How Does Nationwide Stack Up?

MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Nationwide

Three Minutes
Mar 24, 2023

With so many options and reputable companies to choose from, choosing the right pet insurance can be overwhelming. But it shouldn’t have to be! At MetLife Pet Insurance, we put in the work to show how we compare to other popular pet insurance providers. See how we hold up compared to Nationwide Pet Insurance as we take a look at two example policies.

MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Nationwide 

Here’s a quick glance of how some of the MetLife Pet Insurance policy provisions compare with those of Nationwide’s Major Medical℠ plan.1

MetLife Pet Insurance* vs. Nationwide

Wellness and Preventative Care

Prescriptions

Holistic / Alternative Therapy

Dental Surgery and Care

24/7 Telehealth Access

Cancer Coverage

A “No” followed by a red “X” in the above table means this is not included or that exclusions may apply.

As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn how MetLife’s pet insurance works and see what our pet insurance covers.

Still searching? See how we compare to Pets Best, ASPCA, and Healthy Paws!

Reasons to Consider MetLife Pet Insurance Over Nationwide 

When choosing the right pet insurance for you and your family, it may be helpful to consider what features and coverage options are must-haves for you. Take a look below at a few ways we might stand out from Nationwide:

  • No per-incident limits: We know accidents happen and we also know your pet can fall ill at any time. That’s why we don’t have a limit for the amount we’ll pay for each incident your pet faces.
  • Coverage for spay or neuter surgery: Spaying or neutering can cost you hundreds, which could be covered with our optional wellness plan.
  • Reimbursement options: MetLife Pet may have more generous reimbursement options than other insurers.
  • Shorter waiting periods: Got a pup at risk for developing common cruciate ligament problems? Nationwide has a 12-month waiting period,1 while ours is 6 months. Plus, we have a 0-day waiting period for accident coverage.7
  • Additional wellness coverage: With MetLife Pet, you have the option to add a wellness plan to any policy.

Protect your Pets

Looking for more? Explore frequently asked questions and continue your research with a free quote. 

Employee Benefits: MetLife vs. Nationwide “My Pet Protection®”

Employer Group Discounts

Species Covered

Family Plan (Multiple pets on a single policy)

Multi-Policy Discount

Internet Purchase Discount

Military, Veteran, & First Responder Discount

A “No” followed by a red “X” in the above table means this is not included or that exclusions may apply.

As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn more about MetLife Pet Insurance and review our coverage and exclusions.

Why Choose MetLife Pet Insurance?

Our pet insurance plans are  customizable to your needs, ensuring your furry family member is covered from nose to tail. We’re also the only pet insurance company that offers family plans, so you can cover all of your pets under one simple and affordable policy.6

Below are just a few other reasons to choose MetLife Pet Insurance.

Discounts

At MetLife Pet, we offer these discounts to eligible policyholders:

  • Deductible discount: Your pet's deductible automatically decreases by $25 (for IAIC underwritten policies) or $50 (for MetGen underwritten policies) each policy year that you don't receive a reimbursement for a submitted claim.5
  • Animal care discount: A 10% discount for veterinarians, animal care facilities, shelter personnel, etc.13
  • Employer benefit discount: Offered to those who buy a policy through their workplace.8
  • Military discount: Available to active or retired military, veterans, and first responders.12
  • Internet purchase discount: Applies to the first year of premiums.11

Free mobile app

While other similar services often require additional subscription costs, the MetLife Pet mobile app is a service included at no additional cost to a pet parent with a MetLife Pet policy.15 With the MetLife Pet app you can:

  • Access a 24/7 telehealth chat service with veterinarians available to answer your questions when you need us most
  • Search for nearby pet services
  • Manage your pet’s records and keep them in one place
  • Upload your invoices and submit your claim documents
  • Retrieve articles and recommendations tailored to you and your pet

What types of questions can the on-call vets answer?

  • I gave my dog a new treat and now she’s vomiting and has diarrhea. What should I do?
  • My cat is breathing funny and acting lethargic. Do I need to see an emergency vet?
  • My dog had several teeth pulled yesterday and has been constipated ever since. Is this normal?

MetLife Pet cares

MetLife Pet Insurance cares about our four-legged friends. In 2021, MetLife Pet Insurance contributed $500,000 to our premier animal rescue shelter partners across the U.S. as part of our ongoing commitment to support shelters with operational and care costs.

We offer discounts to our customers who work in animal care and healthcare, as well as active military, veterans, and first responders.12,13 Our policies also include potential assistance with boarding fee coverage if you’re hospitalized and can’t care for your four-legged family.

