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About PetFirst
PetFirst provides insurance for dogs and cats of all ages and breeds. They are one of the fastest-growing pet health insurance administrators in North America, and have helped thousands of pet owners give their pets the best veterinary treatment available. PetFirst is a company that takes pride in offering pet insurance that is simple and straightforward, accessible and affordable. Their plans offer robust annual benefit amount options, chronic care coverage and no lifetime or per-incident limits for pets of all ages. You can easily customize your deductible and reimbursement rates to work for you pet's needs and your budget.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- No age or breed restrictions
- Available in all 50 states
- 80% reimbursement rate
Cons
- Doesn’t cover routine wellness exams
- Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
Bottom Line
PetFirst is a pet insurance provider that offers medical and veterinary care coverage at a low monthly rate.
How PetFirst pet insurance works
PetFirst covers all breeds of dogs and cats. There are no age limits, but puppies must be at least 8 weeks old to qualify for coverage. Find out if PetFirst is right for your pet by filling out the form on the company’s website, after which you get information on discounts and the best plan option based on your pet's breed and size.
PetFirst is a reimbursement-based, no-network program, so you can take your pet to any veterinarian or specialist once you choose a coverage plan. After your vet or specialist visit, you send PetFirst a claim form, your pet’s medical records and an invoice for the visit. PetFirst works with your vet’s office to gather the information needed to process your claim within two weeks.
You can download claim forms from the PetFirst website and submit them through the PetFirst online portal or by mail, email or fax. You must submit claims within 90 days of your vet visit, and you can check the status of the claim when you log into your PetFirst account. Coverage begins one day after the date listed on your policy, but there is a 14-day waiting period for illness-related claims.
How much does PetFirst pet insurance cost?
PetFirst offers programs for every budget and condition, with coverage plans starting as low as $15 per month for dogs and $9 per month for cats.
There are two primary plans:
- The Cost Conscious plan has an annual benefit of $2,000
- The Recommended plan has an annual benefit of $5,000
PetFirst also has an optional coverage add-on with a yearly benefit of $10,000. All policies have an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible.
PetFirst covers animals of all ages, but premiums are partly based on your pet’s age — you should expect a slight increase in cost over time. PetFirst takes pride in rewarding its customers, so your deductible goes down every year that you don’t file a claim.
If you aren’t satisfied with PetFirst’s program, there’s a 14-day money-back guarantee as long as you haven’t submitted any claims.
What does PetFirst pet insurance cover?
PetFirst insurance offers coverage for multiple ailments, but routine wellness exams aren’t covered under the Cost Conscious or Recommended plans. PetFirst offers exclusive routine care rider coverage, which helps pay for services such as routine exams, vaccines and behavior training.
Covered
- Accidents
- Hereditary & congenital illnesses
- Chronic conditions
- Hospitalizations
- Surgeries
- Diagnostic tests
- Exam fees
- X-rays
- Ultrasounds
- Medicines
Not covered
- Pre-existing conditions
- Elective procedures
- Expression or removal of anal glands or sacculitis
- Breeding or breeding-related conditions
- Special diet foods or vitamins
- Grooming costs
- Medicated shampoos
- Parasite preventions & treatments
- Orthodontics
- Illness resulting from organized racing or fighting
- Organ transplants
- Routine wellness exams
After a 12 months, your pet’s coverage extends to include intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) and certain types of ligament damage.
Is PetFirst worth it?
Veterinarian bills can be expensive, and an accident or sudden illness could cost thousands of dollars for care. Because PetFirst reimburses up to 80% of medical costs for specific procedures, it drastically decreases your vet bills. If your pet is at risk for hereditary illnesses or conditions, PetFirst pet insurance could be a viable option for you.
PetFirst Reviews
ConsumerAffairs has collected 11 reviews and 120 ratings.
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Reviewed Feb. 28, 2022
I chose PetFirst (MetLife) pet insurance as it is offered through my employer. The plan went into effect in November 2020. My dog developed diabetes and was hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis in February 2021. She had no symptoms of diabetes prior to the policy taking effect. My claim for her medical care was denied as a pre-existing condition because she has had polyuria and polydipsia in the past, though her vet records state that these were RESOLVED in 2018. PetFirst FINALLY paid my claim in 2021 after much stress.
PetFirst is now refusing to pay for medications and supplies that my dog needs as a direct result of her hospitalization in 2021. They first claimed that they needed medical records that they already had, then they denied the claim, and said to look online for more information. The only information in their online portal stated that the claims were denied and that one of them was a pre-existing condition. I am now likely going to have to wait for a letter to come in the mail that details further why my claims were denied. What is the point of having pet insurance if you have to spend significant time fighting with them to cover medications, supplies, and treatments? I seriously regret choosing PetFirst, but I am now stuck with them due to my dog’s pre-existing conditions. They should be ashamed of themselves for the way they conduct business.
