Taking care of a pet requires more than just offering them water, food, exercise, and love. A pet’s health must be the priority, but managing their health sometimes requires the help of a veterinarian or even a surgeon. The costs of veterinarian care can add up over time, so it’s a good idea to find a reliable pet insurance plan.
Pet insurance can help you save money and effectively budget for routine healthcare and veterinarian emergencies as time goes on. This is especially important when living in a place like Hawaii, the most expensive place to live in the United States.1
You may be wondering which pet insurance companies are the best. You’ve come to the right place! Here is a breakdown of pet insurance providers in Hawaii to consider this year:
A Quick Comparison of the Winners for 2024
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Best Overall
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Embrace Pet Insurance |
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Wagmo Pet Insurance |
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Best Value
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Nationwide Pet Insurance |
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Click to Get Quote |
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Figo Pet Insurance |
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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance |
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Click to Get Quote |
The 12 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Hawaii
1. Embrace Pet Insurance — Best Overall
Embrace pet insurance is accepted by all Hawaii vet healthcare facilities and hospitals, so you can get care for your pet no matter what island you happen to reside on. Whether you are looking for general care or your pet needs emergency treatment, you can get the help that you need without worrying about whether you’ll be financially covered.
Embrace offers coverage for unexpected accidents and illnesses, even when those illnesses are breed specific, chronic, or congenital. Things like DNA testing, cosmetic procedures, pregnancy, and pre-existing conditions are not covered. The company offers 24/7 customer support, and if you don’t make a claim throughout the year, your deductible will decrease by $50 the next year.
2. Wagmo Pet Insurance
Wagmo is a woman-owned pet insurance company that offers separate plans for emergency and routine care, so you can customize the kind of coverage that you want. The emergency plan covers everything from cancer treatment and surgery to hip dysplasia and prescription medications. Things such as spaying and neutering, boarding, and hydrotherapy are not covered.
As for the wellness plan, a routine exam, a urinalysis, flea and tick prevention, yearly vaccinations, and even up to $100 worth of grooming each year are included. You can save 5% on your premium costs when enrolling more than one pet into a Wagmo insurance plan. Get reimbursed within 24 hours after making a wellness claim and within 2 weeks of an emergency claim.
3. Nationwide Pet Insurance — Best Value
Nationwide prides itself on being “coverage for pet people, by pet people,” partly due to the 40 years that it has been in the pet insurance game. While some exclusions might apply, Nationwide covers pets for accidents and injuries, common illnesses, diagnostics and testing, hereditary conditions, and chronic conditions. The company offers coverage that is accepted in all 50 states of the U.S., so you can be anywhere, including Hawaii (even on vacation!), and get help if your pet needs medical care.
Nationwide pet insurance customers can take advantage of special pricing of certain pet-related products that have partnered with the company. There’s also a 24/7 vet helpline, where customers can gain access to expert veterinarian advice before deciding to make an appointment. Like most pet insurance companies, Nationwide’s pet insurance coverage acts as a reimbursement plan.
4. Figo Pet Insurance
Figo pet insurance offers coverage throughout Hawaii and the rest of the United States. What’s different about Figo pet insurance is that claims are typically processed within 3 days, which means you can reclaim your costs quickly and stay on budget as you planned. There are no per-incident caps, so you don’t have to worry about being cut off due to a specific condition.
The company offers personalized pet tags that make it easier to reunite you with your pet if they ever get lost and can’t find their way home. An additional wellness plan can be added to the base insurance plan that Figo offers, so you can save money on things like regular checkups and vaccinations. Top-tier coverage options include pet burial, lost pet advertising, and boarding fees.
5. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws pet insurance offers no maximum limit on claim payouts, so you don’t have to worry about maxing out your credit during one incident or treatment. There are not any yearly or lifetime limits either. The veterinarian whom you decide to see does not have to approve your claims. All you have to do is take a photo of your vet bill and submit it while logged into your account.
Depending on the type of plan that you choose, you can get basic pet coverage that includes accidents and unexpected illnesses, or you can choose a plan that includes cancer treatment, chronic conditions, hip dysplasia, and even alternative care. The company boasts quick customer service, but that service is not available 24/7.
6. Trupanion Pet Insurance
This pet insurance coverage can be used anywhere in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, making it one of the most extensive types of coverage on the market. Trupanion pays out 90% of the cost of covered medical care and treatments after the deductible is met. The cost of coverage is tied to the deductible amount that is chosen, which can be anywhere from $0 to $1,000.
