Want to jump straight to the answer?
MetLife Pet Insurance is Best Choice for:
- Immediate Accident Coverage: MetLife offers immediate accident coverage, making it an ideal choice for pet owners who want quick coverage for unexpected accidents.
- Customization Options: MetLife provides numerous customization options, including deductible, reimbursement rate, and coverage limit choices. This flexibility allows pet owners to tailor their insurance plan according to their specific needs.
- Covers Special Diets and Cruciate Ligaments: MetLife’s pet insurance covers food for special diets and conditions related to cruciate ligaments. This is beneficial for pet owners whose pets require specialized diets or may be prone to ligament-related issues.
MetLife may not be the ideal choice for:
- Low Annual Coverage Limit: MetLife has a relatively low annual coverage limit compared to other leading pet insurance providers. This may not be suitable for pet owners seeking higher coverage limits for potential costly treatments or procedures.
- Limited Customer Support: MetLife does not offer 24/7 customer support, which could be a drawback for pet owners who prefer round-the-clock assistance.
- Slightly Higher Premiums: MetLife’s monthly premiums are slightly higher than the industry average. This might not be the best choice for budget-conscious pet owners looking for the most affordable pet insurance option.
TL;DR
| Policy Name | Coverage | Cost | Customer Service | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Accidents only | $15/month | Good | 3.5/5 |
| Plus | Accidents and illnesses | $35/month | Excellent | 4.5/5 |
| Premium | Accidents, illnesses, and routine care | $65/month | Excellent | 4.5/5 |
Let’s face it. Taking a trip to the vet, much like a trip to the hospital, can be a scary thing. Fears of negative news and expensive bills can dissuade even the strongest of characters, but that doesn’t always have to be the case. MetLife Pet can be the place where you can put those worries to rest and with good cause.
Metlife pet insurance key benefits
- Reimbursements can range from 70% to 100%
- Customize your plan and deductibles
- Maximum annual benefit limit of $10,000
- No incident limits
- 1 day waiting period for accidents
- Gives the option to choose any vet
As the intricacies of insurance are often difficult to decipher, so can policies differ from one insurance to another. Noticing that trend, Metlife Pet offers you a clear path to your insurance experience, balancing the financial and general needs of its clients.
If you want to know more about pricing, policies, coverage, and other services of this insurance provider, then read on to see why MetLife Pet is considered one of the biggest first-rate pet insurances on the market.
About MetLife Pet
MetLife Pet was founded in 2004 in New York City and is one of the largest providers of coverage for all breeds and ages of cats and dogs. It is also the only provider to offer family plans and cover multiple pets on one policy.
Known for its flexibility, it has various levels of coverage without excluding breeds or placing an upper age limit. It also doesn’t require an initial exam or previous vet record of your pet for enrolment.
With insurance coverage for visiting any licensed vet or emergency clinic, you can receive up to 100% reimbursement for covered expenses. The only requirement is for the licensed vet or clinic to be in the USA.
Sporting an unmatched track record, MetLife Pet has over 15 years of experience as a caring and professional pet advocate, as well as being a dependable partner in core and voluntary benefits to pet parents and their communities.
Pro’s 👍
- Available discounts: There are a variety of discounts to choose from, such as multi-pet, animal care, healthcare worker, military, etc. Additionally, if you make no claims in a policy year, your deductible will automatically lower by $25 or $50.
- No incident limits: MetLife Pet has no lifetime or incident limits for pets of any age.
- Flexible deductibles: The provider lets you choose your deductible, the lowest cap being $50, while the highest is set at $2,500.
Cons 👎
- Limited coverage options: Only offers an accident and illness plan, which you can only learn more about through the process of obtaining a quote.
- Vague cancellation policy: It is difficult to learn the exact way to cancel its policy or how to start the cancellation process.
- Very few payment options: Premium payment can only be made by autopay from a bank or by credit card.
