Nationwide Pet Insurance Review

Pet insurance is still a relatively uncommon form of insurance, at least when compared to more ubiquitous types of coverage, such as auto, home, and life.

Yet in recent years, pet insurance has grown to become a billion-dollar industry, thanks in large part to the trailblazing efforts of Nationwide nearly four decades ago.

According to the Insurance Information Institute, it was Veterinary Pet Insurance Co., a subsidiary of Nationwide, that sold North America’s first pet insurance policy in 1982, in order to provide health coverage for the dog playing Lassie on television.

Check out this complete review for more information about the nation’s first pet insurance provider, Nationwide.

Nationwide Pet Insurance

Founded in 1926 as an affordable auto insurance provider for Ohio farmers, Nationwide has come a long way from its humble origins.

It was ranked No. 73 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list. That makes the Columbus-based company America’s largest and most financially stable pet insurance provider.

As the name implies, Nationwide is a national provider, with regional headquarters in California, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas. Nationwide underwrites all of its own pet insurance policies, and has earned high marks from financial ratings organizations, including an A+ from A.M. Best.

Nationwide

• Affordable Policies
• Strong Financial Ratings
• Comprehensive Coverage

4.3 out of 5

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Nationwide Pet Insurance Plans & Coverage Options

As far as pet insurers go, Nationwide offers fairly comprehensive coverage, providing policies for dogs, cats, birds, and even some exotic animals. The insurer has three primary policy types that it offers, which essentially amount to a choice between medical coverage, wellness coverage, or a complete care plan that combines both.

Nationwide pet insurance plans handle reimbursement by providing either a percentage of invoice, meaning you get back a set percentage of your vet bill, or a benefit schedule, meaning the amount you get back is capped at a set amount for each condition.

Whole Pet with Wellness

The most comprehensive policy available, Whole Pet with Wellness covers wellness and medical treatments, including:

• Exams, lab tests, and X-rays
• Prescriptions
• Surgeries and hospitalization
• Chronic conditions

This plan also immediately provides coverage for hereditary conditions. Nationwide also touts its Whole Pet with Wellness plan as covering common and uncommon costs, unlike competing companies with percentage-based plans that limit a policyholder’s actual reimbursement by excluding common things like exam fees. Nationwide refers to this pet insurance plan as “the most extensive coverage available – anywhere.” This top-tier policy also comes with 90% reimbursement and a $100 annual deductible.

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Major Medical

This policy covers all of the same major medical treatments outlined above, but does not pay for wellness exams or treatments. Also, unlike the Whole Pet with Wellness option, there is a brief waiting period before coverage for chronic conditions kicks in. This accident and illness only policy is more affordable than Whole Pet life insurance, but still protects against potentially costly injuries and conditions.

Pet Wellness

Coverage that is narrowly limited to wellness, including routine exams and tests, flea and heartworm prevention, and vaccinations. This coverage does not pay for illness or accidents, only reimbursing policyholder’s for the costs of veterinary check-ups and other wellness medical costs. Though less expensive than other forms of pet insurance, experts sometimes caution against wellness-only plans, since they will not pay for the types of emergencies that people generally purchase insurance to protect against.

How to Get a Quote & Apply with Nationwide

To get a free online quote from Nationwide, interested parties should go to the company’s website and enter their zip code and indicate whether they are looking to get coverage for a dog, cat, bird, or exotic pet. Next, you will be prompted to select your pet’s breed and age, then enter its name and either your phone number or your email address.

While entering this information, a helpful box in the corner of the website will confirm the details you enter, showing your location, your pet’s information and a photo of its breed.

After entering this information, you will click “Get Quote” and receive different rates for the various coverage options available to your pet. After picking the option you want, you will be prompted to provide some more details about your pet’s physical characteristics and medical history, before moving on to billing and enrollment.

Nationwide

• Affordable Policies
• Strong Financial Ratings
• Comprehensive Coverage

4.3 out of 5

Get a Quote

Nationwide Pet Insurance Discounts

Insurers often try to appeal to potential policyholders by offering a variety of discounts. In the case of companies that offer multiple lines of insurance, it is especially common for an insurer to offer a bundling discount, in which consumers can pay less by bundling two or more types of coverage, such as home and auto.

Nationwide, despite offering many different types of insurance, does not include pet insurance among its list of products eligible for a multiple-policy discount. However, the insurer offers special savings for those who enroll multiple pets.

The Multiple Pet Discount applies to the base medical plan only, and all pets must live within the same household in order to be eligible.

Nationwide Pet Insurance Company Ratings and Customer Service

Nationwide is a very established player in the insurance industry, as well as the country’s first insurer to offer pet insurance. It has built up a strong reputation over its many decades in business. Consumers Advocate gives Nationwide pet insurance a score of 8.5 out of 10, indicating “excellent,” albeit somewhat expensive, coverage.

Nationwide has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 1955, and currently boasts a perfect A+ BBB Rating. The insurer has an average of one out of five stars when it comes to customer reviews, based on 88 reviews, though it seems that most of those complaints are related to other lines of insurance offered by the enterprise, and not specifically Nationwide’s veterinary health coverage for pets.

Nationwide Company Contact Information

• Homepage URL: https://www.petinsurance.com/
• Company Phone: 1-877-263-6008
• Headquarters Address: 1229 120th Ave NE Ste C, Bellevue, WA 98005-2148