Healthy Paws rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Healthy Paws pet insurance offers good basic coverage but has gaps such as dental illness and the vet’s exam fee. You’ll also get coverage for treatment with alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic, hydrotherapy, massage, herbal therapy, homeopathy, physical therapy, and laser therapy.

Healthy Paws also stands out for its ability to pay the vet directly, although you and the vet will need to take action: You have to make a request for direct payment in advance of the treatment. If the veterinarian will take direct payment, Healthy Paws will work with them to expedite the transfer of the pet’s records and the claim processing.

Costs were below-average in our analysis, but your choices for deductibles and reimbursement percentages will be related to the pet’s age and other factors, so your ability to customize a policy may be limited.

Learn more: How does pet insurance work? A complete guide.

Pros

Cons

• Does not cover the vet exam fee or dental illness

• Behavioral therapy not covered

• Existing cruciate ligament injury means other legs will also be excluded from coverage

• Only 90 days to submit a claim after the treatment date

• Annual maximum limit: unlimited

• Deductible choices: depends on pet’s age and other factors

• Reimbursement choices: depends on pet’s age and other factors

• For accident coverage: 15 days

• For illness coverage: 15 days

• Special waiting period: 12 months for hip dysplasia

Healthy Paws sells an accident and illness policy, with no option for an accident-only policy or wellness plan. Its pet insurance covers:

Learn more: Your guide to what pet insurance covers

Healthy Paws does not cover preexisting conditions. In all but 11 states, Healthy Paws defines a preexisting condition as an illness, condition, injury from an accident, or complication from an illness or injury that occurred before the policy effective date.

These states have their own definitions of preexisting condition:

• California: “Any condition for which a veterinarian provided medical advice, the pet received treatment for, or the pet displayed signs or symptoms consistent with the stated condition prior to the pet policy effective date of a pet insurance policy or during any waiting period.”

• Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington: Any “condition for which any of the following are true prior to the pet policy effective date or during any waiting period: a. A veterinarian provided medical advice; b. The pet received previous treatment; or c. Based on information from verifiable sources, the pet had signs or symptoms directly related to the condition for which a claim is being made.”

Learn more: Pet insurance that covers preexisting conditions

Healthy Paws pet insurance does not include access to a 24/7 vet helpline. This is something to keep in mind, because most other pet insurance companies do provide access to a helpline for pet questions and concerns.

Healthy Paws policies won’t cover expenses such as:

• Anal gland expression

• Boarding

• Breeding

• Cremation and burial (although euthanasia is covered when medically necessary)

• Cruciate ligament problems if they previously appeared in other legs

• Dental care other than extractions for teeth damaged in accidents

• Elective and cosmetic procedures, such as microchipping, tail docking, ear cropping, and declawing

• Experimental medicines and treatments

• Grooming

• Hip dysplasia illness that occurs or reoccurs during the first year of the policy

• Illness or injuries from accidents occurring during the waiting period

• Injury or illness from intentional acts, such as organized dog fighting

• Pet food

• Preventative care, including vaccinations and parasite control

• Spaying and neutering

• Vet exam fees

• Increases: With Healthy Paws pet insurance, you can increase your deductible and coinsurance amount at any time. Requests must be made in writing.

• Decreases: You can apply in writing to lower your deductible or coinsurance amount only if you haven’t filed any claims.

In our analysis of the best pet insurance companies, we found the cost of Healthy Paws pet insurance to be very competitive. In fact, it ranks as one of the least-expensive options.

The cost of Healthy Paws’ unlimited coverage was 21% below the average cost of the pet insurance policies we evaluated.

Learn more: Is pet insurance worth it? How to decide.

Healthy Paws is one of the few pet insurance plans we evaluated that does not have a multi-pet discount. Most companies offer a discount of 5% or 10% if you insure more than one dog or cat.

Yes, Healthy Paws can pay your vet directly. You must contact Healthy Paws before your pet is treated to request direct payment, and your vet must be willing to accept a direct payment from the insurance company. This can be a big plus if your pet is facing an expensive procedure and you don’t have the money to pay up-front while you wait for your claim to be processed.

