Alexandra Ramirez
Pet First Pet Insurance wasn’t our top pick but they offer great coverage for those looking for affordable pet insurance.
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History of Pet First Pet Insurance – How it all Started
Brent Hinton knows firsthand what it’s like to have to take financial consideration when it comes to pet care. After sustaining an injury in 2002 that totaled $3000 he realized that there was a definite need for pet insurance. After researching and finding nothing that was good in his opinion. He did what many entrepreneurs with a personal vision do, he created what he wishes he had been able to find. With the help of his friend and colleague Lansdon B. Robbins, they started PetFirst the year after he had to put his beloved pet down.
Starting with only 2 employees in 2004, they had no idea that PetFirst would grow into what it has become today. It is the fastest growing pet health insurance company in North America that has helped thousands of pet owners pay the veterinary costs for their pets. Their 10th anniversary this year saw a second major expansion and a move to a new office. From the looks of it, PetFirst is here to stay and still going strong.
Their goal is to bring pet owners the best policies available on the market and to include the pet owner in the conversations about their pet’s care. Their number one focus and priority is to do right by the pet owners and their pets by bringing them financial and emotional value with every product and policy.
The claims team is comprised of a team of licensed veterinarian technicians that review each line item in your claim to maximize the reimbursement potential. They are not trying to take money away from you; they want to put MORE money back into your pocket.
All of the staff at PetFirst has the goal of meeting the needs of their customers. The licensed sales agents review the plans and take each potential new policyholder by the hand to match them with the best policy for their pet specifically. No one size fits all policies here. And if it’s customer service you need, the staff is there to answer each and every one of your questions in a friendly and helpful manner that gets results that you will be satisfied with.
Their number one goal is to make sure that no pet owner ever has to make the choice between a pet’s survival or health and finances. Everything they do is to make the health care decisions for your pet less stressful and scary. They do that by enabling pet owners to plan ahead for the expenses of providing good veterinary health care for their pet kids.
The associates at PetFirst are focused on three important factors every single day.
- Giving pet owners affordable plans to choose from that are customized
- Reviewing the claims quickly and thoroughly so you get the maximum reimbursement within 14 days
- Providing exceptional customer service that delivers a positive experience for the pet owner.
There is a trust that has been established between PetFirst and their customers that is second to none. Trust that the pet and the pet owner are going to be taken care of in the best way possible that doesn’t drain the bank account and cause stress and worry.
As all pet owners know, you just can’t predict when something may go wrong with your pet family member. Planning for the potential of an emergency, especially with a pet, is something that doesn’t have to involve signing the house away. With a good pet insurance plan, pet owners can have peace of mind that their pet’s needs are going to be met if they ever need to be seen. No more worries about not being able to afford to take your pet to the vet hospital due to not being able to afford it. Now more than ever, pet insurance is available in amounts that every pet owner can afford. The savings it provides far outweigh the cost.
PetFirst wants to make these health care plans affordable for anyone, so they start at $15 dollars a month. Depending on the coverage you want, you can customize your pet’s plan to include exactly what you need it to and then just pay a monthly premium to get that exceptional coverage.
With the rising cost of veterinary care, PetFirst pet insurance can help you take care of your pet without the financial strain it can add at times. Veterinary costs are rising which makes having pet insurance even more important.
With the choices that PetFirst offers, there is no doubt that you will be able to find exactly the coverage you’re looking for at the price you want to pay. When you join the PetFirst family, you become one of them and they make sure that you feel that sense of welcoming and family. A family takes care of its own and Petsfirst takes care of their family too with exceptional coverage plans, fast reimbursements and help whenever you need it.
Qualification Process for Getting Your Pet Insured
When you click the Get Started button on the PetFirst website, you will be prompted to enter an email address and zip code. This is so your quote can be retrieved if you decide to buy a policy at a later date. Once you do that, you will be on a page where you need to enter a bit of information.