MetLife Pet’s Coverage Plan, Exclusions & Other Features
Right out of the get-go, MetLife Pet’s accident and illness plan on offer has no lifetime or per-incident limits. The policy also offers coverage for chronic care and allows for the customization of deductibles and reimbursement rates. This insurance provider has plans for cats and dogs of all ages, sizes, and breeds.
In addition to their main plan, some of the coverage details can depend on the state of residence and insurance underwriter, so be sure to check that with MetLife Pet’s customer service department.
Still, these are the main treatments you can expect to be covered in MetLife Pet’s insurance:
- Exam fees
- Non-routine dental
- X-rays and diagnostic test
- Bilateral conditions
- Prescription medication
- Rehabilitation
- Alternative care
- Genetic conditions
- Accidents
- Behavioral problems
Note that some of these treatments offered by MetLife Pet can depend on the state you are in or can vary from case to case.
Exclusions
On the other side of the coin, some areas are not included in MetLife’s insurance policy, such as:
- Vitamins supplements
- Mineral supplements
- Breeding (or conditions related to breeding)
- Elective procedures
- Expression (or removal of anal glands and anal vasculitis)
- Grooming costs
- Bathing and/or medicated baths
- Organ transplants
- Illness or injury caused by racing, coursing, commercial guarding, or organized fighting
- Pre-existing conditions
Take note that MetLife defines pre-existing conditions as anything (illness, injury, condition, symptom) that has manifested before the coverage date or end of the waiting period. And according to their customer support, issues like an ear infection or allergies may be covered, provided that the pet isn’t symptomatic in the prior six months.
Add-Ons
Alongside their original coverage plans, MetLife Pet also offers an add-on wellness plan that offers preventive care in the form of prevention and treatment of parasites. This can be achieved by customizing your policy.
First, select an amount for the annual coverage of routine care treatments, and then choose what add-ons you want to implement. Note that it also means higher costs for the overall plan.
Waiting Periods
Known for their short waiting periods, MetLife Pet advertises itself as the premium institution in the industry when it comes to accident and illness coverage. The accident and wellness coverage begins the next day after activating the policy, while illness coverage can begin 14 days after the policy’s effective date.
But, this policy is not intended for everything. When it comes to policies that are underwritten by the IAIC, Metlife Pet imposes a 6-month waiting period for the following issues:
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Cruciate ligament
- Posterior cruciate ligament
- Cranial cruciate ligament
Metlife Pet Cancellation Policy
Unfortunately, the information about the cancellation policy and procedures at MetLife Pet is where things get a little bit murky. The website information is not very upfront on where you can locate that information and how you can conduct the cancellation.
However, if you want to cancel a plan you have set up, you can contact their customer support team over e-mail (pet_info@metlife.com), online chat, or via phone communication (855 270-7387) to get your cancellation process started.
They can be reached during the following days and hours:
- Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST
- Saturday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST
MetLife Pet Cost
Talking about the annual cost, MetLife Pet coverage limits start at $15, with a maximum annual benefit of $10,000. You’re also able to customize details when selecting a policy.
However, note that monthly premium costs will be affected by your cat or dog’s age, breed, location, and other factors, with the level of annual coverage also impacting your final premium. Additionally, if you want to check your options, you can do so by getting a custom quote online from their website.
And as we mentioned, if you don’t make a claim in a policy year, your deductible will be lowered by $25 or $50. You may also be eligible for other discounts, dependent on the underwriter, such as:
- Healthcare workers discount
- Employer benefit discount
- Animal care discount
- Affinity group discount
- Military, veteran, and first responder discount
- Internet purchase discount
MetLife’s Pet Insurance Procedure
So how do you start your MetLife Pet insurance procedure?
Luckily, one of the benefits of MetLife is that you will probably have no issues when it comes to filing claims with your insurance. Regarding the age, as we mentioned, should your cat or dog be at least over 8 weeks old, it can be eligible for the insurance of this provider, no questions asked. What’s more, there is no limit or restriction on your pet’s breed, although some breeds can cost more to insure.
