Pet Insurance Interviews >Pets Best Insurance
This interview is part of a continuing series of pet health insurance company interviews. I will be using the same ten questions for each of the veterinary health insurers so that viewers can learn about each company and compare what plans are available. In this interview, Jennifer Jones, Veterinary Services Manager for Pets Best, answers ten questions about pet care plans available through Pets Best.
Question 1: How long has your company been in business, and where are you based?
Answer 1: Determined to stop “economic euthanasia” for pets, Dr. Jack Stephens founded the first U.S. pet insurance company in 1982. Pets Best Insurance was founded in 2004 also, by Dr. Stephens, as a new and better alternative to the competition by paying 80% of the bill after the deductible. Pets Best Insurance is located in Boise, ID.
Question 2: Are clients able to go to any veterinarian, or only through your insurance providers?
Answer 2: At Pets Best, we believe that your freedom of choice is important, and in an emergency our pet owners have the peace of mind to know they are covered. This means that there are no networks that you are required to use, no schedule of benefits and no pre-authorization for needed procedures. We want your pet to receive the best care possible, which is why we also cover visits to specialists and emergency after-hour clinics. All we ask is that the veterinarian you see be licensed. Pets Best Insurance provides peace of mind for our pet owners when they need it most!
Question 3: Are hereditary and breed-related conditions covered?
Answer 3: Unlike other pet insurance companies, Pets Best Insurance covers 15 hereditary conditions at a limited amount depending on your plan type. If the condition is not listed and is not a congenital condition, where it’s present at birth, the condition is covered 80% after the deductible.
Question 4: Are age-related (senior) checkups, illnesses, and medications covered?
Answer 4: Yes. Pets Best Insurance does not turn away pets for age related reasons. If the pet is enrolled in our optional wellness plan, the pet will receive full routine care benefits regardless of age.
Question 5: Does your company offer wellness plans?
Answer 5: Our routine care option or BestWellness plan enables pet owners to take their pets to their veterinarian at least twice a year for wellness care. Our supplemental wellness option cannot be purchased separately, but can be added to any of our accident/illness plans. BestWellness routine care option has no deductible, and offers more than $400 in benefits each year for dogs and more than $500 for cats.
Question 6: What types or levels of health insurance medical plans are offered?
Answer 6: Our most popular plan, which is our Pets First plan, offers a $75 deductible, $7,000 per incident and $100,000 for the lifetime of the pet. Our Pets Basic Plan, which is our most affordable plan, offers a $100 deductible, $2,500 per incident and $42,500 for the lifetime of the pet. For those that feel comfortable with additional coverage, we offer our Pets Premier Plan with a $300 deductible, $14,000 per incident and $100,000 for the lifetime of the pet.
Question 7: If a wellness plan is available, can it be added to, or incorporated with, the medical health plan?
Answer 7: Yes, our wellness plan can be added to any one of our illness and accident plans.
Question 8: Is there an annual or lifetime benefit cap?
Answer 8: Depending on the plan you have, there is a lifetime limit of $42,500 or $100,000. We do not have an annual limit on any of our policies except the BestWellness additional endorsement.
Question 9: How are "usual and customary" fees determined?
Answer 9: Although the verbiage is in our policy form to protect our company from fees that may be inflated, to this date we have never questioned nor denied a claim due to that reason.
Question 10: What specific things stand out about your company? (i.e. strengths, unique offerings, etc.) Feel free to ad-lib here.
Answer 10:Many of the employees of Pets Best were recruited directly from the veterinary profession and industry. Nearly all of our team members at Pets Best have also been involved in animal welfare and rescue efforts. We're pet owners and pet lovers, too. We understand the pain of having to put your pet down. At Pets Best Insurance we want to reduce economic euthanasia and not see pets put down simply because support was needed to pay for care. And from the stories we hear, when it comes to claims, we know that there are pets that are alive and happy today because their owners had the financial resources to continue treatment.
Pets Best is proud to be a member of NAPHIA, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association dedicated to educating and promoting the values and benefits of pet health insurance. Members of NAPHIA work collaboratively toward establishing and promoting the highest professional and ethical standards in the industry with an emphasis on creating a better quality of life for people and their pets.
Thank you, Jennifer Jones, for taking time to answer these questions.
Please visit Pets Best web site to learn more and ask any specific questions you may have.
Company web site: Pets Best
Pet Insurance
Pet Insurance Interviews >Pets Best Insurance
