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Paw Protect vs ASPCA PHI

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Verdict

Paw Protect is a revolutionary new provider making pet insurance available to millions more Americans. Instead of having to pay vet bills* up-front with your own money, it offers customers an optional $2,000, interest-free line of credit from Paytient to help pay them†. 

With ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, you have to pay the vet bill yourself and then claim the money back. 

Both cover diagnostics and behavioral therapies, but Paw Protect also offers a useful 24/7 vet telehealth line for instant expert advice.

Here’s how they shape up in more detail:

PawASPCA
Pet insurance without paying vet bills* up-front†
Annual coverage options$5000, $10,000, Unlimited$2,500, $4,000, $7,000, $10,000
Deductible options$100, $250, $500$100, $250, $500
Reimbursement options70%, 80%, 90%70%, 80%, 90%
Coverage start2 days accident,
14 days illness		14 days
Maximum age at sign-up14 years accident and illness,
15+ accident only		No maximum
Vet exam fees included
Dental accidents covered
Dental illness covered
Wellness plan offered
24/7 Telehealth
End of life coverage included
10% Multi-pet discount
Military discount

Information correct as of May 2023

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Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Claims process

Paw Protect makes paying your vet simple, thanks to its optional virtual Paytient Visa card which has a $2,000 interest-free line of credit†.

  • If approved, you simply pay your vet with your virtual Paytient Visa card*
  • Submit your paperwork to Paw Protect via our app, online, by email or post 
  • Wait for your payout, less your deductible and copay

Use your reimbursement to pay down your Paytient balance and pay off any remaining out-of-pocket costs over up to 12 months interest-free on a schedule that suits your needs.

With ASPCA Pet Health Insurance you’ll have to pay the vet’s fee in full yourself, before claiming back the payment, minus the deductible and copay. You can submit your claim to ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and track it through the My Pet Insurance app. Alternatively, you can email, fax or mail your claims.

 

Labrador playing with ball

How will I know if my vet accepts Paw Protect?

Your Paytient virtual card is a 16-digit Visa card that works at any vet that accepts Visa* (we don’t know of one that doesn’t).

Number of vets where you can use Paytient†
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Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: What do the plans cover?

Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance plans are two of the best on the market. Cats and dogs can find a lot of ways to hurt themselves or make themselves sick, but each insurer offers wide coverage, from common ailments to rarer and more serious ones. 

Both accident and illness treatment costs are covered, as are hereditary, congenital and chronic ailments.

All the most common conditions that can trouble your beloved pet are covered. This includes, but is not limited to:  

  • Arthritis
  • Cancer
  • Cataracts
  • Dental disease
  • Dermatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Diarrhea
  • Ear infections
  • Hip dysplasia
  • Gastroenteritis
  • Kidney disease
  • Ligament injury
  • Limping
  • Liver disease
  • Lymphoma
  • Pancreatitis
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting

Both cover the cost of examination fees, diagnostics, behavioral issues, stem-cell therapy, alternative therapies such as acupuncture, and advanced treatments like chemotherapy and surgery.

Paw Protect adds a key extra service in the form of  a 24/7 vet telehealth line, which can speed diagnosis and minimize any suffering for a sick or injured pet.

Do Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance have a Wellness plan?

Paw Protect’s Wellness Rewards routine wellness plan helps to pay for regular preventative treatments including teeth cleaning, grooming and vaccinations, along with one-offs such as neutering or spaying. You can choose between annual limits of $250, $450 and $650 per year, with each package saving you money.

Meanwhile, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers Preventative Care packages set at two levels. Gold costs $9.95 per month for a $250 annual limit; while Platinum costs $24.95 per month for a $450 annual limit. Services offered range from teeth cleaning to fecal tests.

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: What are the coverage limits?

Both insurers offer a range of maximum annual payouts. Paw Protect offers three limits: $5,000, $10,000 and Unlimited. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000 and $10,000.

The higher the limit you select, the more your annual premium will be. Generally puppies and senior dogs need higher amounts.

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Deductibles

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Paw Protect both offer annual deductibles of $100, $250 and $500.

What are Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance’s reimbursement percentage options?

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Paw Protect both have 70%, 80% and 90% reimbursement options. This means, after your deductible is paid, the insurer will pay out 70%, 80% or 90% of bills for covered conditions.

The lower the reimbursement amount you select, the cheaper your annual premium will be – but any payout will be smaller, too.

