New Hampshire is a state with beautiful landscapes, strong seasons, and a unique and independent culture. And to many New Hampshire residents, a furry friend has become an indispensable part of the family. Whether you love to hike with your dog every weekend or curl up with your cat on a cold winter’s night, if you’re a pet owner in New Hampshire, you’ll want to give them the best life possible. Pet Insurance usually costs about $20–100 a month in New Hampshire, but with so many plans, you have quite the range of options. Here are quick reviews of fifteen of the biggest pet insurers in New Hampshire right now.
A Quick Look at the Winners for 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Figo
Few exclusions
Covers curable existing conditions
Fast processing
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Best Value
Lemonade
Fast claim processing
Lower cost
Multi pet discount
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Trupanion
$0 deductible option
Two day average processing
Coverage from birth
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Embrace
10% multi-pet discount
Lots of customization options
Excellent coverage
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Pet’s Best
Great price for coverage
No lifetime limits
5% multi-pet discount
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Our 15 Pet Insurance Reviews in New Hampshire
- Figo — Best Overall
Compare Figo Plans There’s no one perfect insurance, but Figo is pretty close. Figo Pet Insurance is a high-coverage plan with a low price, including covering curable pre-existing conditions after 1 year free of treatment. This company also has a lot of options to let you customize our plan. Reimbursement rates go from 70% up to 100%, and you can set a max payout cap as low as $5,000 or give it an unlimited cap. You can also choose your deductible, with options between $100 and $750. Pets can be enrolled at any age, and there’s a discount for enrolling multiple pets. They also have a great service reputation and claims that process in only 3 days on average. There are a few odd rules and exclusions, so it’s important to read through the plan before you purchase. You also need to pay an extra fee for exams, which many owners might not like.
Pros
Few exclusions
Covers curable existing conditions
Fast processing
Multi-pet discount
No maximum age for enrollment
Cons
A few odd exclusions
Extra fee to cover exam fees
- Lemonade — Best Value
Compare Lemonade Plans Lemonade is a new competitor when it comes to pet insurance, but they have a good record in other types of insurance and some of the best prices you can find. Lemonade uses AI-driven software to process claims faster and cheaper than other alternatives, averaging only two days to process. They offer 70–90% reimbursement rates and deductibles start at $100 and go to $500. There are many different options for maximum payout limits to help you control your price too. Although they are lower cost, several coverage types must be added on, including wellness, exam, and physical therapy coverage.
Pros
Fast claim processing
Lower cost
Multi pet discount
Optional wellness, exam and physical therapy coverage
Cons
Some breed restrictions
Doesn’t cover behavioral therapies
Newer to industry
- Trupanion
Compare Trupanion Plans Trupanion is a little more expensive than many options on this list, but it does have some perks that can make the cost worth it. These include a 24/7 customer service team, a great reputation, and coverage starting at birth. Claims process quickly, taking two days on average. They also cover some pre-existing conditions that most insurance companies don’t. One thing that makes Trupanion stand out is that there is a $0 deductible option, so that you can get coverage right away. You can choose your deductible and max payout, but reimbursement rates are set at 90%.
Pros
$0 deductible option
Two day average processing
Coverage from birth
Covers some pre-existing conditions
24/7 Customer Service
Cons
Must enroll before 14
Doesn’t cover exam fees or wellness care
Only one option (90%) reimbursement rate
- Embrace
Compare Embrace Plans Embrace is on the more expensive side of pet insurance options, but your money doesn’t go to waste. You get a high degree of coverage through their care and many perks that other plans don’t. This includes behavioral therapies and alternative therapy treatments for dogs. Dental care and exam fees are also covered. Embrace also covers curable pre-existing conditions after one year free from treatment. There isn’t an upper age limit on enrollment, but it doesn’t cover illness on dogs enrolled after 14 years of age.
Embrace can be made more or less comprehensive through a range of options. Reimbursement rates range from 70–90% and maximum payout options start at $5,000 and go up, including unlimited payout. Deductibles start at $200 and the highest deductible is $1,000. Embrace has a good customer service reputation and is average on processing speed, with claims taking five days on average.
