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COMPARISONS

MetLife Pet Insurance vs. Pets Best

Five Minutes

Mar 06, 2024

Wanting the best for your pet can make it hard to choose between all the available pet insurance providers. MetLife Pet strives to make life easier for all of the dog and cat lovers out there — so we’ve put in the work to show where we differ from other companies. Read on to see how we stack up against Pets Best.

Compare Pets Best vs. MetLife Pet Insurance**

Here’s a quick glance of how some of MetLife Pet Insurance’s policy provisions compare with those of Pets Best.¹

MetLife Pet’s Plan vs. Pets Best's Plan

Download the excel sheet

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	Pets Best
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)²	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	No (with a few exceptions)
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (with conditions met)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes³	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined No
Grief Counseling	Yes⁴	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Behavioral Issues	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only if recommended by a vet for anxiety or aggression)	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only consultations and medications)
Boarding	Yes	No
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
Family Plan (Multiple Pets on One Policy)	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Check with provider
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁵	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁶	Flexible ($50 – $1,000)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁷	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁷	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁸	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	2 – 7 days
Days to Submit Claim	90	180
NerdWallet Rating⁹	4.5 stars	5.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout⁹	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”⁹	“Lots of options, plus the ability to pay your vet directly.”⁹

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	Pets Best
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)²	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	No (with a few exceptions)
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (with conditions met)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes³	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined No
Grief Counseling	Yes⁴	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Behavioral Issues	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only if recommended by a vet for anxiety or aggression)	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only consultations and medications)
Boarding	Yes	No
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
Family Plan (Multiple Pets on One Policy)	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Check with provider
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁵	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁶	Flexible ($50 – $1,000)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁷	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁷	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁸	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	2 – 7 days
Days to Submit Claim	90	180
NerdWallet Rating⁹	4.5 stars	5.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout⁹	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”⁹	“Lots of options, plus the ability to pay your vet directly.”⁹

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	Pets Best
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)²	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	No (with a few exceptions)
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (with conditions met)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes³	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined No
Grief Counseling	Yes⁴	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Behavioral Issues	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only if recommended by a vet for anxiety or aggression)	Yes (with optional add-on coverage and only consultations and medications)
Boarding	Yes	No
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
Family Plan (Multiple Pets on One Policy)	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Check with provider
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁵	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁶	Flexible ($50 – $1,000)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁷	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁷	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁸	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	2 – 7 days
Days to Submit Claim	90	180
NerdWallet Rating⁹	4.5 stars	5.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout⁹	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”⁹	“Lots of options, plus the ability to pay your vet directly.”⁹

A “No” accompanied with 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 and exclusions apply. See our coverage and exclusions page for more details, and learn how our pet insurance works.

Still searching for pet insurance? See how we compare to other providers.

Reasons To Consider MetLife Pet Insurance Over Pets Best

To help you choose the right pet insurance for you and your family, consider which coverage options and features are most important to you. Take a look at some of the ways we may stand out from Pets Best:

Shorter waiting period: Accidents can happen at any time, and being prepared with insurance coverage right when you need it can give you peace of mind. MetLife Pet has a 0-day waiting period for accident coverage,⁷ while Pets Best has a 3-day waiting period.¹
Family plans: If you have multiple pets, you can save on costs by insuring up to three furry friends on the same MetLife Pet policy with a shared deductible. You may be limited to separate deductibles with other insurers, which can cost you more before insurance kicks in.⁹
Supportive care: MetLife Pet covers holistic and alternative therapies, cremation, lost pet advertising and rewards, grief counseling,⁴ and boarding costs — all of which can help provide more peace of mind. Other insurers, like Pets Best, may not offer this kind of supportive care.

Pets Best Partnership With Progressive

Progressive’s partnership with Pets Best gives customers coverage with Pets Best under the Progressive insurance offerings umbrella. Customers who enroll in a pet insurance policy through Progressive will have Pets Best as their provider.

Why Choose MetLife Pet Insurance?

With MetLife Pet Insurance, you can customize your policy to get the best coverage for you and your furry family — ensuring your pets are protected from tail to whiskers. Read on for some reasons why you may find a MetLife Pet Insurance policy to be worth enrolling in.

MetLife Pet cares

About the community: In 2023, MetLife Pet donated over $1.3 million to our animal shelter partners. Plus, we recently announced our Golden Beagle Award, which awards $20,000 to an animal welfare organization trying to find forever homes for large-breed dogs.