Moving on, the easiest and most practical way to quickly apply for MetLife’s pet insurance is online via their website. You can go on their page and fill out the questionnaire that will give you a free quote.
Some of the information you will have to provide in that questionnaire are:
- Whether you own a dog or a cat
- Whether your pet is male or female
- The name of your pet
- The age of your pet
- The breed of your pet
- The color of your pet’s fur
- Your e-mail address, and
- Your ZIP code
Once you’ve chosen your preferred policy, you can submit your payment. Then, you will just have to wait for MetLife Pet to confirm the coverage.
Regarding the claim, you can submit a pet insurance claim and supporting documents within 3 months (90 days) of a treatment or invoice date. This can be done via several ways, such as their online portal, mobile app, email, mail, or fax.
When submitting a claim, your form has to be fully completed and signed, and you must provide a veterinary medical record and an itemized invoice of the incident.
If everything is properly completed and delivered, and your claim is approved, you will receive reimbursement in a method of your choosing. The offered choices are check or direct deposit. One more advantage of this pet insurance provider is that it processes 80% of claims within less than 10 days.
MetLife: Worth It or Not?
So, is MetLife worth it? And does it offer the best care and coverage for your beloved pet?
Well, if you are seeking a basic accident or illness coverage plan, MetLife pet covers and offers a variety of treatment plans that have good value without including riders and add-ons. Additionally, lifetime or incident limits make it relatively easy for you to customize your deductible and reimbursement rates. Their short waiting times can provide a much-needed non-financial cost that many individuals may find appealing.
Another excellent factor to be considered is their customer support which clients seemed satisfied with overall. They provide relief and peace of mind when customers are in dire need regarding their pets or when they simply need to complete administrative procedures around their plans.
All in all, MetLife Pet offers its clients a stable and open offer that aims to satisfy many basic preferences that pet owners may have, with a variety of options that you can choose from.
MetLife Reviews
The provider has so far established itself as one of the biggest insurance providers in the industry, offering pet owners a pallet of options and benefits to profit from. With a customizable annual limit, no lifetime cap on benefits, no limits on incidents, and low waiting periods for all accident and wellness coverage, it’s no wonder that MetLife Pet has secured this spot.
The many offers for main treatments that are covered with MetLife’s pet insurance also open the door to clients who may have different needs for their pets but are not able to spend too much.
All of MetLife Pet’s benefits are not just a simple claim the company makes. Namely, all reputable online review sites have already done a thorough check on this pet insurance provider. To make the job easier for you, we have detailed each of them down below.
Third-Party Reviews
As a company that has been on the market for more than 15 years, MetLife Pet has accumulated a long list of positive reviews from thousands of clients. Aside from the fast service and low waiting periods, customers have also praised the high annual benefit limit of $10,000.
What’s more, many clients have stated that the fact that MetLife Pet has a separate app from where you can send your claims or contact customer support has been what reeled them in. They claim that this speeds up their process and allows them to quickly attend to their sick or injured pets.
MetLife Google Reviews
Google reviews are another place where MetLife gathers praises. Scouring some of the opinions shared by users of the MetLife app, cat and dog owners seemed to benefit from the company’s pros in more ways than one. These pet parents usually noted the fast procedures of claims, one of the crucial benefits of owning such a premium insurance policy.
The full spectrum of coverage was also an important factor of the MetLife plan for many reviewers, as it encapsulated almost everything that dog and cat owners could want. One client especially emphasized the medication coverage, especially for pets with chronic ailments, as well as emergencies that require expensive surgery, as these were all taken care of by the company promplty.
MetLife Reviews BBB
By reading some reviews on BBB, we’ve come across many claims that put MetLife Pet in high regard when it comes to customer service. Often being the calming voice in the storm of personal crisis, many customers were positively surprised when they received genuine attention and compassion when sharing their grievances regarding their pets.