Reviewed Oct. 8, 2021
Everything about this service is garbage. It takes them weeks (about a month) to process a claim when other services are instant. If they find one small error with your claim (My wife's name was on a receipt instead of mine), you start from square 1. Their app is useless. The fact that you cannot file claims 100% electronically is unbelievable. They will deem injuries pre-existing even if there were no prior signs so they will not reimburse a dime of any fees. I have friends with other services that were slightly more expensive and I am kicking myself now for not using someone else stuck with a $9K bill. Stay away.
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Reviewed Aug. 26, 2021
Do NOT pay for this insurance! Go with the cheaper, AKC insurance which covers substantially more, has far less exclusions, and has shorter waiting periods. One example (of many I could provide): I am in the process of switching to AKC insurance and submitted bills for my puppies to both insurance companies because both are currently active on my puppies - PetFirst denied 80% of what I submitted while AKC approved 100% of what I submitted! If I could give PetFirst zero stars, I would! Then there's the fact that in "PART IX - APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS" of the policy packet contact information including an e-mail address is provided (SubmitClaim@petfirst.com) and that all appeals "must be submitted...within 90 days" of the date on the explanation of benefits (or as soon as reasonably practicable) and "You may contact us using the information above."
Well guess what happens when you e-mail that e-mail address in order to begin the appeals process? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! So I call a couple weeks later and I'm told (1) I had to file an appeal within 30 days and I'm now over the deadline; (2) there's a specific appeal form that must be used (not referenced anywhere in the policy packet); and, (3) that e-mail address is not a monitored e-mail address but simply goes to a queue for claims submissions...needless to say I was absolutely ticked. Ultimately, they did accept my appeal, though that was denied (no surprise there).
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2020
This is the worst insurance company ever. Disrespectful and awful service. They do whatever twisted process in order not to approve any of the claims submitted. I'm extremely disappointed. They literally play with people's time.
Reviewed Nov. 13, 2020
I recently adopted a 4th dog and this new dog came along with 30 days of free pet insurance for a trial run. I was super excited to see how it went with PetFirst since all of my other dogs have pet insurance and I pay a lot for it. PetFirst considered my new dogs bladder infection that he got a week after adoption “pre-existing” since he was “neutered by the shelter and it was probably the cause.” What a joke - even my vet laughed and how much of a reach that was. PetFirst isn’t worth a dime... I’m glad I only had the free trial and thankful I didn’t switch my pet insurance. I’d rather pay a good chunk of change and be covered than have a snakey company just take $15 a pet from me every month for nothing!!!
Reviewed Sept. 18, 2020
I got a free 30 day trial after adopting a kitten. The kitten ended up having a cold and the vet also recommended a fecal sample since they suspected a parasite. The test showed that he did have a parasite, and needed meds. I uploaded all paperwork including vet notes to the site and they denied the claim. They stated 3 different clauses to deny "preventative" and "routine" work. Clearly this company has a clause to deny everything so they never have to payout a claim so I didn't continue coverage after the trial. Waste of money.
Reviewed Sept. 14, 2020
Don't know much but do not like their attitude. At least explain what customer is getting. I had to ask and was annoyed by how asking her was a big inconvenience. It's her job! Do it well no matter what you do
Reviewed Sept. 1, 2020
I have no basis for reference, as this is the first pet insurance I've ever purchased, and that is why I gave everything a three. I did not want to purchase this insurance but my spouse insisted upon my doing so. This insurance is for our cat and we took out the "Cost Conscious" plan. It looks like it offers standard treatments we expect our cat to continue needing with a more expensive emergency operation covered up to $2000. It was easy to navigate the site and the cards came in the mail pretty quickly. Luckily, our vet has dealt with this insurance before.
Reviewed Aug. 31, 2020
We have StateFarm as our homeowner’s and auto insurers, but they do not provide pet coverage. We shopped around and none were really great, so we settled for Petfirst. The coverage is decent for the price which affects my rating for relatability of the coverage.
Reviewed Aug. 30, 2020
We have a policy for both of our rescues. Decent coverage and you can change coverages mid policy. They have wonderful customer service representatives and payment options. They also provide clear and concise email communications.
PetFirst Company Information
- Company Name:
- PetFirst
- Year Founded:
- 2004
- Address:
- 400 Missouri Avenue
- City:
- Jeffersonville
- State/Province:
- IN
- Postal Code:
- 47130
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.petfirst.com
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