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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review

3,226 Customer Comments & Reviews - see all comments
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Healthy Paws is a pet insurance company based in Washington state that provides coverage for cats and dogs. They are underwritten by Chubb Group, a consistently highly-rated insurer.

Healthy Paws offers an industry-leading suite of policies that include unlimited lifetime benefits, high reimbursement, affordable coverage, and top rated customer service.

How is Healthy Paws rated?

Breakdown

3.5/5
Coverage
4.0/5
Cost
4.0/5
Extras

Overall Rating: 3.9 / 5 (Very good)

Healthy Paws ranks highly among the pet insurance companies we've reviewed. The company offers a single pet insurance plan with multiple reimbursement options, comprehensive coverage for alternative therapy and no caps of any kind.

Reimbursement is based on the cost of your actual vet bill and there is no limit as to the type of or how many claims you can make for covered conditions. Healthy Paws provides all of this at the same or sometimes lower prices than less comprehensive plans.

Healthy Paws Coverage

Coverage - 3.5 / 5

Compared to other pet insurance providers, Healthy Paws offers the most comprehensive coverage and does so without any caps or limits. Policies cover all accidents and illnesses without restrictions for hereditary or congenital conditions.

The company also includes services like advanced testing, surgeries, hospital stays, and prescription medications, as well as alternative therapies and emergency care.

Healthy Paws does not have a wellness plan, but they will treat canine hip dysplasia if it is not a pre-existing condition.
Pets Covered
Dogs
Cats
Coverage Types
Medical
Vet Selection
Unrestricted
Out-of-State Coverage
Yes
Commercial Pets Covered

Medical Conditions Covered

  • Accidental
  • Illness
  • Hereditary
  • Congenital
  • Cancer
  • Chronic
  • Accidental Dental

Medical Treatments Covered

  • Diagnostic Testing
  • Surgery
  • Hospitalization
  • Prescription Medications
  • Emergency Care
  • Specialty Care
  • Alternative Care

Benefit Limits

Benefit Limits - 4 / 5

Where Healthy Paws really asserts its dominance is in benefit limits. Regardless of the plan you choose, there are no caps on coverage, either annual, lifetime, or per incident.

Generally speaking, other companies offer unlimited benefits as an option available only for their highest level and most expensive plans. This is not the case with Healthy Paws; it is included in their standard price plan.

As long as the condition or treatment is covered under the plan (very few restrictions do apply) there is no limit to what the company will pay to make your animal well.

One Healthy Paws customer reported to us that the company recently paid out over $18,000 on a $20,000 vet bill in order to save the life of a dog suffering from cancer. More recently, another customer wrote, "I have a six-year-old German shepherd. Unfortunately, he already has had more than his share of problems, from herniated discs to cancer. Healthy Paws has not given me any hassle or trouble, even though his expenses to date are approaching $40,000. This was by far the best financial decision I have ever made."
Benefit Limit Types
Unlimited

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Reimbursement - 4 / 5

As with deductibles, Healthy Paws is in line with the industry's best companies by allowing you the flexibility of customizing your reimbursement percentage as well.

You can select either 70%, 80%, or 90% at the outset of your policy. Healthy Paws reimbursement is based on the actual veterinary bill.

The company will compile all covered treatments for a given claim and pay your chosen percent after you've met the deductible. As with low deductibles, high percentage payouts are going to equal a more costly monthly premium.
In general, Healthy Paws pays on a reimbursement model. Policyholders pay the vet up front for treatment, submit their claims to Healthy Paws, and receive a reimbursement. However, in situations where pet owners can't pay their vet at the time of treatment, they have the option of contacting Healthy Paws and asking them to pay the vet directly. If the veterinary hospital is willing to accept payment from Healthy Paws, the insurer can work directly with it to expedite access to medical records and claim processing. This direct payment option is available on a case-by-case basis and applies to treatment by any licensed vet in the United States. It is not limited to any specific network of vets.
Reimbursement Model
Actual Cost
Minimum Percent Reimbursement
70%
Maximum Percent Reimbursement
90%

Deductibles - 4 / 5

Like all the best pet insurance companies, Healthy Paws allows you to customize your deductible to best suit your financial needs.

