Our pets are like family. Actually, we usually like them more than family. Therefore, we want to make sure they get the best care possible. Many times, veterinarian bills can be just as expensive as human healthcare bills. This makes pet insurance very important. It is vital to your pet’s health and your wallet that you pick the right pet insurance company.
The Consumer’s Advocate’s article on PetFirst ranks PetFirst the fifth best of pet insurance companies, with a 7.8 out of 10 rating. PetFirst insures cats and dogs, with three different priced plan options. They also have a seperate plan for senior pets with more frequent or difficult health problems.
According to the PetFirst website’s helpful chart (https://www.petfirst.com/Our-Plans/Lifetime-Plans.aspx) their plans start at $37 a month. The $37 plan, has a $5,000 annual limit, with options of going up to a $5000 limit. They also have per-incident deductible options ranging from $50 to $500. PetFirst has three options for the percentage of reimbursement you get for vet bills, with choices being 70%, 80%, and 90%. The more coverage that you choose out of these options, your monthly price rises accordingly, from the minimum of $37.
All of these plan options can potentially cover dogs and cats of all ages, with a minimum age of eight weeks old. All PetFirst plans cover common accidents and illnesses in dogs and cats, such as, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and periodontal disease. These plans do not cover the cost of preventive medicine however, such as vaccinations and flea/tick repellent.
PetFirst does offers add-ons to help cover the cost of such treatments. They have three different add-on options for preventive care. The lowest plan pays for $125 of preventive treatments per year. This plan covers minimums such as vaccinations and the cost of flea and heart worm prevention medicine. The highest plan PetFirst offers is for $400 of coverage per year. This plan covers the cost of everything from teeth cleaning to behavior training. The monthly prices for these add-ons are not listed on the company website, but you have the option to obtain a personalized quote online.
On the website Pet Insurance Review, FirstPet has mostly positive reviews with few complaints. Pet parents of dogs and cats both have positive things to say about PetFirst, with no indication that the company is better for either type of pet. The most common complaint about the company is their base plans do not cover “wellcare” or preventive care, like many other company’s plans do. With FirstPet you must purchase an add-on to cover these type of treatments, which makes the monthly payment for the pet insurance rise. However, the most common positive reviews for Petfirst say they are “reliable and dependable” as a company, which is what you want in any company, and especially one responsible for financing your pet’s health and well-being.