With the rising cost of pet ownership, getting pet insurance can be extremely helpful in an emergency. The right pet insurance plan will help you pay for sudden vet costs due to an injury or illness. While many pet expenses can be planned for, these are difficult to predict.
However, not all pet insurance plans are made equal. Some have poor coverage and aren’t worth the cost. Others may be more expensive than usual. It’s vital to choose the right insurance plan for your pet—or you may just be throwing money away each month.
In this article, we’ll look at some pet insurance plans you can get in Tennessee. Luckily, pet insurance in Tennessee is cheaper than in other states, as vet costs are lower.
A Quick Comparison of the Winners for 2023
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Best Overall
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Fetch |
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Best Value
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Embrace |
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Trupanion |
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Spot |
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Lemonade |
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The 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Tennessee
1. Fetch – Best Overall
Fetch by Dodo is a newer pet insurance company that fits the needs of many pet owners. This plan tends to cost about average, but its coverage is great. Exam fees are automatically covered when your pet is sick. You can also earn up to 30% off annually if you do not make any claims in a given year. Your pet likely won’t need vet care due to an illness or injury every year, so you’ll likely get this discount many times.
We love that this plan includes coverage options that aren’t often included automatically. For instance, it covers behavioral issues, vet-recommended supplements, boarding fees if you’re hospitalized, and alternative therapies. Virtual vet visits are also covered for up to $1,000 each year. Just about everything is covered if it pertains to an illness or injury.
The only potential negative is that Fetch requires an annual wellness visit. However, given that your dog needs one anyway, this shouldn’t be a massive deal for most pet owners.
2. Embrace – Best Value
Embrace Pet Insurance is another great insurance option in Tennessee. This pet insurance plan is a bit cheaper than most, though this will depend on your pet and area. The best way to find the cheapest option for you is to get multiple quotes—which are free and have no obligation.
Embrace covers injuries and illnesses under their base plan. There is an optional wellness add-on that adds some coverage for routine exams, teeth cleanings, and other wellness activities. However, you aren’t going to get much more out of this wellness plan than you put in.
This company will lower your deductible by $50 every year you do not have a claim. Therefore, eventually, you may have no deductible at all. Submitting claims can be done easily through the company’s app. You can also submit it by email or over the phone. However, the app is the easiest by far.
3. Trupanion
Trupanion is quite a bit more expensive than most. However, it also has better coverage options than most. Therefore, you’re paying more for more peace of mind. For instance, this plan covers accidents, illnesses, and congenital conditions. You can also add coverage for damage caused by your dog to someone else’s property. You can even get boarding fees paid if you need to be hospitalized.
However, all of these add-ons can be a bit complicated. After all, it can be hard to determine what you need.
Trupanion offers a range of different plan options. You can pick a deductible ranging from $0 to $1,000. The one you pick determines your premium, as well.
We love that this company has a relatively short period of five days for accidents. However, the 30-day waiting period for illnesses is one of the longest in the industry. Therefore, these two factors tend to cancel each other out.
4. Spot
If you’ve looked for pet insurance in Tennessee, you’ve probably heard of Spot. This company does offer many different coverage options. They are one of the few to have an accident-only policy, for instance. Therefore, if you’re interested in editing your plan to be exactly what you want, this company may be a good option.
This pet insurance company does have annual coverage limits. Therefore, the plan will stop paying after a certain amount.
However, Spot does cover vet exam fees as part of their basic package. They also cover rehabilitative and alternative therapies. Therefore, their coverage is comprehensive and includes many treatments other plans don’t. They also offer two different preventative care packages for those that are interested.
5. Lemonade
You may have heard a lot about Lemonade, as the company often gets positive reviews from other websites. This company offers affordable coverage compared to others on this list with their base plan. You must purchase many add-ons if you need additional coverage for your pets.
The base plan includes diagnostics, procedures (like surgery or hospitalization), and medications. Unfortunately, vet visits are not covered but you can add them to your plan for around $6 monthly. The company also has preventative packages. Physical therapy, behavioral conditions, dental coverage, and end-of-life care are a few you might want to consider.
All these different options give you a lot of room to adjust your plan. If you can’t afford other pet insurance, then this may be an excellent budget option.
6. Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws may not be at the very top of our list, but it is a fairly good insurance option for those in Tennessee. We like that you can use absolutely any veterinarian and the mobile app to submit claims. There are also no coverage limits, so you don’t have to worry about your dog being too sick. Claims are processed relatively fast, at around 10 days.
Their waiting periods are a bit long, though. There is a 2-week waiting period for accidents and illnesses, as well as a 12-month period for pets under the age of 6.
