Nationwide Pet Insurance Review

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company can meet a wide range of consumer pet insurance needs, particularly those of pet owners who are looking for more than just pet and dog coverage. They have plans for pets such as turtles, hedgehogs, and potbellied pigs, which are not covered by most pet insurance companies.

Nationwide has a wide range of plan options to help you find the right coverage levels for you, especially if you have an exotic pet.

Nationwide purchased VPI pet insurance and now sells it under the Nationwide brand. VPI was the country's first pet insurance company and the first to develop a pet wellness plan.

Pros

• Comprehensive benefit options: Nationwide offers accident, accident and illness, and wellness plans, allowing you to find the exact amount of coverage you require for your pet.
• Coverage for a wide range of family pets: In addition to dogs and cats, Nationwide covers more exotic pets such as birds, turtles, and reptiles.
• There is a bundle discount available: There are discounts available regardless of the type of pet you insure—current Nationwide members receive a 5% discount on a new pet health insurance policy, and a 10% discount when insuring three or more pets.

Cons

• There is only one rider option: The only rider option is a wellness plan, which can be purchased separately or as an add-on to another plan.
• Limits on annual reimbursement and reimbursement amounts: For Whole Pet plans with a $10,000 annual limit, Nationwide only offers reimbursement levels of 50% and 70% (but Major Medical plans have a reimbursement limit of 90%).
• Wellness programs are not available in every state: Even though Nationwide offers two wellness plans, your location may limit your options if you're looking for this type of coverage.

Company Overview

Nationwide pet insurance currently protects over a million pets. While the current Nationwide was founded in 1982, the company has a more than 90-year history that began with small mutual auto insurance. Nationwide purchased VPI (Veterinary Pet Insurance), the first pet insurance company in the United States, in 2009. (founded in 1982).

This Fortune 100 company, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, provides a wide range of insurance products and financial services, making it an ideal fit for anyone who likes to bundle their insurance policies. In addition to pet insurance, it provides auto, homeowners, life, and a variety of other insurance policies.

While many pet insurance providers only offer coverage for dogs and cats, Nationwide allows you to purchase a policy for many types of animals, including: amphibians, chameleons, chinchillas, ferrets, geckos, gerbils, goats, guinea pigs, hamsters, hedgehogs, iguanas, lizards, mice, opossums, potbelly pigs, rats, rabbits, snakes, sugar gliders, tortoises, and turtles.

Plans Available

Nationwide provides a wide range of pet insurance plans, including an injury plan (known as Major Medical), injury and illness (Whole Pet), and wellness (Wellness). With a Nationwide pet insurance plan, you can receive care from any licensed veterinarian in the world.

The chart below illustrates the coverage differences between these plans.

Covered Treatment	Whole Pet	Major Medical	Wellness
Live vet chat 24/7	✓	✓	✓
Exams	✓	✓	✓ (wellness exams)
Hereditary conditions	✓	✓ (some)
Chronic conditions	✓	✓
Surgeries and hospitalization	✓	✓
Prescriptions	✓	✓
Lab tests, diagnostics	✓	✓
Vaccinations			✓
Flea/heartworm prevention and treatment			✓
Behavior exam/treatment			✓
Microchipping			✓

Riders/Add-ons Available

Are you unsure which plan is best for you? If you want the best of both worlds and the most coverage possible, you can add wellness coverage as a rider to an existing plan.

Nationwide provides two types of wellness supplements: Wellness Basic and Wellness Plus. Both plans cover the same treatments, but the Plus plan has a higher coverage limit.

Some states do not offer wellness plans.

Waiting Times

The following waiting periods apply to Nationwide plans before coverage begins:

• Whole Pet and Major Medical: After your application is approved and payment is received, a 14-day waiting period begins.
• Pet Wellness: After a 14-day waiting period, coverage begins.

Policy on Cancellation

You can cancel your Nationwide pet insurance policy at any time by notifying the company in writing (via fax or mail) or online at my.petinsurance.com. Your policy will be canceled as of the date we receive your cancellation request.

If you cancel within 10 days of your policy going into effect, Nationwide will refund your money in full as long as you haven't been reimbursed for any claims.

Plan Costs

Nationwide pet insurance plans start at $35 per month and vary depending on your pet and coverage options. Nationwide's Whole Pet plan has reimbursement levels of 50% or 70%, a $10,000 annual coverage limit, and no lifetime benefit cap. Major Medical Plans are reimbursed at 90%.

You can get a quote online to see what your potential costs are, but keep in mind that the cost of your plan can be influenced by factors such as the type of pet you have and your location. The only deductible option available through Nationwide is $250.

If you are already a Nationwide member, you can save 5% on a new pet health insurance policy. In addition, large pet families can save 10% on insurance for three or more pets.

The two different wellness add-ons are priced differently.

• Wellness Plus costs between $17 and $22 per month.
• Wellness Basic: $12 to $18 per month

Claims 

Nationwide makes it relatively simple to file a pet insurance claim and provides a variety of methods for doing so. Log in to your Nationwide Pet Access Account page at my.petinsurance.com and submit a claim from your desktop or mobile device. You can also submit your claim by mail, email, or fax.

Most claims are completed within 5 days (if all necessary claim information is submitted), and Nationwide will notify you by phone or email that the claim has been received and is being processed.

If you have a Chase Payments account, you can choose to be reimbursed for your claim via direct deposit. If you do not want to go this route, Nationwide will arrange for an alternative payment method, which will most likely be a paper check.

In Conclusion

Overall, Nationwide is a great choice for someone looking for a more customizable pet insurance policy. You can choose between Major Medical and Whole Pet plans, and you can supplement a Major Medical plan with a wellness rider. If you have an exotic pet, this is one of the few insurers that covers a wide range of animals, and yours may be included.