Alexandra Ramirez
Pet Plan Pet Insurance below average in over 30 aspects when compared to other leading pet insurance providers.
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History of Pet Plan Pet Insurance – How it all Started
Pet Plan pet insurance is based out of Newtown Square, PA and is America’s best loved health insurance provider. The company actually started in the UK where pet insurance is pretty common to have. The co-founders, Natasha and Chris Ashton had a personal experience with their own pet that changed everything for them and sparked the idea of pet insurance being available for pet owners in the U.S.
When their own cat got sick while they were both in business school, they couldn’t afford the high vet bills. Rather than not take care of Brodey, they decided to move to a smaller place to live so they could put the extra money towards Brodey getting well and healthy. That incident got them both to thinking what their business plans were going to be after college.
They were awarded a $20,000 prize for having the top business plan in a Wharton Business School competition and with that, set up shop in Philadelphia, PA. They could see firsthand the need the U.S had for good pet health care plans, so they landed the US license for Petplan UK which leads all others in the pet insurance business. Petplan UL had over 30 years experience, so it was the perfect model to follow and they had the huge benefit of having access to over 30years of data that would be the foundation for the kind of coverage in North America that had not been done including no exclusions for hereditary and chronic conditions, no age limits and no premium increases due to claims.
With the financial help of many Petplan UK investors, Natasha and Chris, along with Petplan’s unbeatable coverage and customer focus, they knew that they had something that the U.S. could really benefit from. It definitely was a wise move. Petplan has been ranked America’s number one provider repeatedly by petinsurancereviews.com.
With a focus on building a loyal fan base rather than just looking at their extended “family” on policy holders as customers, they have shown people that they not only care about pets’ wellbeing, they care about making the lives of the pet owners better as well. They are so fast at paying claims that in many cases, the reimbursement checks arrive before the pet owners’ credit card bills get to their homes.
They want to pay claims, they don’t try to avoid them or get out of them. That is why they started this much needed business years ago. When Allianz came onboard, the largest property and casualty insurer in the world, it enabled Petplan to offer new and improved coverage that is better than it already was which is hard to beat already.
Now more than ever pet owners are looking for ways to ensure the long term health and quality of life for their pets. Pets are members of the family and you take care of family members. There are so many advancements in technology, but there’s a cost that comes with using them and far too many pet owners can’t afford the treatments that will make their pets healthy and extend their lives as well.
That’s where Petplan’s heart is. They have a true compassion for pet families and have gone above and beyond to provide pet owners with the health care they need without the financial uncertainty that goes along with it.
The home office of Petplan is full of happy pets that make the environment one of fun and love too. You just can’t work in an office all day surrounded by loving animals and not have a good day. It’s easy for the customer service staff to be compassion with each and every one of the pet owners when they are reminded on a regular basis just why they are doing what they do for pets and pet families all across the US.
Petplan not only appreciates their policy holders, they appreciate their employees too with special cupcake parties for accomplishments and a personalized “treat” jar for each employee. Sound silly? Not if you’re working there and being shown on a regular basis that your presence is important to the success of the company. It’s one of the reasons that compassion and special treatment extends to their policyholders.
All in all, Petplan knows how to offer customers and potential customers a great value for excellent health coverage for their pet, but they also know how to show those customers how much they mean to Petplan and how much their pets mean as well. You will have a hard time finding a company that really understands the needs of the policyholders and that delivers it in a way that shows everyone from the employees who keep things running smoothly, to the policyholders that are a part of their “family” that while selling coverage is fine, becoming a part of the policyholders pet family and a contributor to helping keep their pets healthy and happy is what it’s all about.
Qualification Process for Getting Your Pet Insured
Getting started with a Petplan policy of your own is very simple. On the home page of the website, there is a box where you can fill in what type of pet you have, dog or cat, and the breed. This will start the process for you on how to get your monthly premium quote.
On the next page you will be asked for the following information:
- Pet’s name
- Confirm type of pet (dog or cat)
- Confirm whether a purebred or mixed breed
- Pet’s date of birth (or as close as you can get)
- Your zip code
You’ll also be asked a couple of questions as to whether your pet is a service animal and if you are a part of the veterinary profession. Once you answer all of the above, click the “get quote” button. On the next page is where you get to customize your coverage with the deductible and about of reimbursement you want. You can choose $50, $100 or $200 deductible amounts and anywhere from 80 to 100% reimbursement. You can also choose either the bronze, silver or gold plan, each of which has different coverage amounts for your pet. Your monthly premium will be determined by these factors and can range in price per month.
