Modern veterinary treatment can be pretty expensive. Simply having your cat or dog seen by a vet could set you back as much as $50—surgery could cost you hundreds—so a comprehensive pet insurance policy is a must if you don’t want to endanger your household budget every time your four-legged friend is feeling under the weather.
There is no shortage of pet insurance agencies in the United States. Companies like Healthy Paws, Trupanion, and Petplan are all deserving of your consideration when searching for the best pet insurance policy for you and your pet, but today we’re going to be looking at Pets Best and the many benefits it has to offer.
About Pets Best
Pets Best was founded in 2005 by Dr. Jack Stephens, a veterinarian who the brand likes to refer to as “the father of the pet insurance industry in North America.” The accuracy of that description is up for debate, but it’s impossible to deny that Stephens has been a prominent figure in the American veterinary industry since he first started practicing veterinary medicine in the 1970s.
According to Dr. Stephens’ own account, he was motivated to enter pet insurance after being forced to euthanize a dog because its owners couldn’t afford to pay for its treatment. With Pets Best, he sought to make comprehensive pet insurance policies affordable for all pet owners and today it looks as though he has done just that.
At the time of this writing, Pets Best has paid out $100 million in claims and has been ranked as one of Idaho's Best Places to Work on four consecutive occasions. In May of 2015, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) presented Dr. Stephens with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to the industry and, as a result, the lives of millions of pets and pet owners across the world.
Pets Best Insurance Reviews
The Lifetime Achievement Award that the NAPHIA bestowed upon Dr. Stephens is certainly a major endorsement of him and the work he has done with Pets Best, but the truest reflection of the agency and its policies is to be found in the reviews and testimonials of genuine Pets Best customers. Below, you will find three of them, each randomly selected from the hundreds of thousands available.
“Well Worth the Money”
With Pets Best, you can be sure that you are covered regardless of the severity or absurdity of your pet’s injury. When the puppy of one of Pets Best’s policyholders swallowed an AA battery and needed emergency attention to counteract the damaging effects of the battery acid, she wasn’t sure if such an occurrence was covered by her plan.
Much to her delight, Pets Best approved her claim without hassle and reimbursed her for the cost of her veterinary expenses in just one week.
“Best Insurance”
Certain breeds of dog can be extremely aggressive and hostile towards cats, humans, and even other dogs. One Pets Best policyholder learned that the hard way when their dog was viciously attacked by a larger dog during an outing.
Thankfully, they also learned that Pets Best is serious about protecting its customers and their pets. Within 24 hours of submitting their claim, this particular policyholder was informed that their application was being reviewed and two days later Pets Best sent out a check to cover the bulk of the vet’s bill.
“A Life Saver”
One long-time Pets Best policyholder has described the agency as a “life saver” for both her pet and herself. According to the customer, her dog came down with acute pancreatitis after eating something he shouldn't have—as dogs tend to do—and required emergency surgery.
The surgery, combined with the medication and postoperative care the canine required in the aftermath of the incident, resulted in a rather hefty bill that would have bankrupted his owner had she been forced to pay it out of her own pocket. Thankfully, Pets Best was there, as it so often is, to bear the brunt of the invoice and reimbursed the owner for 90% of the price in less than a week.
Pets Best pros
- Pets Best offers a number of plans with varying features and benefits, but all Pets Best policies promise unlimited claims throughout your pet’s life
- Any veterinary costs arising out of your dog falling pregnant will likely be covered by your chosen Pets Best policy
- Pets Best can be contacted via live chat, so you’ll always be able to speak to a member of staff about your plan
- Pets Best promises a thirty-day money back guarantee to all of its new policyholders, so you shouldn’t experience too much trouble getting your first payment back if you are offered a better deal by another pet insurance provider early in your contract
Pets Best cons
- Claims on ACL injuries are pretty tedious with most pet insurance agencies and Pets Best is no different. With Pets Best, such injuries require a six-month waiting period
- Pets Best policies only cover traditional veterinary medical procedures. If you want to explore new-age and holistic medicines, you’ll have to pay for it out of your own pocket
Conclusion
Pets Best’s greatest advantage over competing pet insurance agencies is that it was founded by an experienced veterinarian who saw firsthand the devastating effects of the high cost of medical procedures. When Dr. Jack Stephens entered the pet insurance industry, he vowed that no pet would ever again be euthanized because their medical bills were too high. While he hasn’t quite achieved that goal, Dr. Stephens has saved the lives of hundreds of thousands of cats and dogs, granting them extra precious years with their loving families.
If you want to give your business to a pet insurance agency created by animal lovers for animal lovers, Pets Best is the way to go. With a variety of policies spread across a variety of price ranges, Pets Best almost definitely has a policy to keep your pet healthy and your wallet full.
