Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Verdict
Paw Protect and Pets Best are both very solid choices for pet insurance. Pets Best offers a more cost-effective, accident-only plan for pets of all ages, while both offer 24/7 pet telehealth.
Both insurers also have a solution for helping to pay vet bills upfront: with a simple phone call Paw Protect can send its customers the money for covered vet bills straight to their bank account while they’re at the vet, while Pets Best has a solution through CareCredit.
Here’s how Paw Protect and Pets Best compare:
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Can pay vet bills upfront | ||
| Annual coverage options | $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited | $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited |
| Deductible options | $100, $250, $500 | $50, $100, $200, $250, $500, $1,000 |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| Illness coverage start | 14 days | 3 days accident, 14 days illness |
| Maximum age at sign-up | Coverage (14 years) and Accident only (14+ years) | No maximum |
| Vet exam fees included | ||
| Dental accidents covered | ||
| Dental illness covered | ||
| Wellness plan offered | ||
| 24/7 Telehealth | ||
| End of life coverage included | ||
| 10% Multi-pet discount | ||
| Military discount |
Information correct as of November 2023
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Claims process
The problem with the typical pet insurance claims process is that you have to pay the vet bill upfront yourself, then put in a claim and wait for your reimbursement. Why is this a problem? Many Americans simply can’t afford to do that.
Paw Protect and Pets Best are two of the only companies who’ve tried to solve this.
Paw Protect’s solution is the simpler of the two because it’s open to everyone. If you’re a Paw Protect policy holder and you get a vet bill for a covered claim, you just call Paw Protect while you’re at the vet. The claim gets approved and the money for Paw Protect’s share of the covered claim gets sent immediately to your bank account, allowing you to pay the bill there and then. All you have to do is pay your out-of-pocket expenses.
Pets Best, meanwhile, has partnered with CareCredit, which means if you have a CareCredit card you can use that to pay the vet bill, and once you submit your claim Pets Best will pay its share of it straight back onto your CareCredit card. Two things to bear in mind, though: you have to apply to get a CareCredit card, and you’ll also have to check your vet accepts CareCredit before being able to use it to pay a vet bill.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: What do the plans cover?
Pets can get sick or injured in so many different ways that it can be infuriating, heartbreaking and expensive to discover that Lucky’s condition isn’t covered by your pet insurance.
Luckily, both these insurance plans offer a broad range of cover and treatments for most ailments and injuries likely to afflict any pet, from a six-month old puppy to a senior dog in its teens.
These include, but aren’t limited to
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Cataracts
- Dental disease
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea
- Ear infections
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastroenteritis
- Kidney disease
- Ligament injury
- Limping
- Liver disease
- Lymphoma
- Pancreatitis
- Seizures
- Vomiting
Paw Protect offers one extremely comprehensive plan for accidents and illness, whereas Pets Best has different levels of cover. You’ll need to buy its ‘BestBenefit’ plan to match Paw Protect’s coverage of cancer treatment, prescription medication, older pet protection, behavioral issues, dental coverage, and euthanasia.
Paw Protect and Pets Best lets you visit any registered veterinarian, be it a regular surgery, emergency department or, for example, an ophthalmic or cancer specialist.
Both plans also offer 24/7 helplines, in case you’re ever worried about your pet ‘out of hours’ or don’t know if you need to visit a surgery. Both firms do this via phone and live chat, while Paw Protect offers live-video conferencing and Pets Best an email option.
Do Paw Protect and Pets Best have a wellness plan?
Paw Protect delivers an optional wellness plan with its insurance packages. Included in the benefits are grooming, spaying and neutering, vaccinations, and a range of preventative treatments, such as flea, tick and heartworm medications.
You can select annual limits of $250, $450 or $650, and, by paying upfront like this, you can make significant savings on services you’d be paying for anyway. Wellness Rewards is offered as a supplementary, non-insurance benefit administered by Embrace Pet Insurance Agency in the United States. Wellness Rewards is not available in Rhode Island.
Pets Best also delivers a no-deductibles wellness plan. Like Paw Protect, it covers the cost of treatments and services including vaccinations, microchipping and neutering or spaying.
It’s also worth noting that you get a $25 rebate each year from Paw Protect if you subscribe to its wellness plan.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: What are the coverage limits?