Compare Figo Plans
There’s no one perfect insurance, but Figo is pretty close. Figo Pet Insurance is a high-coverage plan with a low price, including covering curable pre-existing conditions after 1 year free of treatment. This company also has a lot of options to let you customize our plan. Reimbursement rates go from 70% up to 100%, and you can set a max payout cap as low as $5,000 or give it an unlimited cap. You can also choose your deductible, with options between $100 and $750. Pets can be enrolled at any age, and there’s a discount for enrolling multiple pets. They also have a great service reputation and claims that process in only 3 days on average. There are a few odd rules and exclusions, so it’s important to read through the plan before you purchase. You also need to pay an extra fee for exams, which many owners might not like.
Few exclusions
Covers curable existing conditions
Fast processing
Multi-pet discount
No maximum age for enrollment
- Few exclusions
- Covers curable existing conditions
- Fast processing
- Multi-pet discount
- No maximum age for enrollment
A few odd exclusions
Extra fee to cover exam fees
- A few odd exclusions
- Extra fee to cover exam fees
Compare Lemonade Plans
Lemonade is a new competitor when it comes to pet insurance, but they have a good record in other types of insurance and some of the best prices you can find. Lemonade uses AI-driven software to process claims faster and cheaper than other alternatives, averaging only two days to process. They offer 70–90% reimbursement rates and deductibles start at $100 and go to $500. There are many different options for maximum payout limits to help you control your price too. Although they are lower cost, several coverage types must be added on, including wellness, exam, and physical therapy coverage.
Fast claim processing
Lower cost
Multi pet discount
Optional wellness, exam and physical therapy coverage
- Fast claim processing
- Lower cost
- Multi pet discount
- Optional wellness, exam and physical therapy coverage
Some breed restrictions
Doesn’t cover behavioral therapies
Newer to industry
- Some breed restrictions
- Doesn’t cover behavioral therapies
- Newer to industry
Compare Trupanion Plans
Trupanion is a little more expensive than many options on this list, but it does have some perks that can make the cost worth it. These include a 24/7 customer service team, a great reputation, and coverage starting at birth. Claims process quickly, taking two days on average. They also cover some pre-existing conditions that most insurance companies don’t. One thing that makes Trupanion stand out is that there is a $0 deductible option, so that you can get coverage right away. You can choose your deductible and max payout, but reimbursement rates are set at 90%.
$0 deductible option
Two day average processing
Coverage from birth
Covers some pre-existing conditions
24/7 Customer Service
- $0 deductible option
- Two day average processing
- Coverage from birth
- Covers some pre-existing conditions
- 24/7 Customer Service
Must enroll before 14
Doesn’t cover exam fees or wellness care
Only one option (90%) reimbursement rate
- Must enroll before 14
- Doesn’t cover exam fees or wellness care
- Only one option (90%) reimbursement rate
Compare Embrace Plans
Embrace is on the more expensive side of pet insurance options, but your money doesn’t go to waste. You get a high degree of coverage through their care and many perks that other plans don’t. This includes behavioral therapies and alternative therapy treatments for dogs. Dental care and exam fees are also covered. Embrace also covers curable pre-existing conditions after one year free from treatment. There isn’t an upper age limit on enrollment, but it doesn’t cover illness on dogs enrolled after 14 years of age.
Pros
10% multi-pet discount
Lots of customization options
Excellent coverage
Covers behavioral, dental, exam fees, and more
Covers curable pre-existing conditions
Cons
Expensive
Must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
Only average processing speed
- Pet’s Best
Compare Pets Best Plans Pet’s Best is a great option that provides good coverage at a lower price than many competitors. This company has multiple customer support options and allows you to e-file and set up a direct payment option. However, they are a little slower than other companies, taking about 10–30 days. They offer two maximum payout options, $5,000 or unlimited, and deductibles between $50 and $1,000. Reimbursement rates are 70%, 80%, or 90%. If you can afford an extra wait, the lower prices are a great deal.
