Pet insurance is something that many overlook, but it can be a major way to save money on the care of your pets without cutting corners on care. If you live in Arkansas, the most important thing you can do is thoroughly investigate which companies will meet your needs the best. Some companies won’t cover pets of certain ages, while others won’t cover dental or behavioral care.
To help you make an informed decision about choosing the right pet insurance for you, we’ve reviewed the companies that we consider frontrunners in the world of pet insurance.
A Quick Comparison of the Winners for 2023
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Product
Details
Best Overall
Embrace Pet Insurance
Dental coverage up to $1,000
Covers pre-existing but curable conditions under specific circumstances
Embrace pet insurance is the best overall pet insurance pick for people who live in Arkansas, although they’ll cover your pet if they’re seen at any vet anywhere in the US. Embrace covers multiple things that many other companies don’t, such as dental care coverage up to $1,000, all exam fees, and behavioral support. Their best benefit is that they offer coverage of pre-existing conditions that are curable. This does require your pet to have not received treatment or had symptoms of the condition for at least a year before coverage begins.
If you’re looking for wellness coverage, Embrace offers a wellness care add-on plan, as well as coverage for grooming, training, and flea and tick preventatives. There is a deductible discount of $50 for each year your pet doesn’t require any pet insurance payouts, and Embrace donates $2 for every insurance policy to pet charities. Their app is easy to use and allows you to make changes to your plans, as well as track and submit claims.
Pros
Dental coverage up to $1,000
Covers pre-existing but curable conditions under specific circumstances
Multiple add-on plan options
$50 deductible discount when insurance payouts aren’t used for at least a year
Donates $2 per policy to pet charities
Easy-to-use app
Cons
Wellness coverage and flea and tick meds are an add-on plan
Lemonade is our pick for the best value for pet insurance for people who live in Arkansas, although their vet visit coverage extends anywhere in the US. Lemonade offers deductibles and reimbursements that can be fully customized, which allows you to build a plan that fits your budget.
All plans offer coverage of procedures, prescription medications, and diagnostic tests, with add-on plan options that cover dental and wellness care, including flea and tick preventatives and heartworm preventatives. There is even an add-on wellness plan built to fit the specific needs of puppies and kittens while they’re still growing. You can pay an extra monthly fee to have access to a medical advice chat as well.
The app is easy to use and allows for claim submission and tracking. Lemonade’s biggest downside, though, is that they don’t allow any changes to your plan except at your annual coverage renewal or within the first 14 days of your plan coverage.
Pros
Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized
All plans cover procedures, prescriptions, and diagnostics
Multiple add-on plan options
Special add-on plan built for the specific needs of kittens and puppies
Medical advice chat option for an additional fee
Easy-to-use app
Cons
Plan changes can only be made annually or within 14 days of coverage start
Fetch is a great pet insurance option if you spend a lot of time traveling because they cover vet visits anywhere in the US and Canada, while most companies don’t cover care outside the US. Their coverage is comprehensive, covering everything from breed-specific conditions to dental care to specialty and emergency visits. They will cover up to 90% of the fees associated with any given visit. They only offer one plan, which makes it easy to make a decision about this company. Unfortunately, they do not offer any coverage for wellness and preventative care coverage.
Fetch’s rates are variable and are based on your pet’s breed and age, as well as your location. There are no upper age limits, which means you can get insurance coverage for all of your pets, even your seniors. Their app is easy to use and allows you to access your account in real time.
Trupanion offers something that no other company offers at this time, and that is payments directly to vets. However, vets must have the Trupanion software to accept and process these payments. This does save you money out of pocket up front, though, and means that you’ll only be paying your deductible at the visit.
They have basic plans that cover for injuries, illnesses, and breed-specific conditions. For additional coverage, they have a variety of add-on plans to cover everything from prosthetics to hospitalizations. They do not offer any wellness or exam fee coverage, though. While they have an add-on plan for alternative therapy coverage, there are some restrictions on this coverage. Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized to fit your budget, though.
Pros
Offers payments directly to vets who have their software
Deductibles are the only out-of-pocket expense with direct-to-vet payments
Basic plans include breed-specific conditions
Multiple specialized add-on plans
Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized
Cons
No wellness or preventative care coverage
Alternative therapy add-on coverage has some restrictions
MetLife offers customizable deductibles, reimbursements, and payouts, as well as monthly or annual payment options. They offer coverage of accidents, illnesses, surgeries, and exam fees with their base plan, but they also offer an add-on wellness plan.
They work with businesses to offer discounted pet insurance coverage to employees, as well as offering discounts for military personnel, animal care providers, and people who purchase pet insurance plans through their website. The website and app are both easy to use and updated in real time.
It’s important to note that MetLife doesn’t cover any type of grooming under any of their plans. This includes medicated baths and other medical-related grooming procedures.
