Nationwide vs. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Comparison 2024: Pros, Cons & Verdict

Pet insurance has been taking the market by storm lately due to the insane expenses of veterinary care that continue to rise. Pet owners everywhere are opting for health insurance policies for their pets so they can have peace of mind that their beloved family members can get the care they need without worrying too much about the impact on their wallets.

Two of the most popular pet insurance companies today are Nationwide and Healthy Paws. The only way to figure out what works best for you and your pets is by having a detailed comparison of each company you are considering and how they compare to their competitors. Here, we will go over every aspect of Nationwide and Healthy Paws from the plans to coverage to deductibles and claim reimbursement so that you can make the most informed decision that is right for you.

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Nationwide is one of the most well-known insurance companies in the United States that offers your typical homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and more. They are also one of the oldest and largest pet insurance companies in the country. Nationwide stands out among the competitors because it is the only company that offers policies for birds, rabbits, reptiles, and a list of other exotic pets.

Nationwide features two different plans that cover accidents and injuries. They also offer a wellness plan that can be added on, but this plan cannot be purchased alone and is not available in all states. Overall, Nationwide offers up some versatile options for pet owners to choose from with some additional perks that are super-convenient. We’ll go over all the ins and outs below.

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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance was founded in 2009 and offers a single plan for dogs and cats that will cover accidents, illnesses, and injuries, including emergency care, cancer care, breed-specific conditions, and even some hereditary or congenital conditions. Healthy Paws does not put any limitations or caps on their coverage, meaning there are no per-condition, annual, or lifetime payout caps for their policy.

Healthy Paws does not have a wellness option that will take care of routine and preventative care. They do have a one-time enrollment fee for each animal, and they do not offer any additional perks, but there’s a reason Healthy Paws is currently one of the top-rated pet insurance companies, so we’ll get you all the details.

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Other Top Rated Pet Insurance Companies

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Nationwide vs Healthy Paws: Plans Available

Pet insurance works very similarly to other types of insurance policies. You pay your premium in place of having to pay for your pet’s medical expenses but with one exception. With all pet insurance plans, you pay upfront for the care and are reimbursed for anything falling within your coverage after you submit a claim.

There are varying types of coverage offered by different companies, as you’ll see here with both Nationwide and Healthy Paws. Most pet owners opt for pet insurance to offset the costly unexpected

Nationwide

As we mentioned above, Nationwide features two different plans and the additional wellness coverage add-on that may or may not be available in your state. Here we’ll go over their different plans and what they cover.

Whole Pet Plan

Whole Pet is Nationwide’s most comprehensive plan and it will cover the broadest range of injuries, accidents, and illnesses. With Whole Pet, you will be reimbursed a percentage of your veterinary bill for any accidents, illnesses, injuries, and the associated examinations and testing. There is a $10,000 annual cap for claims with the Whole Pet Plan.

Major Medical Plan

The Major Medical plan option bases payout on your specific benefit schedule. There is a maximum annual reimbursement limit on each condition, regardless of the total veterinary cost. The Major Medical Plan tends to cost less but does not offer the same amount of coverage as the Whole Pet Plan.

Pet Wellness (Additional)

Nationwide’s Pet Wellness plan is a two-tiered add-on option to your Major Medical Nationwide Pet Insurance plan. This convenient add-on will reimburse you for typical wellness services such as vaccination, heartworm testing, and routine exams. This does not cover the cost of spaying or neutering and it is not available in every state.

Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws offers only one plant that is meant to cover accidents, injuries, and illnesses for cats and dogs. With Healthy Paws, coverage does not include per-condition, annual, or lifetime payout caps but they do not offer any wellness options or accident-only plans, and exam fees are not part of Healthy Paws coverage. They do offer a quick turnaround for claims processing and reimbursement, however.

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Nationwide vs Healthy Paws: Reimbursements & Deductibles

As with any insurance, you won’t be able to truly compare companies and decide what works best for you until you break down coverage by looking at deductibles, reimbursements, coverage limits, restrictions, and even waiting periods with most pet insurance. Here we will take a look at each company and what their plans look like under this scope.

Nationwide

Reimbursement: With the Whole Pet plan you can choose either 50 percent or 70 percent reimbursement for your veterinary expenses. The Major Medical reimbursement will be based solely on your specific schedule of benefits.

Deductibles: For both the Whole Pet Plan and the Major Medical Plan, the annual deductible is $250 if bought online. There are other deductible options, such as the $100 option but you must get in contact with the company directly for more information.

Coverage Limitation: The Whole Pet Plan features a $10,000 annual coverage limit. The Major Medical plan is built around a per-condition basis.  Wellness plans have a maximum of $400 or $500 per year, depending on the tier.