Values can be set at $100, $250, and $500. Lower deductibles do result in higher premiums. But many customers will appreciate the flexibility Healthy Paws offers.
Deductible Type
Annual
Minimum Deductible Offered
$100
Maximum Deductible Offered
$500

Pricing: How much does Healthy Paws cost?

Cost - 4 / 5

Considering the few benefit limits Healthy Paws imposes and the company's customizable payout percentages and deductibles, Healthy Paws plans are reasonably priced and even cheaper than less substantial plans.

Starting Monthly Premiums

Dog: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male Golden Retriever in zip code 92683
$32.83
Cat: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male American Shorthair in zip code 92683
$17.19
Rate Details: Annual Deductible: $500, Benefit Cap: Annual & Unlimited, Reimbursement Model: 70% of Annual Cost
Available Discounts:

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Enrollment - 4 / 5

Healthy Paws enrolls pets 8 weeks and older. While some companies have no upper age enrollment restrictions, Healthy Paws limits coverage to pets 13.99 years old and younger.

Some companies offer accident coverage immediately upon premium payment. Healthy Paws imposes a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses.

The waiting period for hip dysplasia is 12 months. Healthy Paws will not cover hip dysplasia if the pet was 6 years or older at the time of enrollment. Other companies we review have no such restrictions on hip dysplasia.

For pets younger than 6 you'll have to provide documentation of a complete physical within the last 12 months. Pets older than 6 must have had a complete examination within the last 30 days.
Min Enrollment Age
8 weeks
Max Enrollment Age
14 years
Accident Waiting Period
15 days
Illnesses Waiting Period
15 days
Free Look Period
30 days

Claims & Service

Extras - 4 / 5

Healthy Paws has a proven track record of fulfilling claims fast and with as little fuss as possible compared to other pet insurance companies.

Customer support is efficient, courteous and available 7 days a week. With Healthy Paws, you have the ability to file a claim online or through their mobile app.

You simply submit the veterinarian invoice and the company will send you the reimbursement check. 99% of claims are processed in 2 days.
Advertised Response Time
3 days
Claim Form
Email
Fax
Online Portal
Mobile App

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
Headquarters Address
11120 NE 33rd Place, Bellevue, WA, 98004
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 50034, Bellevue, WA, 98105
Year Founded
2009

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3226 Customer Comments & Reviews

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H
Hillery H

2/11/2020
I have submitted for urinary track infection, respiratory x-ray and upper resp infection and antibiotics to treat with all records to back it up. I've been told these are preexsisting conditions and not paid. I've been with healthy paw for 10 months. I e spend endless hours every week on phone them telling me it should be covered. It's been months and I have not seen a dime. Insult to injury I just got a letter saying they are raising my premium. Either they are the most inefficient or crooks. Small claims court next if not remedied soo. Worst experience ever so far. Customer service is very kind but still not a dime. I'm exhausted!!!

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Hillery, We’re sorry that your customer service experience did not meet yours or our expectations. We appreciate the fact you scheduled a call with one of our Customer Liaison Managers for 2/11 so we could provide answers to your issues. In regards to the claim for the urinary tract infection, our manager informed you that has been appealed and processed based on the deductible/reimbursement level you chose at enrollment. Insurance regulations require that we send out a notice to our clients whenever there is a policy change. We will always email you regarding the premium increase prior to your policy anniversary date, using the email address you chose for your account. It was just coincidence that you received this notification while you were dealing with the issues with your claim. We truly understand that no one likes any form of premium increase. Our management team works hard to keep our premiums as low as possible while still providing comprehensive coverage. New technology, advancements in veterinary treatments, and overall claim costs are taken into consideration when assessing our rates. Premiums are determined based on the rates and rating rules filed and approved within each state’s Department of Insurance. These reflect the cost of treatment, advances in veterinary medicine, your individual pet’s breed, gender, age and other factors, in addition to the overall claims experience for the program within the region your pet resides. As a result, we need to increase the premium level for all pets in your state so you and your pet can have continued access to the best veterinary care. Rest assured, we will never penalize you with higher rates for making claims. All pet insurance companies, no matter how they market their benefits, will raise rates to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of veterinary care. We do our best to be transparent regarding annual premium increases by including this information on the "Frequently Asked Questions" page of our website. Again, we apologize for the issue with you claim and hope your babies are doing well.

michaelaguillory3

2/10/2020
Never did I think that my 3 year old Frenchie, Quintus, would need surgery. Unfortunately, it happened. He ruptured a disc and was in so much pain. I'm so glad we have Healthy Paws Insurance. Being able to care for our little guy as best as we can is a top priority. Healthy Paws gives us peace of mind that we can do that for him. Its been one week since the surgery and were hoping he'll be back to having fun in a month or so, Thank you Healthy Paws!!

