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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review

3,335 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 Do We Rate Healthy Paws?

Breakdown

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

Our 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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3335 Customer Comments & Reviews

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Brian B

11/28/2016
My dog Blaze needed abdominal surgery just before Thanksgiving this year. IT was expensive but thanks to Healthy Paws Insurance I was able to get 90% of the bill paid. HE would not be alive today without Healthy Paws. I highly recommend it for piece of mind. Blaze is doing great now. He is strong and recovering fast. I sincerely am grateful for Healthy Paws generous insurance. We would not be able to afford to keep him without your help!


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Laura

11/28/2016
My husband and I got Healthy Paws Pet Insurance for our dog, Billie, when she was young and healthy. We wondered if it would just be a waste of money, and fretted a bit about another monthly payment, but decided that we never wanted to be in a position where money had to factor into a decision regarding Billie's health care. We are so grateful we made this decision. Just last month Billie had to have surgery to correct a congenital issue. The surgery was recommended to ease her comfort and ensure that the recurring infection she was having didn't become antibiotic resistant (we had already gone through 3 rounds of high powered antibiotics to clear it). It was estimated to cost between... Read More


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Carol L

11/28/2016
I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate having Healthy Paws insurance. I've had other insurances on other pets in past years and Healthy Paws is by far the best. They work on a claim in a timely manor and ALWAYS check in on my dog's recovery. I have recommended them to several friends that are thinking of getting a dog and I have recommended them to my vet's office as they are always asking how efficient Healthy Paws processes claims. The ability to choose my own deductible and monthly payment is good for me. They always process my claims quickly. I would not be without this insurance! My dog has had several serious surgeries and I couldn't have taken care of it if it wasn't... Read More


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Katherine

11/28/2016
I Love Healthy Paws! My my little Emma came up lame, from a ruptured CCL ligament, Healthy Paws was there. They paid for her $3,000 surgery quickly, and even sent an e-mail to check up on her. Will never go back to not having insurance for my pets.


Julie S

11/27/2016
Healthy paws is the first and now the only insurance company I will ever use for my animals. I have turned many people and friends on to this absolutely essential part of responsible pet ownership. I started with them three years ago with my first frenchie Ollie. After only one month Ollie took a tumble down a few steps in the house and he broke his elbow. Surgery with a specialist was over 4K. I processed the claim and had my check within 10 days. This company is amazing! Sure you have to have your ducks in a row. Have your dog checked by a vet and have the medical records sent but after that it's a breeze to submit claims. I use the app on my iPhone it's as easy as pressing the... Read More


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Jennifer

11/27/2016
I'm a first time pet-owner and recently adopted two healthy kittens. At 5 months of age one of them began to lose his balance, sometimes crashing to the ground and banging his head in a potentially dangerous way, and the vet discovered a polyp in his inner ear that would require surgery in a distant town. I was shocked, largely because my kitten had seemed healthy, and could hardly have been more worried about my furry baby. Then came the even bigger shock of the $4,000 bill for the surgery, to be paid upfront. Not only was I feeling sick with worry, I was also losing 3 days of work and couldn't help feeling upset and overwhelmed by the expense. I had purchased Healthy Paws pet... Read More


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Jean K

11/27/2016
I chose Healthy Paws for my two dogs, a French Bulldog and a Pug, because of their high ratings. When I first chose to have them insured, I did not know much about health insurance. I wan't entirely certain that my dogs would require insurance, however when my baby, the Frenchie began having symptoms of losing weight, regurgitating, and vomiting, I did not second guess whether or not I could afford it. She required a lot of diagnostic testing and medication for her condition and I was able to afford to see a specialist. In the coming weeks, she also began to present symptoms of IVDD. I was devastated however I was able to afford an MRI which ranges in cost from $2,000 - $2,900 and once... Read More


Ashley L

11/27/2016
My insurance has been a life saver. Literally. They've paid out over $5,000 between luxating patella surgery and a toxicity ER adventure. Claims have been paid exactly as promised and within days of filing. They have followed up to check on my girl immediately after receiving major claims. Hard to believe such a company exists but grateful they do.


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Lynda M

11/26/2016
When my dog was rushed to the emergency hospital with internal bleeding from an illness called ITP, I didn't hesitate to give the hospital $6,500 on my credit card, even though I am a senior and not rich. What do you do when your baby could die any minute? Thank goodness I had Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. To date my bill has been over $8,000 and Healthy Paws has reimbursed me for 80%, less my deductible and the cost of vet visits. Not only did I get a big portion of my bill payed for, the people at Healthy Paws have given me some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. They were comforting and highly efficient through the whole process. I did a lot of research before I chose a... Read More


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Jordan

11/26/2016
Our dog had surgery and the process with the insurance was great and we were reimbursed immediately. When we had questions about the process the customer service answered all our questions and helped ease our anxiety.



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Rated "Best Choice Overall" by Mashable

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