The plan covers just about everything you need, including hereditary conditions. Cancer, testing, surgery, and other expenses are covered. There aren’t any additional add-ons, as this company’s mission is to take the complexity out of pet insurance.
7. Pets Best
Pets Best offers many different coverage options. There is an accident-only plan available, as well as one that is a bit more comprehensive. They offer a basic plan and an upgraded option, which covers vet exams and optional coverage like rehabilitation.
There are many different plan options that Pets Best offers. Their mobile app is pretty well put together and allows you to submit claims easily. They also offer several routine care options, which cover preventative care.
We also like that their waiting periods are pretty short – for the most part. Their illness coverage starts after 14-days, while their accident waiting period is three days. However, there is a 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament coverage.
This company is also more expensive than most. However, again, it will depend on exactly where you live.
8. Figo
Unlike most pet plans, Figo offers a 100% reimbursement option. However, the premiums will be quite high with this option. This plan does have annual limits, though you can opt for unlimited coverage. With many options, you do get a bit more play in choosing the best pet insurance for your needs. While several decisions need to be made, their three-step process makes it easy to build a policy.
Exams and consulting fees are not covered in the base plan. However, you can add them as an optional add-on in the final policy step.
This policy does cover many things. They will even cover pre-existing conditions if your canine doesn’t have symptoms for 12 months (and count as “curable”). The plan doesn’t cover parasites, cosmetic procedures, and pregnancies. Anything counted as “experimental” also isn’t covered.
9. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
We all know ASPCA as a not-for-profit that is invested in animal welfare. However, they also offer their own health insurance plan. They cost about average and have several plan options. For instance, you can choose an accident-only plan. Their more comprehensive plan covers about anything, including behavioral therapy and stem cell treatment.
Pre-existing conditions aren’t necessarily written off, either. If your pet is “healed” and has no additional symptoms for 180 days, they may cover future issues. They do have annual coverage limits, though.
Sadly, this plan has an extremely long claims processing time—up to 30 days. Therefore, they were ranked lower on our list. (Many pet owners simply can’t wait long for a claim to be processed.)
This plan is the same as offered by Spot but with some more limited options. Therefore, if this plan looks good to you, we recommend just going with Spot instead for more plan options.
10. Nationwide Pet Insurance
Most people will recognize Nationwide. However, you may not have known that they also offer pet insurance. Their plans are much more expensive than other options, though, and they have many different plans to choose from. Here’s a quick breakdown of their plan options:
- Major Medical: Covers some basic illnesses and accidents, such as prescriptions, exams, and hospitalization
- Pet Wellness: Covers some wellness procedures, like exams, testing, and vaccinations
- Whole Pet: Covered everything in Major Medical as well as prescription food, supplements, parasites, and gingivitis
- Exotic Pet Plan: This plan is for more unusual pets, like reptiles, rodents, goats, and ferrets.
There are benefit limits for all plans. However, the exact limit depends on the plan. Nationwide also has a maximum enrollment age of ten years.
Pre-existing conditions are not permanently excluded. If the condition has been cured without symptoms for half a year, your dog may be covered if symptoms reappear later.
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Pet Insurance Provider in Tennessee
Pet insurance may appear complicated upfront. However, there are only a few things you need to keep in mind. Here are some of the factors you should keep in mind:
Policy Coverage
In the end, a plan is only as good as its coverage. If you take your dog to the vet, you want their expenses to be covered. You don’t want to pay a plan that won’t pay you when you need them to. Many people assume that an “accident and illness” plan will cover all accident and illness expenses. However, this isn’t usually the case. Plans only cover specific treatments and expenses associated with vet care.
It is best to read thoroughly through the exclusions to determine what a policy doesn’t cover, as this is usually more telling than a description of what the plan does cover. For instance, many plans claim that they cover “diagnostics” but won’t cover vet exams.
Behavioral conditions, rehabilitation, vet exams, and chronic conditions are among the things that aren’t always covered. Sometimes, these are offered as add-ons (which may make the base price cheaper). However, a company that is selling you policies piece-by-piece is usually trying to make it seem like they are cheaper—when the reality is that their base plan just doesn’t cover much.
Customer Service & Reputation
With an insurance company, you’ll probably deal with customer service at least once. While most claims are pretty simple to make and no longer require interacting with a real person, the company may request more information—or you may have to speak to customer service about why you were denied. Therefore, their customer service must be well put together.
Luckily, you can test their customer service before you purchase a plan. (However, remember that many companies may have a separate team for new customers.)
You can also base your ideas on reviews like ours. While you can find a negative review about every company’s customer service team if you dig hard enough, several negative reviews may be concerning.