Pros
Great price for coverage
No lifetime limits
5% multi-pet discount
Lots of filing options
Cons
Slow processing (10–30 days)
No alternative therapy coverage
- AKC
Compare AKC Plans AKC Pet Insurance is owned by the American Kennel Club, one of the biggest and most well-known dog show clubs in the world. Because of this, it’s geared towards purebred dogs, with lots of coverage options for breeds that aren’t always insured. It does have options for mixed breeds as well, though. Wellness coverage and some other coverage types must be purchased separately. Many hereditary conditions require an extra fee and enrollment before age two in order to receive coverage. Deductibles vary from $100—$1,000 and coverage ranges from 70% to 90%. This insurer doesn’t require vet records to enroll, which can be nice. Processing speed is average, with most claims paid within one week.
Pros
No vet records required to enroll
Covers many breeds that other insurers exclude
Multi-pet discount
Can cover many hereditary conditions with extra add-on
Cons
Must purchase exam and hereditary condition coverage separately
Average processing speed (7 days)
- USAA
Compare USAA Plans USAA pet insurance policies might look a little familiar to you—that’s because they’re administered by Embrace pet insurance, with very few differences. Most of the time, we don’t see the point in going through a separate company, but if you already have other insurance through USAA, it might be worth going through them to keep all your insurance in one place.
This pet insurance has an excellent reputation, with average processing speed of around 5 days. They have a big range of prices available depending on the rates you choose, with reimbursement rates of 70% to 90% and deductibles that start at $200 and go up to $1,000. There are also several maximum payout limits starting at $5,000 and going up to unlimited.
10% multi-pet discount
Lots of customization options
Excellent coverage
Covers behavioral, dental, exam fees, and more
Covers curable pre-existing conditions
- 10% multi-pet discount
- Lots of customization options
- Excellent coverage
- Covers behavioral, dental, exam fees, and more
- Covers curable pre-existing conditions
Expensive
Must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
Only average processing speed
- Expensive
- Must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
- Only average processing speed
Compare Pets Best Plans
Pet’s Best is a great option that provides good coverage at a lower price than many competitors. This company has multiple customer support options and allows you to e-file and set up a direct payment option. However, they are a little slower than other companies, taking about 10–30 days. They offer two maximum payout options, $5,000 or unlimited, and deductibles between $50 and $1,000. Reimbursement rates are 70%, 80%, or 90%. If you can afford an extra wait, the lower prices are a great deal.
Great price for coverage
No lifetime limits
5% multi-pet discount
Lots of filing options
- Great price for coverage
- No lifetime limits
- 5% multi-pet discount
- Lots of filing options
Slow processing (10–30 days)
No alternative therapy coverage
- Slow processing (10–30 days)
- No alternative therapy coverage
Compare AKC Plans
AKC Pet Insurance is owned by the American Kennel Club, one of the biggest and most well-known dog show clubs in the world. Because of this, it’s geared towards purebred dogs, with lots of coverage options for breeds that aren’t always insured. It does have options for mixed breeds as well, though. Wellness coverage and some other coverage types must be purchased separately. Many hereditary conditions require an extra fee and enrollment before age two in order to receive coverage. Deductibles vary from $100—$1,000 and coverage ranges from 70% to 90%. This insurer doesn’t require vet records to enroll, which can be nice. Processing speed is average, with most claims paid within one week.
No vet records required to enroll
Covers many breeds that other insurers exclude
Multi-pet discount
Can cover many hereditary conditions with extra add-on
- No vet records required to enroll
- Covers many breeds that other insurers exclude
- Multi-pet discount
- Can cover many hereditary conditions with extra add-on
Must purchase exam and hereditary condition coverage separately
Average processing speed (7 days)
- Must purchase exam and hereditary condition coverage separately
- Average processing speed (7 days)
Compare USAA Plans
USAA pet insurance policies might look a little familiar to you—that’s because they’re administered by Embrace pet insurance, with very few differences. Most of the time, we don’t see the point in going through a separate company, but if you already have other insurance through USAA, it might be worth going through them to keep all your insurance in one place.
Pros
Multi-pet discount of 10%
Lots of deductible, reimbursement, and payout options
Excellent coverage
Cons
Few reasons to choose over Embrace
Pricier
Pets must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
- Geico
Compare Geico Plans Like USAA, Geico also does its pet insurance through Embrace, so it doesn’t really matter which company you go through originally. This pet insurance is like Embrace in that it has high coverage but is a little bit more expensive than many options. They have reimbursement rates of 70–90%, deductibles of $200–1,000, and max payout limits of $5,000 and up. These options can help you figure out a good option that will help you stay within your budget.