Learn more: Pet insurance that pays the vet directly

Here’s what to know about filing claims with Healthy Paws:

• To make a claim: A claims form is not required. You just need to submit a photo of your invoice. When filing your first claim, you’ll also need to submit your pet’s complete medical records, or you can ask your vet to submit them for you.

• To submit claims quickly: Submit a photo of your invoice through your online customer account or the Healthy Paws app.

• To receive reimbursements faster: Reimbursement through direct deposit is the fastest way to get paid.

• If your claim is denied: You can appeal the decision.

You have 90 days from the first date of treatment to submit claims to Healthy Paws.

According to Healthy Paws, claims typically are processed within two days. Once a claim is approved, reimbursements are paid within 24 business hours. However, it can take up to 72 hours for a reimbursement through direct deposit to process, and reimbursements mailed by check can take up to 15 days to reach you.

The Healthy Paws’ app gets high ratings from users. You can use the app to quickly file claims and check the status of claims. You also can review your policy details and update your billing information through the app.

Healthy Paws’ mobile app ratings:

Healthy Paws does not cover preventative dental healthcare, including dental cleanings. However, it does cover the cost of extraction or reconstruction of damaged teeth if an injury to the teeth is the result of an accident. And Healthy Paws does not cover dental illness such as periodontal disease.

Healthy Paws pet insurance is available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Depending on the state where you live, your pet might need a medical exam to speed up processing of any claims you submit. If an exam is required, your pet’s age at enrollment will determine when your pet should have an exam.

• Pets under 6 years old: Your pet must have had an exam within 12 months before the policy’s effective date or within 15 days after the policy’s effective date.

• Pets 6 years old and older: Your pet must have had a complete clinical exam within 30 days before the policy’s effective date or within 15 days after the policy’s effective date.

You can contact Healthy Paws by phone, fax, mail, or online:

• Contact Healthy Paws at 855-898-8991 Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT

• Fax number: 888-228-4129

• Mailing address: Healthy Paws, P.O. Box 50034, Bellevue, WA 98015

• Online email form: https://www.healthypawspetinsurance.com/contact

You can cancel a policy at any time by notifying Healthy Paws in writing by fax, mail or email. You also can make a verbal request to cancel a policy. In addition to providing your name, pet’s name, policy number and cancellation date, you must provide a reason for cancelling your policy.

Pet owners in any states other than New York, Pennsylvania and South Carolina are entitled to a full refund if they cancel a policy within 30 days and have not filed any claims.

Amy Danise and Tim Manni edited this article.

We researched the coverage details and prices for 15 pet insurance plans. We then weighted categories, and each pet insurer was scored relative to the others to find the best pet insurance companies. Here are the factors we incorporated.

Coverage types: 40% of score. We examined the coverage provided by the base policy without the extra cost of add-ons. This encompassed coverage for alternative therapy, behavioral therapy, dental illness, euthanasia or end-of-life expenses, exotic pets, hereditary and congenital conditions, preexisting conditions, prescription food and supplements, veterinary exam fees, and advertising/reward for lost/stolen pets.

Average cost: 30% of score. We evaluated costs in five states for $5,000 and unlimited coverage for a mixed-breed dog (age 1), a French bulldog (age 5), and a Labrador retriever (age 8).

Unlimited coverage option: 10% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered an unlimited annual limit (or a $100,000 limit), which gives pet owners the most robust financial protection possible in the event of a catastrophic pet medical issue.

Direct payments to the veterinarian: 5% of score. We gave points to pet insurers that state on their websites that they accommodate direct vet payments.

No special waiting periods for special conditions: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers have no waiting periods for special conditions, such as cruciate ligament conditions.

Routine wellness plan: 5% of score. Companies that offer a routine wellness plan in addition to pet insurance received points.

Multi-pet discount: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered a discount for insuring multiple pets.