Pet insurance is a great way to have peace of mind that your pet’s unexpected accidents or illnesses will be remedied quickly with quality veterinary treatments, regardless of their cost. It’s Healthy Paws’ mission to provide the most complete coverage for your pet at affordable rates, which is why it only offers one plan with unlimited coverage caps.

The This Old House Reviews team found that Healthy Paws is one of the best pet insurance companies in the industry after our review of key metrics such as customer service, reputation, coverage, plan options, species eligibility, and overall cost. Keep reading to learn more about how Healthy Paws performed in these categories and why we recommend it to pet owners across the country.

Key Takeaway: We gave Healthy Paws a score of 93.5 out of 100, awarding points for its overall performance, impressive coverage cap, and reputation.

Background

Healthy Paws was founded in Bellevue, Washington, by Steve Siadek and Rob Jackson in 2009. The company was born out of a desire to help pet owners during unexpected accidents or illnesses and to end pet homelessness.

Some highlights:

  • Healthy Paws doubles as a non-profit that provides care to homeless pets
  • Policies are underwritten by popular insurer, Chubb Group

Our Rating

Healthy Paws stands out for its standard plan that includes unlimited claim payouts—this is a unique feature as most pet insurance providers have per-incident, annual, or lifetime coverage caps.

We deducted points because the company doesn’t offer wellness or routine care options or plan customizability.

We recommend this company to pet parents who don’t want to worry about exceeding their annual coverage maximum on expensive vet bills and don’t mind paying a bit extra per month for some of the most comprehensive coverage on the market.

Pros & Cons

Learn about some of the advantages and disadvantages of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance:

✔ Offers a 30-day money back guarantee
✔ Has fast claims responses and payouts
✔ Its comparison tool helps customers find the best price for their plan, even if it’s from another company

✘ Doesn’t offer a multi-pet discount
✘ Doesn’t offer preventative care options


Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Pricing

Pricing for Healthy Paws plans will depend on the breed of your cat or dog. For example, we found that purebred dogs are more expensive to cover than mixed breeds.

Healthy Paws has a quote tool that doubles as a pricing comparison tool for quoted premiums that seem higher than normal. For example, since our quote for a Golden Retriever was $67.79, Healthy Paws recommended us to five other competitors for cheaper rates.

Before enrollment, you can customize your rate by choosing between 70%,  80%, or 90% reimbursement options and $250 or $500 annual deductibles.

Sample Monthly Premium

Species/breed*Dog - Medium MixedDog - Golden RetrieverDog - Yorkshire TerrierCat - Domestic Medium Hair
Accident and Illness Plan$45.88$67.79$36.67$21.42

*All sample quotes are for four-year-old pets located in Raleigh, North Carolina


Plans and Coverage

Healthy Paws sells one standard accident and illness plan with unlimited claim payouts. It doesn’t offer any add-ons for wellness or extra coverage.

Here are some examples of the types of accidents, illnesses, and procedures covered by this plan:

Testing

  • Blood tests
  • X-rays
  • Ultrasounds

Treatments

  • Diagnostic treatments
  • Alternative treatments
  • Surgery
  • Hospitalizations
  • Prescription medications
  • Specialty care
  • Emergency care

Conditions/Illnesses

  • Cancer
  • Chronic conditions
  • Congenital conditions
  • Hereditary conditions
  • Most other accidents or illnesses that aren’t pre-existing conditions

Coverage Exclusions

Like most other pet insurance companies, Healthy Paws excludes any pre-existing conditions in its standard plan, which it defines in its sample policy’s terms as:

  • An illness or condition which developed or redeveloped prior to the pet policy effective date
  • An injury, or recurrence of an injury, as a result of an accident that occurred prior to the pet policy effective date
  • Any condition or complication resulting from an illness that developed or any injury as a result of an accident that occurred prior to the policy effective date

Here are a few other examples of coverage exclusions in a Healthy Paws policy:

  • Any injury or illness that occurs after enrollment but during the 15-day waiting period
  • Procedures or vet visits related to hip dysplasia within the first 12 months of the policy
  • Spaying or neutering
  • Vaccinations
  • Dental care
  • Preventative care
  • Elective procedures, including microchipping, ear cropping, or declawing
  • Behavioral treatments

State Availability

Healthy Paws is available in all 50 states, but specific pet insurance policy terms and pricing may vary depending on where you and your pet live.

Enter your ZIP code into this online tool to get a quote and compare pricing in your area.

Customer Reviews

Healthy Paws has an A- rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and the company’s profile shows mostly positive reviews mixed in with a handful of negative ones.*

Satisfied customers often mentioned positive customer service experiences and smooth claims processing. However, other customers complained about raised prices and abruptly cancelled policies.

Here are some Healthy Paws pet insurance reviews from BBB customers:

Beth H. says:

“Healthy Paws paid my dog’s surgery bill directly to the vet clinic at 80% and I only owed the 20%. The process was fast and easy. All the customer care associates were knowledgeable and very concerned about my dog’s healing. I will definitely continue to pay my premiums to Healthy Paws.”

P.D. says:

“My dog is only two years old and they increased my rate by 30% after only two years. Never even [filed] a claim. My dog is more than healthy. It took me literally one hour just to cancel my policy. Horrible customer service. They offer you great rates at first just to get you in. Once you’re in, the gouging begins.” — P. D.

*BBB rating accurate as of February 23, 2023


Compare Companies

ProvidersSample monthly premium*Number of plan options and add-ons
Lemonade$18.503
Spot$34.604
Embrace$44.092
Healthy Paws$45.881

*Based on sample quotes for a mixed four-year-old dog in Raleigh, North Carolina

**Based on scores pulled from each company’s BBB profile as of February 23, 2023


Our Conclusion

Healthy Paws’ impressive coverage limits are perfect for pet owners who want the added peace of mind that all of their vet bills will be covered year after year. However, its insurance policies can get expensive if you have a purebred dog, so we recommend comparing prices with a few other companies to make sure you get the best deal possible.

In addition to getting a quote from Healthy Paws, consider other top pet insurance companies, such as Lemonade or Embrace.

FAQ

Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews team is dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:

  • Coverage (25)
  • Plan options (20)
  • Monthly cost (20)
  • Company reputation (15)
  • Customer service (10)
  • Species eligibility (10)

Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.