There are no caps as to how much the company will pay out each year, but preventative care and pre-existing conditions are never covered. What’s unique about Trupanion pet insurance is that the company can pay the veterinarian or animal hospital directly so customers only have to worry about out-of-pocket deductibles.
7. Pumpkin Pet Insurance
Pumpkin pet insurance covers common accidents and illnesses like most other plans but goes further by including coverage for microchip implants, prescription food and medication, and behavioral rehabilitation. The company also offers an optional add-on that covers one annual wellness exam, two vaccinations, one blood test for heartworms (important in mosquito-infested Hawaii), and one fecal test each year.
This is a reimbursement plan that pays out depending on the annual limits and deductibles that are chosen at the time of signup. If you work with a vet that doesn’t require upfront payment in full — which is the case for many veterinarians in Hawaii — you can have Pumpkin pay the vet directly for services rendered. There is no 24/7 customer service, however, which can make emergency care inconvenient.
8. ASPCA Pet Insurance
ASPCA offers three different kinds of plans: accident only, accident plus unexpected illness, and optional preventive care. You can add the optional plan onto either of the other two plans that you decide to go with. Each plan comes with a different price tag, so you can mix and match as you see fit. The complete coverage plan even covers things like behavioral issues.
The coverage can be utilized at any veterinarian’s office or emergency center throughout the United States, including in Hawaii. It can also be used in Canada if you decide to vacation there with your pet. ASPCA offers a multiple-pet discount to help save you money on healthcare in the coming months and years. If you don’t like the coverage that you purchase, you can cancel and get your money back within 30 days.
9. Progressive Pet Insurance
Unlike other pet insurance plans on the market, Progressive plans are associated with the area in which coverage will be used. Progressive works with all veterinarians in Hawaii, so you can get your pet care no matter where you are. You can also use the coverage when traveling outside of the state. There are waiting periods that must be met before your insurance plan can be utilized: 3 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, and 6 months for ligament conditions.
Premiums are determined by the annual limit, deductible, and reimbursement level that is chosen. The annual limit can be set at $5,000 or unlimited. The annual deductible can be set anywhere from $50 to $1,000. The reimbursement level can range from 70% to 90%. Customers can choose to add extra coverage onto their base insurance plan so things like rehab and acupuncture are covered.
10. Hartville Pet Insurance
Hartville pet insurance offers multiple types of coverage plans in Hawaii. If you’re only worried about accidents, you can choose an accident-only plan. You could also choose a basic preventative plan, a prime preventive plan, and a complete coverage plan. Complete coverage is the most popular option because it covers just about everything besides pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures, and breeding costs.
If you like to adventure with your pet in Hawaii, you may be interested in the accident-only plan, as much of the state’s landscape is comprised of terrain (including lava!) that can be dangerous for traversing dogs. The company’s insurance plan rates average about $1.35 per day based on its calculations. All plan management and claims submissions can be done from your computer or smartphone.
11. AKC Pet Insurance
A plan called CompanionCare is offered to pet owners in Hawaii through the AKC. This plan covers all the things that you’d expect, along with prescription medications and physical therapy. Alternative services, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, herbal, and holistic care, are also covered! Several upgrade options are also available that can cover things that other companies won’t cover, such as breeding illnesses and accidents, hereditary care, and preventative care reimbursement.
Unlike many other plans available on the market, this one has no waiting periods before coverage becomes active. The company processes claims quickly, and most are reimbursed within about a week of the initial submission. Sometimes, veterinarian verification is required, in which case, it could take up to 30 days for reimbursement to be made.
12. Bivvy Pet Insurance
Bivvy covers more than just cats and dogs. It’s able and willing to cover rodents, birds, and reptiles too. Take your pet to any vet, get an itemized bill, and use the bill to file a claim. You should receive reimbursement directly in your bank account within just a few days. This company doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles that many others on this list do, but it’s one of the most affordable out there.
Basic accident-and-illness coverage costs just $14 a month per pet, no matter their species or age. If you want full coverage that includes wellness and preventative care, you can opt to add the services, but the policy costs quickly rise when doing so. Dental care, air ambulances, vaccinations, and pre-existing conditions are all on the list of things not covered.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Pet Insurance Provider in Hawaii
When choosing a new pet insurance policy for your furry family member, there are several factors to consider such as policy coverage, the claims repayment process, and plan customization. Let’s take a look at each one.
Policy Coverage
It is important to get an itemized list of everything that is and isn’t covered under each pet insurance policy that you are considering investing in. Make sure to take note of any optional coverage options and put those into a separate category. This will allow you to compare the options side by side and get a clear idea of which plans will provide you with the best coverage for the Hawaiian landscape and give you the most peace of mind.
