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Nationwide Pet Insurance Review

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Nationwide is a Fortune 100 company with unparalleled financial stability and claims-paying ability that has recently ventured into the pet insurance marketplace.

The company stands out because they offer expanded coverage beyond just cats and dogs, as well as wellness plans that cover things like checkups and vaccinations.
 
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How is Nationwide rated?

Breakdown

5.0/5
Coverage
3.0/5
Cost
4.0/5
Extras

Overall Rating: 4.3 / 5 (Excellent)

Nationwide's Whole Pet with Wellness Plan is one of the most comprehensive on the market, and it will, as a result, cost you more than most standard pet insurance plans.

Nationwide is one of the few pet insurance providers that will extend coverage beyond dogs and cats, covering birds and all manner of other pets.

Truly unlimited coverage, however, is only offered if you choose the top tier plan.

Be aware that all plans besides Whole Pet with Wellness operate on a benefit schedule.

Nationwide Coverage

Coverage - 5 / 5

Nationwide's Whole Pet with Wellness plan is a great option for a complete pet insurance plan.

In addition to the normal accident and illness coverage, it also provides for yearly physical exams, vaccinations, and flea/heartworm prevention. It is, however, on the pricey side as a result. Its Major Medical plan is more in line cost and coverage-wise with the standard accident and illness plans offered by most companies.

You can also purchase the wellness plan on it's own, and it is relatively inexpensive. Finally, Nationwide recently released a more inexpensive Whole Pet plan without the wellness component.

This plan has many of the same characteristics of Whole Pet with Wellness, operates on a percentage reimbursement basis, but is subject to different annual caps.

It is interesting to note that Nationwide is the only company we are aware of that extends pet insurance beyond cats and dogs.

The company will cover most birds and a wide range of exotic pets.
Pets Covered
Dogs
Cats
Birds
Exotic Animals
Coverage Types
Medical
Wellness
Vet Selection
Unrestricted
Out-of-State Coverage
Yes
Commercial Pets Covered

Medical Conditions Covered

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

Medical Treatments Covered

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

Benefit Limits

Benefit Limits - 5 / 5

Both Nationwide models -- Whole Pet with 90% reimbursement, and all other plans with a benefit schedule -- offer unlimited annual maximums. The new Whole Pet plan without wellness, though, is subject to a $10,000 annual cap.

Additionally, you must remember that any plan but the Whole Pets are going to limit you by condition or procedure.

So even though technically there is no limit to the dollar amount they will spend on your pet in a year in total, there are limits on a condition and service basis with the lower two plans.
Benefit Limit Types
Unlimited

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Reimbursement - 5 / 5

Nationwide's top tier Whole Pet with Wellness, as well as the new Whole Pet (alone) plan, both reimburse 90% of the total vet bill.

However, Major Medical and Pet Wellness reimburse according to a benefits schedule.

These schedules cap payouts by condition or service. If you are going with one of these plans we suggest you scrutinize your policy carefully before purchase, as your pet's breed may be susceptible to certain conditions with low coverage limits in the plan.

Benefits schedules, and no choice in customizing the reimbursement percentage in the top tier plan, limit the flexibility of Nationwide's offerings.
Reimbursement Model
Actual Cost
Benefit Schedule
Minimum Percent Reimbursement
90%
Maximum Percent Reimbursement
90%

Deductibles - 5 / 5

Nationwide Whole Pet with Wellness offers one annual deductible of $100.

This is in some ways good because it is so low. But you will not have the flexibility of choosing higher deductibles should you want a lower monthly premium or should it somehow fit your needs in other ways.

Most of our top companies offer customizable deductibles.

The new Whole Pet without the wellness component, as well as the Major Medical plan, both have annual deductibles set at $250.
Deductible Type
Annual
Minimum Deductible Offered
$100
Maximum Deductible Offered
$250

Pricing: How much does Nationwide cost?

Cost - 3 / 5

Nationwide's plans are comprehensive, but you are going to pay the price. Their monthly premiums are a little on the high end as opposed to our other companies.

Starting Monthly Premiums

Dog: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male Golden Retriever in zip code 92683
$34.25
Cat: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male American Shorthair in zip code 92683
$18.84
Rate Details: Annual Deductible: $250, Benefits Cap: Annual & Unlimited, Reimbursement Model: Benefits Schedule
Available Discounts: 5% discount on current Nationwide member

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Enrollment - 3 / 5

Like our other companies, Nationwide will enroll pets starting at 6 weeks. Unlike our other companies, Nationwide has a relatively lower age restriction with older pets at 10 years.

However, if the pet is enrolled before age 10, and the policy never lapses, they will be covered for the duration of their lives.