Once you choose the plan, deductible and coinsurance amount, you’re ready to purchase and can get your policy going right away. Click the buy button and you’ll be taken to a page where you can choose the date you want the coverage to start, (as early as 24 hours from the date of purchase) and choose the payment plan you want. They offer 11 monthly payments, 4 payments and 1 payment for your convenience.
They have made the process very easy and straightforward and you see all the coverage and information upfront so you know exactly what you are purchasing. If you have any questions on the enrollment process you need to ask those questions before you enter your credit card information and hit enter. Their customer service and sales staff will be happy to answer any of the enrollment questions you may have.
Once your policy is started, there are a few waiting periods that you will need to be aware of. The waiting period for accidents is 24 hours from the date of effectiveness, a 14 day waiting period for any illnesses and a 6 month waiting period for anything related to the cruciate ligament or patella. Pre-existing conditions are not covered, which is pretty standard anywhere, but Petplan offers potential restorations for certain curable pre-existing conditions that your pet may not show signs of anymore. This is something you can ask the Happiness Managers, as customer service is called, and they will be glad to help answer your questions.
You are not required to routinely send medical records on your pet for the enrollment process. If there is a question about pre-existing conditions or something of that nature, you may be required to submit medical records. Always answer all of the questions regarding your pet correctly and truthfully. It may seem like a fast way to save some money by avoiding revealing certain things, but in the event of a claim, it is much better to have had the right information on file so there is no trouble later on if a claim needs to be filed.
Petplan has no age limits, so as long as your pet is over the age of 6 weeks, they can be insured. In addition, there is a money back guarantee if you are not 100% happy with everything about your policy. They really do everything they can to make sure that you are more than satisfied with not only your coverage, but your payment amount as well.
Coverage Plans Pet Plan Pet Insurance Offers
There are three different plans available from Petplan pet insurance; Bronze, Silver, and Gold. They are designed to provide you with the coverage you want for your pet at a price that fits your budget. There are exclusions with each plan that are outlined in the policy, but make sure you understand what is NOT covered before you buy your policy. This ensures that there are no disappointments or surprises later on. Petplan’s focus is on helping pet owners take care of unexpected vet bills that are caused by injuries and illnesses. They don’t offer preventative or routine care coverage. Each of the plans is outlined below:
Petplan BRONZE Coverage
All of the things listed below are covered but are subject to policy limitations or exclusions. In general if the treatment or visit is about an illness or injury, it will be covered if it is listed. Any of the below things done for elective or routine purposes, are not covered.
- $10,000 annual veterinary expenses (amount allowed per year)
- Accidents and injuries
- Illnesses
- Veterinary exam fees due to illness or accident
- Diagnostic treatments
- Surgery
- Prescription medications
- Imaging such as MRI, cat scan, ultrasound
- Cancer treatments
- Non routine dental treatments
- Rehabilitation
- Alternative therapy
- Referral + specialist treatment
- Behavioral therapies
Petplan SILVER Coverage
All of the things listed below are covered but are subject to policy limitations or exclusions. In general if the treatment or visit is about an illness or injury, it will be covered if it is listed. Any of the below things done for elective or routine purposes, are not covered
- $14,000 annual veterinary expenses (amount allowed per year)
- Accidents and injuries
- Illnesses
- Veterinary exam fees due to illness or injury
- Diagnostic treatments
- Surgery
- Prescriptions
- Imaging such as MRI, cat scan or ultrasound
- Cancer treatments
- Dental treatments that are non routine
- Rehabilitation
- Alternative therapies
- Referral + specialist treatment
- Behavioral therapies
- Boarding kennel fees
- Advertising + reward due to lost pets
- Loss due to straying or theft
Petplan GOLD Coverage
All of the things listed below are covered but are subject to policy limitations or exclusions. In general if the treatment or visit is about an illness or injury, it will be covered if it is listed. Any of the below things done for elective or routine purposes, are not covered
- $22,000 annual veterinary expenses (amount allowed per year)
- Accidents and injuries
- Illnesses
- Veterinary exam fees due to illness or injury
- Diagnostic treatments
- Surgery
- Prescriptions
- Imaging such as MRI, cat scan or ultrasound
- Cancer treatments
- Dental treatments that are non routine
- Rehabilitation
- Alternative therapies
- Referral + specialist treatment
- Behavioral therapies
- Boarding kennel fees
- Advertising + reward due to lost pets
- Loss due to straying or theft
- Death from illness or injury
- Vacation cancellation
Filing a Claim with Pet Plan Pet Insurance
Filing a claim for reimbursement with Petplan is easy. All you need to do is log into your account and print out a personalized form that is already pre-filled with your personal information and information about your pet. Once the form is completed and signed you can fax it, email it or mail it to Petplan for processing. For first claims you will need to forward a copy of the Medical Record Release form to all of the veterinarians, specialists and emergency hospitals, if any, that your pet has visited in the last two years. The places you forward the medical release form to will send your pet’s records to Petplan.