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
michaelaguillory3 - We are very sorry to hear that your pup Quintus needed major back surgery. Thank you so much for the kind words and for taking the time to write your review. It's people like you who are helping to raise awareness about the importance of having pet insurance for their furbabies and we thank you for that. Please give your sweet little Frenchie another big hug from us!

saraheprinty

2/10/2020
Due to Healthy Paws quick and east submittal process, I've was able to get my dog the surgery he needed to fit a broken leg after a freak accident. I never fear going to the vet when he is sick knowing that I have held covering his care. The customer service is amazing and the reimbursement checks are mailed quickly. I recommend Healthy paws to all pet parents!

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
saraheprinty - We are sorry to hear that your dog needed a major leg surgery after fracturing his leg. Poor guy. Hopefully, he'll be back to running and playing like a normal pup very soon!. Thank you for all the kind words regarding Healthy Paw's excellent customer service and quick reimbursements. We take great pride in delivering top-notch customer service and a simple claims process. Please give your sweet boy a big hug from us!

Quinn D

2/7/2020
Our day started normal, outside for potty two cookies each but within 20-30 minutes I noticed my 2.5year old GSP was not acting right, panting, breathing weird .... within 2 hours we were at the emergency vet..... and he was diagnosed with pneumothorax....... your handed an estimate for $ 9100.00 ...... it's easy to say do what you have to do to save my boy with out the worry of where the money gonna come from..........I submitted my bill to Healthy Paws and no questions asked they paid the claim....... he was readmitted twice more as he ended up with pneumonia also and those claims were also paid with ease........... It is worth every penny knowing Healthy Paws is there when it is needed... Read More

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Quinn - Thank you for taking the time to share your story. Having a sick pup and not knowing what to do, or where the money to pay for the expensive treatments in going to come from? Having Healthy Paws pet insurance gives pet parents peace of mind in knowing that if anything ever does happen to their furbabies Healthy Paws has their backs. We are so sorry to hear that your sweet pup had to go through al of that and hope he never has to go through that again. Please give him a big hug from us!

G
GOgrl

2/7/2020
I read through a lot of comments and my issue is regarding the increase in rates year over year. My dog (not yet 3) policy has gone up 53% (Effective years 2017-2019). I am sure I will get the "form letter" response why rates have to go up, so Healthy Paws please don't bother. Bottom line is this is a for profit business, same as veterinarians. I also am not aware of Healthy Paws asking for my dogs medical file for determination of pre-existing conditions. I don't know, when I grew up we had 2 dogs, 1 lived to 18 (ate all our leftovers) and the 2nd lived 13 years. I didn't even know what a vet was!! To change insurance is no picnic either since they all have their flaws and rate increases... Read More

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
GOgrl - We truly appreciate that you have been a valuable member of the Healthy Paws Family for since 2017. Our management team works hard to keep our premiums as low as possible while still providing comprehensive coverage. New technology, advancements in veterinary treatments, and overall claim costs are taken into consideration when assessing our rates. Premiums are determined based on the rates and rating rules filed and approved within each state’s Department of Insurance. These reflect the cost of treatment, advances in veterinary medicine, your individual pet’s breed, gender, age and other factors, in addition to the overall claims experience for the program within the region your pet resides. As a result, we need to increase the premium level for all pets in your state so you and your pet can have continued access to the best veterinary care. Rest assured, we will never penalize you with higher rates for making claims. All pet insurance companies, no matter how they market their benefits, will raise rates to keep up with the rapidly rising cost of veterinary care. We do our best to be transparent regarding annual premium increases by including this information on the "Frequently Asked Questions" page of our website. We also do our best to be transparent regarding the need for medical records by including that information on our website. Providing a pet’s medical records at the time of enrollment is not necessary for coverage. We only request a pet’s medical records at the time of their first claim instead of requiring them at the time of enrollment since most pet parents are aware of their pet’s pre-existing conditions. We would then use those medical records and notes written by the attending veterinarian to determine if there are any pre-existing conditions which would keep us from approving a claim. There are other pet insurance companies that follow the same protocol in regards to the need for medical records. Give your pup a hug from us.

jay.125b

2/6/2020
Very happy with their service and have no issues. They resolve all payments quickly.