Quick claims process and accident coverage

It’s typically fast and easy to submit a claim and get reimbursed. Send us your vet documents and invoices via the Metlife Pet app, online portal, email, snail mail, or fax number. Claims are usually processed within 10 days, with payment sent via direct deposit or paper check in the mail.

MetLife Pet Insurance also has among the shortest wait periods for accident coverage, which typically starts right away while you may have to wait 2 to 15 days for other pet insurance providers.7

Holistic treatments

Interested in exploring options like CBD, acupuncture, or aromatherapy for your pet? MetLife Pet Insurance offers additional coverage for holistic and alternative therapies so you can explore more options to best care for your pet.

Success stories

With over 15 years serving pet parents, MetLife Pet Insurance may be the right choice for you.MetLife Pet Insurance coverage has already made a big difference in the lives of many pets and their parents.

Bella, a 14-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel in Scottsdale, Arizona, had to undergo a costly exam to diagnose a bad case of pancreatitis. Luckily, Bella’s owners were reimbursed for more than $1,700 after submitting a claim of just over $1,900 to MetLife Pet Insurance.

Bella is back to smelling her favorite succulents during her leisurely walks!16

Get started today with a free quote from MetLife Pet Insurance, winner of the “Pet Insurance of the Year” Award in the 2023 Pet Independent Innovation Awards Program.17

Take the Next Step in Your Research

See Personalized Rates

Coverage is subject to the language of the policies as actually issued. This comparison or description of Nationwide policy(ies) was not furnished by Nationwide. It was prepared solely by MetLife Pet Insurance based on publicly available summary information about competitors' offerings and highlights selected coverages of the policies referenced as of May 1, 2023 and is subject to change without notice. It may not be completely accurate and should not be the sole source of information relied upon in deciding which insurance coverage to purchase. To receive the latest information about other providers' available plans, please visit their website. If you have questions regarding the illustration or about a particular competitor’s policy or coverage, please contact a representative of Nationwide. Referenced publicly-available material for Nationwide sample plan. For completely reliable benefit comparisons, insurance departments (including North Dakota’s) advise that you obtain the benefit schedules directly from each applicable insurance company.

** As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn how MetLife Pet pet insurance works and review our coverage and exclusions.

1 Based on Nationwide’s California Major Medical℠ sample plan. Retrieved from petinsurance.com/forms, and information found across the Nationwide website.

2 Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with LifeWorks. US Inc., an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by LifeWorks are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife.

3 Reimbursement options include: 70%, 80% and 90% and a 50% option for MetGen policies and a 65% option for IAIC policies only. Pet age restrictions may apply.

4 Deductible options range include: $0 – $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500

5 Your pet’s deductible automatically decreases by $25 (IAIC policies) or $50 (MetGen policies) each policy year that you don’t receive a claim reimbursement. May not be available in all states.

6 Based on a March 2023 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.

7 Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy is compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Illness coverage begins 14 days from the effective day of your policy compared to 14 to 30 days for many competitors. Based on a March 2023 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.

8 Discount is not available in MN or TN. This discount is only available to individuals who are eligible members or employees of an entity that has arranged for MetLife Pet to offer pet insurance. (IAIC policies, the discount is 10% for Groups > 1000 lives and 5% for Groups 51-999 lives. MetGen policies, this discount is 10% for Employer Groups and 5% for Associations).

9 Nationwide discount is 5% for all employees on the products Nationwide sells in the group channel.

10 Multi-policy discount is not available with Family Plans.

11 When coverage is purchased on-line, a premium discount will apply during the first year of the policy.

12 Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is available to Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and serving and retired members of the Armed Forces.

13 A discount is applicable to staff/owners of animal care facilities. Not available in NY.

14 Annual limit options range from $500 - $25,000 in $1,000 increments. Unlimited benefit option subject to availability.

15 “The 7 best online veterinarian services for virtual pet care,” Insider

16  All claims paid amounts are based on MetLife internal claims data from October 2022. Story altered for illustrative purposes.

17 “2023 Pet Insurance of the Year Award” Winners, Pet Independent Innovation Awards

Coverage issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company (“MetGen”), a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886, and Independence American Insurance Company (“IAIC”), a Delaware insurance company, headquartered at 11333 N Scottsdale Rd, Ste 160, Scottsdale, AZ 85454. Coverage subject to restrictions, exclusions and limitations and application is subject to underwriting. See policy or contact MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC (“MetLife Pet”) for details. MetLife Pet is the policy administrator. It may operate under an alternate or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota) and MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois).

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