9 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Washington – 2024 Reviews

Pet insurance policies are incredibly similar throughout the U.S.A., but some providers don’t cover certain states or are more expensive in certain areas. Even without the hassle of moving across state borders or organizing a vacation, all the legal jargon and fancy terminology can make researching providers a surefire way to give yourself a headache.

For new pet owners who are learning how to take care of their first pet, figuring out the intricacies of pet insurance can be confusing, and comparing providers is even more so. To help out, we reviewed 10 of the best pet insurance providers that cover residents of Washington State. Even if you’re just planning a weekend away in the mountains, these providers will make sure your pet is covered for any eventuality.

A Quick Glance at Our Favorites of 2024

The 9 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Washington

1. Spot Pet Insurance – Best Overall

Underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Co., Spot Pet Insurance is one of the most popular insurance providers in the U.S.A., including Washington State. It covers accidents and illnesses and offers an optional wellness plan for regular check-ups.

If you can’t afford the more extensive coverage, Spot has an accident-only plan. Unlike many other providers, Spot also covers the cost of implanting microchips, so you can keep your pet safe if they get lost. The 24/7 helpline enables you to get in touch whenever you need assistance filing a claim.

Spot doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, and your younger pet might be more likely to not have developed issues, but there is no upper age limit on when you can sign up your pets. It can also help owners with several pets save money with its 10% multi-pet discount and 30-day, money-back guarantee — provided that you don’t file a claim in that time.

While many other pet insurance providers have a 2–3-day waiting period for accidents, Spot has one of the longest, with a waiting time of 14 days. It also doesn’t cover veterinary expenses for breeders, such as pregnancy, whelping, or nursing.

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2. Lemonade Pet Insurance – Best Value

Launched in 2016, Lemonade is fully licensed and underwrites its policies itself. Unlike many other insurance providers, Lemonade takes a flat fee and donates part of the leftover revenue to charities chosen by the customers.

It provides home, renters, life, and car insurance along with its pet policies and offers a 10% discount if you bundle several insurance plans. Along with that discount, Lemonade offers 5% off for annual payments and multi-pet policies.

Although Lemonade doesn’t have many deductible or reimbursement options — with only $100–$500 or 70%–90% — it does offer several annual limit choices. It doesn’t have an unlimited plan — the limits include $5000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, and $100,000 — but you can tailor the coverage for how often you go to the vet in a year.

While many insurance providers don’t cover general wellness checks, Lemonade offers an optional wellness plan that can help cover the cost of spaying, neutering, and vaccinating kittens and puppies. It also has an extended accident-and-illness package that covers physical therapy, hydrotherapy, and acupuncture.

Lemonade is one of the most affordable pet insurance providers out there, but it doesn’t have a 24/7 helpline.

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3. Embrace Pet Insurance

Another great pet insurance provider, Embrace Pet Insurance has several annual coverage limit options to suit all sorts of pets, whether they’re accident-prone explorers or homebodies.

Although Embrace doesn’t have the cheapest deductibles, it does offer pet owners a range of options to suit any budget. Its deductibles range from $200 to $1000, with reimbursement options of 70% to 90%. It has a 2-day waiting period for accidents and a 24/7 helpline.

Long-term customers can save money with Embrace, especially if they don’t file a claim for veterinary expenses. For every year that you don’t file a claim, Embrace has a “diminishing deductible” policy and lowers your deductible by $50. There are two discounts available too: a 5–10% discount for multiple pet plans and a 5% military discount.

While Embrace’s 2-day accident wait time is one of the shortest among pet insurance providers, it has a 6-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions.

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4. Pets Best Pet Insurance

Pets Best pet insurance is underwritten by the American Pet Insurance Company. As another good value pet insurance provider in Washington, it has an accident-and-illness plan and an accident-only option for pet owners who are on a limited budget. It also offers 5% discounts for multi-pet households and military members.

Unlike many other policies, Pets Best doesn’t have an upper age limit. It also offers a wide range of deductible options — $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, and $1,000 — with a $5,000 or unlimited annual coverage limit. The reimbursement options range from 70% to 90%, and exam fees are covered for an extra fee.

Pets Best has several short waiting periods, from 1 day for wellness claims and 3 days for accidents. Its longest waiting period is 6 months for cruciate ligament issues. Along with not covering pre-existing conditions, Pets Best doesn’t cover elective and preventive procedures, parasites, non-veterinary expenses, or holistic and experimental therapies or medications.

However, Pets Best does have a direct payment option so you can ask the company to pay your claimed vet fees rather than reimburse you afterward. It also has a 24/7 helpline, so you can contact them whenever you need to.

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5. ASPCA Pet Insurance

In its goal to protect animals from mistreatment, the ASPCA offers its own pet insurance plan to help pet owners keep their pets as healthy as possible. Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Co., this pet insurance works through Crum and Forster. Well established in the U.S.A., ASPCA pet insurance is one of the most widely available, including in Washington State.