Do Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance have any exclusions?

All genuine insurance features exclusions and both ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Paw Protect are upfront about theirs. 

Like all pet insurers, pre-existing conditions are not covered. That said, both firms will cover some curable pre-existing conditions if your pet hasn’t experienced any symptoms or had any treatment for a set period of time. 

With ASPCA Pet Health Insurance this period is 180 days (with the exception of knee & ligament conditions), while with Paw Protect it’s 12 months.

Neither policy covers regular preventative care such as routine exams or vaccines, but their additional wellness plans do.

How expensive are Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance?

These are two high-quality products, and in true you-get-what-you-pay-for style, they may cost a little more than some less-comprehensive insurances. However, the extra cost is typically a few dollars a month, so you should weigh up the pros and cons of any small potential savings.

As Paw Protect pays out more quickly for accidents, has a 24/7 helpline and offers the option of a $2,000 interest-free line of credit† to pay vet bills* up-front, it may cost a few dollars more than ASPCA Pet Health Insurance’s coverage. Again, you should weigh up what’s important to you and your pet.

Paw Protect
ASPCA pet health insurance
$35.30per month
$56.13per month

Medium Mixed Breed Puppy

1 year old
in Los Angeles, 91010
$10,000 annual coverage

$60.35per month
$58.09per month

Golden Retriever

3 years old
in Orlando, 32807
$10,000 annual coverage

$28.24per month
$50.65per month

Chihuahua

6 years old
in Sacramento, 94211
$10,000 annual coverage

$32.19per month
$41.55per month

Domestic Shorthair Kitten

1 year old
in New York City, 10008
$5,000 annual coverage

$29.33per month
$23.82per month

Tabby Cat

3 years old
in Dallas, 75061
$10,000 annual coverage

All quotes are based on a $500 deductible and 90% reimbursement. Prices correct as of May 2023

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: How quickly are claims paid?

The speed with which your insurer repays your veterinary treatment invoice is all-important, especially as you could be paying interest on a bill of several thousand dollars.

With ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, claims usually take around two weeks to process, plus however long it takes for payments to clear. Paw Protect aims to pay within 10 to 15 days for accident and illness, and just five days for wellness claims.

Of course, things are a little different with Paw Protect’s virtual payment card and $2,000 credit facility†. You won’t be paying any interest while you wait for your claim to be paid, and can pay off your share of the bill over an affordable period.

With both insurers, you’ll be paid significantly quicker if you opt for direct deposit reimbursement, rather than payment by check.

Do Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offer any discounts?

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers a 10% multi-pet discount.

Paw Protect goes further, offering the same 10% multi-pet discount, but adding a 5% reduction for former and active military personnel. 

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Standard waiting periods?

Paw Protect accident insurance activates after just two days, and 14 days for illness. There’s a six-month waiting period for orthopedic treatments, but this can be reduced to 14 days via its Waiver Process.

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance coverage has a 14-day waiting period for treatments related to both injury or illness. ASPCA doesn’t have an extended waiting period for some conditions such as cruciate-ligament damage.

The waiting period begins on the day the insurance plan is activated. Should a condition occur during that time, it will be considered a pre-existing condition.

Do Paw Protect and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance’s plans include behavioral treatments?

Calm and happy animal companions are what every pet parent dreams of, but if that’s not the case, several insurers will pay for therapy and training to modify their behavior.

Paw Protect will pay for both behavioral therapy and training, as long as it’s delivered by a veterinarian for a condition covered by the policy.

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance covers anxiety medication, plus behavioral therapy and training for both dogs and cats. Issues typically include anxiety, aggression, destructive or compulsive behaviors and excessive licking.

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Is there a maximum age for enrollment?

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance states no upper-age limit for illness and accident coverage. Paw Protect has an upper limit of 14 years for accident and illness cover, but no maximum age for accident-only coverage.

Paw Protect vs ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Customer Reviews

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance is popular among its customers and scores 4.3 on Trustpilot, from almost 4,000 respondents. In November 2022, customers gave five-star ratings for the speed of payment and efficiency/quality of customer service. 

†
Subject to approval
*
The Paytient virtual Visa® card works with merchants in certain approved categories and with certain point-of-sale (POS) vendors. Merchants self-select their category and POS vendor, and in some cases a provider might not be categorized as expected or their POS vendor may not support Paytient virtual Visa® card transactions.

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