Paw Protect and Pets Best both offer a variety of annual coverage limits, with three options to choose from: $5,000, $10,000, and Unlimited. These limits represent the maximum amount you can claim each year.
The higher the limit, the higher your premium, but also the greater the peace of mind.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Deductibles
Both firms offer a range of annual deductibles to help you to control your expenditure. Pets Best has $50, $100, $200, $250, $500 and $1,000 options, while Paw Protect lets you choose between $100, $250 and $500.
Deductibles are the amount you pay for any treatment, before the insurance claim is made. This is usually an annual amount, as is the case with both companies here, but some do it per-condition.
What are Paw Protect and Pets Best’s reimbursement percentage options?
Paw Protect and Pets Best both offer a choice of 70%, 80% and 90% reimbursement levels. So, after your deductible is removed, you can claim 70%, 80% or 90% of the remaining amount from your insurer for covered vet bills.
The lower the reimbursement amount you select, the cheaper your annual premium will be, but the more you’ll have to pay yourself.
Do Paw Protect and Pets Best have any exclusions?
All insurance has exclusions, and all pet insurance excludes pre-existing conditions.
That said, Paw Protect may insure some curable pre-existing conditions if the cat or dog has not experienced symptoms or required treatment for a period of 12 consecutive months.
How expensive are Paw Protect and Pets Best?
How much you spend on any insurance is crucial, as, like most sectors, you tend to get what you pay for.
Insuring your irreplaceable and treasured pet is very different from protecting a car, laptop or camera though, and it’s one area where paying a little more up-front can save both heartache and cold, hard dollars in the long run.
Both Pets Best and Paw Protect offer superior plans, and they’re two good examples of where paying a slight premium delivers extra protection and better service.
Between the two, Paw Protect insurance costs a little more than Pets Best, though the exact amount can be managed via the levels of cover and deductibles you select. Prospective customers need to assess if the extra benefits and unique credit facility are worth the extra expenditure.
Medium Mixed Breed Puppy
1 year old
in Pittsburgh, 15211
Unlimited annual coverage
Golden Retriever
3 years old
in Orlando, 32807
$5,000 annual coverage
Chihuahua
4 years old
in Columbus, 43004
$5,000 annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair Kitten
1 year old
in New York City, 10008
Unlimited annual coverage
Ragdoll Cat
3 years old
in Dallas, 75061
$5,000 annual coverage
All quotes are based on a $500 deductible and 90% reimbursement. Prices correct as of April 1st 2025
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: How quickly are claims paid?
Paw Protect can pay its share of any covered claim immediately to its customers – simply call Paw Protect from the vet and the money will be sent straight to your bank account. Claims don’t get paid quicker than that!
Pets Best says it processes most claims in five days or less, but this is no guarantee and some reviews suggest it’s optimistic. Once a claim has been approved, it says payment will be made in two days by direct deposit or five to seven days by check. Those who have a CareCredit card can use that to pay the bill, providing the vet accepts CareCredit.
Do Paw Protect and Pets Best offer any discounts?
Yes, both firms offer worthwhile discounts.
Paw Protect gives a 10% multi-pet discount, along with a 5% reduction for former and active military personnel.
Pets Best offers a 5% multi-pet discount, plus 5% off for members of the military and their families. You’ll also achieve a $24 rate cut if you pay your premium in one go, rather than monthly.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Standard waiting periods
With Paw Protect, there is a two-week illness waiting period which begins on your policies’ effective date. Orthopedic conditions have additional waiting or exclusion periods that vary by state.
Pets Best has similar waiting periods in the industry – three days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, and six months for cruciate ligament injuries.
Do Paw Protect and Pets Best’s plans include behavioral treatments?
Calm and happy pets are crucial for a harmonious household. Pets Best covers behavioral consultations, along with medications prescribed by a licensed veterinarian.
Paw Protect also insures for behavioral therapy and training, so long as it’s delivered by a veterinarian for a condition covered by the policy.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Is there a maximum age for enrollment?
For accident and illness cover, Paw Protect has a maximum new enrollment age limit of 14 years.
Pets Best has no maximum age for enrollment in its illness and accident covers.
Paw Protect vs Pets Best: Customer reviews
On Trustpilot, Pets Best scores a credible 4.1 stars, while on Forbes it receives a top five-star rating.