Nationwide Pet Insurance Review : One of America’s Oldest and Largest

Nationwide Pet Insurance helps you cover the cost of veterinary care for your dogs, cats, birds, and exotic pets. Even though the company stands out for its wellness coverage, consumers should be aware of alleged reimbursement issues.

Company’s Overview

Over 90 years ago, Nationwide was founded as a small auto insurer. Nationwide, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, has become a nationally recognized company that offers a variety of insurance, retirement, and investment products.

In 2009, Nationwide acquired the first pet insurance company in the United States, Veterinary Pet Insurance. National Casualty Co. provides coverage for the company’s pet insurance. Veterinary Pet Insurance Co. underwrites your policy if you are a California resident.

Costs & Coverage

On a case-by-case basis, Nationwide provides insurance for canines and felines, as well as for birds and exotic animals. Three basic options for insurance plans are available to customers: Whole Pet with Wellness, Major Medical, and Pet Wellness.

Whole Pet With Wellness

• Monthly premiums : Starting at $64
• Minimum deductible : $250
• Maximum reimbursement : 90%
• Eligible pets : Cats & dogs; birds & exotic pets may be eligible.

Major Medical (with or without wellness coverage)

• Monthly premiums : Starting at $22
• Minimum deductible : $100
• Maximum reimbursement : Not disclosed
• Eligible pets : Cats & dogs; birds & exotic pets may be eligible.

Whole Pet With Wellness

• Monthly premiums : Starting at $64
• Minimum deductible : $250
• Maximum reimbursement : 90%
• Eligible pets :Cats & dogs; birds & exotic pets may be eligible.

What is Nationwide Pet Insurance’s coverage?

Visit the insurer’s website to receive a quote, as policies, premiums, and coverage options vary by pet and location.

Pet insurance exclusions are also important. Wellness visits and vaccinations are covered with Nationwide’s most comprehensive plan.

Routine care policies do not cover all costs. As with other insurers, Nationwide Pet Insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.

Here are your three primary coverage choices. You have three immediate plan options to consider when evaluating your coverage options.

Whole Pet with Wellness

Plan’s coverage: 

• Accidents and illnesses
• Wellness exams
• Prescriptions
• Chronic conditions
• Hereditary conditions
• Flea/heartworm prevention
• Vaccinations
• Surgeries and hospitalization
• Dental cleaning

After meeting the annual $250 deductible, 90% of your covered expenses will be reimbursed.

Major Medical with Wellness

Plan’s coverage: 

• Some hereditary conditions (with a one-year waiting period)
• Accidents and illness
• Heartworm and flea prevention
• Wellness exams and tests
• Surgeries and hospitalization
• Chronic conditions
• Prescriptions
• Vaccinations
• Cancer

After paying the $100 deductible, coverage is determined by your benefits schedule, and owners are in charge of any additional costs that may arise.

Major Medical

Plan’s coverage: 

• Accidents and illness
• Cancer
• Some hereditary conditions

The monthly premium for this plan is lower, but it still has a $100 deductible.

What Doesn’t Nationwide Pet Insurance Cover?

Similar to other pet insurance policies, Nationwide’s does not cover all expenses. Exclusions from coverage comprise:

• Injuries or illnesses that your pet had before coverage began are considered pre-existing conditions.

• Therapies or treatments not recommended by your veterinarian

• Experimental or investigational diagnosis or treatment that deviates from the veterinary medical board’s accepted standard of care in your state.

• Taxes, waste disposal, and record-keeping are examples of costs not directly associated with veterinary services.

Depending on the type of policy you choose, there may be additional coverage exclusions. If you select the Major Medical plan, for instance, you will not be covered for wellness costs or common illnesses.

Waiting Periods

Pet insurance companies generally stipulate a waiting period before beginning to reimburse you for veterinary costs. This is referred to as the waiting period. For instance, Nationwide has a 14-day waiting period for accidents and illness and a 12-month waiting period for injuries to the cruciate ligaments or meniscus (knee).

