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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
What We’re Hearing From Our Readers
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Customer Comments

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Mindy S

4/21/2017
We have never insured out pets before but recently decided to take the plunge. I picked Nationwide mostly because of name recognition and am so happy I did. We insured our 2 year old & 4 month old dogs and decided to go with the complete policy - whole pet with wellness for both of them. Shortly after insuring them we got the 4 month old spayed. Nationwide paid the claim after deducting a very reasonable $250.00 annual deductible. A week later the 2 year old tore his ACL. The doctors recommended TPLO surgery - not cheap. We did the surgery immediately and filed the claim with Nationwide. They asked for some additional records for our dog which were easy to provide and 30 days later... Read More
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Michael B

4/21/2017
We took her in for her yearly check-up, shots, flea guard & ticks protection. All is well with her now. Santa Grandpa
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Iris M

4/21/2017
I'm so glad we signed up for this program. It has helped immensely with managing both our older dog and new puppy's healthcare!
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Amy K

4/21/2017
Please do not falsely advertise that they cover hereditary conditions. That is not true. I have been paying for their plan for over 6 years and my dog was just diagnosed with heart disease. They denied it saying that my plan doesn't cover a hereditary condition for her breed. When I asked about moving to other plans they said I couldn't because she was already diagnosed. Be very careful when purchasing especially when a company is making false claims on what they cover.
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Amanda

4/21/2017
First thank you for checking in on Willie Jean. We were alarmed at how quickly her allergies got the best of her. The antibiotic killed her staph infection after about seven days. The Apoquil took less time to kick in. We also have her on twice daily benedryl. Poor dear. I am hopeful that she is experiencing seasonal allergies and that we can stop all the medicine soon. My experience with Nationwide Pet Insurancd has been a blessing. Her medical expenses are not cheap and it's such a relief to know that she's insured and that we are receiving the benefits of the insurance now that her deductible is paid. The claim process is easy to follow. Thought it would be great if we had the... Read More
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Mark

4/21/2017
Nationwide Pet Insurance is easy to sign up for and gives you a lot of options to choose from to cover your pet. The website is very user friendly, has a lot of information and contains all of the claims information for your covered pet(s). The claims process is very easy and straightforward and the payment process is quick as well. They provide you with a detailed explanation about what was covered and how much. We have Nationwide Pet Insurance for both of our dogs and it has been very beneficial and helpful.
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Lindsay K

4/20/2017
Nationwide pet insurance has been amazing! My dog was very sick a few months ago and had to be hospitalized for five days. They were easy to work with regarding my claim laid 90% of all costs and reimbursed me in a week! I don't know what I would have done without them as my dogs vet bills were thousands of dollars. I highly recommend them!!
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Sue H

4/20/2017
Great Experience with my 1st major claim to Nationwide. My claim was handled efficiently and I was quickly reimbursed for the money I had paid for my dogs surgery. I definitely recommend Nationwide Whole Pet Wellness Plan.
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Olivia

4/20/2017
They've been good at communicating with me and their website is clear and easy to use. No surprise charges and easy claims process.
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Luisa M

4/20/2017
I'm so grateful that I was recommended to go to Nationwide. You guys are the best!!!! Emery is doing better thank goodness. I will definitely recommend Nationwide to all my family and friends. Thanks again for all you do for our pets especially my pet, Emery. 🐶 🐾
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