Fetch by The Dodo Pet Insurance Review 2024: Pros, Cons & Verdict

Fetch pet insurance by the Dodo offers only one base plan to cover everything you and your pet might need. It does this by providing only a minimal amount of customization options but with comprehensive coverage. This ensures your plan is still customizable and flexible to your financial situation while offering full coverage for everything from dental procedures and behavior training to holistic therapies. In addition, there is no lifetime coverage cap, and Fetch provides additional coverage for virtual vet visits up to $1,000.

Pair this with a 15% discount on each year that you don’t file a claim (up to 30%), and this insurance is a good option for those who are mid-budget and want some options for customization with inclusive cover.

 

Fetch Pet Insurance Review

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About Fetch

Fetch by The Dodo was formed when Petplan partnered with The Dodo platform (focused on animal wellness and educating owners) in 2021 and changed its name. Their plan offers coverage to a broader age range than other companies, and people or families with very young or old animals can get coverage with no age-based exclusions. The coverage starts at 6 weeks for puppies, and there’s no upper age limit.

While they only offer one plan, Fetch (whose HQ is in New York City) is available in all 50 states, including DC and most of Canada. In addition, they have a more comprehensive range of coverage than some other insurers, and it’s suitable for those looking to cover any eventuality.

However, the waiting periods are relatively long (six months for hip dysplasia), and they do not offer any preventative plans. Therefore, fetch may not be suitable for those looking for comprehensive cover for young animals needing vaccinations as part of their primary vet visits.

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Pricing & Plans (Updated in 2024)

Pet Insurance Cost Comparison

Base Policy

Fetch only has one plan on offer. However, this plan is inclusive and comprehensive, with good customization options. The price depends on factors such as the deductible, payout limit, reimbursement percentage, and geographical location (the same as most other plans available from other insurers). Interestingly, when getting a quote from Fetch, there doesn’t seem to be any option in inputting your pet’s gender, meaning that Fetch may not consider this when being quoted for a plan.

The policy’s annual coverage amount ranges from $5,000 to $15,000, with three options to choose from. For the deductible and reimbursement options, $300 to $700 are available as deductibles and 70% to 90% reimbursement percent, respectively. Coverage is comprehensive, however, with some factors such as vet visits (but not wellness), exam fees, and breed-specific problems included. This plan offers more unusual coverage, such as alternative therapies, supplements, virtual vet visits, and pet boarding fees.

Customizations

While there’s only one plan, there are some customizable options. In addition, the plan is quite flexible in terms of customization, offering options on reimbursement, annual limits, and deductibles.

Coverage and Packages

No additional packages or coverage options are available with Fetch. The level of coverage is high, with several different options, such as a virtual vet, boarding and kennels, and even a reward if your pet misses. However, there are no other options for different plans, such as accident-only, and they don’t offer any wellness plans.

Customization

The plan is customizable with an annual coverage amount, yearly deductible, and percentage reimbursed, all being adjustable. Annual coverage begins at $5,000 and can be changed to $10,000 and $15,000 depending on your pet’s needs, with more coverage raising the monthly price. The annual deductible can also be adjusted and comes in three tiers: $300, $500, and $700.

The higher your deductible, the lower the monthly price will be for your plan. The last variable is percentage reimbursement, which is the amount of the final vet bill the insurer will cover. The options are 70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursement, with a higher percentage of rebate increasing the monthly price.

For example, for a two-year-old, medium-sized mixed breed dog with a $5,000 annual limit, 70% reimbursement, and a $300 deductible, the monthly premium would be $42.55. However, if the annual limit is raised to the maximum of $15,000, with the deductible kept at $300 and percentage reimbursement raised to 90%, this price rises to $81.48 per month.

Fetch Price Comparison for Dogs

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Deductibles & Claims

The deductibles available as quotes on the Fetch website are $300, $500, and $700, with potentially more flexibility if pet owners call the agents at Fetch directly. The options are the same for all breeds of dogs at any age.

