How does Paw Protect pet insurance work?
Just use the Paw Protect website to submit a claim once you’ve created an account. Here you can also keep on top of your Wellness Rewards – an add-on that will reimburse you for things like grooming costs and routine veterinary charges.
The benefits of Paw Protect pet insurance
What makes Paw Protect literally unique is that when you join, you are given the options of accessing a $2,000 interest-free line of credit on a virtual Visa card through Paytient, meaning that if you need to, you can pay your vet straight away. But this is only one of numerous benefits: for every year you don’t make a claim, for example, Paw Protect will take $50 off your deductible. Speaking of deductibles, they have a wide range of them, as well as a good range of annual coverage choices.
Paw Protect plans explained
It couldn’t get much simpler than Paw Protect. They offer one comprehensive accident and illness plan that allows you to choose your reimbursement, coverage and annual deductible figures. Rather than offering huge choices they make it simple: annual coverage is either $5,000, $10,000 or Unlimited, the reimbursement options are 70, 80 or 90%, and the deductibles are $100, $250 or $500.
What does Paw Protect insurance cover?
With Paw Protect your pet’s congenital and hereditary conditions are covered, no problem. The insurance also includes end-of-life coverage and things like alternative therapies, X-rays, euthanasia, vet exam fees, CAT scans, and prescription medications. For a wellness plan you’ll need to pay extra – Paw Protect’s Wellness Rewards add-on could cost you $250, $450 or $650 per year, depending on the level you choose – but every year you’ll get around $25 back from Paw Protect just for taking it out.
Paw Protect coverage vs other insurers
How does Paw Protect stack up against the other providers in the US? Well, let’s look at this fancy table!
Scroll to compare
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|---|
| Annual coverage options | $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited | $5000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 | Unlimited | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000 | $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited | Unlimited | $5,000, Unlimited | $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000 | $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, Unlimited | Unlimited | $5,000, $10,000, $15,000 | $10,000, $20,000, Unlimited | $20,000 | $10,000 | $2,000, $5,000, $10,000 |
|---|
| Deductible options | $100, $250, $500 | $100, $250, $500 | $100, $250, $500, $750 | $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 | $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, $1,000 | $100, $250, $500 | $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $0-$1,000 | $300, $500, $700 | $100, $250, $500 | $250, $500, $1,000 | $250 | $50, $100, $250, $500 |
|---|
| Reimbursement options | 70, 80, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90%, 100% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% | 90%, 100% | 50%, 70% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
|---|
| When does coverage start? | 2 days accidents / 14 days illnesses | 2-14 days | 15 days | 2-14 days | 1-14 days | 15 days | 3-14 days | 15 days | 15 days | 5-30 days | 15 days | 14 days | 15 days | 14 days | 1-14 days |
|---|
| Maximum age at sign up | 14 years for illness (no max for accident) | 14 years | 14 years | 14 years for illness, no max for accident | No maximum | 13 years | No maximum | 18 years | No maximum | 14 years | No maximum | No maximum | 16 years | 20 years | No maximum |
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| Are vet exam fees included at no extra cost? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Are dental accidents covered? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Are dental illnesses covered? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Is there a wellness plan offered? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Is there a virtual vet/telehealth service? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| End of life coverage | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Is there a multi-pet discount offered? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Is there a charge for paying monthly? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| Is there an app to make claims? | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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*Coverage is based on choosing unlimited coverage, 250 deductible and 90% reimbursement
Is Paw Protect insurance good value for money?
Paw Protect has so many features that make its services more affordable that it isn’t a shock that customers consider them good value. They are one of the companies more than happy to offer a 10% multi-pet discount and a 5% military discount.
| 4-month-old Mixed Breed Medium | 2-year-old Golden Retriever | 6-year-old Domestic Shorthair Cat |
|---|
| Los Angeles | New York | Florida |
|---|
| | | |
| Pumpkin | $65.54/month | $87.30/month | $30.39/month |
| Pets Best | $34.57/month | $38.21/month | $17.53/month |
| Fetch | $48.02/month | $35.78/month | $24.81/month |
How good is Paw Protect’s customer service?
Customers are happy with the way that they’re taken care of. The 24/7 helpline is very popular.
How do I contact Paw Protect?
Easy peasy. You could call, on 888-812-6704, or you could email your service questions to support@pawprotect.com. If it’s a question about a claim, you could email askclaims@pawprotect.com. And, as you may know by now, there is also a 24/7 telehealth line you can use.
What is Paw Protect’s claim process?
It’s pretty straightforward, really: you submit a claim to Paw Protect, who will evaluate it and reimburse you (through direct deposit or check) for claims they can cover, minus your co-pay. With the money you’ve been paid you can pay down the balance on your Paytient Visa card. You’ll have up to 12 months to pay off any remaining balance on the card, interest-free.
How much will Paw Protect pay for my claim?
They’ll pay up to 90% of vet bills, giving you back a chunk of your claim minus the deductible and your co-pay.
| Average
Vet Bill |
Cash back w/ 70% |
Cash back w/ 80% |
Cash back w/ 90% |
Difference between 70% & 90% |
| Cancer
$8,137 |
$5,695.90 |
$6,509.60 |
$7,323.30 |
$1,627.40 |
| Diabetes
$2,892 |
$2,024.40 |
$2,313.60 |
$2,602.80 |
$578.40 |
| Tumor
$1,570 |
$1,099.00 |
$1,256.00 |
$1,413.00 |
$314.00 |
| Glands
$1,035 |
$724.50 |
$828.00 |
$931.50 |
$207.00 |
Are there any exclusions?
This ought to go without saying – it applies to every pet insurance provider – but Paw Protect won’t cover pre-existing conditions (unless this condition is curable and there are no symptoms for a year). If you’ve got a slightly more mature dog – more than 15 years old – you will only be given an accident plan unless you signed up your furry friend before they turned 15. Also excluded are things like vaccines, neutering, DNA testing and cosmetic work. Paw Protect only cover things that are crucial to maintaining your pet’s health so also won’t cover cloning, in case you were thinking of making a few other copies of your dog. Various features like training and microchipping can be covered by the Wellness Rewards add-on.
What are the waiting periods for conditions?
Paw Protect is up there with the best in this respect. There is a two-week illness waiting period, beginning on your policies' effective date, while orthopedic conditions have additional waiting or exclusion periods that will vary according to the State you are in. Just log into your account to check that you know exactly what your waiting periods are.
How quickly does Paw Protect pay claims?
If, like most people, you want to receive your money through a direct deposit, you’ll receive your money in between one and two business days. Checks are slower, inevitably, and it might take you up to 10 days to receive one in the post.
Can I customize my Paw Protect plan?
You bet you can. The customization basically applies to the Wellness Rewards plan, which you’ll need a pre-existing plan to add to. The wellness plan covers a huge range of reimbursable items like gastropexy, fecal and routine blood tests, reiki, and toe nail clipping.
State availability for Paw Protect
Every single state in the US accepts Paw Protect. Your pet will be welcome at any veterinary practice with a licence.
Verdict: is Paw Protect insurance any good?
In our opinion, Paw Protect is a fantastic and reliable insurer who can be trusted to look after the interests of your precious pets. Various features, like its discounts and 24/7 telehealth service, make it a very appealing provider. Its best feature is the $2,000 interest-free line of credit, which is a unique feature on the market. With no fees, credit checks or interest, this helps you pay your vet up-front, takes away a good deal of your stress, and is going to save an awful lot of pets.