While the ASPCA has relatively low annual coverage limits — $10,000 being the highest that it offers — compared to other pet insurance providers, it’s one of the best for wait times for cruciate ligament issues or other similar conditions. It does, however, have a 14-day wait time for accident claims.

Along with a 24/7 helpline, the ASPCA has a 10% discount for pet owners who have more than one pet and an optional wellness plan to help you afford your pet’s routine checkups. It also covers diagnostics and exam fees for the illnesses and accidents covered by the policy, which many providers don’t do.

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6. Nationwide Pet Insurance

Despite starting as a car insurance provider in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide has since grown into one of the biggest pet insurance providers in the U.S.A. For Washington residents, Nationwide’s policies are underwritten by National Casualty Co.

Although its pet insurance policies aren’t as old as the company itself, Nationwide is one of the oldest insurance providers in the U.S.A. It also offers a 5% discount for existing policyholders when they buy a pet plan or add another pet. Nationwide has a Pet Rx Express program, which benefits you when filling pet prescriptions at Walmart and Sam’s Club.

The provider isn’t the best with wait times when it comes to knee injuries and cruciate ligaments, as it has a 12-month waiting period for both conditions. It’s also limited when it comes to choosing a deductible and an annual coverage limit.

Nationwide does have a 24/7 pet helpline, so you can contact them whenever you need to, no matter what trouble your pet gets into.

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7. Figo Pet Insurance

While other pet insurance providers focus on their policies, Figo has a vested interest in helping you and your pet. Not only does it offer a rare 100% reimbursement option and a 1-day waiting period for accident claims, but the Figo Pet Cloud app also enables you to keep your pet’s health records and appointment dates in one place. The app can help pet owners socialize with other policyholders, organize pet playdates, and have access to a licensed veterinarian 24/7.

Figo doesn’t have an age limit for pets that enroll in the policy, but the deductibles do increase for older animals, and the lower rates aren’t available for senior pets. Although it does cover diagnostics and exam fees, the coverage requires an extra fee that pet owners on a tight budget might not be able to afford. There’s also a 6-month waiting period for claims regarding knee injuries.

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8. Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Covering pets throughout the U.S.A. and Canada, Pumpkin Pet Insurance is a pet insurance provider that offers unlimited annual coverage and a 90% reimbursement rate. It also covers certain pre-existing conditions, provided that they’re curable, while most other insurance providers don’t cover any at all.

Pumpkin offers an optional wellness package for pets, and its accident-and-illness plan also covers your expenses for diagnostics and exams during treatment.

Although unlimited coverage and high reimbursement are two of the best choices offered by pet insurance providers, some pet owners might prefer more options to customize their plans. Pumpkin doesn’t offer an accident-only plan, and its standard coverage might be too expensive for tight budgets.

Along with having no 24/7 helpline, Pumpkin has one of the longest waiting periods for accident claims compared to most other providers.

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9. Hartville Pet Insurance

Offered by Crum and Forster Pet Insurance Group, Hartville Pet Insurance is underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company. It’s partnered with ASPCA and offers pet insurance for horses, as well as cats and dogs.

Hartville covers diagnostic and exam fees for accidents and behavioral issues that many insurance providers exclude. It has a 24/7 helpline and an optional, preventive care package. For pet owners who need a cheaper plan, Hartville also has an accident-only policy. The annual coverage limit ranges from $5,000 to unlimited, so you can customize your plan depending on how often you visit the vet.

It does have a lengthy, 14-day waiting period for claims. However, unlike most other policies, where the waiting times change depending on the claim that you’re making, Hartville’s wait time is the same for every claim that you put through. Its coverage starts 2 weeks after the date listed on the policy agreement.

Although Hartville doesn’t have an upper age limit on pets covered by the policy, the plans are more expensive for older pets.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Right Pet Insurance Provider in Washington

What to Look For in Pet Insurance in Washington State

When you don’t know anything about pet insurance, comparing providers seems like an exercise in futility. Fortunately, there are a few parameters that you can keep in mind when deciding what makes a good insurance policy. Here are the ones that we used to pick the best options for this list.

Policy Coverage

The first thing to consider with any insurance company is what the policy covers. While an insurance plan with several discounts and a snazzy app for paperless claims sounds all well and good, it’s useless if the plan doesn’t cover your senior pet. Likewise, accident-only plans won’t cover any illnesses that your pet might develop as they age, regardless of whether it needs emergency care.

When searching for a plan, consider what you want from it and what health issues your pet’s breed is prone to. Enrolling a breed susceptible to hip dysplasia in a policy that doesn’t cover it might not work out for you if they do develop the condition later.

Similarly, if you have several pets and want help covering the cost of their routine checkups, a policy that offers a wellness package would be the best choice.