- Pet’s name
- Choose dog or cat
- Breed
- Color
- Choose male or female
- Pet’s birth date (or as close as possible)
- Choose yes or no for spayed or neutered
After you fill out this short form with the answers to the above information, click continue and you will be taken to the page where you will choose your coverage. It’s important to understand the coverage you get so there are no disappointments or surprises later.
There are two types of coverage you can choose from on this page: Standard Accident and Illness and Lifetime Accident and Illness.
Standard Accident and Illness – The standard plan offers 12 months of illness and injury coverage that can include burns, cuts, ear infections, stomach upset, allergies and more.
Lifetime Accident and Illness – This plan offers the same great benefits as the standard plan plus coverage for long term care conditions that can include diabetes, arthritis and cancer. This plan also covers chronic, breed specific, and congenital conditions as well as even hip dysplasia and you don’t need a rider to have them covered.
Once you choose one of the two plans, you will be taken to the next page of the quote process. On this page you will decide some customization of your policy such as the yearly plan limit (choose $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000) the reimbursement level you want (choose from 70, 80 or 90%) and your deductible. (choose from $50, $100, $250 and $500.)
Farther down the page you can choose from the many optional riders that are available. These include:
- Routine Care Rider (choose 125, 250 or 400)
- Prescription Food Coverage
- Breeder’s Coverage
Once you do all of that, click on save this plan and your quote will be displayed for you to take a look at. On this page you will fill out your personal information including address and purchase your plan if you are happy with the quote and everything you have read so far.
Getting your monthly cost couldn’t be easier, making purchasing your pet’s health insurance simple, fast and easy. That’s just what pet owners want. No complicated phone calls to have to ensure, no hiding the cost and making you wonder if there are hidden charges, everything is right there for you to see and factor in to your decision.
Coverage Plans Pet First Pet Insurance Offers
There are several different plans that you can choose from: the Standard $1000, the Standard $1500, The Lifetime $5000 and the Lifetime $10,000 and Lifetime $20,000.
Standard $1000
Great for those on a budget, this plan gives some coverage from some of the more serious things and can help add to your pet’s life without hitting the wallet too hard.
- Accident and Illness
- All ages eligible (minimum age 8 weeks old)
- $1000 per incident limit
- Annual limit – $1000 accident, $1000 Illness
- Reimbursement options of 80 and 90%
- Deductible options – $50, $100
Standard $1500
Similar to the Standard $1000, this coverage is great for those looking for budget conscious options.
- Accident and Illness
- Advertising and Reward (in the event of a lost pet that someone finds)
- All ages eligible (must be at least 8 weeks old)
- $1500 per incident limit
- Annual limit – $7500 Accident, $1000 Illness
- Reimbursement options of 80 and 90%
- Deductible options – $50, $100
Lifetime Coverage Plans
There are three levels of the lifetime coverage to choose from. None of them have per incident limits and they have large annual allowances that reset each policy year. These are complete plans that can give you peace of mind and a happy pet. The lifetime plan covers any hereditary conditions, congenital conditions and chronic conditions that occur after the 14 day waiting period. These conditions will be covered for the rest of your pet’s life.
Lifetime $5000 –
- Accident and Illness
- Hereditary Conditions
- Congenital Conditions
- Cancer coverage
- Cruciate Ligament
- Disc Disease
- Periodontal disease
- Eligible Ages – all ages over 8 weeks old
- Advertising and Reward (in the event of a lost pet that someone finds)
- All ages eligible (must be at least 8 weeks old)
- $5000 per year limit
- Annual limit – $400
- Reimbursement options of 70, 80 and 90%
- Deductible options – $50, $100, $250 and $500
Lifetime $10,000-
- Accident and Illness
- Hereditary Conditions
- Congenital Conditions
- Cancer coverage
- Cruciate Ligament
- Disc Disease
- Periodontal disease
- Eligible Ages – all ages over 8 weeks old
- Advertising and Reward (in the event of a lost pet that someone finds)
- All ages eligible (must be at least 8 weeks old)
- $5000 per year limit
- Annual limit – $10,000
- Reimbursement options of 70, 80 and 90%
- Deductible options – $50, $100, $250 and $500
Lifetime $20,000-
- Accident and Illness
- Hereditary Conditions
- Congenital Conditions
- Cancer coverage
- Cruciate Ligament
- Disc Disease
- Periodontal disease
- Eligible Ages – all ages over 8 weeks old
- Advertising and Reward (in the event of a lost pet that someone finds)
- All ages eligible (must be at least 8 weeks old)
- $20,000 per year limit
- Annual limit – $400
- Reimbursement options of 70, 80 and 90%
- Deductible options – $50, $100, $250 and $500
There are three add-on plans you can choose as well. Choose just one or all of them depending on what you need.
