Things to Consider Before Choosing Pet Insurance in Virginia
- The type of coverage you need: Some pet insurance plans only cover accidental injuries, while others also cover illnesses. You will need to decide what type of coverage is right for you and your pet.
- The cost of the plan: Pet insurance can be expensive, so it is important to find a plan that fits your budget.
- The deductible and reimbursement rate: The deductible is the amount of money you will have to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. The reimbursement rate is the percentage of the vet bill that your insurance will cover.
- The waiting period: Some pet insurance companies have a waiting period before they will cover certain conditions. This is usually around 14 days.
- The policy limits: The policy limits are the maximum amount of money your insurance will pay out for a single claim or over the lifetime of your pet.
Introduction
Also known as the Mother of all states, Virginia falls among the most pet-populated places in the US.
But, even there, pets – bless their hearts – can fall victims to various health issues, physical injuries, accidents, and even emotional problems. And since paying for the entire treatment out of your pocket can be quite pricey, the need for getting proper pet insurance is more important than ever before.
In Virginia, there is a decent selection of pet insurance companies, offering bussin’ coverage and pricing plans to satisfy each pet parent’s wallet and their pet’s needs.
Let’s get fixin’ that pet insurance conundrum – here are the top options for the best pet insurance in Virginia in 2023.
Lemonade
Lemonade first broke the market in 2016 as a top pet insurance provider, scoring 96 out of 100 rating for the best and most trusted pet insurance in Virginia and beyond.
The reasons behind its success are that Lemonade comes with affordable pricing plans, offers a superb coverage policy, and has various plan options to choose from.
Pros
- Annual caps to $100,000
- Versatile plans
- Quick response for accidents
Cons
- No behavioral therapies for furry friends
- No dental treatments
Plans & Coverage
Lemonade is one of the best pet insurance Virginia can afford and comes with no caps. Its plans and pricing options are super flexible, and you can fix yourself the best plan, or take it as is.
The basic Lemonade plan offers the following:
- Accidents: eye and ear infection, poisoning, fractures, and other incidents.
- Common undiagnosed sickness: vomiting, diarrhea, nausea
- Congenital & Hereditary conditions: elbow or hip dysplasia, allergies, inborn disabilities
- Chronic illnesses: cancer, heart diseases, kidney complications, asthma, liver issues, etc.
However, if your pet has special needs that require further treatments, Lemonade introduces the following add-ons:
- Hospitalization: special care, hospital needs, outpatients, surgeries
- Tests & Screenings: lab work, CT Scans, X-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, etc.
- Therapy: Chiropractic care, acupuncture, physical therapy, etc.
- Medication & Prescription: Only if given by a vet
- Vet visits fees: Exam fees, blood works, screenings, check-ups.
That’s not all folks, cause Lemonade includes preventative pet care, too, which can be handy in monitoring your pet’s wellbeing on a regular basis. Lemonade’s preventative care plan comes with reimbursement of 70%, 80%, or 90% of the custom check-ups bills.
If you don’t want to bother regulating your plan, go with the premium coverage.
It includes the basic and preventative perks, plus:
- Vaccinations for puppies and kittens up to 2 years of age
- Medicine: fleas, tick, or heartworm
- Dental cleaning
Embrace
US News, Forbes Advisor, and Investopedia have a field of praise about Embrace as a pet insurance company. Embrace has been the best pet insurance for many years and has slowly become the best pet insurance West Virginia provider, too.
The coverage plans are really a peach, as are their services, prices, and extras.
Pros
- Deductibles can reset to 0 if you didn’t make a claim the whole year
- Excellent plans and coverage
- Affordable prices
Cons
- Diet or food supplements are off the table
- Too much fuss about the premium plans
- The customer support team isn’t always available
Plans & Coverage
Embrace swam over the success Rivah, all credits to their outstanding coverage plan, that includes:
- Accidents and illnesses: accidents, poisoning, predators attacks, fractures, etc.
- Undiagnosed sicknesses: diarrhea, fevers, colds, nausea, etc.
- Chronic diseases: asthma, heart diseases, kidney failures, etc.
