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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review

3,291 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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Healthy Paws is a pet insurance company based in Washington state that provides coverage for cats and dogs. They are underwritten by Chubb Group, a consistently highly-rated insurer.

Healthy Paws offers an industry-leading suite of policies that include unlimited lifetime benefits, high reimbursement, affordable coverage, and top rated customer service.

How is Healthy Paws rated?

Breakdown

4.5/5
Coverage
4.0/5
Cost
4.0/5
Extras

Overall Rating: 4.4 / 5 (Excellent)

Healthy Paws ranks highly among the pet insurance companies we've reviewed. The company offers a single pet insurance plan with multiple reimbursement options, comprehensive coverage for alternative therapy and no caps of any kind.

Reimbursement is based on the cost of your actual vet bill and there is no limit as to the type of or how many claims you can make for covered conditions. Healthy Paws provides all of this at the same or sometimes lower prices than less comprehensive plans.

Healthy Paws Coverage

Coverage - 4.5 / 5

Compared to other pet insurance providers, Healthy Paws offers the most comprehensive coverage and does so without any caps or limits. Policies cover all accidents and illnesses without restrictions for hereditary or congenital conditions.

The company also includes services like advanced testing, surgeries, hospital stays, and prescription medications, as well as alternative therapies and emergency care.

Healthy Paws does not have a wellness plan, but they will treat canine hip dysplasia if it is not a pre-existing condition.
Pets Covered
Dogs
Cats
Coverage Types
Medical
Vet Selection
Unrestricted
Out-of-State Coverage
Yes
Commercial Pets Covered

Medical Conditions Covered

  • Accidental
  • Illness
  • Hereditary
  • Congenital
  • Cancer
  • Chronic
  • Accidental Dental

Medical Treatments Covered

  • Diagnostic Testing
  • Surgery
  • Hospitalization
  • Prescription Medications
  • Emergency Care
  • Specialty Care
  • Alternative Care

Benefit Limits

Benefit Limits - 4.5 / 5

Where Healthy Paws really asserts its dominance is in benefit limits. Regardless of the plan you choose, there are no caps on coverage, either annual, lifetime, or per incident.

Generally speaking, other companies offer unlimited benefits as an option available only for their highest level and most expensive plans. This is not the case with Healthy Paws; it is included in their standard price plan.

As long as the condition or treatment is covered under the plan (very few restrictions do apply) there is no limit to what the company will pay to make your animal well.

One Healthy Paws customer reported to us that the company recently paid out over $18,000 on a $20,000 vet bill in order to save the life of a dog suffering from cancer. More recently, another customer wrote, "I have a six-year-old German shepherd. Unfortunately, he already has had more than his share of problems, from herniated discs to cancer. Healthy Paws has not given me any hassle or trouble, even though his expenses to date are approaching $40,000. This was by far the best financial decision I have ever made."
Benefit Limit Types
Unlimited

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Reimbursement - 4 / 5

As with deductibles, Healthy Paws is in line with the industry's best companies by allowing you the flexibility of customizing your reimbursement percentage as well.

You can select either 70%, 80%, or 90% at the outset of your policy. Healthy Paws reimbursement is based on the actual veterinary bill.

The company will compile all covered treatments for a given claim and pay your chosen percent after you've met the deductible. As with low deductibles, high percentage payouts are going to equal a more costly monthly premium.
In general, Healthy Paws pays on a reimbursement model. Policyholders pay the vet up front for treatment, submit their claims to Healthy Paws, and receive a reimbursement. However, in situations where pet owners can't pay their vet at the time of treatment, they have the option of contacting Healthy Paws and asking them to pay the vet directly. If the veterinary hospital is willing to accept payment from Healthy Paws, the insurer can work directly with it to expedite access to medical records and claim processing. This direct payment option is available on a case-by-case basis and applies to treatment by any licensed vet in the United States. It is not limited to any specific network of vets.
Reimbursement Model
Actual Cost
Minimum Percent Reimbursement
70%
Maximum Percent Reimbursement
90%

Deductibles - 4.5 / 5

Like all the best pet insurance companies, Healthy Paws allows you to customize your deductible to best suit your financial needs.

Values can be set at $100, $250, and $500. Lower deductibles do result in higher premiums. But many customers will appreciate the flexibility Healthy Paws offers.
Deductible Type
Annual
Minimum Deductible Offered
$100
Maximum Deductible Offered
$500

Pricing: How much does Healthy Paws cost?

Cost - 4 / 5

Considering the few benefit limits Healthy Paws imposes and the company's customizable payout percentages and deductibles, Healthy Paws plans are reasonably priced and even cheaper than less substantial plans.

Starting Monthly Premiums

Dog: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male Golden Retriever in zip code 92683
$32.83
Cat: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male American Shorthair in zip code 92683
$17.19
Rate Details: Annual Deductible: $500, Benefit Cap: Annual & Unlimited, Reimbursement Model: 70% of Annual Cost
Available Discounts:

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Enrollment - 5 / 5

Healthy Paws enrolls pets 8 weeks and older. While some companies have no upper age enrollment restrictions, Healthy Paws limits coverage to pets 13.99 years old and younger.

Some companies offer accident coverage immediately upon premium payment. Healthy Paws imposes a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses.

The waiting period for hip dysplasia is 12 months. Healthy Paws will not cover hip dysplasia if the pet was 6 years or older at the time of enrollment. Other companies we review have no such restrictions on hip dysplasia.

For pets younger than 6 you'll have to provide documentation of a complete physical within the last 12 months. Pets older than 6 must have had a complete examination within the last 30 days.
Min Enrollment Age
8 weeks
Max Enrollment Age
14 years
Accident Waiting Period
15 days
Illnesses Waiting Period
15 days
Free Look Period
30 days

Claims & Service

Extras - 4 / 5

Healthy Paws has a proven track record of fulfilling claims fast and with as little fuss as possible compared to other pet insurance companies.

