Which Offers A Better Policy? – CanineJournal.com

The table below shows what Embrace and Petplan cover.

As you can see, both companies are quite similar in their coverage offerings. The big differences are that Embrace offers an optional wellness plan and shorter waiting periods for both accidents and illnesses.

One thing to know is that Embrace doesn’t cover illnesses for pets enrolled after their 14th birthday (however, if the pet is enrolled before turning 14, full coverage will continue as long as you pay your premium). However, we still think Embrace offers better coverage compared to Petplan.

The majority of Embrace’s complaints consist of claims going unpaid or low reimbursement. However, these complaints aren’t entirely fair since many of the reasons for unpaid claims are explained in the policy that the pet parent signed. For example, complaints about orthopedic surgeries not being covered because of the six-month waiting period or a low reimbursement due to the coverage details the policyholder selected.

Unfortunately, this shows us that many policyholders don’t thoroughly read or understand their policy before purchasing it. (We’re hoping to help our readers be more informed when they sign up for a policy!) Embrace’s customer support team has proven very responsive to complaints, and we saw many responses from them in our research.

As for Petplan, the complaints vary more widely. For example, some customers claim to have had their coverage limits adjusted without their approval. Other customers complain about high premium increases, having to submit claims multiple times, needing to follow up multiple times to get a claim resolved, and more.

This is disappointing to hear because Petplan used to have one of the best customer service reputations in the business. It’s also odd that we saw Petplan responses to positive reviews but not negative ones.

Petplan has undergone many changes in recent years, including an underwriter change, and most recently, an acquisition by Warburg Pincus, a global private equity firm. While significant company changes like this can bring good things, they can also create more turbulence and complaints, which may explain some negative reviews.

Embrace is the winner for this category because we found more Petplan complaints, and we saw evidence of Embrace actively trying to resolve any bad blood between it and its customers.

Embrace averages an eight to nine-day claim repayment for accidents and illnesses and five days for wellness-related claims. This is shorter than many competitors.

Petplan averages 22 days for claim repayment via check. However, if you opt for direct deposit, they may get your money back to you 5-10 days sooner. A 22-day claim repayment is toward the long end of the spectrum, but if Petplan can repay your claim via direct deposit in 12 days, it is a more average timeline.

Petplan does offer PetVetDirect, which reimburses veterinarians directly, leaving no need for reimbursement to you. However, this may not be available through all vet offices so be sure to ask your vet before you sign up.

In the end, Embrace has a much shorter claim repayment, even when you consider the Petplan direct deposit option. This is why Embrace wins this category.

The other significant differences between these two companies are the level of plan customization available and age restrictions.

Embrace offers five deductible options ($200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000) and six annual payout limits ($5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $30,000, and unlimited). However, new customers must call Embrace to access the unlimited payout option. This is uncommon because other pet insurance companies (including Petplan) allow you to sign up for unlimited online.

Petplan offers three deductibles ($250, $300, and $500) and three annual payout options ($5,000, $15,000, and unlimited). Both companies offer 70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursements.

If your pet is older than 14, accident-only coverage is the only option available from Embrace. Both companies offer enrollment for pets as young as six weeks old.

Although Embrace technically has more deductible and annual payout options, we’re disappointed that it requires pet parents to call in for unlimited payout limits. A phone call to Embrace complicates the sign-up process more than competitors, so we give Petplan the nod here.

Embrace has a one-time fee of $25 and a $1 per month transaction fee if you pay monthly. Petplan has no one-time fees and has a monthly transaction fee of $1.50 or $3.50 for monthly policies, depending on where you live.

Below are some pet insurance quotes we pulled in September 2021. All information is for pets with no pre-existing conditions or multi-pet discounts.

When comparing apples to apples, we found that Embrace was less expensive more often than Petplan. However, this may not always be the case, which is why we recommend getting quotes for your specific pet.

Overall, Embrace wins our comparison due to its shorter waiting periods, better customer service reputation, faster claim repayment, and more affordable pricing. However, if you want a company that can cover your newly insured 14+ year old pet for illnesses, you may want to consider Petplan.