When a pet gets sick or injured, every loving human parent has its wellbeing and speedy recovery in mind as a top priority – rather than the money that needs to be spent on it. Even so, that attitude might change once you see the vet bills.
Getting pet insurance that pays upfront is the best way to avoid the wait for reimbursement after a vet visit. Some insurance plans offer simple, time-saving solutions for vet direct pay, while others require more effort from the owner.
Choosing a pet insurance company linked to vet services in your country makes it easier for vets to submit claims on your behalf and charge the expenses directly.
This also allows you to concentrate on your dog’s, cat’s, or any pet’s health.
So, let’s go through four providers that offer pet insurance direct pay.
Which Pet Insurance Pays the Vet Directly?
Pet insurance companies that pay the vet directly:
- Trupanion
- Healthy Paws
- Pets Best
- PetPlan
These companies offer a feature called direct pay, which allows you to pay your veterinarian’s bill at the time of service. This can be a convenient option, as it eliminates the need for you to pay the bill upfront and then submit a claim for reimbursement.
To use direct pay, you will need to find a veterinarian that accepts direct payments from your pet insurance company. You can usually find a list of participating veterinarians on your pet insurance company’s website.
Once you have found a participating veterinarian, simply tell them that you would like to use direct pay. They will contact your pet insurance company to verify your coverage and then submit the claim on your behalf.
Your pet insurance company will then pay the veterinarian directly, minus your deductible and any other applicable fees. You will be responsible for paying the remaining balance to the veterinarian.
1. Pets Best
You can access the Pets Best vet direct pay option through all coverage programs offered by the provider. There is an additional documentation procedure you’ll need to go through, but it pays off in the long run.
First of all, you need consent from your vet for the pet insurance direct payment plan.
If the vet agrees, the next step is filling out a Pets Best vet direct pay form with a signature from your vet. After that, you are supposed to file a claim and send the documents via email or fax.
Pets Best normally needs five days to process your claim and pay your vet. However, you may still need to pay some additional expenses directly to your vet, such as co-insurance and deductible items.
Pets Best offers direct pay pet insurance as a part of three unique plan levels you can choose from. Plus, there is an accident-only coverage plan that doesn’t include standard medical procedures in case of illness.
2. Trupanion
Trupanion is another company that provides direct pay pet insurance and eases your process of handling vet bills. Provided that your vet agrees to get direct payment from pet insurance providers, it takes several minutes for Trupanion to pay them at checkout.
Plus, Trupanion’s website has a special feature that allows you to look your vet up and see if they accept vet direct pay. If your vet is on their list, there are a few easy steps that follow:
- The vet hospital issues a claim for Trupanion
- You pay your part of the bill at checkout
- Trupanion directly cover the vet care expenses within minutes
However, if your vet doesn’t belong to the list of doctors who accept Trupanion’s direct pay pet insurance, you’ll have to cover the expenses and then wait for recompensation.
3. Healthy Paws
In general, Healthy Paws requires their users to pay their vet bills, then submit a claim and wait for reimbursement. However, they also offer direct pay pet insurance options to pet parents who need it.
As it usually goes with this concept, consent from your vet is needed for Healthy Paws to pay them directly. If the vet agrees, you should contact Healthy Paws and initiate the process.
A special advantage of Healthy Paws’ pet insurance is that you don’t need to file a claim for recompensation – you can sort everything out online, or on their mobile app.
4. Petplan
Petplan is a pet insurance provider that offers three packages – bronze, silver, and gold. Your pet needs to get regular wellness checkups to maintain a Petplan policy, even though they aren’t included in the insurance plans.
In order for Petplan to pay your vet directly, your vet needs to agree to this method of payment. Both you and the vet should issue and send a written approval via email to initiate a direct payment plan.
After sending your vet’s agreement to Petplan, you can submit your claim along with the vet bill. Petplan will pay your vet directly, while you are required to pay the company the deductible expenses. You can expect to be reimbursed a month after submitting the documentation.
Direct Pay Pet Insurance Solutions: What Do Vets Think?
Almost all providers on the market offer pet insurance that pays upfront, but not all vets are eager to accept this option.
It may be the first time your vet works with a particular insurance provider, or they might have had an unfavorable experience before.
This is why we included the most acclaimed insurance companies in this article. Whichever you choose, expect a safe deal for yourself, your vet, and of course – your pet.