Waiting periods are industry standard at 14 days, although Wellness starts 24 hours after approval.
Min Enrollment Age
6 weeks
Max Enrollment Age
10 years
Accident Waiting Period
14 days
Illnesses Waiting Period
14 days
Free Look Period
10 days

Claims & Service

Extras - 4 / 5

Nationwide's claims procedure is standard for the pet insurance industry.

Like other companies, you must first pay the vet directly, download Nationwide's claim form, and submit the form with all paid invoices. You can submit via mail, fax or email.
Advertised Response Time
14 days
Claim Form
Mail
Email
Fax

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
https://www.petinsurance.com/
Headquarters Address
One Nationwide Plaza, Columbus, OH, 43215
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 2344, Brea, CA, 92822
Year Founded
1981
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Customer Comments

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Crystal

7/2/2017
I was sincerely surprised that my pet's insurance covers so many different things! They supposedly do not cover dental things but they covered everything else that happened that day and it really helped us out! If you can spend $30 or more on a subscription service every month, you can afford the insurance for your pet! Nothing is worse than a unexpected costly vet bill! <3
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Kari G

7/2/2017
Thank you Nationwide for covering the unexpected fees for Zara. She was able to pass the piece is her bed that she ate without surgery. So glad she is back to her old puppy self. as pet owners it is so important to know your puppy's environment
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Scott R

7/1/2017
We have three pets with insurance through Nationwide (1 dog and 2 cats). We thought about cancelling the cats' policies because they are indoor cats and until this year never had any visits to the vet except for yearly vaccinations. Thank goodness I renewed their policies. One of our cats (our four year old) had has two surgeries in the past 6 months and our dog jumped thorough a window severing tendons, ligaments and an artery which cost over $6500. The rate of reimbursement with Nationwide is excellent. After submitting the claims we paid approximately $1600 out of pocket for the surgeries (one was covered 100%). For a relatively small expenditure each year for the policy premium... Read More
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Lissa W

7/1/2017
We could not be more pleased with the service we've received from Nationwide Pet Insurance. This is our 4th Lab, and we wish we would have had coverage for the previous dogs. There is no hassle in filing the claims, the reimbursements are detailed and timely, and the coverage is well worth the monthly price. Our pup is growing, and we know, as dog owners for years, they find "things" to get into that require emergency vet treatments. We now have peace of mind that he's covered, for however long he'll be with us. Thank you Nationwide for the coverage options, and reasonable pricing.
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Cathy L

7/1/2017
Allergies in dogs who knew? My sweet girl was suffering, itching, chewing her skin raw. Thanks to my pet insurance I was able to afford allergy testing and allergy shots for her. She is doing so much better already. Pet insurance from Nationwide is really the best value. The benefits are peace of mind as well as not getting worried about the affordability of going to the vet.
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Barbara K

6/30/2017
Signing up for the insurance was quite enjoyable. I also appreciate the detailed explanation of my coverage that comes with the reimbursement checks.
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Michelle P

6/30/2017
I have had my French bulldog insured with Nationwide for nearly 3 years, and they have been nothing but amazing! While she has had no major health issues, Nationwide covered the regular stuff, vaccinations, flea and heartworm meds, bloodwork. Even spaying and allergy testing! Nationwide also now protects our second Frenchie! If that isn't saying something, I don't know what is! I choose to use a high tech vet with very modern facilities and equipment, but that also means higher prices than the area country vets. Nationwide does not squabble over prices and claims are handled quckly, If your pets are your furkids, you cannot go wrong insuring them with Nationwide.
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Wendy G

6/30/2017
Jingle's admission to the ER was so scary! They had to keep him overnight for fluids and monitoring. I knew the visit would cost a lot but was very grateful for the amount Nationwide reimbursed us.
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Lee A

6/30/2017
We bought Annie, a Great Dane puppy, when she was 8 weeks old. Apparently, her parents weren't the best genetic match as Annie has been hospitalized for incontinence testing at 6 months and had surgery for bilateral elbow dysplasia at nine months. In addition, we had her spayed and had a gastroplexy done to help prevent bloat. To date her bills have run somewhere between $6,000-$7,000. We certainly could not have paid this on our own. It would have been awful to let our little girl suffer due to lack of funds. Being able to pay 10% of her bills has made her health care manageable. I have had 6 Great Danes to date (one at a time), and Annie is the sweetest, most loving, and smartest... Read More
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Kim P

6/30/2017
I was thrilled with the coverage I have. I did try to get a simple estimate of coverage before the procedure but just got a lot of what isn't covered. We had to have procedure done any ways, so was very happy with how much was actually covered.
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