Customer Service & Reputation

An insurance provider’s customer service might not be the first thing that you think of, but it’s still an important factor to consider. Quick responses and professionalism can go a long way in reassuring you when things at home are going haywire. Chasing after elusive agents will only add to your stress levels.

A company’s reputation should also be considered. This tells you how well it will honor the policy that it provides. While there might be cases when a claim might not be reimbursed how you expected, a reputable company won’t refuse to pay out for a claim covered in your plan.

Claim Repayment

Besides getting your pet to a veterinarian and reworking your budget to cover the upfront payment, filing a claim can make an already stressful situation worse. Most insurance providers use an app to make filing claims quick, easy, and paperless. A few even let you send it via fax or their website, depending on your preferences. Either way, the ease of the claim itself can make a bad situation a little better.

Then, there’s how long it takes for the policy to kick in. Most insurance providers have a few days’ waiting period for accidents, and some can pay the vet for you, rather than reimburse you for the cost afterward.

How much you get back from the provider depends on the deductible and the reimbursement rate of the plan. A high deductible and a low reimbursement rate mean you have to pay out more before your plan kicks in and you’ll get back less from your insurance company.

Price of Policy

More often than not, pet insurance is a “better safe than sorry” type of deal. You pay for the protection of financial backing and hope that you’ll never have to use it. While these payments are worth the cost if you do ever need to file a claim, the same can’t be said if it turns out that you never benefit from the plan.

Comparing the prices of the policies offered by different providers can help you make a decision. It also goes along with what the policy covers. Some insurance providers will be cheaper but offer less, while others will have broad coverage — and possibly an optional wellness plan — for a few extra dollars.

Plan Customization

No matter how many pets you have on your plan, each of their needs will be completely different. Your puppy might have upcoming vaccinations and spaying or neutering surgery, while your aging cat might need an emergency trip to the veterinarian. This is where customization makes or breaks a plan.

While you can get away with simpler plans that have fewer coverage options and fewer deductible and reimbursement choices, you may find yourself never benefiting from the plan if all your vet expenses are too low to pass your deductible. Likewise, if your pet has a bad year for illnesses and you spend so much time at the vet that you pass your coverage limit, you’ll be on your own.

More choices can be daunting, but they also give you more control over how your plan can benefit you and your pet.

FAQ

What Are Pre-existing Conditions?

One of the first things that you hear about when researching pet insurance companies is the phrase “pre-existing conditions.” These are illnesses or injuries that your pet suffers from before they’re covered by a plan. It’s why many policy providers recommend enrolling in a plan as early as possible. The younger your pet is, the less likely they are to develop an illness that your plan won’t cover them for.

What Are Deductibles and Reimbursement Rates?

Regardless of the insurance provider that you choose to go with, you will have to deal with deductibles and reimbursement rates. These are two things that all policies have in common. The deductible is how much you have to pay your veterinarian before your insurance plan covers the rest. Your reimbursement rate decides how much of what your insurance covers is returned to you.

For example, let’s say that a trip to the vet costs $4,000. Your deductible is $500, and the reimbursement rate is 90%. Remember that many plans require you to pay your veterinarian up front, but $500 of the $4,000 won’t be included in what your insurance reimburses. Instead, they’ll reimburse you for 90% of the $3,500 left over once the policy kicks in.

What the Users Say

Love it or hate it, pet insurance can be a lifesaver if your pet gets into an accident. Many people can agree that the expense of coverage can be daunting, but when faced with a vet bill up in the thousands, having a plan to fall back on is appreciated.

However, there are always horror stories, and it pays to heed the bad reviews just as much as you consider the good ones. While many people can appreciate the protection offered by their insurance company, some hate the hoops that their providers make them jump through for each claim.

When all is said and done, the consensus for reputable pet insurance companies is a resounding “better safe than sorry.”

Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?

Everyone and their pets are different, and it’s impossible to say which provider is right for you with any certainty. We can point you to the providers that we trust, but we can’t compare them for your pet’s needs. That’s where your own research should come into play.

Read these reviews, and note the ones that speak out to you. Then, check out the companies for yourself. If you think that the ones that you’ve investigated measure up, the next step is requesting quotes from each provider.

These quotes are free of charge and will be tailored specifically to the needs of you and your pet. With a handful of quotes from several different companies, you’ll have a much better and more accurate idea of which provider will suit your needs the best.

Conclusion

Pet insurance can be a costly way to protect your pet, but when you’re faced with expensive vet bills, it’s often the lesser of two evils. With all the options out there, though, knowing which one is best in Washington State — or if your existing plan will cover you after you move — can be difficult. Hopefully, this guide has helped you choose a plan that will protect your pet, whether you’re a first-time pet owner or moving to another state.

• See also: Best Pet Insurance Providers in Georgia – Reviews

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Featured Image Credit: Pixsooz, Shutterstock