Let's be honest about things for a moment, shall we? Picking pet insurance for your furry, four-legged friends is like being in a warped version of the Hunger Games.... except your pet will pay the price if you don't work out how to do it. With different tiers, options, plans, companies, providers, and words that you don't quite understand, it's hardly any wonder that so many pet parents put it off.
Today, though, I'm going to make life a little easier for you. If you're trying to choose between Petcube’s Emergency Fund vs Pets Best Pet Insurance, I've broken things down, so you can see - at a glance - what the pros and cons of each really are.
So, without any further fuss, let's dive right in and figure out which pet insurance provider and plan is best for you.
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Content:
- What is Covered By the Insurance
- What is Not Covered By the Insurance
- How Many Pets Can Be Insured
- What is the Waiting Period for Insurance
- How Much Does Insurance Cost
- How to Cancel Pet Insurance
- Conclusion
What is Covered By the Insurance
There is nothing more important than knowing what is and isn’t covered by the plan that you have purchased to cover your pet’s health needs and expenses. If you have illness-only care but your pet has an accident, you’ll have wished that you read the small print.
Let’s see what these two pet insurance options offer… and what they don’t.
Petcube Emergency Fund
As the name suggests, Petcube's Emergency Fund covers emergency or life-threatening situations. A small graze to the paw, for example, is not an emergency and, therefore, wouldn't be covered by the Fund.
A deep wound to the paw that won't stop bleeding and threatens to seriously threaten the health of your pet, on the other hand, is an emergency and will be covered by the Fund.
Petcube's Emergency Fund has covered an array of urgent pet situations, including the following:
- Breathing issues;
- Uncontrollable bleeding;
- Consumption of toxic products, such as human medication or cleaning fluids;
- Seizures and life-threatening neurological problems;
- Severe allergic reactions;
- Abdomen bloating and distension;
- Paralysis;
- Heatstroke;
- Sudden collapses;
- And more!
Pets Best Pet Insurance
This type of insurance is more of a traditional type, with Petcube being an emergency-based alternative. For that reason, you’ll find that you get coverage for a few more things.
The following are included with Pets Best pet insurance:
- Accidents;
- Illnesses;
- Cancer;
- Hereditary conditions;
- Surgeries and associated prescriptions;
- Emergency care;
- Accident and illness exam fees (Plus & Elite);
- Rehabilitative care, such as acupuncture or chiropractor (Elite).
You can add BestWellness, which was $32.58 for Frank, or EssentialWellness for $21.75. This will include things like preventative care for heartworms and other specific conditions, spaying or neutering, blood tests, vaccinations, and more – all at a reduced price. And if you pay annually rather than monthly, you can save as much as $24!
Other nifty features include optional vet direct pay, absolutely no upper age limit on accident and illness plans, and plenty of other ‘add-ons’ that could save you cash in the long-term.
What is Not Covered By the Insurance
In all honesty, there is a list of things that most pet insurance providers and companies won’t provide coverage for, but each provider offers a little something different, which can make life hard tough.
Petcube Emergency Fund
The not-covered rule for Petcube's pet health coverage applies to things that won't actually harm your pet too much if you don't get them looked at. They're non-emergencies. This includes things like:
- Skin rashes and irritation;
- Ear and other minor infections;
- Behavioral problems;
- Upset stomach without other symptoms;
- Preventative vaccinations;
- Parasite prevention and treatments;
- Routine health and dental checkups;
- Ongoing chronic conditions with non-urgent symptoms.
Pets Best Pet Insurance
The following are not usually included with a Pets Best pet insurance plan:
- Herbal medications;
- Holistic treatments;
- Experimental/alternative treatments and medications;
- Supplements and vitamins;
- Specialist diet food;
- Parasite (fleas, ticks, worms, etc.) prevention or treatment;
- Cosmetic procedures (ear cropping or tail docking, etc.);
- Declawing;
- Expression or full removal of anal glands;
- Pre-existing conditions (before purchasing policy and during waiting period).
How Many Pets Can Be Insured
Some policies offer coverage for more than one pet in various capacities, such as second policy discounts. In this day and age, you have more options than you might think for multi-pet policies… and they might just surprise you.
Petcube Emergency Fund
With Petcube’s Emergency Fund, you can use it as blanket-style coverage rather than paying per month, per pet. You can use it and claim for up to six pets in your household, but only one pet can use it per year. If Teddy the Cat uses it this year for breathing difficulties, Fluffy the Dog can't use it until the year-long subscription resets.
If you have a house full of clumsy pets with a penchant for danger, this type of pet health coverage might just tick the right boxes for you!
