Our Rating Methodology
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The This Old House Reviews Team is committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. This means earning your trust with transparent reviews and data to support our ratings and recommendations. We thoroughly researched the pet insurance industry to develop a scoring system based on key metrics and industry standards. We then scored pet insurance companies to find the best options for pet parents.
Pet Insurance Research Process
We researched each provider’s service, coverage, and customer experiences using the following methods.
Customer Insights
Customers share their experiences and perspectives by leaving reviews across various platforms. We read more than 5,000 reviews for pet insurance providers, observing both positive and negative themes. We noted common pain points and complaint patterns, as well as how responsive the companies were to customer concerns. These are the third-party review aggregators we primarily referenced for reviews:
- Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Google Reviews
- Trustpilot
We also surveyed pet owners across the United States about their real-life experiences with pet insurance providers and their pet’s health care needs and expenses. For each survey, our team developed questions aimed at uncovering why pet owners purchased their insurance plan, what aspects of the plan were most valuable, and how they viewed their experiences.
Secret Shopping
In addition to listening to customers’ stories, we interacted with companies’ websites and customer service teams as a pet owner would:
- We read providers’ websites.
- We requested quotes online.
- We called customer service with questions and for quotes.
- We read sample contracts.
- We interacted with sites’ chat features.
Industry Interviews
We spoke with licensed veterinarians and other industry experts to give us further insight into pet health care needs and the value of pet insurance.
Factors Evaluated to Compare Pet Insurance
To rate each pet insurance company, we analyzed the data from our research and created review standards based on our findings. We established a 100-point scale to rate providers based on factors most important to pet owners. We assigned point values to each provider in the following categories.
Coverage
Provider coverage carried the most weight in our ratings. We evaluated the types of plans each provider offers and how comprehensive they are. We also looked at each provider’s policy exclusions.
Customization
How customizable a provider’s plans are was another highly weighted factor. We reviewed the options for adjusting your premium by customizing the deductible, annual limit, and reimbursement rate. We also checked which add-ons, if any, are available to expand your coverage to fit your pet’s needs.
Cost
Cost is a big factor for pet owners. We compared each provider’s plan and add-on costs to those of other providers to gauge affordability and what pet parents get for their money.
Company Reputation
Trustworthiness and transparency are important metrics. We analyzed customer reviews, Better Business Bureau (BBB) scores, and news reports to understand customer satisfaction, company integrity, and legal standing. We paid special attention to what customers said about policy transparency, reimbursement turnaround times, price fluctuations, and provider communication.
Customer Service
Our team not only considered customer reviews but also first-hand interactions when determining the quality of a provider’s customer service. We looked at the number of options a provider has to access its customer service team, including phone, email, and chat. We also evaluated how responsive customer service was across these methods. Finally, we used each provider’s app to determine how easy it is to file a claim or reach customer service.
Eligibility
We assessed which species a provider insures, minimum and maximum age limits, and exclusions for breed or health conditions.
Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date. We make changes to our content when necessary to provide the most accurate information.
Factor Weights for Rating Pet Insurance Companies
Our categories are weighted as follows:
Coverage (25%)
- Plans offered
- Coverage comprehensiveness
- Exclusions
Customization (20%)
- Deductible, annual limit, and reimbursement rate options
- Add-ons
Cost (20%)
- Provider comparisons
- Affordability
- Level of coverage included in cost
Company Reputation (15%)
- Policy transparency
- Trustworthiness
- Communication
Customer Service (10%)
- Number of ways to reach customer service
- Responsiveness
- App user experience
Eligibility (10%)
- Number of species provider insures
- Minimum and maximum age limits covered
- Exclusions for breed or health conditions
How To Interpret Company Ratings
Pet insurance providers that score 90 to 100 offer excellent coverage, fast claim response times, and policy and cost flexibility. Providers that score 80 to 89 are still considered good. Typically, these providers don’t earn as many coverage points due to less customization, higher premiums, more coverage exclusions, or longer claim response times, but they still offer excellent value if their coverage plans meet your and your pet’s needs.
Providers that score 70 to 79 scored lower across several categories and don’t often make it into our top recommendations, but it can still be worthwhile to compare these policies to find the best fit for your pet and budget. We don’t recommend companies that score under 70 on our scale.
How To Choose the Best Pet Insurance Company for You
Consider the following when selecting a pet insurance provider:
- Cost: Pet insurance is meant to ease the financial strain of your pet’s vet expenses. Pick a provider that’s in your budget.
- Coverage options: Look at whether a provider offers accident-and-illness coverage, accident-only coverage, or both. Also check to see if a provider offers wellness coverage or other add-on options.
- Customization and caps: Evaluate how much control you have over your monthly premium. What range of deductibles is available? How high of a reimbursement percentage can you select? Does the provider offer unlimited coverage? Is coverage capped per incident or per year?
- Policy details: Read the fine print on each provider’s policy, such as pet age limits, waiting periods, preexisting conditions, and required terms for enrollment.
About the This Old House Reviews Team
The This Old House Review Team is an independent editorial team of subject matter experts who champion the categories and home services we recommend. From the beginning stages of research to the published review articles, our team works diligently to center the reader’s interests by identifying common pain points, connecting with people with first-hand knowledge and experience, and crafting content that meets the needs of our audience. We aim to help first-time pet owners, potential pet owners, and budget-conscious pet owners streamline their decision-making process for selecting their home services.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.