- Routine care – includes checkups, vaccines, behavior training and dental care
- Prescription Food – includes prescription dog or cat food, vitamins and supplements
- Breeding – includes emergency c-sections, pregnancy or delivery related infections or eclampsia
Filing a Claim with Pet First Pet Insurance
Filing a claim is easy. They even have a checklist to help you remember everything. You will need to fill out the claim form in its entirety. That will include singing and dating the form, having your vet fill out the medical diagnosis, they need to sign and date the form, and the vet will need to provide their contact information.
If it’s your first time submitting a claim, you will need to provide 12 months of medical records including the doctor’s notes that are prior to and including the date of the incident. If your pet is less than 12 months old, include all the vet visits your pet has had. If it’s a new claim but not the first one you’ve filed, you will need to include the medical records related to the new claim. If the pet is an adopted pet you have just recently adopted, include the adoption paperwork as well.
Attach the itemized invoices and receipts that show you have paid for the visit as well. You can send your claims to [email protected] or fax it to 877-281-3348
Don’t forget to submit the claim before 90 days after the date the pet was seen. It is always better to get into the habit of submitting the claims right away, as soon as you can so they don’t get forgotten.
Once the claims are filed, if everything is filled out correctly and all paperwork is included, your claim will be processed and your reimbursement check will be sent to you.
Help and Support Services
PetFirst is about putting the pets and pet owners first; it’s not just the name of their company, it’s what they stand by and practice. Your needs are important and they are here to help you answer any questions you might have and help you solve and problems that are going on. There are several ways to contact them but regardless of which way you contact them, you can be sure that you will be treated with respect and friendliness and compassion and that your problems will be heard.
Veterinary Clinics Allowed by the Plan
You can take your pet to any licensed veterinarian in the US. If you already have a vet you love, there is no need to change to a different once because as long as they are licensed, you can use them. This goes for ER and specialists as well. This applies whether you are going to a vet in your hometown that you’ve used for years, or you are on vacation and go to an emergency hospital while you are away.
Contact Information and Where to Find Pet First Pet Insurance on Social Media
You can contact PetFirst several different ways. They can be emailed, faxed, regular mail or telephoned. Regardless of the way you choose to contact them, you will receive excellent customer service to get the issues resolved.
Website: www.petfirst.com
Email: On the website in an embedded form
Email for Claims: [email protected]
Customer Service dial 1-866-937-7387, option 2
Fax – 1- 877-281-3348
Mailing Address: PetFirst Pet Insurance
One Quartermaster Court
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
If you’d like to follow Healthy Paws Pet Insurance on their social media sites (and they invite all of their customers and supporters to do that) you can find them at the links below.
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/petfirsthealthcare
Twitter – https://twitter.com/petfirst
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/petfirst/
The founders and staff of PetFirst know what it’s like to have to consider whether you can “afford” the right health care for your pet. Because of this firsthand experience, they set out to provide the kind of care, coverage and service that enables pet owners to never have to make that decision or base the care their pets receive on their finances. PetFirst pet insurance gives them peace of mind that their pets can live high quality, happy, longer lives and they don’t have to worry how it’s going to be paid for.
With this kind of compassion and empathy, they are a company that truly understands and not just says they do. If you’re looking for a company that knows how to provide what is really needed in a pet insurance plan, this might be the right company for you.
Resources
- VPI Pet Insurance – https://www.petfirst.com/
