Pet insurance
How to compare pet insurance: a side-by-side method and worksheet
Last reviewed October 29, 20266 min readBy the Goodsurance editorial team Reviewed by the Goodsurance editorial team
To compare pet insurance, set the same deductible, reimbursement rate and yearly limit at each insurer, then compare price. After that, compare the rules a price does not show. Those rules decide whether a claim gets paid. Below is a worksheet and a real example using two insurers' own terms.
Compare in two passes
Most people compare pet insurance by price alone. That only works if the plans are built the same way. They rarely are.
Pass 1: make the prices fair. Set the same three numbers at each insurer. Then the prices mean something.
Pass 2: compare what the price hides. Two plans with the same price can pay very different amounts on the same vet bill. The difference is in the fine print: what counts as pre-existing, what is left out, and how the math is done.
New to the basics? Start with how pet insurance works. If you want to know which insurers fit which needs, see best pet insurance.
Pass 1: set the same three numbers first
Every quote is built from three choices. Our guide to deductibles, reimbursement and limits explains each one.
- Deductible: the part of the bill you pay first. Pick the same amount everywhere, such as $250, if each insurer offers it.
- Reimbursement rate: the share the insurer pays. Fetch and ASPCA, for example, both offer 70%, 80% and 90%. So you can price 80% at both.
- Yearly limit: the most it pays in a year. Healthy Paws offers $5,000, $7,000 or unlimited. ASPCA offers $2,500 up to unlimited. Pick a limit both offer.
Some plans cannot be matched exactly. Trupanion, for example, has described its plan as one set rate with a deductible you pay once per health problem. Confirm its current terms with Trupanion. When that happens, note it on your worksheet instead of forcing a match. Our guide to pet insurance quotes walks through getting each price.
Pass 2: compare what the price hides
These are the terms that most often decide a claim. Each one can differ from one insurer to the next.
- Waiting periods: how long before illness or accident care is covered. See pet insurance waiting periods.
- Exam fees: the fee for the vet to look at a sick pet. Some plans pay it. Some never do.
- Pre-existing and "curable" conditions: a curable condition is one that can go away for good. Some plans will cover it again after a set time with no signs. The time differs.
- Bilateral conditions: problems that can affect both sides of the body, like a knee. If one side had signs before coverage, some plans exclude the other side too.
- Hereditary and congenital conditions: problems passed down or present from birth. The NAIC says most insurers exclude them. Some, like Fetch and Healthy Paws, cover them if signs first show after you enroll and after the waiting period.
- Per-condition vs yearly deductible: once per problem, or once per year.
- Benefit schedule vs your real bill: the NAIC says some insurers pay from a set price list. Others pay a share of what you spent.
- Age rules: an age cap to enroll, or a cap on some coverage after a certain age. See senior pet insurance.
- Price changes with age: whether the premium rises as your pet gets older.
- Direct vet pay: whether the insurer can pay the vet so you do not pay the whole bill first.
A comparison worksheet you can use
Write down each answer for each insurer. Leave a blank if you cannot find it, then ask. A blank is a warning sign, not a yes.
Pet insurance comparison worksheet
Same deductible, rate and limit as the other quotes?
If not, the prices are not a fair match.
Deductible: once a year or once per condition?
Changes what a long illness costs you.
Share first or deductible first?
Same rate, different check.
Waiting period for accidents, illness and knees or hips?
Some plans set a longer wait for knees or hips.
Are sick-visit exam fees covered?
This fee comes with sick visits.
How long before a curable condition can be covered again?
Look for the number of months with no signs.
Which bilateral conditions are excluded?
One knee problem can rule out both knees.
Hereditary and congenital: covered if signs show after enrolling?
Matters most for breeds with known problems.
Pays from a price list or from my real bill?
A price list can pay less than your vet charges.
Age limits, and does the price rise with age?
A low price now may not last.
Can it pay the vet directly? Claim deadline? Payment time?
These decide how much cash you need on hand.
