Pets Best (Accident & illness, three tiers) review 2027

What problem does Pets Best pet insurance solve?

Pets Best is the policy you buy when the pet in front of you is the reason other insurers say no. There is no upper age limit, so a senior dog or cat can still be enrolled, and curable pre-existing conditions can be re-covered after 12 clear months. The three-day accident waiting period is the shortest in this test, and an unlimited annual payout is available on the Elite tier. You choose the reimbursement level, the deductible and the tier, which is why the verdict calls it the flexible middle of the market: nothing about it is best in class, and nothing is bad. It suits older pets and owners who want to tune the cover rather than accept a fixed plan.

How did we score Pets Best?

We scored five criteria out of a possible 100 points, and Pets Best finished on 8.3 overall, third of eight tested insurers.

• What is covered — 25 of 30. We read the policy rather than the marketing page and checked accidents, illness, hereditary and congenital conditions, dental disease, behavioural therapy, prescription food and exam fees.
• Limits & exclusions — 17 of 20. This covers annual or per-condition payout caps, age limits, waiting periods, how a pre-existing condition is defined and whether curable ones can be reinstated.
• Price — 17 of 20. Monthly premium for our four test pets at 80% reimbursement with a $500 deductible, plus how much the premium rises with age.
• Claims & payout — 16 of 20. How claims are filed, published processing times, direct payment to the vet and complaint volume in state insurance filings.
• Wellness & extras — 8 of 10. Optional wellness plans, 24/7 vet lines, multi-pet discounts and a deductible that shrinks in claim-free years.

The pattern is consistent: strong on coverage and limits, slightly behind on the polish of the claims experience, which is exactly where it lost ground to the leaders.

What does Pets Best do well?

The headline strength is access. No upper age limit means one of the few insurers here that will still enrol a senior pet, and curable pre-existing conditions can be re-covered after 12 clear months. The three-day accident waiting period is the shortest in this comparison, so a new policy starts working sooner after an injury. On the Elite tier you can add an unlimited annual payout, and the measured annual cap range runs from $5k to unlimited depending on the tier you pick. Claims are paid by direct deposit, and direct payment to the vet is available at some vets. A Routine Care wellness add-on is offered for owners who want routine costs included.

What is in a Pets Best policy?

The structure is three tiers, and the tier you choose decides what is included.

• Our quote: 2-year-old Labrador — 38 USD/mo
• Our quote: 3-year-old domestic cat — 19 USD/mo
• Reimbursement options — 70–90%
• Deductible options — $50–$1,000
• Unlimited annual payout — Yes, on Elite tier
• Waiting periods — 3 days accident, 14 days illness, 6 months cruciate
• Exam fees covered — Plus and Elite tiers
• Dental illness — Plus and Elite
• Direct vet payment — Available at some vets
• Wellness add-on — Yes, Routine Care
• Upper age limit — None

Two of those rows matter more than the rest. Exam fees and dental illness sit behind the Plus tier or higher, so a buyer on the entry tier is not covered for either. And the cruciate wait runs six months, which is longer than the accident and illness waits on the same policy.

How does Pets Best compare with other pet insurers?

Against Embrace (8.7, $47), Pets Best is cheaper on both measured quotes and has the shorter accident wait, but Embrace covers exam fees and dental illness as standard, shrinks the deductible $50 for every claim-free year and offers 70–90% reimbursement with a $200–$1,000 deductible. Embrace caps annual payout at $5k–$30k, so Pets Best matches it only by moving to the Elite tier.

Against Healthy Paws (8.6, $43), Pets Best is again cheaper and adds a wellness add-on that Healthy Paws does not offer, but Healthy Paws includes unlimited annual payout on its single plan and its waiting periods are 15 days accident and illness with 12 months for hip dysplasia. Healthy Paws does not cover exam fees.

Against ASPCA Pet Health Insurance (8.3, $45), the two score identically. ASPCA covers exam fees and dental illness as standard, has a 14-day wait for all conditions and re-covers curable conditions after a clear year, but its annual payout is capped at $3k–$10k and its deductible range is narrower at $100–$500.

Where does Pets Best fall short?

The weaknesses are about polish and tier gating rather than gaps in the core product. Exam fees and dental need the Plus tier or higher, so the cheapest version of this policy leaves both out. The cruciate wait is six months. The interface and claim tracking feel dated compared with the rest of the field, and that is the single reason it finished third rather than higher: where it lost was polish. If you file claims often, the app experience is the part you will notice.

Is Pets Best good value?

On price it is the cheapest of the group we compared. Our quote for a 2-year-old Labrador is 38 USD/mo and for a 3-year-old domestic cat is 19 USD/mo. Embrace quotes $47 and $24, Healthy Paws $43 and $22, ASPCA $45 and $23, Trupanion $68 and $38, and Figo $40 and $20. Pets Best undercuts all five on both the dog and the cat quote, and the price criterion scored 17 of 20, with the deduction reflecting how the premium rises with age rather than the starting figure.

Who should buy Pets Best?

Older pets and owners who want to tune the cover. If your dog or cat would be refused elsewhere because of age, Pets Best has no upper age limit and will still enrol them, and curable pre-existing conditions can be re-covered after 12 clear months. If you would rather choose your own reimbursement level, deductible and tier than accept a fixed plan, the 70–90% reimbursement range and $50–$1,000 deductible range give you that control, with an unlimited annual payout available on the Elite tier. Buyers who want exam fees and dental illness included should budget for the Plus tier or higher from the start.