To help make the adoption process easier, you may be able to enroll in a MetLife Pet policy when you adopt a pet from one of our partner shelters. Combine our coverage with the educational resources we strive to provide, and you’ll be prepared to give your pet the best care throughout their life.

About our customers: To spread the love even more, we offer discounts to eligible customers, such as animal care workers and veterans.^10,11 Our policies also include potential coverage with boarding costs if you can’t care for your pets while you’re hospitalized.

Discounts

At MetLife Pet, we offer 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 you don't receive a reimbursement for a submitted claim.⁸

Military discount: This may be available to active or retired military, veterans, and first responders.¹¹

Animal care discount: This is a 10% discount for veterinarians, shelter personnel, animal care facility staff, and more.¹⁰

Employer benefit discount: This is offered to customers who enroll in a policy through their workplace.¹²

Internet purchase discount: This applies to the first year of premiums.¹³

Free mobile app

MetLife Pet Insurance has a mobile app to make your customer experience easier. While similar services with other insurance providers often require additional subscription costs, MetLife Pet offers this service at no additional cost to our policyholders.¹⁴ You can submit claims, get artificial-intelligence-recommended articles related to your pet’s needs, access a 24/7 vet chat, and manage your pet’s vet records.³

Preventive Care plan

To enhance the coverage you can get from a standard illness and injury plan, MetLife Pet offers an optional Preventive Care plan. It can typically help cover the cost of routine vet visits, spay or neuter procedures, teeth cleanings, and vaccinations, as well as parasite prevention and treatment.²

Holistic coverage

Sometimes, holistic treatments alongside medical care can make all the difference for your pet when they’re sick or healing. MetLife Pet can offer coverage for things like hydrotherapy, laser therapy, massages, vet-prescribed diet food, and herbal therapies.

Success stories

With over 15 years of serving pet parents, we have the experience to help you and your furry friend. Take a look at a real life success story to see our coverage in action.

In Madison, Wisconsin, a 9-year-old mixed breed dog named Bernie was hospitalized for treatment after his vet found a mass in his intestines. Fortunately, Bernie’s family had a dog insurance policy and were reimbursed for the entire vet bill. After submitting their claim, we covered almost $7,000. Bernie has fully recovered and is back to enjoying the local dog parks with his family.¹⁵

We strive to provide the most coverage at affordable rates, so you can focus on your pet’s well-being. Take the next step in your research today by getting a free quote from MetLife Pet, winner of the 2023 “Pet Insurance of the Year” Award at the Pet Innovations Awards Program.

Take the Next Step in Your Research

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Coverage is subject to the language of the policies as actually issued. This comparison or description of Pets Best policy(ies) was not furnished by Pets Best. It was prepared solely by MetLife Pet Insurance based publicly available summary information about competitors' offerings and highlights selected coverages of the policies referenced as of January 2024 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 Pets Best. Referenced publicly- available material for Pets Best 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 a Pets Best sample plan, retrieved from https://www.petsbest.com/coverage, and information found across the Pets Best website.

² For IAIC policies, optional Preventive Care coverage is based on a Schedule of Benefits. For MetGen policies, optional Preventive Care coverage is included in the annual limit.

³ Virtual veterinary services are available through the MetLife Pet App and are provided entirely by AskVet, a third-party partner; MetLife Pet is not responsible for any pet guidance or advice provided or taken. Veterinarians providing virtual veterinary services cannot prescribe medication or answer questions about the pet policy.

⁴ Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by TELUS Health are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife Pet. Not available to NY residents.

⁵ 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.

⁶ Deductible options range include: $0 - $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500.

⁷Accident 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 January 2024 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 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.

⁹Based on a January 2024 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.

¹⁰ Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is applicable to staff/owners of animal care facilities.

¹¹ 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.

¹² 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).

¹³ When coverage is purchased on-line, a premium discount will apply during the first year of the policy. When using multiple discounts, discounts cannot exceed 30%. Each discount may not be available in all states. Please contact MetLife Pet for further details.

¹⁴ “The 8 best online veterinarians of 2023,” Business Insider

¹⁵ All claims paid amounts are based on MetLife Pet internal claims data from October 2022. Story altered for illustrative purposes.

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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