Example: Fetch and Healthy Paws, side by side
Here is the worksheet filled in for two insurers. Every answer comes from the insurer's own website or sample policy, checked October 29, 2026. This is not a ranking. Terms can differ by state, so check the policy for yours.
| Term | Fetch | Healthy Paws |
|---|---|---|
| Reimbursement rate | 70%, 80% or 90% | Chosen at sign-up; options not listed in its FAQ |
| Yearly limit | Not listed on its coverage page | $5,000, $7,000 or unlimited; can never be raised later |
| Deductible | Once per policy year | Once per policy year |
| Order of the math | Share first, then deductible | Share first, then deductible |
| Illness waiting period | 15 days | 15 days |
| Accident waiting period | None | 15 days in most states; none in some states |
| Sick-visit exam fee | Covered | Not covered |
| Curable conditions | Excluded for 12 months from the last sign. If it comes back in that time, a second 12 months starts. If it comes back again in that second period, excluded for life | Can be covered after 365 days in a row with no signs or treatment |
| Bilateral conditions | If one side had orthopedic signs before the waiting period ended, the other side is excluded too | The cruciate (knee) ligament is the only bilateral exclusion |
| Knees and hips | Orthopedic problems that start in the first 180 days are excluded, except after an accident. A vet exam in that time that finds no knee problems keeps the knees covered | Hip dysplasia: 12-month wait (30 days in some states) if enrolled at age 5 or under; not covered if enrolled at 6 or older |
| Hereditary and congenital | Covered unless signs showed before coverage or during the waiting period | Covered if signs first show after enrolling and after the waiting period |
| Paid from | The reasonable cost of covered care | Your actual vet bill, not a price list |
| Age to enroll | 6 weeks and up, no upper age limit | Not stated in its FAQ |
| Price and age | Not stated on the pages checked | Rates use age, breed and other factors; not your claims |
| Pays the vet directly | No | Yes, if you ask before treatment |
| Claim deadline | 90 days from the visit | 90 days from the invoice date |
| Payment time | Most claims in under 10 days | 2 business days on average, once approved |
Look at what this shows. Their waiting periods for illness match. Their deductibles work the same way. But a sick-visit exam fee, a repeat ear infection, or a torn knee ligament could be paid by one and not the other.
Where to find each answer
- The sample policy. Many insurers post one. It is the real contract, so it beats a sales page. Look for "Definitions," "Exclusions" and "Limits."
- The disclosure summary. Some states have adopted a model pet insurance law. In those states, for example Rhode Island, insurers must post a short summary called "Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions" on their website and give it to you with the policy. The law also makes insurers disclose their rules on pre-existing, hereditary and chronic conditions, waiting periods, deductibles and limits. They must also say if the price or coverage can change with your pet's age or your claims.
- Ask in writing. If a term is not posted, email the insurer. Keep the answer.
Review sites and forums can point you to questions worth asking. But check every answer against the insurer's own policy before you rely on it.
A low price can come from a high deductible, a low limit, no exam fee coverage or longer exclusions. Match the three numbers first, then read the exclusions, before you call a plan cheaper.
Common questions
Quick answers, fast .
Tap any question to expand. Each links to a fuller standalone answer.
What is the best way to compare pet insurance?
Set the same deductible, reimbursement rate and yearly limit at each insurer, then compare price. Then compare exam fees, waiting periods, curable and bilateral rules, and age rules.
Is there a pet insurance comparison tool?
Some sites show several quotes at once. They are a fair start. But most only compare price, so you still need to check the terms each price hides.
Can I trust pet insurance comparisons on Reddit or review sites?
Use them for questions, not answers. Owners' stories can show what to check. Then confirm each point in the insurer's sample policy, because terms change and differ by state.
Why do two quotes with the same price pay differently?
The fine print differs. One plan may cover exam fees and one may not. One may exclude a repeat condition for a year and one for life. The order of the math can differ too.
Can I compare a plan that only offers one reimbursement rate?
Yes. Note the difference on your worksheet instead of forcing a match. Then compare what you would pay on the same example bill at each plan.
References
- Fetch: Sample pet health insurance policy (GPTM 050 0326 A)Curable exclusionary period, bilateral and orthopedic rules, claim deadline, deductible per policy period
- Fetch: CoverageSick-visit exam fee covered, waiting periods, hereditary coverage, ages 6 weeks and up
- Fetch: How reimbursement works70%, 80% or 90%; 90-day claims; typical processing time
- Fetch: Does Fetch pay the vet directly?Fetch does not pay the vet directly
- Healthy Paws: Frequently asked questionsWaiting periods, exam fees, limits, curable conditions, bilateral rule, claim deadline and payment time
- Healthy Paws: Compare Healthy Paws to ChewyPays from actual vet bills, not a benefit schedule; direct pay arranged before services
- ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: How does pet insurance work?Deductible, reimbursement and limit choices
- Rhode Island General Laws 27-83-3Required disclosures, including the Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions
- NAIC: Pet insuranceBenefit schedules vs percentage of spending; common exclusions