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While pet insurance can help cover veterinary bills, it might not be worth it if preexisting conditions, age restrictions and species will limit your pet’s coverage. See how veterinary discount plans offer an alternative to traditional pet insurance in this Pet Assure review.
We at the Guides Home Team have ranked the best pet insurance providers nationwide to help you find coverage for your furry friend. But if you are looking for a veterinary discount plan, Pet Assure is an insurance alternative that can offer you upfront savings at the vet’s office.
We gave Pet Assure a 4.1 out of 5 stars under our provider review methodology for its flexible discount program available to pets of all breeds, species and ages. We like that Pet Assure offers savings for a range of vet services — including those related to preexisting conditions — without standard insurance deductibles, waiting periods or claims processes.
Pet Assure is a veterinary discount program, not a traditional pet health insurance company. Once the vet has treated your pet, you can use your Pet Assure discount card at participating clinics for automatic savings. You can use the search tool on the Pet Assure website to find participating veterinarians in your area.
Pet Assure is a discount plan you can use for veterinary services in exchange for a monthly or annual fee. It does not provide medical coverage like pet insurance but rather offers discounts you can apply to your vet bills upfront. You can only enroll in Pet Assure through an employer benefits program.
Pet Assure operates through networks like human health insurance, which means it’s only accepted at participating veterinary offices. The company has partner clinics in all 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico and Canada, so you’ll likely be able to find an option nearby.
Since Pet Assure operates through networks instead of a reimbursement system, you won’t have to worry about filing claims — you can use your benefits at the vet’s office during checkout. There is also no deductible or specified coverage limit with Pet Assure, so you can use your benefits without limits throughout the year.
After enrollment, you’ll receive an ID card to use at in-network veterinarians for a 25% discount on in-house medical services. You can also use the Pet Assure mobile app to access your discount card anywhere.
Your veterinary discount plan is available at enrollment, so you won’t have a waiting period before coverage begins. You can use the discount on a range of services for various species — many of which aren’t eligible for traditional pet insurance coverage. However, Pet Assure only covers veterinary care, not non-medical services like grooming.
Pet Assure also offers a risk-free, money-back guarantee. If you’re unhappy with your Pet Assure plan, you can cancel within the first 45 days for a full refund.
Pet Assure offers four plans to cover single pets or a family of pets with monthly and annual payment options. Depending on the plan you select, you can save around $45 to $65 per year by paying annually.
The table below outlines the average costs we gathered for different types of animals based on monthly and annual Pet Assure plans.
We think Pet Assure offers affordable pricing, especially for pet owners seeking an alternative to traditional pet insurance. Plus, the Pet Assure Savings Program provides discounts for items pet insurance doesn’t always cover, like routine wellness care.
We’ve listed some common routine veterinary services in the chart below, along with the typical cost of pet care compared to the discounted rate with Pet Assure.
*Note: The above prices reflect average costs and may vary depending on your pet and your location.
Let’s say you schedule a comprehensive annual wellness exam for your pet, including the three wellness services listed above. If you paid the vet bill in full, it’d be over $600. Add in office fees, vaccinations, parasite testing, and flea or heartworm medications, and you’re looking at $800 or more. With Pet Assure, you can expect a discount of 25% on eligible services, which can lower your bill by a few hundred dollars.
Traditional pet insurance plans don’t cover preventive care services like dental cleanings, wellness exams and vaccines. You’ll typically have to purchase an additional wellness care plan, which can tack $10 to $25 onto your monthly premium.
In this case, Pet Assure is an excellent alternative that offers an affordable monthly price for discounts on medical and preventative care.
Pet Assure covers in-house veterinary services and procedures, including routine wellness items. You’ll get a discount on many items at participating vets, including:
Plus, Pet Assure will send you a free lost pet recovery tag when you sign up for a savings plan. The tag functions as an external microchip a person can scan for the pet owner’s information. You’ll simply attach the tag to your animal’s collar, providing a point of contact for people who find your lost pet.
Pet Assure doesn’t cover non-medical expenses for pet boarding or grooming. It also won’t discount your pet’s take-home medications, pet food or lab work that occurs outside a veterinary clinic.
You might wonder about the difference between Pet Assure and traditional pet insurance. We’ve mentioned that Pet Assure isn’t a traditional pet insurance plan, but what does that mean?
Take a look at the table below to compare the two options.
The most notable difference between the two options is that Pet Assure does not exclude preexisting conditions from its discounts. Pet insurance typically does not cover preexisting conditions, so your provider will not reimburse care costs for conditions your pet had before enrollment. This limitation can make pet insurance ineffective for older animals or pets with certain conditions.
Both options cover sick visits and emergency care, but coverage works differently. Let’s say you have a $1,000 emergency vet bill. With Pet Assure, you will get a 25% discount at the time of checkout. You won’t have any deductibles or coverage limits, so savings kick in immediately.