Pros
Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized
Annual payout maximums are customizable
Coverage of accidents and illnesses are included in their base plan
Optional wellness coverage add-on plan
Provides discounts for multiple groups
Easy-to-use app and website offer real-time updates
Cons
Grooming costs, even medical-related grooming, are not covered
ASPCA isn’t just a trusted organization, but they also offer multiple pet insurance plans and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Their top plan is the Complete Coverage Plan, which offers comprehensive care of things like dental conditions, accidents, illnesses, and inherited conditions. For a more affordable plan option, they offer a plan that just covers ingestion of toxins and foreign bodies, as well as accidental injuries. A wellness care plan can be added onto both of these plans if desired.
This company will cover your visits to any vet in the US or Canada, and they offer multi-pet discounts to help save you money. They offer a variety of customization options to their plans to suit your budget. However, their reimbursements are often based on fee schedules and not your actual visit payments.
Pros
30-day money-back guarantee
Complete Coverage Plan offers comprehensive coverage of multiple conditions
Progressive doesn’t cap their plans with a maximum annual coverage limit, although a $5,000 annual limit can be added to reduce the monthly costs associated with their coverage. Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized to fit your budget as well.
They offer three base plans to meet a variety of budgets and coverage needs, as well as add-on wellness coverage plans, although the wellness plans have annual coverage limits, unlike the other plans. Progressive’s app is easy to use and provides real-time updates on your account. Like MetLife, Progressive works with many employers to offer discounts to employees, and they do allow for payroll deduction at an employer’s discretion.
Pros
Base plans don’t have coverage limits
Deductibles and reimbursements can be customized
Multiple plans available
Optional wellness coverage add-on plans
Payroll deduction can be done at an employer’s discretion
Cons
Wellness plans have maximum annual coverage limits
USAA’s pet insurance can be used by anyone, but they do offer discounts to USAA members. Your pet can be seen at any vet in the US under USAA plan coverage, and there is a $50 reduction in your deductible for every year your pet doesn’t require insurance payouts.
They offer coverage of breed-specific conditions in their base plans, as well as surgeries, emergency visits, medications, and alternative therapies. There is a wellness plan add-on for an additional monthly fee. While they offer coverage for pets of all ages, pets over the age of 14 years can only receive accident-only coverage.
USAA has a restriction on their accident and injury coverage that they will not cover injuries caused intentionally by people or animals. This can mean that fights between pets in the home or domestic incidents may not result in coverage.
Pros
Discount for USAA members
Covers care at any US vet
$50 deductible discount when insurance payouts aren’t used for at least a year
Optional wellness coverage add-on plan
Covers pets of all ages
Cons
Pets aged 14 years and older are only eligible for accident coverage
Restrictions on injuries intentionally inflicted by people or animals within the home
Healthy Paws doesn’t have annual payout limits, which can make this a great option if you think your pet may require a lot of care. They offer coverage of alternative therapies and genetic conditions in their base plans. They don’t offer any wellness care coverage, though.
This company offers an annual deductible, while many other pet insurance companies require a per-visit deductible. This can save you money if your pet requires multiple visits in a year. Their app is easy to use and offers real-time account updates.
One issue that may be a turnoff for people with pets prone to cruciate ligament tears is that Healthy Paws has a bilateral restriction on cruciate ligament tears. What this means is that if your pet tears one of their cruciate ligaments prior to enrollment or within 15 days after enrollment, any damage to the other cruciate ligament will not be covered at any point during the life of the plan.
Nationwide not only offers a variety of insurance plans to cover dogs and cats, but they are also one of the only companies that offers coverage for exotic pets. The Whole Pet plan covers accidents and illnesses, along with prescriptions, diagnostic tests, and medical treatments, while the Major Medical plan only offers accident and illness coverage. Nationwide also has two add-on wellness plan options, depending on your pet’s needs.
The Whole Pet plan offers reimbursements based on a percentage of your spend, while the other plans base their reimbursements on a fee schedule. Nationwide offers coverage on pets of all ages as long as they are enrolled before the age of 10 years. After the age of 10, you will not be able to set up a new plan or reinstate a plan if your pet’s coverage lapses. Also, at this time, Nationwide only offers mailed reimbursement checks.
Pros
Offers coverage for dogs, cats, and exotic pets
Multiple plan options
Optional wellness coverage add-on plans
Whole Pet plan offers reimbursements based on a percentage of your total spend
Coverage extends past 10 years of age
Cons
All but one plan reimburses based on a fee schedule
Pets over age 10 cannot get new coverage or have lapsed coverage reinstated
Only offers mailed reimbursement checks
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Pet Insurance Provider in Arkansas
What to Look for in Pet Insurance in Arkansas
To simplify the top things you should be looking for when selecting a pet insurance company, we’ve compiled a list of the primary parameters we looked at to rate these companies. This will not only help you make an educated decision but better understand what makes a company rank above others.
