alternatively, fill out an email form and a representative will respond. Healthy Paws says you can handle nearly all account management issues online.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance doesn’t have coverage limits, such as per-incident limits or annual or lifetime caps. This could reduce your out-of-pocket financial responsibilities compared to policies that do have payment limits.

Healthy Paws has an annual deductible. All claims related to accidents, illnesses, and injuries go toward the deductible.

To file a claim with Healthy Paws, send the company the paid veterinary invoice through its online customer service center or the Healthy Paws app. Healthy Paws also accept claims through email, fax, or mail.

To follow up on a claim or ask questions, you can email the company. You do not need a claim form; simply take a picture of the invoice and upload it. However, if you prefer to use a form, there is a template in the My Account section of the Customer Center.

Healthy Paws processes claims within 10 days, and you can expect reimbursement within 24 hours. If you choose to receive a check, allow for up to 10 days for reimbursement. How quickly direct deposit reimbursements land in your account depends on your bank.

You can cancel a Healthy Paws policy via mail, fax, email, or phone. The company asks for notification at least 14 days before your next premium payment.

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