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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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A
Al D

3/26/2015
Please look at the Photo ,very disappointed with this insurance company,paid my insurance premiums for five and a half years also had added catastrophic cancer addition to it,And when you need them.they're going to pay $850 on a 3400 dollar bill.I don't VPI acted in good Faith. definitely not your pets friend
2 People found this helpful.
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Kathleen M

10/23/2015
Just received my policy renewal from Nationwide, formerly VPI. Premium went up 32% for my 8 yo Boxer who has had almost no claims!!! They had previously declined a fairly large bill for a screening Holter Monitor because I had UPGRADED my policy 362 days before and the Holter was excluded for a year. The upgrade cancelled the prevbious policy and I got screwed. I appealed since she had had VPI since 8 wks old and I got a form letter denial of appeal.
2 People found this helpful.
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Carrie O

2/25/2015
This company will look for any excuse not to pay your claim. Pre-existing conditions is their favorite reason for denial. This is the second dog I've insured with them and I should have learned my lesson the first time, My first dog was denied for pre-existing allergies because he had an ear infection as a puppy. Allergy testing was never done to confirm allergies. They linked almost every claim to his "pre-existing"condition. They did pay for an injury he had due to an accident. I insured him as a one year old puppy. My next dog, a shih zhu was also determined to have a pre-existing condition because his medical records indicated my dog was have having symptoms for a few weeks. I... Read More
2 People found this helpful.
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Amber N

2/6/2015
I would give this company 0 stars if possible. I actually cannot believe this company is still in business and hasn't been sued. I've been a paying customer of a Premium Plan for SIX YEARS at $50 a month. My dog has been relatively healthy for that whole period. Last month, my dog got cancer, to the tune of $2000. A deadly cancer called hemangiosarcoma. She needed bloodwork, cytology report, meds, and ultimately surgery to remove the rapidly growing tumor. When I submitted the expenses, they covered only $560 of my entire bill!!! They told me that my "Premium Plan" was old and had not been updated since 2008 for any adjustments and therefore only this small amount was cover... Read More
2 People found this helpful.
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Jennifer H

8/25/2020
This is not a good pet insurance as they rejected my cat based on last Vet visit due to diarrhea which was cleared up after she was given medication. She has been doing well since February after she finished her medications. This company rejected my cat because of a vet visit that she had in January. This is why I give bad review.
1 People found this helpful.
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J
Julie E

12/7/2019
I had been pleased with Nationwide however their rate increases are never ending. My 4 year old dog who's had nothing more than basic claims (teeth cleaning, antibiotics now and again) just had a rate increase of $30 a month! I'm currently looking at other options and will not be renewing.
1 People found this helpful.
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D
Dave

11/14/2019
I have a new cat and am shopping for insurance. I was originally with VIP and it converted to Nationwide. I found this site and saw all the bad reviews for Nationwide. All I can say is they must have had policies with a different company. My cat had severe allergies and required a shot once per week. The vials are expensive and we needed 3-4 per year. Nationwide paid up to the limit and i bought part of the third and 4th. The policy reloads every year and this went on for over 5 years with no issues and limited increases. My poor cat developed small intestinal lymphoma and Nationwide was a critical partner in paying for diagnostics like ultrasounds and biopsies and for chemo... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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William G

10/20/2019
Nationwide is on my side! You've heard this so many time but I wante to tell you they really are GREAT! I ghave both of my dogs insured from pups a nd that was a wise decision as I a.m. very happy with Nationwide. FROM the expertly trained a nd really wonderfull help when you call for information or advice too the claims dept. A nd not too forget their veterinarians A nd techs. The new 24/7 Vet Helpline is free when others charge a fee .The Vets you getting when you call are a great help a nd are there when you needs them the most. A big THANKS too all at this great company!
1 People found this helpful.
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mary v

10/1/2019
Told me first payment was for current month and the next month. Then they began taking the premium every month. My last payment was in August with an October renewal date. Then they took another payment in September. When I called two reps and a "supervisor" all had different terms for over charging me. Here they are: RESERVE MONEY, BUFFER and my favorite EQUITY. All lies. They make up the rules as they go along. Their immediate response, if you complain, is "then I'll just cancel the policy for you". Unreal. They seem to be the only company that offers bird insurance and they know it so they are rude and not very helpful when you call. The only way for me to get back that over payment is... Read More
1 People found this helpful.
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L
Lisa b

9/18/2019
I was really happy with Nationwide pet coverage for my dog until I recently received an email stating everyone’s rates are going to increase. I called to find out how much the increase will be and was told the amount - which is almost half of what I’m paying for the same coverage! They did the same thing with my house coverage recently which caused me to change homeowners insurance. Looks like I will be looking for new pet coverage as well. They specified the increase was for all customers. L
1 People found this helpful.
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