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
jay.125b - Thank you for the kind words. We are so glad you are so happy with your Healthy Paws pet insurance coverage.

timothygray2489

2/6/2020
Our dog was suddenly very sick and Healthy paws was a great help throughout the process. They quickly reimbursed us and covered the majority of the bills that were due, which allowed us to keep up treatment and even keep our dog alive. We are very fortunate we decided to insure our pet through healthy Paws!

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
timothygray2489 - Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to write your review. We are so happy to hear that you are so happy with your Healthy Paws pet insurance coverage. Please give your pup another big hug from us!

loridangercano16

2/5/2020
If it was not for Healthy Paws my sweet boy would not be alive. There are a lot of people out there that buy insurance for the peace of mind of knowing they have something to fall back on. This is not us. We got our dog at 8 weeks old. At 9 weeks he had severe medical complications. Since we have had him (he is almost 2 now) we have been at the vet no less than once a month. Typically we are there every other week as we flop back and forth from our family vet, our dermatologist, and our internal medicine doctor. The only bill that was not covered by them was our first ER bill as we were still in the waiting period. We are a family that pays a much higher monthly premium than most.... Read More

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
loridangercano - Thank you so much for all the kind words regarding Healthy Paws amazing customer service, coverage and reasonable premiums. We take great pride in making every aspect of our valued family members Healthy Paws experiences as pleasant and easy as possible. We are so sorry to hear that your dog has been dealing with some ongoing health issues and hope he gets back to feeling like a normal pup very soon. Please give him a big hug from us!

M
Melody K

2/5/2020
I'm so thankful for Healthy Paws insurance. I decided to purchase insurance in fall 2019 after a scare with my 6-year-old Frenchie. She had a lump on her stomach that had to be removed, and thankfully it was benign. I knew I should get insurance for future possible issues. Just two months later, she was showing signs of pain and not wanting to walk around. Through multiple vet visits, it was confirmed that she had IVDD. We decided to move forward with back surgery, and she's now 3-weeks post op and recovering very well. It was an expensive process, and I'm so thankful for the financial help from Healthy Paws. My current coverage is 70% after a yearly $500 deductible, and it saved me... Read More

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Melody - We are sorry to hear that your sweet little Frenchie required major back surgery. Hopefully, her rehabilitation is going smoothly. Thank you for the kind words and for taking the time to write your review. It's people like you who are helping to raise awareness about the importance of having pet insurance and we thank you for that. Please give your pup a big hug from us!

camila.ramirez41

2/5/2020
This is my absolute favorite company that I trust for my dog!! As many pet owners our animals are basically our children, and we would more than likely do anything for them . Having insurance is so important just like it is for people, things can always happen and insurance is definitely a great way to help out with that. I just graduated college and it’s been tough looking for a job and at the same time my dog ended up needing surgery on his leg. With all my other expenses and in between jobs I was pretty stressed out but luckily healthy paws came to the rescue ( we’ve had insurance for almost a year now) and helped pay their percent which left us with ours and let me tell you it was... Read More

Tim  
Official Response

Customer Care of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
camilia.ramirez41 - Thank you so much for the kind words and for trusting Healthy Paws to protect all of your furbabies. We are so happy to hear that you have been so pleased with your Healthy Paws pet insurance coverage. Having a sick or injured pet can be very stressful, but having Healthy Paws allows pet parents to focus on their pet's health rather than the costs associated with expensive life-saving treatments. Please give your furbabies another big hug from us!


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  • No enrollment or administrative fees
  • Accidents, illnesses & emergency care
  • Most claims are processed within 2 days
  • Flexible premium & deductible options