Pet Insurance Maine

There are a lot of things you can do for the well-being of your pet. Many of those things are optional. But getting them insurance is something that looks optional but really shouldn’t be. We have the same amount of responsibility towards our pets as the other members of our family that we promised to take care of.

With that in mind, we thought it would be a good idea to help out those of you who are looking for pet insurance in Maine. We start with an overall brief and then go into the specifics.

Pet Insurance in Maine: An Overview

It costs an average of $1,500 a year to pay for the vet. And it’s only going higher every year. That’s a pretty good reason to get pet insurance.

Pet insurance in Maine, as in many other states in the US, depends on a few things other than the coverage plan you pick. The type of pet, its breed and age and your geographical location are all things that could influence your monthly premiums. In Maine, it works something like this.

At $28.12, Westbrook works out to be the lowest. Portland is a bit higher at $31.21. Bangor and Camden are tied at $34.67 and the residents of Augusta have to shell out the most at $38.14 a month. Now let’s see what your options are.

Top-Rated Insurance Companies in Maine

There are plenty of national and state-based options for pet insurance in Maine. Here’s a list of the top four companies.

PetFirst: Multi-pet Homes

Our first option PetFirst offers coverage for both dogs and cats from the age of eight weeks with no upper age limit. From preventive care to major medical conditions, their policies are quite comprehensive in backing you up in an emergency and give you the best coverage.

They have an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) even if there have been a few complaints in the past. Thankfully, the premiums in Maine are well below the national average.

These guys are known to offer discounts for multiple pets and make the claims process quite easy. Their specialty is a unique plan for older dogs even if it is expensive. The monthly costs start at $16 for dogs and $8 for cats. Depending on the plan:

1. You can get 70 to 90 percent coverage
2. The payout limits can be $5,000 or $10,000 or $20,000 per annum
3. Deductibles range from $50 to $500 per incident

PetPlan: For Hereditary Conditions

This is a quality insurance provider for pets in Maine and it offers policies for cats and dogs from the age of six weeks. It has an A+ rating with the BBB and offers 24 hours customer service.

What’s best is that their policies cover hereditary conditions and they also have a helpline if you have questions. The monthly costs start at $29 for dogs and $18 for cats. Depending on the plan:

1. You can get 70 to 90 percent coverage after deductibles
2. The payout limit starts at $2,500 but there is an unlimited option
3. The deductibles range from $250 to $1,000 per annum

Healthy Paws: Best for Cats and Dogs

This is a national pet insurer that is well known for its unlimited benefits and rave customer reviews. It has an A+ rating from the BBB and has a lot of comprehensive coverage plans for cats and dogs. They don’t cover pre-existing conditions or hereditary and congenital conditions but that is pretty much the norm in the industry.

However, Healthy Paws offers coverage for alternative therapies like chiropractic and hydrotherapy services.

The monthly costs start at $32 for dogs and $17 for cats. Depending on the plan,

1. You can get 70 to 90 percent coverage after the deductible
2. The payout is unlimited
3. The deductibles range from $100 to $500 per annum

Unlimited payout means that if you have to visit the vet multiple times for the same problem, there is no cap on the benefit. This is applicable to all plans.

Nationwide: For Exotic Pets

Cats and dogs are not the only pets people have. Nationwide not only understands that but also provides insurance for those of you who have gone beyond the obvious. It has an A+ rating with the BBB and is the largest pet insurer in the country.

But along with exotic pets, they offer extremely comprehensive insurance plans for cats and dogs too. No reason you can’t (or don’t) have both. These plans cover a lot from diagnostics to vet visits.

The average monthly premiums start at $35 for dogs and $19 for cats. Depending on the plan:

1. You can get a reimbursement of 80 to 90 percent.
2. There is no overall payout limit. Instead, it depends on the condition. Their Wellness plan is the most expensive one and it has unlimited annual benefits.
3. There is only one annual deductible which is $250.

The waiting period for injuries and illnesses nationwide is 14 days. You can submit the claims online or fax them and expect the reimbursement in about two weeks. It is also important to note that before 2015, Nationwide Pet Insurance was called VPI Pet Insurance.

The Bottom Line

There are a lot of pet emergencies that can be handled with financial prudence if you are already enrolled in a pet insurance plan. You have to pay for the monthly premiums but with the right plan in place, you can keep them low and avoid tens of thousands of bills.

Sometimes, these are for small conditions like a urinary tract infection but many a time, these insurance policies can help you go through with a life-saving surgery if your pet has a chronic health condition.

With more and more pet parents opting for insurance for their little ones, there are now plenty of options to choose from. Whether you want to get care for a hereditary condition or put one in place as a precaution, there is a bundle of policies to go through. Just make sure you go through the terms and conditions carefully with a consultant from the company and you (and your pet) should be just fine.