Pets Best Pet Insurance
You will get 5% off the cost of insurance for your second and subsequent pets added to the Pets Best Pet Insurance policy. You will still need a separate policy for each pet, though. One policy will not cover up to six pets, like Petcube’s Emergency Fund.
What is the Waiting Period for Insurance
Waiting periods are common for all types of insurance, for humans and four-legged friends alike. Each state has its own laws as far as waiting times are concerned, so you’ll definitely need to take a closer look at the providers and policies you’re considering.
Petcube Emergency Fund
With the Emergency Fund you'll only need to wait a maximum of 14 days before you can make a claim; although, we are hoping that you don't need to, obviously. Even better than that: you won't even need to make a note or remember the date yourself, because Petcube will shoot across a little email to let you know.
Pets Best Pet Insurance
There is no one set waiting time for Pets Best pet insurance; instead, the waiting times vary depending on things like the state you live in, coverage type, plan, and/or continuous and uninterrupted policy renewals.
Florida has a waiting time of 3 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, and 6 months for cruciate ligament conditions.
In Washington, there is a 0 day waiting time for accidents, 30 days for cruciate ligament conditions, and 14 days for illnesses.
How Much Does Insurance Cost
It all comes down to money at the end of the day, doesn’t it? You could find the best, most suited policy in the world, but if it doesn’t suit your budget, it’s not the right insurance plan for you.
Petcube Emergency Fund
Petcube understands just how distressing and traumatic it is to experience a pet emergency, which is why they've made a promise to always keep things nice and simple. There aren't any hidden fees, complicated pricing plans, or lines-upon-lines of small print to read; there's just one price per month, no matter the species, gender, age, medical history, or circumstance. As long as your pet is experiencing a life-threatening emergency, Petcube has your back.
Petcube Emergency Fund: $29 per month. ($348/year.)
The ONLY other fees you might face aren't actually fees at all; in fact, they're taken out of the total figure paid by Petcube's Emergency Fund to your vet, which they do directly. You must have one year's worth of subscription; but if you haven't, the remainder of the year will be deducted from the $3,000 (maximum) that you are covered. If you have paid six months' worth of the subscription, the other six months x $29 = $174. If you claim $3,000 worth of emergency care for your pet, Petcube will pay $3,000 minus the remaining $174 = $2826.
Things get better, too: you’ll get an additional 27% off the price by following this link. It’s our way of saying thank you for stopping by and supporting Petcube.
Pets Best Emergency Fund
Pets Best Pet Insurance offers dog and cat “Accident Only” plans for a lower price than most other policies and providers.
Fixed Rate Accident Only for Dogs - $9/10 per month ($108/120 annually)
Fixed Rate Accident Only for Cats - $6/7 per month ($72/84 annually)
If I were to insure Frank the Bulldog, who is male, intact, nine months old, and with no previous conditions or issues, with an unlimited annual limit, $200 deductible, and 80% reimbursement level, Essential would cost $76.33 (the cheapest) and Elite would cost $85.16 per month (the most expensive.)
You can change the reimbursement percentage, deductible, and annual coverage amount, amongst several other things.
If you are/were in the military, you and your family are entitled to 5% off the price of BestBenefit plans in available states.
How to Cancel Pet Insurance
What happens if you’re not happy with the policy or provider that you’ve signed up with? Well, you cancel the policy, of course! Most places will offer a certain period of time to cancel, so make sure you take a peek at these specifics in your paperwork or communications.
Petcube Emergency Fund
Petcube's Emergency Fund comes with an app for your Android, Apple, or other Smart phone; which makes keeping control and track of your pet insurance subscription with ease. Long gone are the days where you would need to hold on the phone for ages before repeating yourself to seven different people, only to find out that you'll incur a fee if you cancel because of a clause, you didn't even know about...
Right?
Anyway, you don't need to draft an email or letter, call and sit on hold for ages, or even speak to a single customer service advisor because everything can be done - including cancelling your Petcube Emergency Fund pet insurance - with ease, from your phone or tablet.
Pets Best Pet Insurance
You’ll have a page dedicated to your pets and their insurance plans with Pets Best, enabling you to do several changes without the need to speak to a member of staff. These include changing policy limits, deductibles, supplemental benefits, reimbursement percentage, renewals, cancellations, and more.
Conclusion
Not all pet insurances are alike, just like not all dogs or cats are alike. Thankfully, in this modern era there are so many options, many of which are completely different from the norm. Whether you’re looking for accident coverage only, an illness-specific policy, or even a breed-specific provider, there is something that solves your problems.
Why not have a chat with us if you have any more questions?