The claims process is relatively simple and is similar to other pet insurance claims processes.

Submitting claims is done online or via their app through the user’s account, similar to many pet insurance providers. The claim form gives clear instructions on uploading claims on the app and is straightforward when explaining how to upload or identify any missing documentation.

However, claims have to be filed within 90 days of treatment to go forward, which is much less than the industry standard. Fetch won’t cover any claim submitted after this period. The Fetch app is the easiest way to upload claims, plus you can set up direct deposit with them so the reimbursement will be paid into your account (Fetch does not pay vets direct) in 2–10 days, usually closer to the former. If you send a check in the mail, the reimbursement timeline is much longer, averaging around 22 days.

Reviews mention that while this claim reimbursement processing can be lengthy on Fetch’s part, the process for pet owners is easy, even for those unfamiliar with the technology.

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What Does Fetch Cover?

Fetch offers comprehensive coverage with some elements that are more unusual for insurance companies to provide. However, some more standard features, such as wellness care, aren’t covered, with no option for add-ons.

Fetch insurance covers exam fees, which are often an optional extra with other providers, and dental coverage, including periodontal disease, advertising rewards for lost or stolen pets, alternative therapies, and boarding fees. This plan is fairly generous considering the price, but it isn’t customizable; a single plan covers all factors, whether they’re needed or not.

Like all other insurance providers, Fetch doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, cosmetic and elective procedures, or prescription foods.

There is the potential for more options if you call Fetch directly and speak to an agent.

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Pre-Existing Conditions

A pre-existing condition is defined as any illness, problem, or injury your pet had before the insurance policy was taken out, which will be in their history when they take out pet insurance. Like any other insurance provider, pre-existing conditions aren’t covered in any policies. However, Fetch does cover curable illnesses if they haven’t been symptomatic or needed treatment within the last 365 days.

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Waiting Periods

Fetch has waiting periods for claims on certain conditions and circumstances, mostly in line with other insurance providers. For example, their waiting times for accidents and illnesses are both 15 days, which is standard, but some other insurers have much lower waiting periods.

However, there is a long waiting period for hip dysplasia and cruciate injury. Fetch won’t cover any treatment or investigation for hip dysplasia or cruciate injury within the first six months from the policy’s start date. These waiting periods mean that the insurance won’t cover these conditions within that time period.

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Reviews from Customers

Reviews from Fetch customers are generally good, with Trustpilot giving them a 4.4 / 5-star rating (ranking them excellent), and reviews mention the ease of use of the app and fast claims times (if done by direct debit) as the company’s strongest points, as well as the level of coverage.

One review said that the simple interface of the fetch app was easy to use and understand, even for those not comfortable with technology. Fetch’s insurance underwriters (XL Specialty Insurance Company & AXIS Insurance) both have A and A+ ratings on AM Best, an insurance rating agency, and an A+ by the Better Business Bureau.

Other positive reviews mentioned that coverage is particularly good for pets with chronic conditions, stating that their pets had reliable coverage from Fetch. The negative reviews were based on the fact that no wellness options are available in the Fetch plan and that some processing times were very long, particularly for those who requested reimbursement checks.

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FAQ

Are There Age Restrictions On Fetch Policies?

There are no upper age restrictions on the Fetch pet insurance policy; Fetch offers the same coverage and customization options to pets even 20 years old (and older). However, as expected, the price is very high. There is a restriction on the lower age limit, but it isn’t as high as other insurance providers. Fetch can cover animals from 6 weeks old, as opposed to the usual 8-week-old industry standard.

 

Our Verdict

Fetch pet insurance offers comprehensive and reasonably priced coverage for pets of any age in all 50 states and most of Canada. They cover several situations, such as boarding, kennel fees, and supplements which aren’t usually included in other insurance providers’ base plans. They offer one plan, however, and while it is customizable, it doesn’t offer any wellness coverage, even as an add-on.

Fetch is suitable for those who want one standard pan with good coverage for their pet and who want some customization options to control the monthly price but don’t want excessive choices.