Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review 2023

Healthy Paws is an organization devoted to helping pet parents and animal rescue organizations bear medical treatment costs for their pets. Many pet health conditions occur unexpectedly and can take a toll on a pet owner’s finances.

Animal rescue organizations even have numerous pets to deal with, and they will often require many pet visits because of the conditions they’ve been exposed to before they were rescued.

Healthy Paws started out in 2009 to be able to meet these needs and give pet owners more reasons to smile and be content with caring for their pets.

The company offers a single but comprehensive pet insurance that may be advantageous for you if you just want an all-in-one insurance plan, or if all the many choices offered by other pet insurance companies appear too overwhelming for you.

We have reviewed this comprehensive plan to determine its pros and cons, and also open you up to important factors that you may have not thought of before.

Pros and Cons of Healthy Paw Pet Insurance

Pros

• No Annual Coverage Limit or Lifetime Payouts: With Healthy Pays, you get to benefit from unlimited annual coverage with no lifetime payouts. This means you can lay claim for as many times as your pet pays a visit to the vet clinic, so long as the treated condition is covered in the insurance policy.
• Can Pay Your Vet Directly: Healthy Paws can send reimbursement directly to your vet, so you don’t have to pay any upfront. This is an excellent feature because you may be financially tight at the time your pet needs medical care.
• Simple and Fast Claim Process: Not only does Healthy Paws pay your vet directly; the payment is also swift and will prevent your vet from getting agitated. The swiftness also applies if reimbursement will be made into your account. Laying a claim can be done online or through the Healthy Paws mobile app.
• 24/7 Telehealth line: Making a complaint, asking a question, or completing any other deal with Healthy Paws is as easy as reaching out through the telehealth line any day, any time.

Cons

• Limited Pet Insurance Plans: When compared to other top-rated pet insurance companies, insurance options with Healthy Paws are very limited, with the company offering just one plan. You do not have such liberty to pick plans based on your budget. The only way you may be able to alter premium costs is through the deductible and reimbursement options provided.
• No Wellness or Accident-Only Plans: Healthy Paws does not offer a wellness, routine care, or preventive care plan. Therefore, you cannot insure your pet with Healthy Paws to get coverage for conditions like vaccination or deworming.
• Does Not Cover Vet Exam Fees: Even for accidents and illnesses, Healthy Paws does not cover examination fees,
• 12-Month Waiting Period for Hip Dysplasia: Healthy Paws has a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia, which is a very long time when compared with waiting periods for other pet insurance companies. The company also does not cover hip dysplasia if the pet is aged six years or older.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Plans

The Comprehensive Accident and Illness Coverage

Healthy Paws has only one comprehensive pet insurance plan for accidents and illnesses. The plan offers unlimited annual coverage with reimbursement and deductible options. You will receive a certain percentage as reimbursement when you lay a claim.

The percentage will be calculated after the deductible had been removed from the total vet costs. The deductible is the amount you must pay out of your pocket for every covered condition.

State Availability

Healthy Paws is available and licensed in all 50 states of the United States and Washington, DC. Availability may however be limited in Washington State.

What Does Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Cover?

Healthy Paw’s insurance plan covers the following conditions:

• Illnesses such as digestive issues, ear infections, and skin conditions
• Chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease
• Accidents such as accidental poisoning, ingestion of a foreign substance, broken bones, sprains, and lacerations
• Congenital conditions such as entropin (cherry eye)
• Hereditary conditions such as hip or elbow dysplasia
• Hospitalizations and emergency care
• Surgery
• X-rays, ultrasound, and blood tests
• Specialty care
• Alternative therapies that are FDA-approved
• Prescription medications
• Cruciate ligament conditions

Note that Healthy Paws has an exclusion for covering cruciate ligament issues. If your pet already has a cruciate ligament condition at the time coverage becomes active, Healthy Paws will not cover cruciate conditions in the other ligament if and when they occur.

Also, hip dysplasia will only be covered for pets that are younger than six years.

What Does Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Not Cover?

Although a comprehensive plan, Healthy Paw’s accident and only pet insurance does not cover the following

• Pre-existing conditions
• Examination fees for any type of medical condition, including accidents and covered illnesses
• Wellness and routine care
• Routine dental care
• Spaying and neutering
• Behavior training and rehabilitation
• Boarding and daycare
• Cosmetic and grooming procedures such as nail trimming and tail docking
• Prescription diets
• Pet food and other pet supplies that are not for treating covered conditions
• Experimental treatments
• Breeding or pregnancy care
• Funeral expenses

Healthy Paws Waiting Periods for Coverage

The waiting period is the time it takes for coverage for a particular condition or group of conditions to become active. Healthy Paw’s waiting periods are provided below:

• 15 days for the accident and illness insurance plan
• 12 months for hip dysplasia

The 15-day waiting period is similar to the 14-day waiting period for most accident and illness plans offered by other companies. However, 12 months is such a long time for hip dysplasia.

