Pets Best Insurance: What It Costs, What It Covers, and Whether It’s Worth It

The questions below come up constantly from pet owners trying to figure out whether Pets Best makes sense for their dog, cat, budget, and situation. Each one gets a direct answer — no padding, no unnecessary hedging.

• 1
  How much does Pets Best insurance cost per month? Accident-Only: $9/mo dogs · $6/mo cats · Accident & Illness: $25–$80+/mo depending on pet age, breed, location, and plan settings · National average for a dog is $52/mo

  Pets Best is consistently ranked among the most affordable full-coverage pet insurance companies in the country. Their sample rate for a dog is around $47–$50 per month — about $15 below the national average per data from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. For cats, rates run around $29 per month on average. The accident-only plan has a flat price regardless of age or breed: $9 per month for dogs and $6 per month for cats, which is remarkably low for any level of coverage. Accident-and-illness plans vary much more — a young mixed-breed dog in a rural zip code might cost $25–$35/month, while an older purebred in a high-cost city could run $70–$90/month or more. The single most accurate way to see your number is to get a custom quote at petsbest.com with your pet’s actual age, breed, and zip code. No national average means much when your Golden Retriever in San Francisco is being priced.
• 2
  What does Pets Best actually cover? Covers: accidents, illnesses, cancer, surgeries, hereditary conditions, dental disease, behavioral therapy, alternative therapies, prescriptions, emergency care · Does NOT cover: pre-existing conditions, elective procedures, parasites (without wellness add-on), or routine care (without wellness add-on)

  The BestBenefit accident-and-illness plans are the core product and they cover a genuinely broad list: broken bones and foreign objects swallowed, cancer treatment including blood work, MRIs, chemotherapy, and surgery, epilepsy and seizure disorders, hereditary and congenital conditions like hip dysplasia and luxating patella, diabetes, arthritis, ear and skin infections, urinary tract infections, cruciate ligament injuries, behavioral therapy consultations, alternative therapies including acupuncture and cold laser, prescription medications, pre-anesthesia bloodwork, euthanasia when recommended by a vet, and dental illness including periodontal disease (for pets under three years who have had a professional dental cleaning within the prior thirteen months). Emergency specialist care and hospitalization are also covered. What’s excluded: pre-existing conditions of any kind, routine vaccinations and preventive care (available through the add-on wellness plans), parasite testing and prevention (also available through wellness add-ons), elective procedures like ear cropping or tail docking, feline declawing, and cosmetic work.
• 3
  Does Pets Best cover seizures? Yes — seizures and epilepsy are explicitly listed as covered conditions under accident-and-illness plans, provided the condition did not exist or show symptoms before enrollment or during the waiting period

  Epilepsy and seizure disorders are covered under Pets Best’s BestBenefit plans. This includes diagnostic testing to identify the cause, medications used to manage the condition, and ongoing treatment — up to your chosen annual limit. The critical word is “pre-existing.” If your dog has already been diagnosed with epilepsy, or your veterinarian noted any seizure activity in their records before your policy went into effect, that condition will be excluded from coverage. The same applies if symptoms appeared during the waiting period. If your pet was healthy at enrollment and later develops epilepsy, it would be covered like any other new illness. This is exactly why enrolling a young, healthy pet before any health concerns appear is so important — the pre-existing exclusion is permanent for conditions with a prior history, not a temporary hold.
• 4
  How does the Pets Best deductible and reimbursement work? Annual deductible (you choose): $50–$1,000 · Reimbursement rate (you choose): 70%, 80%, or 90% · Annual limit (you choose): $5,000, $10,000, or unlimited · No per-incident deductibles — one deductible covers everything in a policy year

  Pets Best uses an annual deductible rather than a per-incident one. That means if your dog breaks a leg in February and then gets a skin infection in August, you only pay one deductible for the entire year — not one for each event. Once that deductible is met, your chosen reimbursement rate (70%, 80%, or 90%) applies to all covered claims for the rest of the policy year. So if you have a $250 deductible, 90% reimbursement, and a $5,000 annual limit: a $2,000 vet bill becomes $250 out of your pocket for the deductible, then 90% of the remaining $1,750 ($1,575) is reimbursed to you — your actual cost for that bill is $425. Choosing a higher deductible and lower reimbursement rate lowers your monthly premium significantly. The unlimited annual limit option is particularly well-priced at Pets Best relative to competitors — if your pet develops a serious, expensive illness, having no cap on payouts can be the difference between full treatment and tough choices.
• 5
  What are the waiting periods? Accidents: 3 days · Illnesses: 14 days · Orthopedic conditions: 14 days in most states · Wellness coverage: begins the day after enrollment · Waiting periods can be waived with a recent vet exam in qualifying states

