Embrace (Accident & illness + optional wellness) review 2027
Covers exam fees and dental illness, shrinks your deductible $50 for every claim-free year, and will re-cover a curable condition after twelve clear months
Is the Embrace Worth It?
Most complete coverage. Embrace covers more of what a vet actually bills for than anyone here, and its shrinking deductible rewards the years you do not claim. The annual cap is the one thing Healthy Paws does better.
Embrace Pros & Cons
- Exam fees, dental illness, behavioural therapy and prescription food all included
- Healthy Pet Deductible drops your deductible $50 each claim-free year
- Orthopaedic wait waived after an exam and a short questionnaire
- Curable pre-existing conditions covered again after 12 symptom-free months
- Annual limits from $5,000 to $30,000 rather than unlimited
- Slightly pricier than Healthy Paws on our dog quote
- Wellness Rewards is a spending account, not insurance
What problem does Embrace pet insurance solve?
Embrace covers more of what a vet actually bills for than anyone here, and its shrinking deductible rewards the years you do not claim. The annual cap is the one thing Healthy Paws does better. That combination is the whole pitch: exam fees, dental illness, behavioural therapy and prescription food all sit inside the policy rather than behind an add-on, and the Healthy Pet Deductible drops your deductible $50 each claim-free year. Curable pre-existing conditions are covered again after 12 symptom-free months, and the orthopaedic wait is waived after an exam and a short questionnaire. It suits owners who want exam fees and dental included rather than bolted on later.
How did we score Embrace across five criteria?
What is covered earned 28 out of 30. We read accidents, illness, hereditary and congenital conditions, dental disease, behavioural therapy, prescription food and exam fees from the policy itself, not the marketing page. Limits & exclusions took 19 out of 20, measuring annual and per-condition payout caps, age limits, waiting periods, how a pre-existing condition is defined and whether curable ones can be reinstated. Price scored 14 out of 20 on the monthly premium for our four test pets at 80% reimbursement with a $500 deductible, plus how much the premium rises with age. Claims & payout reached 17 out of 20, covering how claims are filed, published processing times, direct payment to the vet and complaint volume in state insurance filings. Wellness & extras finished at 9 out of 10 for optional wellness plans, 24/7 vet lines, multi-pet discounts and a deductible that shrinks in claim-free years.
What does Embrace do better than most insurers?
The inclusions list is the strongest part of the file. Exam fees, dental illness, behavioural therapy and prescription food all included means fewer line items fall outside the claim. The Healthy Pet Deductible drops your deductible $50 each claim-free year, so a quiet year on the vet bill is not a wasted year on the policy. The orthopaedic wait waived after an exam and a short questionnaire removes the six-month gap that most policies keep. Curable pre-existing conditions covered again after 12 symptom-free months is the fourth piece, and it matters most to owners who adopted a pet with a treated, resolved condition.
What is actually inside the Embrace policy?
Our quote for a 2-year-old Labrador is 47 USD/mo, and for a 3-year-old domestic cat it is 24 USD/mo. Reimbursement options run 70–90%. Deductible options run $200–$1,000, shrinking. There is no unlimited annual payout: the cap sits at $5k–$30k annual. Waiting periods are 2 days accident, 14 days illness and 6 months orthopaedic, waivable. Exam fees are covered. Dental illness is covered, including illness and extractions to $1,000. Direct vet payment is not offered. Wellness Rewards is the optional add-on. The upper age limit is 15 for full policies.
How does Embrace compare with Healthy Paws, ASPCA, Pets Best, Trupanion and Figo?
Healthy Paws scores 8.6 at $43 for the dog and $22 for the cat, with 50–80% reimbursement, a $250–$1,000 deductible and unlimited annual payout. It does not cover exam fees, and its dental cover is illness only, not cleaning. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance scores 8.3 at $45 and $23, with 70–90% reimbursement, a $100–$500 deductible and a $3k–$10k annual cap. It covers exam fees and dental illness, and its Preventive Care add-on is available. Pets Best scores 8.3 at $38 and $19, with 70–90% reimbursement, a $50–$1,000 deductible and unlimited payout on the Elite tier; exam fees and dental illness arrive on the Plus and Elite tiers. Trupanion scores 8.3 at $68 and $38, fixed at 90% reimbursement, with a $0–$1,000 deductible charged per condition for life and unlimited payout. It pays the clinic directly via Trupanion Express at participating hospitals, but exam fees are not covered. Figo scores 8.1 at $40 and $20, with 70–100% reimbursement and unlimited payout on some plans; exam fees and dental illness sit in the Powerup add-on.
| Embrace | Healthy Paws | Pets Best | ASPCA Pet Health Insurance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
| Our quote: 2-year-old Labrador | 47 USD/mo | 43 USD/mo | 38 USD/mo | 45 USD/mo |
| Our quote: 3-year-old domestic cat | 24 USD/mo | 22 USD/mo | 19 USD/mo | 23 USD/mo |
| Reimbursement options | 70–90% | 50–80% | 70–90% | 70–90% |
| Deductible options | $200–$1,000, shrinking | $250–$1,000 | $50–$1,000 | $100–$500 |
| Unlimited annual payout | No ($5k–$30k annual) | Yes | Yes, on Elite tier | No ($3k–$10k annual) |
| Waiting periods | 2 days accident, 14 days illness, 6 months orthopaedic (waivable) | 15 days accident and illness; 12 months hip dysplasia | 3 days accident, 14 days illness, 6 months cruciate | 14 days all conditions |
| Exam fees covered | Yes | No | Plus and Elite tiers | Yes |
| Dental illness | Yes, illness and extractions to $1,000 | Illness only, not cleaning | Plus and Elite | Yes |
Where does Embrace fall short?
Annual cap. Limits run from $5,000 to $30,000 rather than unlimited, so a very large bill can meet a ceiling that Healthy Paws does not have. It is slightly pricier than Healthy Paws on our dog quote. Wellness Rewards is a spending account, not insurance, so it should not be counted as cover. Direct vet payment is not offered, which means paying the clinic and waiting for reimbursement.
Is Embrace worth the price?
At $47 for the dog and $24 for the cat, Embrace sits above Healthy Paws at $43 and $22, above Pets Best at $38 and $19, above Figo at $40 and $20, and above ASPCA at $45 and $23. It sits below Trupanion at $68 and $38. The premium buys exam fees, dental illness, behavioural therapy, prescription food and a deductible that shrinks $50 each claim-free year.
Who should buy Embrace?
Owners who want exam fees and dental included. If the annual cap is the deal-breaker, Healthy Paws is the alternative; if direct payment at the clinic matters more, Trupanion is the one to check.
Embrace at a Glance
Rubric v1: What is covered 30 · Limits & exclusions 20 · Price 20 · Claims & payout 20 · Wellness & extras 10. Score = Σ ÷ 10, locked Sep 11, 2026. How we rank.
Where to buy — prices checked Sep 11, 2026
Embrace specifications
Where it loses
Annual cap.
Still the right pick for
Owners who want exam fees and dental included.
What owners say
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Changelog: Sep 11 — rank 4 → 5; Sep 11 — rank 5 → 6; Sep 11 — rank 6 → 7 · all changes