- Specialty care: elbow or hyp dysplasia
- Preventable conditions: parasites, parvo, Lyme disease
- Dental Accidents & Illnesses: Embrace fixes all dental illnesses and accidents up to $1,000
- Follow-ups
- Breed-specific & Genetic conditions
- Behavioral Therapy: separation therapy
As for Embrace’s pricing, their deductibles aren’t static. Embrace has annual deductibles that go back to 0 if you haven’t made a claim the entire year.
As for reimbursement, Embrace uses the Direct Vet policy, which means you’d get your share and coverage as you head home.
Healthy Paws
Statistics show that pet parents put a mess of trust in Healthy Paws – with 9/10 customer satisfaction. Forums also confirm the credibility of the company and the benefits it offers.
What got us to put Healthy Paws on the top pet insurance West Virginia providers list is their affordable plans and reliable user testimonials.
Pros
- Unlimited annual coverage
- Fast response
- Direct Vet payments
Cons
- Examination fees are on your budget
- No behavioral therapy
- No wellness plan coverage
Plans & Coverage
There’s only one coverage plan with Healthy Paws, and customizing come later on a pricing level. But, the coverage plan offers the following:
- Accidents & Illnesses: fractures, snake bites, predator attacks, poisoning, etc.
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions: Hip & Elbol displasia, cherry eye, tests, scans, x-rays, IDD
- Chronic diseases: arthritis, upper chronic respiratory diseases, or asthma, lower urinary tract diseases, kidney diseases, glaucoma, hypothyroidism, allergies, and herpes.
- Cancer treatment: chemotherapy, lab tests, surgery, diagnostics, medication, alternative medicine, radiation therapy, diagnostics, and rehabilitation.
- Urgent & special care: Neurology, cardiology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, critical care, and oncologists for cancer therapies
- Multiple forms of alternative medicine: Chiropractic, hydrotherapy, laser treatment, massage, acupuncture, veterinary herbal therapy, and homeopathy
Healthy Paws pricing varies according to the pet’s age, type, and breed.
Healthy Paws does not have a yearly maximum on reimbursement but does give up to 90% reimbursement. For senior dogs, you will pay around $40, and around $12 for cats.
Prudent Pet
Prudent Pet is youngin’ insurance among the others. But, the fresh plan hurts nobody, because the plans would be related to the latest pet needs, and parents’ wallets.
Although Prudent Pet appeared in 2018, the plans and user testimonials suggest that there’s a good reason to include it in our Virginia pet insurance list.
Pros
- Elder pets are equally justified
- D for discounts
- Fast claims
Cons
- Waiting periods come as molasses
- Pricey premium programs
- Not a mobile-friendly insurance
Plans & Coverage
Prudent Pet Insurance has three pet insurance options available for New York residents.
- The Basic Plan: This is the starter pack that covers pet accidents and pet diseases such as predator wounds, special care, fractures, ingested items, and urgent procedures – all included as part of the basic plan.
- The Essential Plan: This plan includes everything in the basic plan plus chronic, inherited, and congenital pet diseases. In other words, infections of the eye, ear, or skin, birth deformities, or hip or elbow dysplasia are all part of the package.
- The Ultimate Plan: This plan covers everything in the basic and necessary plans, including lost pets, boarding expenses, and reimbursement for theft or stray animals.
Prudent Pet’s prices are quite reasonable. A $100, $250, $500, or $1,000 deductible is the starting point for a number of deductible alternatives.
The Basic and Essential plans, on the other hand, have a $10,000 restriction, and the Ultimate plan has no limit.
In terms of reimbursement possibilities, New Yorkers have the opportunity to personalize the plan up to 70%, 80%, and 90%.
Finally, Prudent Pet insurance offers a 10% discount on future pet insurance. In addition, Prudent Pet provides referral benefits as well.
ASPCA
ASPCA stands for American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It’s one of the first established animal societies in America that started off its mission to preserve the rights of animals.
Obviously, as humans have life insurance, so should pets. As part of its mission, ASPCA offers outstanding pet insurance policies and pricing plans.
We put ASPCA on our best pet insurance Virginia providers list for the following reasons.
Pros
- Flexibility in pre-existing conditions
- Plans that are more adaptable
- Behavioral therapy is incorporated into the program.
