Petplan Pet Insurance Review

Important note: The Dodo has rebranded Petplan to Fetch. All the information below is still accurate—the product is the same.

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If you have a dog or cat, you know keeping your pet healthy can be expensive. Surgeries and other treatments can cost thousands of dollars each year, especially if your pet develops chronic conditions.

Just as you need health insurance for yourself, getting pet insurance for your furry friend may also make sense. Petplan pet insurance provides policies with reimbursement for services including dental and medical therapies.

This Petplan pet insurance review can help you determine whether this provider is right for you.

In this review:

• Petplan pet insurance: Costs & coverage
• Pros & cons of a Petplan insurance policy
• How to get a Petplan policy
• Customer service
• Where to find Petplan alternatives

Petplan pet insurance: Costs & coverage

Petplan Pet Insurance
Eligible pets	Dogs & cats
Age limits	At least 6 weeks old
Benefit limit	$5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, $25,000, or unlimited
Deductibles	$250 – $1,000

Petplan pet health insurance has been available in the United States since 2001, with the company focused on providing coverage for dogs and cats.

Petplan is incorporated under the name Fetch Inc., and policies are underwritten by XL Specialty Insurance Company. Petplan has an A.M. Best rating of A and provides customizable pet insurance plans.

Petplan pet health insurance provides comprehensive coverage for care, including dental coverage for oral diseases and injuries. On top of that, you can get a plan that covers behavioral treatment, so your pets can be treated for disorders including separation anxiety.

Petplan is known for its lax age limits. Some providers have an upper age limit for animals they’ll insure, but Petplan dog and cat insurance won’t cut you off or deny coverage based on age.

What does Petplan pet insurance cover?

Petplan insurance offers lifelong and comprehensive coverage for many pet health conditions, including chronic conditions and hereditary diseases. As long as you meet policy requirements, your coverage can include diagnostic and treatment costs.

Depending on your plan, you might access coverage for alternative therapies (including acupuncture) and behavioral therapies (such as for separation anxiety).

If you get a policy with an annual limit of at least $15,000, you can get additional Petplan pet health insurance coverage for such items as:

• Travel reimbursement if you have to cut your trip short due to your pet’s illness or injury
• Advertisement and reward payment for a lost or stolen pet
• Cost to board your pet if you’re sick or injured and need a place for them to stay
• Reimbursement if your pet is lost or stolen and isn’t found

Petplan health insurance distinguishes between curable and incurable conditions, so check your policy and limits so you know what to expect.

Waiting periods for coverage

Waiting periods exist for certain conditions and treatments, and you might have to jump through additional hoops for preexisting conditions.

Consider your pet’s situation and decide whether the waiting periods and delays might cause undue problems. However, in some of these situations, Petplan health insurance offers better coverage than you might see with other plans, so shopping around is also important.

All breeds of dogs and cats older than six weeks are eligible for coverage, and care is covered for any veterinarian in the U.S. or Canada.

One of the notable coverages missing from Petplan insurance is a wellness plan. You can’t get coverage for preventative visits and regular checkups. However, with Petplan dog insurance, you must get these checkups to maintain your coverage.

How much does Petplan pet insurance cost?

As with any other health insurance policy, what you pay for pet insurance depends on several factors, including:

• Pet’s age
• Pet’s breed
• Amount of coverage
• Deductible and copay
• Pre-existing conditions
• Incurable versus curable conditions

Petplan insurance prides itself on providing customizable plans. You can choose your coverage level from as low as $5,000. Annual deductibles range from $250 to $1,000. You can also choose different reimbursement levels.

The ability to customize your plan allows you to figure out what will best fit your pet’s needs and your budget.

>> Read More: Is pet insurance worth the cost?

Pros & cons of Petplan insurance

Consider the benefits and downsides before taking out a policy through Petplan.

Pros

• Immediate 5% discount for purchasing coverage online.

• Additional discounts for microchipping, medical service animals, and taking out policies for multiple pets.

• 2% discount on premiums for each 12-month period without making a claim, up to a maximum 10% discount.

• Petplan covers exam fees for sick visits, which might not be available with other providers.

• Use Petplan’s app to make claims on your iOS or Android mobile device. 

• Flexibility: 3 main tiers of coverage are bronze, silver, and gold. Various benefits are available depending on the level and coverage limit you select.

• Petplan insurance features additional coverage options depending on your plan. Options could include the cost to board your pet while you’re sick and reimbursement to advertise a lost pet and pay a reward when your pet is found.

• Most claims paid within a week.

• AARP members can get a discount on premiums.

Cons

• Some consumer Petplan pet insurance reviews indicate dissatisfaction with recent premium increases. Be aware of these issues before you sign up.

• Must fulfill requirements for coverage to kick in, such as taking your pet to the vet within 48 hours of injury or illness.

• If you get Petplan dog insurance, they’ll need regular health and dental checkups, which aren’t covered.

• You can’t get a wellness plan with Petplan insurance, so regular well visits are out of pocket.

How to get a Petplan policy

You can apply for a policy online in minutes. Just supply Petplan with your location and your pet’s name, breed, and age. You can then choose from three policy tiers (the price of which will vary based on your pet and location).

However, you can also customize your plan by choosing a higher or lower maximum annual payout and deductible to get the monthly premiums you desire.

Your coverage will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time the day after you elect your policy and remit your first payment.

Where is Petplan insurance available?

Petplan insurance is available in all 50 states and in Canada. You can use coverage from this pet insurance company at any vet in the U.S. and Canada.

Petplan customer service

The average rating for Petplan insurance on Pet Insurance Review is 9.2 out of 10. 

• You can call Petplan at 1-866-467-3875, 24 hours a day.
• You can send an email through the Petplan website contact form.
• Petplan pet insurance offers live chat on its website.

Where to find Petplan alternatives

Petplan health insurance can be a solid choice for comprehensive coverage for illness and injury. However, you must look elsewhere for coverage if you want a wellness plan. Petplan doesn’t offer this type of protection.

You can see how Petplan stacks up to other companies on our Best Pet Insurance Companies page or check out our reviews of other pet insurance companies. For a more direct comparison, check out our guide on Petplan vs. Healthy Paws.