Healthy Paws vs Fetch
Pet Insurance

What’s the best pet insurance – Healthy Paws or Fetch?

As ever, whether one pet insurance provider is better than another will depend a great deal on your personal circumstances. Having said that, there are various things that separate Healthy Paws and Fetch.

It’s therefore wise to arm yourself with as much information as possible and come to an informed conclusion about this all-important decision. By the end of this guide, it may be clear to you which of the two companies is better for you and your pet.

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?

Fetch and Healthy Paws both offer accident and illness plans covering things like hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions.

Healthy Paws will be able to cover alternative therapies, as will Fetch, which is fantastic. Healthy Paws also covers X-rays and prescription medication, as does Fetch, but only Fetch covers vet exam fees. Both have euthanasia fees coverage, but Fetch has nice features like a lost pet advertisement scheme. Both cover dental accidents and dental illness.

It is also worth noting that neither company offers a wellness plan.

Like most insurers, both only offer coverage for cats and dogs, which is worth thinking about if your pet does not fall into these two furry categories.

Both 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

*Coverage is based on choosing unlimited coverage, $250 deductible and 90% reimbursement

Are there any exclusions?

Both Fetch and Healthy Paws exclude pre-existing conditions. Because neither offers a wellness plan, features like preventative care are not included.

Healthy Paws includes hip dysplasia in their plan but only if the animal is less than six years old when it is registered. Its waiting period for dysplasia is 12 months, while Fetch’s is six months.

It’s always best to read the full list of exclusions before signing up for any pet insurance plan.

How expensive are Healthy Paws and Fetch?

Overall, Fetch is likely to be more expensive, although not necessarily all the time as it will depend on your pet's particulars.

Healthy Paws has an unlimited coverage cap (Fetch’s are $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000). Although Fetch charges you for paying monthly and Healthy Paws does not, Healthy Paws does charge you a $25 enrolment fee – something Fetch does not do.

Healthy Paws’ fees, however, help them donate money to charity; via its foundation, Healthy Paws has given almost $2 million to homeless pets.

To be sure of an exact comparison for your pet, however, use our quote calculator.

Medium Mixed 3 months old in Los Angeles $5,000 annual coverage	N/A*	$96.18per month
Golden Retriever 3 years old in San Diego Unlimited annual coverage	$64.89 per month	$102.23 per month
Chihuahua 6 years old in New York City Unlimited annual coverage	$46.32 per month	$93.83 per month
Domestic Shorthair 3 months old in San Antonio $5,000 annual coverage	N/A*	$20.16 per month
Domestic Shorthair 3 year old in Jacksonville Unlimited annual coverage	$28.81 per month	$18.88 per month

Coverage options may vary. *$5000 coverage option not available.

Do Healthy Paws or Fetch offer discounts?

Neither company offers a multi-pet discount, unfortunately, but at Fetch you can get 10% off for life if you’re a veteran or you’re in the military, if you’re a member of AARP, or if your pet is a licensed medical services animal. If your pet is a rescue, or if you’re a vet or work in the profession, you get 10% off for a year.

Are the plans customizable?

At Healthy Paws and Fetch you can customize your reimbursement percentage and deductible amount. Each has three deductible amounts: Healthy Paws offers $100, $250, $500; Fetch’s are $300, $500, and $700. Both have the relatively standard three reimbursement percentage options of 70%, 80% and 90%.

Healthy Paws has an unlimited coverage cap but you can adjust Fetch’s, choosing from $5,000, $10,000 and $15,000.

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 – if you’re old-school – by fax.

Fetch has an app or you can go through the company’s website. Both ask that you submit a claim within 90 days.

Are they easy to contact?

They certainly are. Fetch, which is based in New York, can be contacted by mail, phone (866 467 3875), email, social media, and online chatbot. Healthy Paws has a phone option (855 898 8991), a website contact form, social media, its 24/7 helpline on the app, and a fax option. It’s based in Washington, DC, and is contactable by mail as well.

Customer reviews

Healthy Paws customers seem like cheery ones. 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.

Fetch’s customer service is very popular and, while they changed their underwriter in 2016 and upset some customers as a result, the feedback now is terrific.

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 policies take effect after 15 days. Fetch is exactly the same.

Do the plans include behavioral treatments?

Fetch doesn’t require you to take out a separate rider, offering up to $1,000 in behavioral therapy and medicine. Healthy Paws doesn’t offer any such coverage.

Is there a maximum age for enrolment?

At Healthy Paws it’s 13 years old. Fetch has no maximum.

Do they need my pet’s medical records?

Yes, this is standard. Healthy Paws requires your pet’s full medical records for your first claim with them; Fetch says that it wants detailed medical records from the most recent check-up your pet had.

Will the insurer pay the vet directly?

Fetch won't. Healthy Paws will, but only if the vet's happy with that – and you'll still need to pay what you owe after deductible and reimbursement levels are factored in. It's worth checking with your vet.

Is my pet covered in other countries?

Healthy Paws makes no mention of coverage in countries other than the US. Fetch is available in the US and Canada.

Do they have a vet telehealth service?

They both do!

You can read more about vet telehealth services simply by heading over to our telehealth service guide.

Final verdict: Healthy Paws vs Fetch

It really is neck and neck with these two insurers – both offer a great service but differ in various subtle ways. Fetch has various advantages: it can cover behavioral treatments, has no maximum age for pets, covers exam fees. But at every turn there will be something else that Healthy Paws does better: it can pay some vets directly, it has an unlimited coverage cap, it doesn’t charge you for paying monthly.

The insurer you choose will depend on which of the factors above is most important to you, of course. Have a proper think about it. It’s an important decision. Whether you choose Healthy Paws or Fetch, we’re sure you’ll make the best decision for you and your furry friend.