After comparing the base coverage, you can consider any optional coverages before making a final investment decision. Ultimately, you should know exactly what to expect from each plan that you compare and determine which is most likely to cover your needs as time goes on.
Customer Service and Reputation
Customer service is extremely important because if you can’t get help or answers when you need them, it could cost you money when it’s time to decide what kind of treatment to give your pet. Therefore, it is a good idea to call and/or email the customer service department of any pet insurance company that you are considering working with.
Make a short list of questions to ask so you can judge the customer service of each company fairly. Take note of their personability, knowledge, conversational skills, and willingness to help. Reputation is also something to look into. Check out customer reviews online, and venture into forums where people are talking about the services that they’re getting.
Claim Repayment
The entire point of investing in pet insurance is to ensure that you can afford veterinarian care for your furry family member when the need is least expected. If you have to wait weeks to get reimbursed for vet services that you pay for out of pocket, you could find yourself in a sticky situation, budget-wise. It is never fun to have to choose between paying the mortgage and taking the best care possible of your pet.
Therefore, it is crucial to make sure you understand how the claim repayment process works for any pet insurance policy that you’re eyeing. How are you expected to file a claim after getting vet services? How long does it take for a claim to be processed once it has been submitted? How long after the claim is processed can you expect to get reimbursed? Any company that you’re looking at should be able to provide you with an itemized breakdown to answer these questions.
Price of Policy
The premium of a pet insurance policy must be taken into consideration when deciding whether to invest in it. However, just because one policy seems more expensive than another up front doesn’t mean it is not a better deal. The deductible, reimbursement percentage, and/or copay might be much higher for the plan with the less-expensive premium. The plan with the more-expensive premium can end up saving you significantly more money when you use it. So, consider all costs — not just the premium — when comparing pet insurance plans.
Plan Customization
Some pet insurance plans can be customized, while others can’t. If you find a plan that you mostly like, but something is missing that you think is important, find out if the plan can be customized to include what you want. Maybe you want a plan that will cover air ambulance services in case your pet needs to be flown to Oahu from an outlying island for emergency surgery.
Whatever the case, if a particular plan doesn’t seem to be customizable, call customer service because they may be able to provide you with solutions. Or, you may not be able to get the customizations that you’d like, in which case, you may want to keep searching to see if any other pet insurance companies can meet all your needs.
FAQ
Can I Get Pet Insurance Outside the U.S.?
Yes! Embrace pet insurance offers coverage for pets no matter where they travel in the world — as long as they are full-time residents of the United States. The claims process works the same everywhere. Embrace works with translators and even converts currency when necessary to cover claims.
What If My Insurance Company Is Not Listed in Your Reviews?
Beyond this list, it’s unlikely that you will find a pet insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage in the state of Hawaii. However, if you do, that’s great! Stick with whatever pet insurance company that you feel comfortable working with and that will cover your pet on the island that you live on in Hawaii.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Specializes in Hawaii Coverage?
There is not one specific pet insurance company that offers coverage solely in Hawaii or that specializes in Hawaii coverage. However, the only service providers who need to specialize in Hawaii pet care are veterinarians who live in the state. As long as you see a qualified veterinarian in Hawaii, any company that services the state will cover your expenses per your plan’s stipulations.
What the Users Say
- Most customer reviews mention the money that is saved by investing in pet insurance plans.
- Many customer reviews show appreciation for the ability to get pet care on any island within the state of Hawaii.
- A few customers find that pet insurance is a waste of money due to a lack of use.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
The only person who can answer this question is you. You’re the best judge of the kind of care that your pet needs, especially when living in Hawaii. Every place in Hawaii is different. Maybe you like to surf or hike with your dog, in which case, you’ll need an insurance plan that covers accidents that can result in things like broken bones or even drowning. If you live in the mountains, you are more likely worried about dog fights with strays. In this case, you’ll want a plan that covers injuries due to dog attacks. Make a list of what’s important to you in a pet insurance plan, and compare that list to your options.
Conclusion
Investing in a pet insurance plan can help save you money over the years. That saved money could be used to explore the beautiful state of Hawaii with your pet! Fortunately, there are many pet insurance companies out there that offer coverage in Hawaii. This list lays out all the basics, so you have a starting point to work from. You’ll need to do a bit more research to get your personal questions answered, of course.
Featured Image Credit: Pixsooz, Shutterstock