Claim Repayment
Of course, even if a company says they will repay you for a certain expense, most have no requirement for when they will repay you. Some claims take as little as three days to be processed and repaid. However, others may take as long as thirty days for repayment—plus extra for the money to end up in your account.
Companies usually don’t advertise how long their repayment is—unless it is very short. However, reviewing reviews like ours will inform you if repayment is extremely long.
Most plans will reimburse you sometime after you pay the vet. Therefore, you need to have the money set aside to cover the vet bill upfront for at least a couple of weeks (or enough room on your credit card). However, others will pay the vet directly, eliminating one thing you must worry about.
Price of Policy
Of course, the price of the policy’s premium is something you’ll need to keep in mind. Often, policies will let you adjust the annual limit, deductible, and reimbursement option to lower or raise your premium. Most people are concerned primarily with the premium when purchasing a plan, as this is what you have to pay every month. However, the deductible and reimbursement can cost you much more in the long run.
All of these factors affect the policy’s price, so keep them all in mind. A low premium may sound great, but you may pay far more in the long run if your annual limit is only $5,000.
Plan Customization
Most plans allow some level of customization. This allows you to pick the coverage options you want. For instance, you may choose a higher deductible to lower your monthly premium. Or you may decide that a higher premium and lower deductible work better for you. Either way, options are usually better than no options.
However, too many options can get very overwhelming. Some plans allow you to pick from countless deductibles, reimbursements, and annual limits—all of which affect your premium. Others may even have tons of add-ons, letting you decide exactly what conditions you want coverage for. Ultimately, it depends on what you’re looking for and how personalized you want the plan to be.
Sometimes, it is best to go with a company that has one or two choices that work for most owners.
FAQ
What is the Best Company to Get Pet Insurance With?
Several companies are good choices for pet insurance if you live in Tennessee. It depends largely on what you’re looking for, as well as if your canine has an underlying condition. While most companies do not cover pre-existing conditions, some will cover a condition if your dog has been symptom-free for a period of time (usually around six months). If your dog has a chronic condition, then one of these companies will be best.
If you’re looking for a specific annual limit, deductible, or premium, you’ll likely want to pick a company that provides those options.
Our favorite company is Fetch. It provides a simple, comprehensive plan with a decent amount of personalization options. They also cover prescription supplements and behavioral therapy, which many companies do not. Embrace is another good option that is less expensive. They also cover most conditions and have a straightforward plan builder.
How Do I Choose the Right Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance can seem a bit complicated. However, it is pretty straightforward. All the new terms and countless options can make the process overwhelming. Therefore, your best bet is to educate yourself on common pet insurance lingo, such as what a waiting period is or an annual limit. Then, you’ll be able to confidently compare insurance plans and ask questions if you need to.
We recommend taking a close look at what companies don’t cover—as these are often more telling than what a company does cover. Companies will tell you exactly what they cover before you purchase a plan (and if they don’t, you should ask).
Finally, get many different quotes so that you have a better idea of which plans are cheaper for you. Different companies rank certain factors higher when it comes to pricing. Some may take where you live into more account than another. Others may increase premiums substantially as your dog ages. Therefore, they won’t all be priced the same.
What the Users Say
Most users are pleased with their dog insurance. However, there are some negative reviews, of course. Most of these come from the user not understanding what the plan covers (or the plan not being clear with what they cover). Therefore, be sure you understand exactly what you’re buying before you make a purchase.
The last thing you want is to purchase a plan that doesn’t cover what you thought it would.
Which Pet Insurance Provider is Best for You?
We recommend taking our top few insurance providers and getting a quote. These quotes are completely free and don’t put you under any obligation. Therefore, they can be a great way to get an exact price of what you can expect to pay. Then, you can decide which plan is worth the price.
Consider what you’re looking for in a plan when choosing a provider. If you want one to help with only very expensive surgeries and emergencies, consider getting one without an annual limit. If you don’t mind paying high premiums but want very low vet costs, look for a plan with 100% reimbursement.
Conclusion
Many pet insurance companies may be a good choice for you and your canine. We highly recommend Fetch, as they have some of the most comprehensive coverage. Their base plan is very good, and they don’t have add-ons to complicate the matter. Therefore, if you just want a basic plan that works, Fetch is a great option for you.
Embrace is a solid budget option that may be a bit cheaper (though this does depend a lot on your area). They offer an optional wellness add-on, so they may be the best choice if you’re looking for help paying for vaccinations and preventative care.
Related Reads:
- 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Michigan – Reviews & Comparisons
- 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers in the UK: Reviews & Comparisons
Featured Image Credit: thodonal88, Shutterstock