With pet insurance, you will pay the full $1,000 at checkout and then file a claim for reimbursement. If your provider approves the claim, it will reimburse you for the costs based on your policy, deductible, annual coverage limit and reimbursement rate.
Pet insurance also tends to cost more each month compared to a veterinary discount plan. A monthly pet insurance plan costs between $38 and $56 for an adult dog and between $20 and $30 for an adult cat, whereas Pet Assure costs between $9.95 to $21.95 depending on your pet.
Neither option is necessarily better than the other, but you should consider the costs and savings of each to determine which fits your pet’s needs and your budget.
We’ve compiled reviews from real Pet Assure customers to help you decide if it is the right choice for you and your pet. We have listed both positive and negative reviews below to help you make the most educated purchase possible.
Pet Assure has a 4 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot, with many customers praising the company’s service. Customers also note how Pet Assure has saved them hundreds of dollars on unexpected and routine vet care. However, others expressed dissatisfaction with the Pet Assure network system and certain services like lost pet tags.
“Pays for itself after the first yearly checkup for my three cats. Pet Assure has saved me a fortune over the years. It now includes a pet tag to scan for owner info!” — Cynda via Trustpilot
“I used Pet Assure for about a year for my pet hamster. I was able to get good discounts on services. I only stopped using Pet Assure because my vet stopped accepting it. The cancellation process was fast and easy using the online chat feature. [Pet Assure] followed up with a confirmation email and refunded me very quickly.” — Jen via Trustpilot
“I didn’t realize there were only a few places that accepted [Pet Assure]. Our veterinarian does not. I would like to cancel the membership but haven’t had time to search and find out how.” — Ruth via Trustpilot
“My dog was lost and a neighbor found him. She contacted Pet Assure to inform them of the lost dog. Pet Assure told her they could not get in contact with me (the owner). Pet Assure never tried calling me, not once within the hour my dog went missing. The staff is rude over the phone and lost dog tags are not worth it.” — Tabatha via Trustpilot
While Pet Assure doesn’t provide traditional pet insurance, it can offer discounts on veterinary services at participating veterinary clinics. While Pet Assure can help all pet owners save on vet bills, we recommend the company if you have a pet with preexisting conditions or need exotic pet coverage.
Pet insurance rarely covers preexisting conditions, so your pet’s existing health problems might not be eligible for reimbursement. Standard pet insurance usually only covers dogs and cats, not other animals like birds or guinea pigs. Pet Assure doesn’t enforce any age, breed or condition exclusions, so you’ll get a 25% discount if the service is performed in-house at a participating veterinary practice.
Pet Assure also allows you to save on routine and preventative care. With pet insurance, you can only purchase wellness coverage as a policy add-on. But Pet Assure offers discounts on wellness exams, vaccines, parasite tests and more without extra monthly fees.
Lastly, Pet Assure is a good alternative for pet owners who don’t want complex plans with customizable annual limits, deductibles and reimbursement rates. While some pet parents may want customizable pet insurance, others might prefer upfront discounts when their pets need treatment. If so, Pet Assure is likely a better choice for you.
However, Pet Assure is only available through employer benefit programs. It also does not cover non-medical services such as pet grooming or boarding.
Yes, you can combine a veterinary discount plan with traditional pet insurance. Doing so can capitalize on your pet insurance coverage by offering discounts on services your plan does not cover, such as preventive care. With traditional pet insurance, you pay for services in full at the vet clinic and then file a claim for reimbursement later. But a pet discount plan like Pet Assure will knock 25% off the upfront amount you pay at the vet.
Unlike pet insurance, you will never have to file a claim with Pet Assure. Instead, you receive a Pet Assure discount card to use at participating clinics for savings at the time of service.
Although a discount plan does not offer traditional coverage for your pet’s medical care, you will receive savings on veterinary services, regardless of your pet’s age, breed, species and medical history. Pet Assure provides discounts for all types of pets — not just dogs and cats. So, if you are unable to find pet insurance coverage for your scaly, feathery or hooved friend, a veterinary discount plan might be a good alternative. Discount plans are also beneficial for pets with preexisting conditions, which pet insurance typically excludes from coverage.
No, only select veterinary practices accept Pet Assure. You can use the Pet Assure website to search for participating vets in your area before you enroll.
Our review of pet insurance companies is based on in-depth industry research that includes reading hundreds of customer reviews, scoping quotes and purchasing processes by secret shopping, speaking to representatives on the phone to assess the customer service experience, and surveying 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage.
We scored each provider on a 100-point scale based on those elements. We then divided this final score by 20 to calculate an overall star rating out of 5.0 stars.
Here are more details about each factor and how it’s weighted:
We use our rating system to compare and contrast each company against key factors to help us determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.
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