The pet owners who often recommend MetLife Pet did so because of the large palette of options that can cover almost any type of basic coverage plans they offer and the well-received short waiting times. The perk of easy administrative procedures was also a big plus, as it ensured another hassle that could be very much avoided.
There were also some stories about owners who would’ve lost all they had in terms of financial assets if they had chosen a different pet insurer. As they have put it, MetLife Pet had provided a helping hand in need, especially in the hardest and darkest times.
MetLife Reviews Reddit
The factor of anonymity that is provided to Reddit users lets them exhibit a higher form of sincerity and transparency in their reviews. Most of the Reddit users we have gone over have had a positive experience with the company.
The most positive claims from the comments circulate the quick payments and that the company doesn’t usually quibble with the claims that clients file. They are also impressed with the speed at which they can submit a claim and the ease of the administrative process.
Additional comments revolved around the audit of users’ claims, where clients got paid more in some cases, wherever veterinarians were involved in sending additional notes on the pets at hand.
There were also some bad comments in regard to the increase in the premiums. However, as we saw, this had happened because of the frequent use of their services.
MetLife Reviews Yelp
Clients on Yelp view MetLife as a high-end insurance provider for pets such as cats and dogs, with a lot of the praise going to a wide pallet of options when it comes to choosing a treatment plan.
Recommended highly on the platform because of comprehensive coverage and timely payment claims, a lot of the shoppers have given MetLife Pet 5-star reviews, indicating excellent satisfaction from the service they provide.
Some individuals say they were skeptical at first because of the higher costs as to some of their competitors. However, once they decided to purchase it, they found out that it had been the right choice.
Additionally, many of the pet owners who commented expressed their thanks to the company for coming to the rescue. There are some detailed testimonials from owners who still got help even though they had already surpassed their deductibles, proving that MetLife Pet truly does put your pet’s health in first place.
7 Financial Benefits of Having Pet Insurance
- Enhanced Pet Health Focus: With pet insurance, your primary concern becomes your furry companion’s well-being. Unburdened by financial worries, you can concentrate on providing the best possible care for your pet.
- Financial Safeguard: Pet insurance acts as a financial safety net, shielding you from unexpected veterinary expenses. This security ensures that your pet receives necessary medical attention without straining your budget.
- Long-term Savings: Investing in pet insurance translates to long-term financial savings. Routine and emergency veterinary costs can accumulate, making insurance a wise choice for mitigating these expenses over time.
- Early Coverage Advantage: Initiating insurance early yields broader coverage. This proactive approach ensures that your pet is safeguarded against potential health issues, setting the foundation for comprehensive protection.
- Choice of Vets: Opting for pet insurance allows you the freedom to select your preferred veterinarian(s). This flexibility ensures that your pet receives care from a trusted and familiar healthcare provider.
- Tailored Coverage Options: Customize your pet insurance coverage to suit your specific needs. Tailoring the policy lets you address your pet’s unique health requirements, ensuring a personalized and effective insurance plan.
- Simplified Processes: Obtaining a quote, enrolling in coverage, and filing claims are seamless processes with pet insurance. The convenience factor streamlines your experience, making it easy to manage your pet’s healthcare financials.
MetLife Pet Insurance Alternatives
To find the best MetLife Pet Insurance alternative for you, it’s important to compare the plans offered by different companies.
Consider your budget, your pet’s age and health needs, and the type of coverage you’re looking for. You can also read reviews of different pet insurance companies to get a better sense of their customer service and claims process.
MetLife Pet Insurance alternatives:
- Embrace Pet Insurance
- Figo Pet Insurance
- Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
- Lemonade Pet Insurance
- Pets Best Pet Insurance
- Pumpkin Pet Insurance
- Spot Pet Insurance
- Trupanion Pet Insurance
- ASPCA Pet Insurance
- Nationwide Pet Insurance
These companies offer a variety of pet insurance plans with different coverage levels and premiums. Some companies also offer additional benefits, such as wellness coverage, multiple pet discounts, and pre-existing condition coverage.
