Nationwide Pet Insurance Review: Pros, Cons, and Coverage

With over a million pets covered, Nationwide is one of the oldest and biggest pet insurance providers in the United States. Nationwide, unlike other pet insurance, provides plans for a wide range of animals, not just dogs and cats. Owners of birds, bunnies, and other exotic animals may obtain coverage as well. 

Nationwide offers two different policies that include accidents and injuries. One works like many other pet insurance programs in that it reimburses you for a portion of your vet expense. The other pays a predetermined sum per circumstance, independent of how much you spend. A wellness plan is also available from the corporation, albeit it is not accessible in all states.

About Nationwide Pet Insurance

Nationwide pet insurance presently covers more than one million pets. Although the current Nationwide was established in 1982, the corporation has a 90-year legacy that started with tiny mutual vehicle insurance. Veterinary Pet Insurance, which was created in 1982 and became the first pet insurance corporation in the U.S., was bought by Nationwide in 2009. 

This Fortune 100 firm, based in Columbus, Ohio, covers a diverse range of insurance products and financial services, making it an excellent choice for anybody who wants to package their insurance plans. It also offers cars, homes, life, and a variety of other insurance coverage in addition to pet insurance.

Whereas many pet insurance companies only protect dogs and cats, Nationwide includes buying a policy for a wide range of animals, such as reptiles, gerbils, ferrets, chameleons, hedgehogs, goats, guinea pigs, parakeets, porcupines, geckos, lizards, rodents, raccoons, potbelly pigs, rats, rabbits, spiders, sugar gliders, and snakes! 

Benefits of Nationwide Pet Insurance 

Pet owners may choose from a variety of insurance coverage choices from Nationwide. If you want support for health emergencies, a policy that includes wellness care, or a mix of the two, Nationwide can help you choose a plan that meets your needs. 

Do you have birds or amphibians? Nationwide offers insurance for your feathery or scaly companions. If you’re searching for a company with a lengthy history in the insurance sector, go no further than Nationwide, which has been offering insurance and investment alternatives to customers for years.

Disadvantages of Nationwide Pet Insurance 

On the other hand, Nationwide may not be the best fit for pet insurance if you have a breed that may be predisposed to certain hereditary conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia. If you select the major medical or medical plan through Nationwide, without wellness coverage, those hereditary conditions may not be covered through your policy. 

The monthly premiums tend to be a bit higher for Nationwide than other companies in our rating, particularly its more comprehensive Whole Pet Wellness plan, so that could be a consideration when you are budgeting.

What Does Nationwide Pet Insurance Cover?

There are several pet insurance products available from Nationwide. The Whole Pet with Wellness package is the most comprehensive, covering:

• Poisonings, ACL ruptures, and sprains are examples of accidents. 
• X-rays, MRIs, ultrasound scans, and blood work are examples of testing and diagnosis. 
• Vomiting, diarrhea, and ear infections are all common ailments. 
• Arthritis, allergies, and skin disorders are examples of chronic ailments. 
• Hip dysplasia, blood diseases, and eye abnormalities are all genetic illnesses. 
• Chiropractic treatment, laser treatment, and acupuncture are examples of holistic therapies. 
• Diabetes and high blood pressure are serious conditions. 
• Surgical or chemotherapy procedures 
• Wellness checkups and vaccines 
• Heartworm and flea prevention

Nationwide also provides more limited plans, including its Major Medical plan, which includes diagnostic and testing, procedures and hospitalization, medicines, chronic ailments, and some inherited diseases. For these situations, there is a waiting time. 

Pet Rx Express, which provides you priority pricing on pet medicines at any Walmart or Sam’s Club pharmacy, is also available to nationwide pet insurance customers. At the pharmacy counter, they can also handle the prescription insurance claim.

Nationwide covers many exotic animals in addition to traditional felines and canines. Birds, chameleons, goats, potbellied pigs, rodents, iguanas, tortoises, and snakes are among the lucky critters.

What Nationwide Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover

Nationwide’s pet insurance, like other pet insurance policies, does not cover every expenditure. Exclusions from coverage include:

• Therapy or treatment not recommended by your veterinarian 
• Pre-existing conditions 
• Diagnosis and treatment that is experimental 
• Taxes
• Record keeping

Please remember that the type of policy you choose may have more coverage exclusions. If you choose the Major Medical plan, for instance, it doesn’t cover wellness fees or common ailments.

