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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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J
Judith F

4/13/2017
This is the first time I have opted for pet insurance and I have been very pleased with the experience. NATIONWIDE always responds in a very personal and caring manner. The claims process using email is straight forward and processing of claims is fast.
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David R

4/12/2017
Gracie is doing great after her latest visit. Gracie has an allergy condition that will require ongoing treatment. We cannot say enough about our experience with Nationwide Pet Insurance. Gracie has been enrolled with Nationwide since we brought her home as a 10 week old puppy and Nationwide has been unbelievable when it comes to handling our claims. Every time the response is fast and rarely is there any question. When a question does arise Nationwide is quick to let us know exactly what additional information they require. I cannot imagine having a dog and not carrying Nationwide Pet Insurance.
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D
Donald M

4/12/2017
Best pet insurance!! My baby has racked up quite a few vet bills her first year but I don't worry because Nationwide has me covered. Never any problems filing claims and getting reimbursement. 5 stars!!!
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B
bmarcus

4/12/2017
I cannot say how much I appreciate the wonderful service we have received from Nationwide. Our little puppy, Wilson, has had many medical problems in his first year of life and we are so grateful for the courtesy of the staff and the speed at which we have been reimbursed for our layout of money. Thank you all so much.
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T
Teresa B

4/11/2017
Nationwide has been fantastic pet insurance for us. From preventative maintenance reimbursement to reimbursement for extensive surgery (broken leg), Nationwide is easy to work with and fast to process claims. We are so happy we have this insurance for our dog. We wish we had purchased this years ago for our other pets too.
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M
Michele

4/11/2017
Yes Hope is feeling much better, I am happy to have made the decision to get her insurance. It has been very helpful..
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R
Renee

4/11/2017
We have the whole pet wellness plan for our puppy. This plan covers 90% of her expenses after we meet the low deductible. Our pup was spayed and had an infection that caused her to need urgent surgery just a couple of weeks after her spay surgery. Without it, she would have died. We had to see a board certified surgeon that was a specialist to help our pup. She received the best care! The surgery cost over $6,000.00. Nationwide did not hesitate to cover our pup as outlined in our policy. We paid only 10% of the bill plus our deductible. We were reimbursed within three weeks of submitting the claim. I am thankful we had the policy in place. I recommend Nationwide because I trust... Read More
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Jenn R

4/11/2017
Excellent product. They are timely and responsible with claims. Genuinely caring about your pets health (and preventive measures). Have 3 dogs insured with them.
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Mia F

4/11/2017
I am thrilled with the affordable coverage I've received through Nationwide. I have a young, healthy dog, and I assumed I'd used this more down the road... but when my dog developed two fatty tumors that wrapped around her jugular, we had many unexpected surgical bills. Nationwide was fantastic every step of the way. They are easy to talk to on the phone and the claims process is very straightforward. My previous pet insurance had a 'per condition' deductible as opposed to an annual deductible, and I'm thrilled that once that was met, everything else was covered. They also cover appointment costs, which many insurers don't, and the wellness package allowed things that I use anyway, like... Read More
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P
Paul A

4/11/2017
Our 16 month old rottweiler has cruciate disease (basically bad knees) and her hospital bills over a 3 month period were well in excess of $10,000 and we would have been unable to afford her treatment had we not had our whole pet with wellness plan from Nationwide. While we did have to pay for her hospital bill upfront we were reimbursed without question before our credit card bill was even due. Overall with our two dogs we have been very pleased with the coverage and the ease of mind that our policy provides.
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Top Rated
  • 25% discount on all in-office medical care 
  • Pet wellness plans available
  • No age restrictions
  • Covers pre-existing and hereditary conditions
  • Discounts available immediately on sign-up
  • A+ BBB accredited company
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