The industry standard accident waiting period is 14 days, but some insurers have a shorter accident waiting periods. Embrace, for instance, provides a two-day accident waiting period.

In addition, not all pet insurers have extended waiting periods for injuries to the ligaments or knees. For instance, the ASPCA’s pet health insurance has no waiting period for these conditions.

Coverage Levels

Maximum Annual Limit Options

The maximum amount that pet insurers will reimburse you for your pet’s health-related expenses in a given year is governed by a coverage maximum. The coverage limit for Nationwide Whole Pet with Wellness is unrestricted. The Whole Pet plan has a cap of $10,000, while the Major Medical plan applies condition-specific caps.

Optional Deductions

Before your coverage begins to reimburse you for vet bills, you must pay a deductible. This is known as the deductible amount. Optionally, the deductible for Nationwide Whole Pet with Wellness is $250.

Reimbursement Options

A reimbursement level is the percentage of your pet’s health-related expenses that your insurer will cover. You can choose a 50%, 70%, or 90% reimbursement level with Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness plan.

What is the cost of Nationwide Pet Insurance?

The plan price will depend on various criteria, such as your pet’s kind, breed, and age. The premium will also vary by plan type.

Therefore, if you’re interested in Nationwide dog or Nationwide cat insurance, you should visit their website for an exact price. In addition, if you want coverage for a bird or an exotic animal, you must call the firm directly.

For example, if you own a two-year-old, medium-sized, mixed-breed dog in Pennsylvania, you can expect to pay between $28 and $68 monthly for pet insurance. However, if you have a Great Dane that is two years old, your coverage will likely cost between $46 and $117 a year.

The Wellness plan costs $22 per month, the Major Medical Plan costs $34, and the Whole Pet with Wellness plan is $64 per month. Nationwide Pet Insurance coverage does not provide any riders or add-ons.

How to obtain coverage from Nationwide Pet Insurance

A policy is simple to acquire. Visit the insurer’s website and enter a few basic details about yourself and your pet, such as:

• Your location
• Your pet’s name
• Your pet’s species and breed
• Your pet’s age

The customer will present you with three levels of coverage after entering this information based on the three plans mentioned above. Your pet and the area where you live will affect the premiums that you receive. Additionally, you can vary your premium by modifying the reimbursement amount.

You must supply more details after selecting insurance, including:

• Whether your animal has undergone spaying or neutering
• Previous diseases and injuries
• You have already provided your pet with preventative care.
• Your current veterinarian

After responding to all inquiries, you can provide your payment details, at which point your insurance will start. However, before specific areas of coverage kick in, any applicable waiting periods must have expired.

Note: Use the procedures listed above to insure a dog or cat. Call Nationwide at 1-800-874-0651 to enroll in coverage if you want to insure a bird or exotic pet.

Where can I obtain Nationwide Pet Insurance?

All fifty states have access to Nationwide Pet Insurance.

Customer Service

Some consumers provide excellent comments, while others claim an uneven or negative customer experience with nationwide customer assistance. This is especially true in terms of filing claims.

If you like to contact Nationwide Pet Insurance directly, you may do so by dialing 1-800-872-7332. Monday—Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST or Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST.

Pros & Cons

Is Nationwide Pet Insurance A Worth Insurance to Get?

The Whole Pet with Wellness plan from Nationwide is an easy way to maintain your pet’s health by paying for routine medical care. Nationwide also has a significant pet medical plan with benefit caps for each ailment for pet owners searching for financial protection solely for severe issues.

Related Articles:

• Protective Life Insurance Review: Another Excellent Option for Long Coverage
• Transamerica Life Insurance Review: A Wide Variety of Riders & Products
• USAA Insurance Review: Excellent Benefits And Affordable for Military
• Lincoln Financial Life Insurance: An Interested Life Insurance For Everyone

Read more: Popular Life Insurances

Source: Forbes, Lendedu