Nationwide Pet Insurance Plans

There are three pet insurance options available from Nationwide. Here’s everything you need to know about what they do and do not cover. 

Whole Pet 

The most comprehensive plan offered by Nationwide, Whole Pet covers the widest spectrum of diseases and injuries. For accidents or diseases, it will cover a portion of your vet’s expense, including exams and testing. It does not, unfortunately, cover wellness costs like periodic examinations or heartworm prevention. 

Medical Emergency 

The Major Medical plan pays out according to a benefit calendar that specifies a maximum yearly reimbursement amount per ailment, regardless of how much your veterinarian costs you. 

Major Medical policies are less expensive than Whole Pet insurance, but they do not cover as much. Major Medical policies won’t cover congenital problems, or disorders your pet has had since birth, but Whole Pet plans are.

Pet Wellness 

Nationwide’s Pet Wellness insurance covers basic procedures such as immunizations, heartworm tests, and nail clipping. They will not, though, cover for spay or neuter operations. 

There are two levels of healthiness to select from: 

• Wellness Basic costs $12 to $18 per month and has a maximum yearly limit of $400. 
• Wellness Plus costs $17 to $22 per month and pays up to $500 per year. 

In certain states, wellness plans are not available. You can buy a wellness plan in combination with a Major Medical plan or on its own, depending on availability. A Whole Pet package does not include wellness coverage.

Nationwide Coverage Options

• Deductibles: A $250 yearly deductible applicable towards both Whole Pet and Major Medical policies if purchased online. You’ll have to contact the business for additional deductible possibilities. 
• Reimbursement percentages: For Whole Pet policies, you can choose to be paid 50% or 70% of the vet costs. Major Medical payment is determined by your benefit schedule. 
• Coverage limits: The yearly coverage maximum for Whole Pet policies is $10,000. According to the featured tier you pick, wellness plans might cost up to $400 or $500 per year. The maximum coverage for Major Medical insurance is determined by the ailment.

How Much Does Nationwide Pet Insurance Cost?

The price of a plan is determined by a number of criteria, including the species, breed, and age of your pet. The cost will also differ depending on the plan you choose. 

As a result, if you’re thinking about getting Nationwide dog or cat insurance, you should go to their website to get an exact price. Additionally, if you need insurance for a bird or an exotic animal, you should call the firm directly

Pet parents may expect monthly costs as inexpensive as $22 for the Wellness plan, $34 for the Major Medical Plan, and $64 for the Whole Pet with Wellness plan. Nationwide Pet Insurance coverage does not include any riders or add-ons.

Cancellation Policy 

You can terminate your Nationwide pet insurance coverage at any time by contacting the business by fax or mail, or online at my.petinsurance.com. They will terminate your policy the day you submit your cancellation notice. 

Nationwide offers a 100 percent money-back guarantee if you cancel within 10 days of your policy starting, as long as you haven’t been compensated for any claims.

Claims

Nationwide makes filing a pet insurance payout simple and convenient, with a range of options. Log in to the Nationwide Pet Access Account page at my.petinsurance.com from a desktop or mobile device to make a claim. You can also file a claim via post, email, or fax. 

They process the majority of claims within 30 days. 

As long as you provide the required claim information, this is possible. Nationwide will contact you by email or phone to acknowledge the receipt and processing of your claim. You can choose to get compensation for your claim by direct deposit if you have a Chase Payments account. 

If you do not wish to take this path, a different payment option is available by Nationwide, which will most of the time be a paper check.

Nationwide Pet Insurance Waiting Periods

In most cases, pet insurance providers require you to wait a set period of time prior to your plan beginning to reimburse you for veterinarian costs. A waiting time is what this is called. Nationwide, for instance, has a two-week waiting time for accidents and illnesses. 

The industry standard is a two-week accident waiting time, however, some insurers offer reduced accident waiting periods. Furthermore, not all pet insurance companies have longer waiting periods for other ailments including ligament or knee problems. For these sorts of problems, ASPCA’s pet health insurance, for example, has no waiting time.

Next Up: Ultimate Guide To Pet Insurance: What It Covers