Customer support is efficient, courteous and available 7 days a week. With Healthy Paws, you have the ability to file a claim online or through their mobile app.

You simply submit the veterinarian invoice and the company will send you the reimbursement check. 99% of claims are processed in 2 days.
Advertised Response Time
3 days
Claim Form
Email
Fax
Online Portal
Mobile App

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Headquarters Address
11120 NE 33rd Place, Bellevue, WA, 98004
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 50034, Bellevue, WA, 98105
Year Founded
2009

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3291 Customer Comments & Reviews

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Raphaella D

2/3/2017
I recently had to take my year old bulldog to get surgery on his eyes and not only was the procedure covered, but they also sent me a message after his surgery to check up on him. Thank you so much Healthy Paws you made it possible for me to get Mellows surgery and now he won't go blind. Will definitely recommend them to everyone I know.


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John

2/3/2017
Our 2 yr old Frenchie had aspiration pneumonia twice. To mitigate chances of getting it again, tests were needed and potential surgery. Healthypaws was a great help when it came to the expenses for getting our dog healthy again. There was no fuss working with Healthypaws. Very easy and timely responses.


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Ryan W

2/3/2017
I bought pet insurance for both of my cats early when my wife and I adopted both of them. Many people were joking that why would I get insurance for my pets? Reason being is I have heard way too many horror stories of people not being able to afford the appropriate care for their fur babies should any emergency situation occur. Reading the reviews online about all the companies it was very overwhelming with all of the choices and pros/cons. After reading countles reviews I picked HealthyPaws. The sign up process was very easy and was able to customize our coverage. Jump forward to January 20th, 2017. Our 4 year old kitty, Pixie, had stopped eating and was losing weight and started... Read More


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Luca

2/3/2017
We have had Healthy Paws for our Staffy Violet for since July 2016. We got Violet from a shelter, and as many shelter dogs are, her medical condition was unknown for quite sometime as we had no life history. Violet became paralyzed in September and was diagnosed with auto immune meningitis. She recently was diagnosed with a kidney problem that will likely affect her for the rest of her life. Violet is now walking and happy cuddly dog. The vet bills would have been beyond our capability. Had we not signed up for Healthy Paws, then I don't know if Violet would still be alive. Their mobile app is so easy to use and we get 90% of our costs back. All I have to do is take a picture of my vet... Read More


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Karen

2/1/2017
I am pleased with the service from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. They reviewed and paid my claims in a timely manner and they also inquired as to how my pet was doing. I am very glad that I chose this company for my pet's insurance.


Christina K

1/31/2017
When we first heard about pet insurance, we thought, this is so silly. But we signed up because so many fur parents encouraged us to. And we are so glad we went with Healthy Paws, which has been a lifesaver for us. Our five-year-old mutt recently had to go to the ER vet multiple times in a matter of two weeks due to a mass that kept ballooning in her jaw. Healthy Paws processed the claims quickly and sent the reimbursement checks just as quickly. The customer service is always prompt and professional and kind. That mass ended up needing surgery—a hefty bill, but Healthy Paws was quick to process again, as always. It's also super easy to submit a claim through the app. Our dog has an... Read More


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catherine

1/31/2017
2017 started a bit crazy for my dogs and I. First our first baby Armin had an accident falling from the bed and now started limping, so we had to take him to the vet. Then a week later our second baby Chance got bitten by another dog, so I had to rush him to the vet. I was so scared what the costs were going to be especially since I was already trying to figure out how to prepare for Armin's potential surgery. My vet billed HealthyPaws directly and they took care of the bill. The only thing I had to do was just confirm that it was a vet visit, so I could truly focus on taking care of our two babies. The best part of the whole thing was that when I called back to confirm vet visit the lady... Read More


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Jeff B

1/30/2017
We could not ask for a better insurance company for our dog. Be aware that there is a 15-day waiting period, clearly disclosed on the website, from the time you sign up until it is effective. Luckily for us, the day that our poor puppy was hit by a car was on day 15. The folks at Healthy Paws went out of their way to ensure that we had a positive experience and were able to take care of our furry son. They even went so far as to pay the vet's office directly when he had to have surgery a week later. We received the reimbursement checks within 10 days of filing the claims for the visits we paid the vet directly. They have also sent us some emails asking how he was getting along. I... Read More


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Alyx T

1/30/2017
We have had Healthy Paws for almost 4 years and luckily have not had to use it until recently. The claims process was easy, so easy that my veterinarian questioned not having to sign anything! We received our claim quickly and without any issues, all we needed was our itemized receipt and our cat's medical records which our vet emailed and that was that. Our subsequent claim was processed even quicker and the CEO even reached out to personally check in on our cat's recovery. Happy (and not bankrupted!) fur parents! Thanks Healthy Paws!


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Joan

1/30/2017
I have had Healthy Paws insurance on both my kitties since adopting them a year and a half ago. Until now our claims have been relatively limited though all were handled very well. Then just a few weeks ago our Finn broke his leg and it was followed by expensive surgery. I was extremely impressed on how quickly and completely our numerous claims were processed. The coverage was excellent, including all the blood tests, radiographs, medications and supplies along with the many other charges related to the surgery. And the speed with which our claim was handled was impressive. It doesn't matter the extent of the claim, Healthy Paws is right on top of it and takes care of it promptly.... Read More



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  • Trusted by More than 625,000 Parents
  • No Enrollment or Administrative Fees
  • No Maximum Annual or Lifetime Payouts
  • Most Claims are Processed in 2 Days