- Progressive
Compare Progressive Plans Like the last two entries on this list, Progressive doesn’t have a unique pet insurance service; instead, it offers insurance through Pets Best. That means that its customer service, processing times, and coverage options are similar to Pets Best. Progressive offers three basic plans, an accident-only plan, an accident and illness plan, and an accident, illness, and wellness plan. Like Pets Best, they are a great price for their coverage and have good customer support, but their processing tends to take longer, about 10–30 days.
Pros
Coverage through Pets Best with a few slight differences
Several coverage levels and options
Great price for coverage
Lots of customer support and filing options
Cons
Slower (10–30 day) claims processing
Few benefits over using Pets Best directly
No alternative therapy coverage
- ASPCA
Compare ASPCA Plans ASPCA can be very cheap or very expensive depending on the coverage option you choose. It offers accident-only or accident and illness coverage as well as an optional add-on for wellness coverage. It does cover exam fees, behavioral therapies, and alternative therapies, which many options don’t. They have deductibles between $100 and $500 and reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, or 90%. Depending on which options you choose, your price can vary, but they tend to give the best coverage for your dollar near the middle of their range. Some customers have complained about their customer service and lower than expected reimbursements. In addition, ASPCA is slower than many companies, processing claims within 30 days.
Pros
Covers behavioral therapies
Covers exam fees
Covers alternative therapies
Optional wellness plan
Lots of customization
Cons
Some customer complaints
Slow processing (30 days)
Not always best price
- Healthy Paws
Compare Healthy Paws Plans If you want fast, Healthy Paws might be your best choice. With an average of only two days to process claims and a reputation for great Customer Service, they are a good choice for many owners who can’t wait weeks for a claim to go through. They are fairly low priced, but they do have some restrictions that we don’t love. They have some coverage restrictions on pets enrolled after age six, and they don’t cover most pre-existing conditions. They also don’t have behavioral therapies, alternative treatment options, or exam fees. They have lower deductibles, between $100 and $250, and reimbursement rates between 50% and 90%. All their plans have unlimited payouts.
Pros
Fast processing (2 days)
Lots of price and coverage points
Fairly low prices
Cons
No alternative or behavioral therapy coverage
No pre-existing condition coverage
No exam fee coverage
Restrictions on pets enrolled after six
- Hartville
Compare Hartville Plans Hartville Pet Insurance is underwritten by the same company as the ASPCA, so it has very similar conditions, although there are some differences. Like the ASPCA, Hartville has had some customer service complaints in the past. It has a wide range of coverage options, with reimbursement ranging from 70% to 90%, a deductible of $100 to $500, and maximum payout options going up to $10,000.They do cover behavioral therapies and exam fees and have an optional wellness plan. Claim repayments are a little slower, taking up to 30 days to process.
Pros
No upper age limit
Optional wellness plan
Covers behavioral therapies and exam fees
Several price points available
Cons
Slow repayment (30 days)
Customer service complaints
No unlimited payout option
- Pumpkin
Compare Pumpkin Plans Pumpkin is a new pet insurance company, which makes it hard to tell how its customer service, average claim speed, and coverage measures up. They do have some nifty features like an easy online customer portal, but their service team has limited hours from Monday to Friday. They also tend to be a little pricier than their competitors on many breeds. They offer a flat 90% coverage rate, with several options available for deductible and max payout amounts.
Pros
10% multi-pet discount
Easy online customer portal
Cons
Higher prices for many breeds
New company without strong history
No flexibility in coverage amount (set to 90%)
No weekend customer service
- Nationwide
Compare Nationwide Plans Nationwide is a lower-priced pet insurance, but it does have fairly limited coverage to match. Its cutoff age is at 10 years—lower than most competitors, and it doesn’t cover any hereditary disorders, congenital disorders, or pre-existing conditions. Behavioral therapies are available in some plans. It has a $250 deductible and payout amounts of between 50% and 90%. Payout limits vary by condition. One positive of Nationwide is that it offers exotic pet insurance. It is fairly fast in processing, with claims taking four days on average.