Note that Healthy Paws only provides hip dysplasia coverage for pets that are younger than age six. If you enroll your pet at age six or older, then your plan will not cover hip dysplasia

How Much Does Coverage Cost?

The following table shows the prices of Healthy Paws pet insurance for popular pet breeds in Dallas, Texas (postal code 75242) with a reimbursement rate of 90%, an annual limit of $15,000, and a $200 annual deductible.

Coverage Levels

Healthy Paws offers unlimited annual coverage for its insurance policy. There is also no lifetime payout or any other such restrictions. This means that you can lay claim on your policy for as often as your pet incurs vet care costs, so long as the condition is covered in the policy.

This feature can be beneficial if you consider that your pet will have frequent pet visits due to its liability to certain health conditions.

Deductible Options

Healthy Paws’ deductible options are available based on pet age.

Available options for cats and dogs aged 5 years and younger:

• $100
• $250
• $500

Available options for cats and dogs aged 6 and 7 years:

• $250
• $500
• $750

Available options for cats and dogs aged 8 and older:

• $750
• $1,000

Reimbursement Options

Healthy Paws offers more reimbursement options than other popular pet insurance companies like Pets Best and Lemonade. The availability of these options can, however, vary by age of the pet being insured. Here is a breakdown of available reimbursement options:

For cats and dogs aged 5 years and younger:

• 70%
• 80%
• 90%

For cats and dogs aged 6 and 7 years:

• 60%
• 70%
• 80%

For dogs and cats aged 8 years and older:

• 50%
• 60%

It is apparent that your options for deductible amount and reimbursement rate become very limited if you are an owner of an older pet.

This is a factor you may want to consider when choosing a pet insurance provider. Healthy Paws will also not cover pets for hip dysplasia if they are aged six years and above.

Note that all of these factors (coverage level, deductible amount, and reimbursement rate) will ultimately determine how much you pay as premium for your chosen insurance plan.

For example, the higher the reimbursement rate you choose, the higher you pay as premium. Whereas, the higher the deductible, the lower premium you get to pay, although you will pay more out of your pocket for every vet cost incurred.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Healthy Paws Offer a Wellness Plan?

Unfortunately, Healthy Paws does not provide a wellness or preventive care plan.

Does Healthy Paws Cover Pre-existing Conditions?

Healthy Paws does not cover pre-existing conditions, nor does it have exceptions for considering certain pre-existing conditions.

Does Healthy Paws Cover Dental Cleaning?

No. Healthy Paws does not cover dental cleaning and most other dental conditions. The company will only cover them if they are required to treat an illness or an accident. Dental cleaning is particularly out of the conditions covered by Healthy Paws because it is a preventive care routine and the company has no plan that covers preventive care.

Does Healthy Paws have any coverage limits?

Healthy Paws does not have any annual coverage limits or lifetime payouts. You will receive reimbursement for as often as your pet receives vet care and for as long as your subscription lasts.

How Do I File a Claim with Healthy Paws?

Healthy Paws has innovated a smooth, fast, and easy way to lay claims without having to fill out forms. You’d only need to take a snapshot of your vet bill and submit it online through Healthy Paws’ customer center or through the mobile app. The remaining processes are automated and you should expect your claim to be processed within two days.

If you are filing your very first claim with the company, you will be required to provide a copy of your pet’s full medical history.

How Long Does it Take Healthy Paws to Pay Out?

Healthy Paws states on its website that claims are processed within two days after they are submitted. If you think that your claim is taking longer than expected to be reimbursed, you should contact the customer center through the website, send an email, or contact the company by phone: 855.898.8991.

How Can I Cancel a Policy from Healthy Paws?

To cancel a policy from Healthy Paws, you can send an email, fax, or reach out through a phone call. The company will instruct you on what steps you should take next. If you choose to cancel a policy within 30 days of purchasing and if you’ve not filed any claim yet, you may be eligible for a refund.

Does Healthy Paws Cover Spaying and Neutering?

No. Healthy Paws does not cover spaying and neutering and other routine care.

Does Healthy Paws Cover Euthanasia?

Healthy Paws covers euthanasia only if it is medically necessary and is considered for a condition covered in the insurance policy.

Does Healthy Paws Cover Hip Dysplasia?

Yes, Healthy Paws covers hip dysplasia in its comprehensive pet insurance plan. However, hip dysplasia will not be covered if your pet is six years old or older.

Is Healthy Paws Accepted by Every Pet?

Healthy Paws is a widely known and accepted pet insurance provider. However, it is possible to find vets who don’t accept it. In such a situation, you are left with no choice than to pay out of your pocket and receive reimbursement in your account or seek medical care from another pet who accepts the company.

Does Healthy Paws Pay the Vet Directly?

Yes. If your vet agrees, Healthy Paws can send reimbursement to them directly. You may also pay the vet or clinic out of your pocket and get reimbursement directly into your account or as a paper check that you can withdraw/deposit.