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PetFirst Pet Insurance Review

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PetFirst Healthcare LLC is a pet insurance company that was founded in 2004 and based in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It offers accident and illness coverage for cats and dogs and operates in all 50 states.

The company offers discounts for those with multiple pets, and allows you to choose any vet you like without pre-approval.
 
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How is PetFirst rated?

Breakdown

4.5/5
Coverage
4.0/5
Cost
4.0/5
Extras

Overall Rating: 4.4 / 5 (Excellent)

PetFirst offers an enrollment process that is easier than most. They do not require a vet exam, and accident coverage starts in 24 hours.

Additionally, the company has no upper age limit on enrollment, and no waiting periods for a few conditions many other providers outright just don't cover.

PetFirst also has a healthy pet discount for every year you don't make a claim. The upper tier plans, however, are on the pricier side, and the company does not offer unlimited coverage.

PetFirst Coverage

Coverage - 4.5 / 5

Petfirst offers accident and illness coverage that is pretty much industry standard for the price.

However, what sets them apart is they have no waiting periods for hip dysplasia, patella luxations or orthapedic conditions. The company also offers a wellness plan as an add on.
Pets Covered
Dogs
Cats
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 - 4.5 / 5

Petfirst does not restrict you to per incident or per illness limits. However, the company does have annual limits. They let you choose $5,000, $10,000, and $20,000.

While the $5,000 limit plan has a monthly deductible in the average pet insurance range, the two higher limit plans get pricey.

In fact, there are unlimited plans we review that tend to cost less than Petfirst's $20,000 limit plan.
Benefit Limit Types
Annual
Annual Benefit Maximum
$20,000

Reimbursement & Deductibles

Reimbursement - 5 / 5

Petfirst gives you the option of setting your reimbursement at 70%, 80%, and 90%. This is a consistent feature of the best pet insurance providers.
Reimbursement Model
Actual Cost
Minimum Percent Reimbursement
70%
Maximum Percent Reimbursement
90%

Deductibles - 4 / 5

Petfirst offers flexible deductibles of $50, $100, $250, and $500. Not many other plans offer the option of such a low deductible.

Choosing it would translate into higher premiums, but it could be a valuable option if it fits your particular situation, i.e. you know you can afford to fit the monthly premium into your budget but are not sure you'd have the extra cash on hand to pay a higher deductible.
Deductible Type
Annual
Minimum Deductible Offered
$50
Maximum Deductible Offered
$500

Pricing: How much does PetFirst cost?

Cost - 4 / 5

Petfirst's lower annual limit plans offer pretty much average monthly deductibles when compared to similar plans.

However, their higher limit plans are on the pricier side.

Starting Monthly Premiums

Dog: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male Golden Retriever in zip code 92683
$16.95
Cat: Sample Monthly Premium, 1 year old male American Shorthair in zip code 92683
$8.95
Rate Details: Annual Limit: $1,000, Per-Incident Deductible: $500, Reimbursement Rate: 70%
Available Discounts: $10 to $20 off for pet parents who purchase their pet health insurance policy online, 5% to 10% corporate employee member discount, 10% animal care employee discount,5% military discount

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Enrollment - 5 / 5

Petfirst has a particularly painless and lenient enrollment process when compared to other companies. Firstly they do not require a vet exam.

Accident coverage begins midnight the day of enrollment and illness 14 days after. There is no fee to cancel.

And lastly, Petfirst is one of only a handful of companies that has no upper age limit. Cats and dogs of any age can be covered for life.
Min Enrollment Age
8 weeks
Illnesses Waiting Period
14 days
Free Look Period
30 days

Claims & Service

Extras - 4 / 5

Petfirst stands out two ways in the claims department, they offer healthy pet discounts every year you don't make a claim, and they do not increase your premium due to amount of claims made.

The claims procedure is the standard process of paying your vet bill up front, then submitting the claims form with all the relevant invoices and receipts.
Advertised Response Time
14 days
Claim Form
Mail
Email
Fax
Online Portal

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
https://www.petfirst.com/
Headquarters Address
1 Quartermaster Ct, Jeffersonville, IN, 47130
Mailing Address
1 Quartermaster Ct, Jeffersonville, IN, 47130
Year Founded
2004
What We’re Hearing From Our Readers
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Customer Comments

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A
andrew.hertzberg

1/28/2019
PetFirst is fast, thorough, easy to deal with and very open with communications. We've used them for years.
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Pam A

12/4/2018
Have been with Pet First Insurance for 12 years for 3 of our dogs. they have always been easy to work with and competitive in their rates. Fast claims processing and excellent customer service (knowledgeable, pleasant and helpful) - they should be an inspiration and role model of best practices for how human health insurance companies should act and treat their customers!
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C
CJ

9/19/2018
Petfirst, like many other insurance companies will actively look for ways to deny your claim and withhold paying out. They should change their name to "moneyfirst" to be a more accurate representation of their interests. I had recently adopted a kitten from a shelter and she'd been spayed the day we took her home. As expected of a kitten after surgery she was lethargic and inappetent the day of but showed some improvement the following day. Things took a turn for the worse and after about two days post surgery she had developed a horrible infection from the spay and was on death's doorstep. We took her to the vet to receive care and after a round of antibiotics and opioids for the pain as... Read More
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C
Cynthia K

9/11/2018
It took me awhile to get into the swing of how the claims process works, but now that I have it down, it works for us. I have an old dog with heart disease and once we met the deductible and processed the first claim, everything related was covered at a good percentage for reimbursement. We also have a young lab and opted to insure him elsewhere because of the lifetime out of pocket maximum limit at PetFirst.
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Patricia L

8/29/2018
I have had this insurance for 2 dog, thank God. They pay claims quickly. I am very satisfied with this company.
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D
Diana.delpiano

4/25/2017
Pet First is a great company !! I would recommend it to everyone I know!!!
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Sue L

3/21/2017
PetFirst Pet Insurance is outstanding. Coverage is affordable, it is easy to file a claim and reimbursement is within 2 weeks of filing.
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D
Donna

3/7/2017
Easy to work with. Checks come in a timely time.
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D
Dana H

1/28/2015
In May of last year, my dog Clinker and I were hiking through the woods. She leaped off of the path to chase something and got hung up on a branch, creating a 10-12 inch skin tear down the inside of her hind leg. We rushed her to the vet, who was a bit wide-eyed at the damage, later confessing to me that she tried to hide how bad it looked. The staff had quite a time removing the broken pieces of the branch that were lodged under her skin, but Clinker was sewed back up and good as new within a few weeks. I had heard from numerous pet owners that their pet insurance didn't cover any claims that they had made, so I had never considered getting it, until my new neighbors told me... Read More
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G
greg b

12/31/2014
I used them for years with my dog and they got to $100/ month in premiums with horrible customer support and paying me around 1/5 of what I submitted. They took their time proceeding claims- way more than their published 10 business day commitment. You are better off putting $50/month away to pay the vet directly and keeping these guys out of the loop.
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Our Partner
  • PetFirst is partnered with the Humane Society
  • Short waiting period before coverage begins
  • Hereditary, congenital & chronic conditions
  • No exam required
  • Coverage for exam fees
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