Pros
Lower price
Exotic pet insurance
Four-day claim processing
Behavioral therapies covered in some plans
Cons
Doesn’t cover hereditary, congenital, pre-existing disorders
Enrollment cap at 10 years old
Many customer complaints
Payout limit by condition
- Bivvy
Compare Bivvy Plans Bivvy is a newer pet insurance company that operates on a cheap, simple, no-frills coverage concept. They have a flat rate for all eligible pets—in New Hampshire it’s $14 a month—that isn’t dependent on age, size, breed, or sex. This is a very low price, but the level of coverage is lower, with lots of exclusions and a lower reimbursement rate of only 50%. In addition, Bivvy has a maximum annual payout of $3,500 in New Hampshire and a lifetime limit of $25,000. They do cover many hereditary and congenital conditions and pre-existing conditions without recent symptoms, but the lower coverage amount means you’ll still have to pay a good chunk out of pocket.
Pros
Flat, low price
Covers many hereditary and congenital conditions
Optional wellness add-on
Cons
$3,500 annual limit and $25,000 lifetime limit
No customization
More exclusions
Only 50% coverage rate
Buyers Guide: What to Look for in Pet Insurance in New Hampshire
There’s not one right pet insurer for every home, and it’s important to look at your dog’s needs and your budget to see what’s worth the cost. The coverage your dog is likely to use depends on age, breed, and other factors.
Multi-pet discount of 10%
Lots of deductible, reimbursement, and payout options
Excellent coverage
- Multi-pet discount of 10%
- Lots of deductible, reimbursement, and payout options
- Excellent coverage
Few reasons to choose over Embrace
Pricier
Pets must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
- Few reasons to choose over Embrace
- Pricier
- Pets must enroll before 14 for illness coverage
Compare Geico Plans
Like USAA, Geico also does its pet insurance through Embrace, so it doesn’t really matter which company you go through originally. This pet insurance is like Embrace in that it has high coverage but is a little bit more expensive than many options. They have reimbursement rates of 70–90%, deductibles of $200–1,000, and max payout limits of $5,000 and up. These options can help you figure out a good option that will help you stay within your budget.
Compare Progressive Plans
Like the last two entries on this list, Progressive doesn’t have a unique pet insurance service; instead, it offers insurance through Pets Best. That means that its customer service, processing times, and coverage options are similar to Pets Best. Progressive offers three basic plans, an accident-only plan, an accident and illness plan, and an accident, illness, and wellness plan. Like Pets Best, they are a great price for their coverage and have good customer support, but their processing tends to take longer, about 10–30 days.
Coverage through Pets Best with a few slight differences
Several coverage levels and options
Great price for coverage
Lots of customer support and filing options
- Coverage through Pets Best with a few slight differences
- Several coverage levels and options
- Great price for coverage
- Lots of customer support and filing options
Slower (10–30 day) claims processing
Few benefits over using Pets Best directly
No alternative therapy coverage
- Slower (10–30 day) claims processing
- Few benefits over using Pets Best directly
- No alternative therapy coverage
Compare ASPCA Plans
ASPCA can be very cheap or very expensive depending on the coverage option you choose. It offers accident-only or accident and illness coverage as well as an optional add-on for wellness coverage. It does cover exam fees, behavioral therapies, and alternative therapies, which many options don’t. They have deductibles between $100 and $500 and reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, or 90%. Depending on which options you choose, your price can vary, but they tend to give the best coverage for your dollar near the middle of their range. Some customers have complained about their customer service and lower than expected reimbursements. In addition, ASPCA is slower than many companies, processing claims within 30 days.
Covers behavioral therapies
Covers exam fees
Covers alternative therapies
Optional wellness plan
Lots of customization
- Covers behavioral therapies
- Covers exam fees
- Covers alternative therapies
- Optional wellness plan
- Lots of customization
Some customer complaints
Slow processing (30 days)
Not always best price
- Some customer complaints
- Slow processing (30 days)
- Not always best price
Compare Healthy Paws Plans
If you want fast, Healthy Paws might be your best choice. With an average of only two days to process claims and a reputation for great Customer Service, they are a good choice for many owners who can’t wait weeks for a claim to go through. They are fairly low priced, but they do have some restrictions that we don’t love. They have some coverage restrictions on pets enrolled after age six, and they don’t cover most pre-existing conditions. They also don’t have behavioral therapies, alternative treatment options, or exam fees. They have lower deductibles, between $100 and $250, and reimbursement rates between 50% and 90%. All their plans have unlimited payouts.