Restrictions: Depending on the plan and your, your pet may need to be at least 8 weeks old or even up to 1 year to get coverage (Whole Pet Plan.) There may be a maximum age of 8 to 10 years for certain species and plans but it’s best to check directly with Nationwide to confirm your situation.

Waiting Period: For Whole Pet or Major Medical plans there is a 14-day waiting period before coverage begins. For stand-alone wellness plans, there is a waiting period of 24 hours.

Healthy Paws

Reimbursement: Healthy Paws’ plan features a minimum reimbursement of 70 percent and a maximum reimbursement of 90 percent.

Deductibles: Deductibles vary depending on your geographical location and your specific pet’s species, age, and breed. Deductible choices vary with Healthy Paws but typically fall between $100 to $500.

Coverage Limitations: One of the most convenient parts about Healthy Paw pet insurance is that there is no coverage limitation with their plan.

Age restrictions: Pets must be at least 8 weeks old to be covered and are eligible for enrollment until they turn 14 years of age. For coverage of hip dysplasia, pets 6 and up are not eligible.

Waiting Period: Waiting periods can vary by state but there is normally a 15-day waiting period for coverage of accidents or illnesses. Coverage for hip dysplasia does have a waiting period of 12 months if your pet is under 6 years old.

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Nationwide vs Healthy Paws: Additional Perks

You will run into some companies that will offer some extra perks beyond your typical plan reimbursement. Here, we will look at any additional perks these companies have to offer if any. Let’s see:

Nationwide

With Nationwide, you can save 5 percent on pet insurance for a new plan if you are a current Nationwide policyholder for any of their other services. They also offer multiple-pet discounts, where you can save 5 percent if you insure more than one pet for up to three animals and 10 percent if you have four or more animals enrolled in coverage. The Wellness Plan is also considered an additional perk because many other insurances do not offer wellness packages.

Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws does not feature any additional perks or discounts available to pet owners, but they make up for the lack of added pers with their lower monthly premiums and the ability to reduce your reimbursement level to save money each month. You can also play around with your deductible to help balance out costs depending on your budget. While that may not be considered an “additional perk” and is just how their plan operates, that certainly adds some flexibility and convenience.

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Company Verdict: Which One Has the Edge?

Customer Service📞

Edge: Healthy Paws

As far as customer service goes, Healthy Paws comes in on top in customer satisfaction and service. While there was a slew of complaints against each company for various reasons, Healthy Paws came in at an overall higher rating in terms of service.

Both companies offer customer support via email or phone Monday through Saturday, and both offer apps with various features to help you manage your plan. Healthy Paws has a much faster claims turnaround time compared to Nationwide and their agents were more direct and well-informed when answering questions when we reach out for information.

Price of Plans💲

Edge: Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws certainly take the edge in terms of price. Not only are the monthly premiums lower overall, but they also offer more flexibility with deductibles and reimbursement amounts to suit your needs. They also offer no caps on coverage, which can be very important in terms of veterinary expenses. They may be more limited overall, but they sure are much more price-friendly.

Areas of Coverage🌐

Edge: Nationwide

Nationwide takes the cake for offering a wider range of coverage options for pet owners. Their plans allow for more versatility in terms of choosing what works for you and your pet. They also don’t just appeal to dog and cat owners since they have an Avian and Exotic Plan. Not only do they have the more all-encompassing Whole Pet Plan, but they also offer the Major Medical Plan that is specific to your benefit schedule. The additional Wellness Plan is also a great perk to have.

Perks📱

Edge: Nationwide

Nationwide gets the top pick in terms of perks because Healthy Paws just doesn’t offer anything additional to their plan option. Nationwide will give discounts for multiple pets and multiple policies within the company. They also have that convenient wellness plan option that most other insurance companies including Healthy Paws do not offer.

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Wrapping Up

	Nationwide	Healthy Paws
Our Rating	Our Rating:	Our Rating:
Specialists	Specialists:	Specialists:
Wellness Options	Wellness Options:	Wellness Options:
Multi-Pet Discount	Multi-Pet Discount:	Multi-Pet Discount:
Hereditary Conditions	Hereditary Conditions:	Hereditary Conditions:
	Compare Quotes	Compare Quotes

While Nationwide can’t be beaten in terms of plan types, the additional wellness option, perks, and covers more than just dogs and cats, they do put caps on their reimbursements and have slower turnaround times regarding claims. Healthy Paws is limited to just one plan but offers no caps on coverage and is more flexible with deductibles and reimbursement amounts to suit your budget.

The truth is, both companies come with their upsides and downsides. Nationwide would be the best and only choice for those needing coverage for other species, but Healthy Paws can give them a run for their money regarding dogs and cats. Ultimately, the choice is yours and you need to find which company fits what you need for your pet.

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