Figo Pet Insurance Review 2024: Pros, Cons & Verdict

There are dozens of pet insurance providers on the market, making it a challenge to find one suitable for your pet. If you have heard about Figo Pet Insurance and want to learn more about its services, this article will be useful.

Figo Pet Insurance Review

Other Top-Rated Pet Insurance Companies

About Figo

Figo was started in 2013 and is based out of Chicago. This insurance provider has taken a tech-savvy approach to providing pet insurance. Like many companies today that focus on simple, easy-to-use tech, Figo has a simple rubric for setting policy rates and a clear user interface where you can easily adjust a few simple parameters to compare the costs of various plans. This makes it quick for pet owners to see what impact age, gender, breed, and location have on the cost of a policy, as well as to compare different reimbursement rates, maximum coverage rates, and annual deductibles.

They have partnered with Costco as a way to expand the brand, and Costco members can check to see if they might be eligible for a discount in their location. Figo’s policies have been underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company, Markel American Insurance Company, or Markel Insurance Company.

Figo is most appealing for pet owners who start insurance early (though they won’t insure an animal under 8 weeks old) because they can ensure a policy before their pet has an extensive medical history and, therefore, several issues that can be considered pre-existing conditions. It is also great for pet owners who can appreciate the effort put into building tech that makes the insurance process easier and faster to navigate.

The main drawback is not the breadth of coverage or the quality of the customer service but rather is price. Figo is on the higher end of cost in comparison to competitors because its coverage is so comprehensive. They don’t offer more minimalist plans that would let pet owners choose a bare-bones option for a narrower but cheaper plan.

Pricing & Plans (Updated in 2024)

Pet Insurance Cost Comparison

Base Policy

Figo offers three base policy levels: Essential ($5,000 of annual coverage), Preferred ($10,000 of annual coverage), and Ultimate (unlimited annual coverage). These plans are meant to cover common illnesses, accidents and emergencies, cancer, hereditary and congenital disorders, and chronic conditions. For expanded coverage, including wellness and preventative medicine, as well as several other coverage options, they offer customizations that will allow you to enhance your plan for an additional cost.

Customizations

In addition to the three base policies, they offer three plans that they call “powerups” that you can add onto your base plan for additional monthly fees. These add-ons keep with Figo’s basic commitment to making easy-to-price, simple-to-understand, transparent policies available to pet owners.

Price Comparison for Dogs

Deductibles & Claims

For each of the three base policy levels, Essential, Preferred, and Ultimate, they have a sliding scale of deductibles that will also impact your monthly premium cost depending upon what you choose. They also have a sliding scale of 70%–100% reimbursement rates that—depending on what you choose—will impact your monthly premium cost.

It is a simple rubric and clearly laid out with a smart user interface that allows you to quickly test and compare many options to see what might fit best for you and your pet. Figo is also one of the few pet insurance companies that allow you to price a 100% reimbursement rate into your plan; most only go up to 90%.

They also have some coverage for holistic and alternative treatments, which sets them apart from competitors. With the “powerups”, you can have a wellness add-on that will cover a percentage of preventative medicine, such as annual exams, vaccines, spay/neuter, dental, and others. The extra care pack will help cover the costs of unexpected events such as the death of a pet, lost pets, boarding fees, or cancellation of a vacation due to pet illness, amongst other things.

Figo does not cover pre-existing conditions, though they do have some exemptions for “curable” pre-existing conditions, so it is best to check with them directly about your pet’s specific medical needs. They also do not cover experimental procedures, breeding, pregnancy, birth, pet cloning, or cosmetic surgery.

Pre-Existing Conditions

Pre-existing conditions are excluded from Figo’s policies; however, this does not mean that your pet cannot enroll in Figo. It merely means that these particular medical conditions will be excluded, but other issues unrelated to these will be covered. Unlike human health insurance, pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.

Pet insurance companies split pre-existing conditions into two categories, curable and chronic. Curable conditions are typically those like bladder infections, ear infections, skin infections, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Typically, it needs to be 12 months from the last occurrence for them to be covered, whereas chronic conditions are things like allergies, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Figo says that they “may cover “curable” pre-existing conditions if they show no signs/symptoms within 12 months of treatment”. So, it is worth asking when you are getting a quote and going through your initial medical review.

They only insure pets once they are eight weeks old and they don’t have an upper limit on the age of the pet you can enroll, though age will impact monthly premiums. They also have some additional requirements for dogs that are 8 years and older and for cats that are 10 years and older.

Waiting Periods

Beyond not covering pre-existing conditions, Figo does not cover any accidents or illnesses that happen during the course of your policy’s waiting period. Here is a general overview of the waiting periods:

Reviews from Customers

Figo has garnered 3.6 stars out of 1,029 reviews on the third-party review site Trust Pilot. Approximately 75% of the reviews are 5-star. The majority of these good reviews emphasize Figo’s quick claim process and reimbursements and the quality of their customer service. People also praise the app and the user interface of the website when they request a quote and sign up for the policy.

Negative reviews focused more on being denied coverage for claims that were either determined to be pre-existing or other exclusions from coverage. Pet owners writing these reviews felt that certain aspects of the policy were less transparent and that the coverage was more narrow than they had anticipated.

FAQ

1. Does Figo need pre-authorization for treatment?

Figo explains that they do not require pre-authorization for treatment, but if you want to check if a specific treatment, illness, or procedure will be covered before your appointment, you can seek out pre-approval from them. This does not guarantee coverage but is one way a pet owner can get more information before making decisions about medical treatment. After collecting the relevant documentation, they take 7-10 days to review it and authorize a pre-approval.

2. What is Pet Cloud?

Figo has tried to leverage more of a tech and community-building approach to its insurance offering. Pet Cloud is an all-inclusive app that not only is the portal for making claims and uploading documentation but also has a variety of other features. They offer a Telehealth service with round-the-clock access to a vet you can speak to live. The app also keeps your pet’s health records digitally and has a feature to register and help find your pet in the event that they are lost.

The app is a signature feature of the Figo insurance experience.

3. Do I have to use a specific veterinarian from a network?

No. Figo allows you to choose the licensed vet of your choice all over the world.

Our Verdict

Figo has received a majority of good reviews from its customers and has a lot of features that make it stand out from its competitors. It is especially noteworthy for its user experience and tech platform that allows you to consolidate all aspects related to your pet’s insurance and medical care in one place. Figo also offers generous coverage, including unlimited annual coverage, and a 100% reimbursement rate, though the lowest deductible rate they have is $100. This comprehensive policy does come at a cost; premiums for Figo can be higher than competitors, especially for aging pets.

Overall, Figo is a good option to look into if you are considering insurance for your pet. With the rising cost of care, having a plan with comprehensive coverage is a good way to protect against unexpected events.