Fast processing (2 days)
Lots of price and coverage points
Fairly low prices
- Fast processing (2 days)
- Lots of price and coverage points
- Fairly low prices
No alternative or behavioral therapy coverage
No pre-existing condition coverage
No exam fee coverage
Restrictions on pets enrolled after six
- No alternative or behavioral therapy coverage
- No pre-existing condition coverage
- No exam fee coverage
- Restrictions on pets enrolled after six
Compare Hartville Plans
Hartville Pet Insurance is underwritten by the same company as the ASPCA, so it has very similar conditions, although there are some differences. Like the ASPCA, Hartville has had some customer service complaints in the past. It has a wide range of coverage options, with reimbursement ranging from 70% to 90%, a deductible of $100 to $500, and maximum payout options going up to $10,000.They do cover behavioral therapies and exam fees and have an optional wellness plan. Claim repayments are a little slower, taking up to 30 days to process.
No upper age limit
Optional wellness plan
Covers behavioral therapies and exam fees
Several price points available
- No upper age limit
- Optional wellness plan
- Covers behavioral therapies and exam fees
- Several price points available
Slow repayment (30 days)
Customer service complaints
No unlimited payout option
- Slow repayment (30 days)
- Customer service complaints
- No unlimited payout option
Compare Pumpkin Plans
Pumpkin is a new pet insurance company, which makes it hard to tell how its customer service, average claim speed, and coverage measures up. They do have some nifty features like an easy online customer portal, but their service team has limited hours from Monday to Friday. They also tend to be a little pricier than their competitors on many breeds. They offer a flat 90% coverage rate, with several options available for deductible and max payout amounts.
10% multi-pet discount
Easy online customer portal
- 10% multi-pet discount
- Easy online customer portal
Higher prices for many breeds
New company without strong history
No flexibility in coverage amount (set to 90%)
No weekend customer service
- Higher prices for many breeds
- New company without strong history
- No flexibility in coverage amount (set to 90%)
- No weekend customer service
Compare Nationwide Plans
Nationwide is a lower-priced pet insurance, but it does have fairly limited coverage to match. Its cutoff age is at 10 years—lower than most competitors, and it doesn’t cover any hereditary disorders, congenital disorders, or pre-existing conditions. Behavioral therapies are available in some plans. It has a $250 deductible and payout amounts of between 50% and 90%. Payout limits vary by condition. One positive of Nationwide is that it offers exotic pet insurance. It is fairly fast in processing, with claims taking four days on average.
Lower price
Exotic pet insurance
Four-day claim processing
Behavioral therapies covered in some plans
- Lower price
- Exotic pet insurance
- Four-day claim processing
- Behavioral therapies covered in some plans
Doesn’t cover hereditary, congenital, pre-existing disorders
Enrollment cap at 10 years old
Many customer complaints
Payout limit by condition
- Doesn’t cover hereditary, congenital, pre-existing disorders
- Enrollment cap at 10 years old
- Many customer complaints
- Payout limit by condition
Compare Bivvy Plans
Bivvy is a newer pet insurance company that operates on a cheap, simple, no-frills coverage concept. They have a flat rate for all eligible pets—in New Hampshire it’s $14 a month—that isn’t dependent on age, size, breed, or sex. This is a very low price, but the level of coverage is lower, with lots of exclusions and a lower reimbursement rate of only 50%. In addition, Bivvy has a maximum annual payout of $3,500 in New Hampshire and a lifetime limit of $25,000. They do cover many hereditary and congenital conditions and pre-existing conditions without recent symptoms, but the lower coverage amount means you’ll still have to pay a good chunk out of pocket.
