What’s the best pet insurance – Embrace or Healthy Paws?
Which of these two very impressive insurers is best for you will depend entirely on the way you like to manage your finances and on your pet. They are both reputable companies with attributes, both shared or individual, that are very appealing. In this guide, we’ll explain that in more detail, explaining how the two differ across a range of features. We strongly suggest that you also use our super-speedy pet insurance quote page and review pages, which will help you decide which pet insurance plan is best for you.What do the plans cover?
Healthy Paws and Embrace both offer accident and illness plans covering things like chronic, congenital and hereditary conditions. Healthy Paws covers X-rays and prescription medication, dental injuries and medically-necessary euthanasia; Embrace covers dental illness and accidents, and vet exam fees (unlike at Healthy Paws). In fact it covers most conditions. Healthy Paws doesn't offer a wellness plan but will cover alternative treatments, as will Embrace. Embrace offers a Wellness Rewards add-on, which takes care of grooming, neutering, vaccinations, and preventative treatments. If you take this out, you get $25 from Embrace every year, which is nice. Both main plans cover many common illnesses and conditions that a pet can suffer from, such as:- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Cataracts
- Cruciate injury
- Dental disease
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Diarrhea
- Ear infections
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastroenteritis
- Kidney disease
- Limping
- Liver disease
- Lymphoma
- Pancreatitis
- Seizures
- Vomiting
Annual coverage options | Unlimited | $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000 |
---|---|---|
Deductible options | $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $200, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 |
Reimbursement options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% |
When does coverage start? | 15 days | 2-14 days |
Maximum age at sign up | 13 years | 14 years for illness, no max for accident |
Are vet exam fees included at no extra cost? | ||
Are dental accidents covered? | ||
Are dental illnesses covered? | ||
Is there a wellness plan offered? | ||
Is there a virtual vet/telehealth service? | ||
End of life coverage | ||
Is there a multi-pet discount offered? | ||
Is there a charge for paying monthly? | ||
Is there an app to make claims? |
*Coverage is based on choosing unlimited coverage, 250 deductible and 90% reimbursement
Are there any exclusions?
Yes – both companies exclude pre-existing conditions. With Embrace, however, these pre-existing conditions can be covered if they are curable and the pet goes 12 months without treatment or symptoms. Both providers also exclude features like cosmetic procedures, vaccines, microchipping, training, and neutering/spaying. Embrace’s wellness plan will cover some of these. Both cover hip dysplasia, but only if the animal is younger than six years old when it is registered.How expensive are Embrace and Healthy Paws?
Embrace is probably the pricier of the options here but there isn’t a huge amount in it. Much will depend on your pet, where you live, and the way that you balance out your deductibles and reimbursement limit. Healthy Paws has an unlimited coverage cap, which Embrace does not, but if your pet is eight years or older it is only eligible for 50% or 60% reimbursement levels. Prices generally increase as your pet ages but Embrace offers an accident-only plan to pets of whatever age. To be sure of an exact comparison for your pet, however, use our quote calculator.Medium Mixed 3 months old in Los Angeles
| $31.79 per month | N/A* |
Golden Retriever 3 years old in San Diego
| $64.34 per month | $64.89 per month |
Chihuahua 6 years old in New York City
| $83.11 per month | $46.32 per month |
Domestic Shorthair 3 months old in San Antonio
| $13.18 per month | N/A* |
Domestic Shorthair 3 year old in Jacksonville
| $13.98 per month | $28.81 per month |
Medium Mixed
3 months old in Los Angeles
$5,000 annual coverage
Golden Retriever
3 years old in San Diego
Unlimited annual coverage
Chihuahua
6 years old in New York City
Unlimited annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair
3 months old in San Antonio
$5,000 annual coverage
Domestic Shorthair
3 year old in Jacksonville
Unlimited annual coverage
Coverage options may vary. *$5000 coverage option not available.
Do Embrace and Healthy Paws offer discounts?
While Healthy Paws offers no multi-pet discount, Embrace gives you 10% off your premium. Embrace also offers a 5% discount for active members of the military. One of the benefits of choosing Embrace is that your deductibles decrease the longer you go without making a claim. For every claimless year, you’ll see the figure go down by $50, meaning it could easily reach $0.Are the plans customizable?
Embrace is the only one of the two with a wellness plan you can tag on. It's also very flexible when it comes to setting your premium, with a range of deductibles ($200-$1000), reimbursements (70-90%) and limits ($5,000-$30,000). At Healthy Paws you can also customize your reimbursement percentage (70-90%) and deductible amount ($100, $250 & $500). If you wanted to lower your premium by lowering your annual payout limit, however, you're out of luck – 'unlimited' comes as standard.How do I make claims?
Healthy Paws allows you to submit your claim in a range of ways: via post, email, the customer center section of its website, its app, or by fax. Just send the paid vet’s invoice and, if it’s your first claim, your pet’s medical records. Like Healthy Paws, paying via an app is an option with Embrace. You could also go via the dedicated section of their website or email your documents. As with Healthy Paws, Embrace advises that money will be with you sooner if you opt for the direct deposit model of reimbursement. Healthy Paws might also pay your vet directly (see FAQs below).Are they easy to contact?
Of course. Healthy Paws has a phone option (855 898 8991), a website contact form, social media, 24/7 helpline on the app, and fax. Embrace is available on the phone (800 511 9172), by email, and on social media.Customer reviews
People who use Embrace are generally extremely happy with the service they receive, praising it for efficiency and compassion. While there are some grumblings about the amount of time claims can take to be dealt with, these comments are the minority. Similarly, Healthy Paws customers seem like happy ones – arguably more so. They comment on the speed with which the company processes claims and the care they take with the wellbeing of their customers’ pets. A recurring theme is that people with pets don’t hesitate to take their animals to the vet when they have a health problem because they are confident of Healthy Paws paying them so efficiently.Frequently asked questions
People ask us a lot of different questions about the pet insurance providers we work with. It’s the smart thing to do because no two insurers are the same. Here are some common questions (and the answers!).What are the waiting periods?
Healthy Paws' is 15 days for both accidents and illness (six months for hip dysplasia). Embrace, meanwhile, has a super-fast two-day waiting period for accidents and a 14-day wait for illnesses (six months for orthopedics).
Do the plans include behavioral treatments?
Healthy Paws doesn't include but Embrace does.
Is there a maximum age for enrolment?
At Healthy Paws it's 13 years. At Embrace it's 14 years for accident and illness cover, but it also has an accident-only plan with no maximum age.
Do they need my pet’s medical records?
Healthy Paws require your pet’s full medical records for your first claim and a 'nose to tail' physical is needed for coverage. Embrace asks for a year’s worth of records, requiring records going back to your first vet visit with a pet if it is new.
Will the insurer pay the vet directly?
Embrace won't but Healthy Paws might. If your vet is willing, Healthy Paws will foot the bill via a direct pay scheme, which means that you only need pay what you owe depending on your deductible and reimbursement levels – if the claim is successful.
Is my pet covered in other countries?
Healthy Paws only covers your pet while in the US but Embrace covers them globally for up to six months.
Do they have a vet telehealth service?
Healthy Paws doesn't but Embrace has its 24/7 PawSupport service.