Cons
- The claim process is lengthy
- There is no dental care offered
- Up to $10,000 in annual limits
Plans & Coverage
There are two types of ASPCA Pet Insurance plans: Accidents Only and Complete Coverage.
Injury, wounds, predator assaults, ingestion, poisoning, and any other mishaps are covered under the Accidents Only plan. It’s very much the same as a standard plan.
On the other hand, the Complete Coverage Plan covers not just accidents and diseases, but also:
- Undefined illnesses: gastrointestinal problems, ear, eye, and skin infections, urinary tract infections, hypothyroidism
- Scanning & Tests: Ultrasounds, bloodwork, lab work, MRIs, and other tests and lab examinations
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions: IVDD, eye issues, hip or elbow dysplasia, cardiac illnesses.
- Chronic Illnesses: Diabetes and cancer
- Therapy types: Rehabilitation and chiropractic treatment
- Preventive behavioral interventions: Separation, destructive chewing, fur pulling, pacing, licking
- Medication prescriptions
- Implants with microchips
New Yorkers also have the option of adding wellness care to their package. Flea and tick treatment, vaccinations, and dental cleanings are all advised for new pet parents since each puppy or kitty needs them to avoid subsequent problems.
When it comes to ASPCA pricing, pet owners may customize it to fit their budget and the requirements of their pets. In other words, they can set a price ceiling of:
- $3,000
- $4,000
- $5,000
- $7,000
- $10,000
One of the three possibilities for deductibles includes that of $100, $250, or $500
As for reimbursements, ASPCA offers 70%, 80%, or 90%, depending on what fits your needs the most.
Fetch by Dodo (Petplan)
Petplan or Fetch by Dodo is the same pet insurance company and is among the leading pet insurance providers in Virginia. Many pet parents hollered at Petplan in the past as all their plans seem more than fair, and so do their prices.
Recently, Petplan got acquired by Fetch by the Dodo, but their pet plans remained stellar. Below, read the pros and cons, coverage, and prices that Fetch – formerly Petplan – offers in Virginia in 2023.
Pros
- Convenient plans coverage
- No vet networks within the insurance
- Rapid processing
Cons
- Mandatory confirmation from a vet for an illness or an injury is needed
- There have been some complaints about the provider’s premium plan
- Mandatory check-ups to confirm pet’s health which isn’t covered by the insurance
Plans & Coverage
Petplan has got only one coverage plan, even though it offers several annual caps. As a matter of fact, it’s how the provider distinguishes between the pet plans from each other.
All in all, here’s what you get covered for by Petplan in terms of pet insurance:
- Accidents & Illnesses
- Hereditary & Congenital Conditions
- Chronic conditions
- Hospitalization
- Med Prescription
- Alternative Therapies
- Behavioral Therapies
Almost like any other pet insurance, alternative and behavioral therapies come in handy since many pets suffer from separation anxiety, social anxiety, and related conditions.
For more advantages, you can choose a plan with a $15,000 annual cap – or higher – and get the following:
- Travel reimbursement: Petplan covers for pet accidents and pet illnesses over travel.
- Cost of boarding: If a pet gets sick or wounded over a snow day, Petplan covers the hospitalization or the staycation.
- Advertisement and reward: Petplan puts any insured pets on a map in case they get stolen.
- Lost Pet reimbursement: Any lost insured pet gets reimbursement.
Here’s how you can fix the pricing of the Petplan. There are several annual caps you can pick and choose from:
- $5,000
- $10,000
- $15,000
- $20,000
- $25,000
The next thing you can fix is the Reimbursement. You have 3 options here – a 70%, 80%, or 90% reimbursement. As for the deductible, it ranges between $250 – $1,000.
Before you choose any option, make sure you cut according to your pet’s needs as well as your budget limits.
FAQ: Pet Insurance in Virginia
How much is pet insurance in Virginia?
Pet insurance in West Virginia is fully versatile. You can choose deductibles from $250 to $1,500, reimbursement of 70%, 80%, or 90%, or opt for limited or unlimited plans.
Each of the policies and providers we’ve mentioned above come with different features and benefits. Whichever you choose out of the bunch will serve you a different need and purpose but still offer excellent value for money. However, to easily navigate the Virginia Pet Insurance companies, always make a list of your pet’s needs and your budget limits.