Flat, low price
Covers many hereditary and congenital conditions
Optional wellness add-on
- Flat, low price
- Covers many hereditary and congenital conditions
- Optional wellness add-on
$3,500 annual limit and $25,000 lifetime limit
No customization
More exclusions
Only 50% coverage rate
- $3,500 annual limit and $25,000 lifetime limit
- No customization
- More exclusions
- Only 50% coverage rate
Policy Coverage
If your dog’s breed is prone to certain health conditions, it’s important to check coverage. Dogs that spend time outdoors in all weather conditions are also more likely to have some health issues and become injured. Some extra coverage isn’t worth the cost, however; many “wellness plans” are actually more expensive than just paying out of pocket for the things they cover. If your dog has any health problems already or requires special care such as prescription medication, make sure to read the fine print to see what coverage you can expect.
Customer Service & Reputation
A company with a good customer service reputation is vital, but when looking at online reviews, it’s important to remember that people skew toward complaints and that no company will have a perfect reputation. Look for reviews that point out the same issue repeatedly.
Also look for customer service availability. If they don’t have 24/7 customer service, are the hours something that you can work with? Do they have customer service by phone, email, or text chat? In an emergency, being able to talk to your insurance can be important, but having limited hours isn’t always a dealbreaker.
Claim Repayment
Most pet insurance companies require you to pay for the initial vet care and then submit a claim for reimbursement. If your budget allows for large emergency expenses, that might not be a big deal. But if you can’t afford to pay a thousand dollars and then wait for a check to come back, you’ll want to find a company with a reputation for quick turnaround. There are many companies that will process most claims in under three days. This will help you keep your finances in order in the event of an emergency. Also check whether they pay you back through a mailed check, direct deposit, or another means.
Price of Policy
Policy price depends on coverage, deductibles, maximum payout, reimbursement rates, and many other factors. In New Hampshire, you might see coverage for as low as $10 a month for basic accident coverage or as high as $125 for more comprehensive coverage. When you’re comparing plans, consider what you’re likely to use and how much risk you can afford to take on when it comes to reimbursement rates and maximum payouts.
Plan Customization
Some companies offer more or less customization. The main way that companies allow you to customize is through changing your reimbursement rates, maximum payout, and deductible. Some companies also let you add on additional coverage, such as a wellness package or exam fee coverage, for an extra fee.
What Are Deductibles, Maximum Payouts, and Reimbursement Rates?
When paying for vet care, the amount you’ll pay out of pocket depends on three things—your deductible, maximum payout, and reimbursement rate (sometimes just called a coverage rate). You have to pay your full deductible before your insurance pays for anything. This amount is often between $100 and $1,000, with a few exceptions. From there, you and the insurance company split the cost. The amount your insurance pays depends on the reimbursement rate. Most often, they pay 70–90% depending on the plan you choose. If your vet care costs are extremely high, you might hit the maximum annual payout, which is usually $5,000 or higher. Once your insurance has given you that amount, you’re on the hook for any more bills that year.
Can I Insure My Older Pet?
If you insure your dog when it is younger, that insurance should last forever. However, if you leave it until later in life, you might find your options limited. There are companies that insure pets of any age, but prices are often higher. Other companies won’t cover certain conditions if a pet is enrolled as a senior. Many companies have a cutoff of around 12 years of age, but this can vary.
Are Wellness Plans and Add-ons Worth It?
Wellness plans are a common add-on that gives you coverage for routine care such as annual check-ups, vaccinations, and other basic pet care. In some cases, this is a great way to save on money, but in many cases, it isn’t worth the cost. If you’re considering a wellness plan, call your vet and tally up how much that routine care would cost out of pocket. In many cases, Wellness Plans don’t save you money.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
Although there’s not a perfect company, there are quite a few that we love more than others. These reviews can help you narrow down your list. We chose Figo as the best overall insurance company, with great coverage, fast service, and good prices. If you want your dollar to stretch as far as possible, Lemonade was our favorite value choice, offering good service and much lower than average prices. And Trupanion was our premium choice, with a little higher costs but unbeatable coverage.
Conclusion
Pet insurance is a big choice, but we hope this article helps you know all your choices. New Hampshire pet owners have many different options to protect their loved ones. Although there are too many to cover here, we hope our reviews of fifteen popular companies can give you a good starting point.
Featured Image Credit: Drazen Zigic, Shutterstock