  Pets Best offers some of the shortest waiting periods in the pet insurance industry, which matters more than most people realize. A 3-day wait for accidents means that a dog who swallows a sock the week after you sign up is covered on day 4. The 14-day wait for illnesses is standard. What sets Pets Best apart is the orthopedic waiting period: most competitors require 6 to 12 months before cruciate ligament injuries and hip dysplasia are eligible for coverage, but Pets Best uses 14 days in most states. That’s a meaningful difference if you have a large breed dog with a higher statistical risk of these injuries. Waiting periods can potentially be waived if your vet examines your pet within 3 days before or 7 days after your policy start date — submit the waiver form within 30 days of the exam. Seven states (Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Washington) have different waiting period rules; check your state’s sample policy for specifics.
• 6
  Does Pets Best cover pre-existing conditions? No — pre-existing conditions are excluded by all Pets Best plans · Exception: curable pre-existing conditions (like kennel cough or ear infections) can be covered once fully healed and symptom-free for 12–18 months · Incurable conditions (like cancer, diabetes, allergies already diagnosed) are never covered

  This is the single most consequential thing to understand about any pet insurance policy, including Pets Best. A pre-existing condition is defined as any illness or injury that showed symptoms, was treated for, or received a vet diagnosis before your policy’s effective date or during your waiting period — even if your vet didn’t formally name the condition yet. Symptoms in the records count. Pets Best distinguishes between curable and incurable conditions. Curable ones — like kennel cough, ear infections, or a broken bone — are not permanently excluded. Once they have fully healed with no symptoms and no treatment for 12 to 18 months, they can be covered if they recur. Incurable conditions — diabetes, allergies already diagnosed, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, hip dysplasia that was documented — are excluded for the life of the policy. You can still enroll a pet with incurable pre-existing conditions; those specific conditions just won’t be covered. Everything else your pet later develops would still be eligible. This is why the most financially sound move is to enroll while your pet is young and has a clean medical record.
• 7
  How do I file a claim and how long does reimbursement take? File through the Pets Best app or website · Submit itemized invoice + proof of payment · Processing time: typically 5–10 business days · Vet Direct Pay option lets the reimbursement go directly to your vet’s office so you don’t have to front the full bill

  After any vet visit, you submit a claim through the Pets Best mobile app (available on iPhone and Android) or via the website. You’ll need an itemized invoice showing where your pet was seen, your pet’s name, what services were provided and their individual costs, and proof that you paid. The app lets you photograph and upload documents directly. Most claims are processed within 5 to 10 business days. One genuinely useful feature is Vet Direct Pay: if you submit a signed release form from your veterinarian along with your claim, the eligible reimbursement goes directly to the vet’s office rather than to you first. This means you only need to pay your deductible portion and your co-pay share upfront — you don’t have to front the entire bill and wait for a check. Not all vet practices have enabled this, but it’s available where the vet participates. Pets Best also has a 24/7 pet helpline where licensed veterinary staff answer questions about symptoms, medications, what your pet may have eaten, and whether a situation warrants an emergency visit — at no additional charge.
• 8
  Is Pets Best the same as Progressive? No — Pets Best is its own separate pet insurance company. Progressive offers pet insurance through a partnership with Pets Best, meaning if you buy “Progressive pet insurance,” the actual policy is underwritten and managed by Pets Best. The coverage and terms are essentially the same.

  This is one of the most commonly searched questions about Pets Best, and the confusion is understandable. Progressive Insurance — best known for auto insurance — offers pet insurance on its website as part of a bundling option for customers. The policy you’d receive through Progressive is actually a Pets Best policy: same underwriting company, same coverage terms, same claims process, same reimbursement structure. If you’re already a Progressive customer and see their pet insurance option, know that you’re essentially being offered Pets Best coverage through a different front door. There is no meaningful difference in the product. Comparing a direct quote from petsbest.com against the Progressive-offered quote for the same coverage is worth doing to see if pricing differs between the two channels.

Every Pets Best plan is month-to-month — no long-term contracts, no cancellation penalties. Prices below reflect common ranges; your actual quote depends on your pet’s age, breed, and zip code. Getting a personalized quote at petsbest.com is the only reliable way to see your number.

Use the buttons below to find local veterinary clinics, emergency pet care, pet insurance offices, or general pet care help near your location. Always verify your specific Pets Best quote at petsbest.com before enrolling.