You have 90 days from the date of the visit to get your claim in, but the faster you submit it the faster they can process it and get your reimbursement check back to you. Petplan allows 30 days for claims processing but they are proud to say that their reimbursement checks normally take 5-14 days to be sent out. This is a great benefit to the policy holders in terms of getting their money back fast, which is always a help.
Pre-authorization is not necessary, but there are some really expensive procedures that can come up that having pre-authorization for can be a huge help financially. If you need this, the Happiness Managers at Petplan are happy to help. Just give them a call or download the form in your important documents section of your account and they can help you get pre-authorization for any expensive treatments your pay may need due to illness or injury.
If your pet requires multiple visits for the same illness or injury, you can submit them all on one claim. Just be sure that the amounts paid and the dates your pet was seen are listed on page 3 of your claim form.
You are required to pay the deductible and the way that works is that it is applied to your bills on a per condition basis not a per visit basis. What this means is that if your pet needs to be seen three times for one issue, the deductible will be applied once not three times. Each year at renewal, your annual limits and deductible are reset and you start all over.
Help and Support Services
Getting help from Petplan is not something they want you to stress. There are several ways to contact them, and they have convenient hours that go beyond just the M-F 9-5 office time. If you need to ask questions about your policy, a claim or any other reason you can reach them by calling: 1-866-467-3875. Their hours are Monday – Friday from 7:00am to Midnight, Saturday 8:30am to 8:30 pm and Sunday 10:00am to 8:30 pm. All times are Eastern Standard Time. (EST)
If you need to email them, they have a contact form right on their website that you can access by going to the contact us tab. You can also fax them and send regular mail as well.
Petplan’s customer service representatives are called Happiness Managers and that is a very good title for what they do. They are dedicated to keeping their policyholders happy and that includes not only helping them with their questions, but with showing care and compassion during what can be a very stressful time. Pet owners don’t like their pets being sick or injured anymore than they would a child and it can be a very emotional time. They are here to help so if you need to get help, don’t hesitate to contact them. That is what they’re there for.
What Veterinary Clinics Are Allowed?
As long as the veterinary clinic is licensed and registered, you can choose any one you want to take your pet to. You can even use the same vet you’ve always used, as long as they are licensed. Emergency hospitals and specialists and veterinary schools are all considered specialty and will be reimbursed at the 80% rate.
Contact Information and Where to Find Pet Plan Pet Insurance on Social Media
You can contact Petplan using any one of the methods outlined below. They are ready to take your calls and questions and will do everything they can to bring you solutions you will be happy with.
Website: www.gopetplan.com
Email: On the website in an embedded form
Telephone Support – 1-866-467-3875
Fax – 1-866-599-4654
Mailing Address:
Petplan
3805 West Chester Pike, Suite 240
Newtown Square, PA 19073 –
If you’d like to follow Petplan on their social media sites, they’d love to have you there. Follow the links below to access their pages.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/petplan
Pinterest – http://www.pinterest.com/petplan/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Petplan
Google + – https://plus.google.com/117127580714782159401
Youtube – https://www.youtube.com/user/gopetplan
Blog – http://www.gopetplan.com/blog
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/petplan-pet-insurance-usa-
If longevity and compassion are truly important to you, Petplan will be a very good choice for you. They have a long standing commitment to making sure that their policyholders are happy and have a peace of mind about their pets. Health issues can really be a trying and stressful time, but the Happiness Managers are there to help answer questions and navigate the potential issues that can come up when making sure their pets are taken care of.
In addition, Petplan makes sure that the coverage they offer is affordable and covers the illnesses, accidents and injuries that can occur in day to day life with pets. They have an excellent, well deserved reputation for being one of the best in the pet insurance industry.
Resources
- VPI Pet Insurance – http://www.gopetplan.com/