Policy Coverage
Generally speaking, pet insurance companies will cover accidental injuries and illnesses in their basic plans. Other types of care, including prescriptions, exam fees, specialty visits, and surgical procedures, may require additional plan add-ons to acquire coverage.
Wellness care is hit or miss with pet insurance companies, unfortunately. Some companies subscribe to the belief that insurance is intended to cover unexpected expenses, and since wellness care is an expected expense, it shouldn’t be covered. Other companies allow for coverage of wellness care in much the same way that human insurance companies do, but wellness care is often not included in base insurance plans.
You should not expect coverage of pre-existing conditions with your pet’s insurance coverage. Embrace is the exception to the rule, offering coverage of pre-existing conditions, but only if the condition is curable and your pet has not had any symptoms of or treatment for the condition in the year prior to coverage.
Customer Service & Reputation
Customer service can make or break your experience with a company. Poor customer service can push customers away, while excellent customer service often encourages customers to stay with a company for life. All of the companies that made it onto this list have shown good to excellent customer service, along with the willingness to work with customers to improve their offerings.
Image Credit: SvetikovaV, Shutterstock
Claim Repayment
Overall, you can expect multiple reimbursement options from most companies. Most pet insurance companies offer direct deposit and check reimbursement. In most circumstances, direct deposit options ensure you’ll receive your reimbursements days or weeks faster than you would with a check reimbursement.
Price of Policy
Pet insurance pricing can vary broadly, depending on the coverage, pet’s age, location, and a variety of other factors. The type of coverage offered in both base and add-on plans can cause great variations in pricing. For base plans, you can generally expect to spend between $15–40 per month. Add-on plans will add to this expense.
You can make adjustments with most plans to your deductible and reimbursement percentage. When doing this, it’s important to remember that the less you spend up front, the more you’ll pay when care needs arise. A lower monthly payment is likely to cost you more out of pocket when your pet is sick or injured.
Image Credit: ressmaster, Shutterstock
FAQ
Will pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Most of the time, your pet’s insurance company will not cover any pre-existing conditions. Embrace’s coverage of curable pre-existing conditions is the exception to this.
What kind of age restrictions can I expect?
The age restrictions on pet insurance depend on the company. Some companies will not insure older pets at all, while others offer coverage at a higher price for older pets. Some companies offer limited coverage for older pets.
How can I get international coverage for my pet?
In the US, most pet insurance companies only offer coverage for vet visits within the US. A handful of companies also offer coverage in Canada. Additional international coverage is difficult to come by.
Does pet insurance cover care for exotic pets?
Nationwide is the only pet insurance company that currently offers exotic pet coverage. Other companies only offer coverage for cats and dogs.
Image Credit: hedgehog94, Shutterstock
What the Users Say
The Better Business Bureau has given Embrace an A+ rating, so you can feel comfortable choosing this company. Customers report rapid reimbursements, with some receiving reimbursements less than 2 weeks after submitting a claim.
Customers who use Lemonade love the ease of use of the app, and many of them report enjoying feeling like Lemonade makes insurance fun and understandable.
Customers of Fetch praise the great customer service and supportive customer service workers.
MetLife customers appreciate the policy coverage and the discounts they offer.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
Only you know what pet insurance offers what you need. It’s a good idea to set your budget before you start shopping for insurance coverage. This will allow you to ensure you’re choosing a company with coverage that fits your needs and fits within your budget. The type of coverage you need will vary based on your pet. If you have a pet that is a breed that is prone to specific medical issues, then you may need to consider a plan that covers hereditary conditions.
Conclusion
Choosing pet insurance can be a challenge, but this is a great guide to help you start your search for the perfect pet insurance for your needs. In Arkansas, you have multiple great options to choose from. Consider your pet’s age and potential medical needs when choosing a plan, as well as your own budget and expected reimbursement. Before signing up for a policy, determine what discounts they offer and see if you might be eligible for any of them.
Brooke Billingsley spent nine years as a veterinary assistant before becoming a human nurse in 2013. She resides in Arkansas with her boyfriend of five years. She loves all animals and currently shares a home with three dogs, two cats, five fish, and two snails. She has a soft spot for special needs animals and has a three-legged senior dog and an internet famous cat with acromegaly and cerebellar hypoplasia. Fish keeping has become a hobby of Brooke’s and she is continually learning how to give her aquarium pets the best life possible. Brooke enjoys plants and gardening and keeps a vegetable garden during the summer months. She stays active with yoga and obtained her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2020. She hosts a podcast focusing on folklore and myth and loves spending her free time researching and writing. Brooke believes that every day is an opportunity for learning and growth and she spends time daily working toward new skills and knowledge....Read more
