Traditional pet insurance operates by reimbursing a percentage of your veterinary expenses, depending on your coverage level, policy limits, and other specific terms. However, pet owners seeking to manage their pet care costs have alternative options. Pet Assure, for example, offers a different approach by providing discounts on veterinary services. It’s crucial to understand that Pet Assure is not pet insurance. Instead, it functions as a veterinary discount plan designed to help you save money on vet bills.
To help you understand if Pet Assure is the right choice for you and your pet, this guide will provide a detailed overview, exploring the pros and cons of Pet Assure and how it compares to traditional pet insurance.
Understanding Pet Assure: A Veterinary Discount Plan
Pet Assure is classified as a Veterinary Discount Plan. Unlike pet insurance, which reimburses you for a portion of covered costs after you pay your vet, Pet Assure offers an immediate 25% discount on your total bill at the time of service from participating veterinarians. This discount is applied directly when you present your Pet Assure membership card at checkout.
This plan stands out because it generally has no exclusions for in-house medical services. Regardless of your pet’s age, breed, or pre-existing conditions, Pet Assure provides a discount on a wide range of veterinary care. This includes routine wellness visits, sick appointments, dental cleanings, physical examinations, X-rays, and treatments for various health issues, even those considered pre-existing.
It’s important to note the limitations: Pet Assure discounts typically do not apply to non-medical services such as grooming, outsourced specialist services, medications, and prescription food. The discount is specifically for medical services performed directly by your participating veterinarian within their practice.
Navigating the Pet Assure Veterinary Network
A key aspect of Pet Assure is its reliance on a network of participating veterinary practices. To benefit from the 25% discount, you must visit a veterinarian who is part of the Pet Assure Veterinary Network.
If your veterinarian is not in the Pet Assure network, you will be responsible for the full cost of the veterinary services unless you also have a separate pet insurance policy. Therefore, checking if your current vet is part of the network, or if there are participating vets in your area, is a crucial step before enrolling in Pet Assure.
How the Pet Assure Savings Program Works: Enrollment and Usage
Enrolling in Pet Assure is a straightforward online process. You’ll need to provide basic information about yourself and your pet(s). Pet Assure offers various plan options, allowing you to select coverage that fits your needs. You can choose from plans designed for a single cat, a single dog, a family plan (covering 2-4 pets), or an unlimited plan for households with multiple pets. You can further customize your plan by choosing between monthly payments or an annual payment option, which often comes with a reduced overall rate.
Upon enrollment, Pet Assure provides you with a membership ID card, available in digital format for immediate use. For convenience, Pet Assure also offers a mobile app where you can store your digital ID card, making it easily accessible during vet visits. The app can also assist in locating participating veterinarians in your vicinity.
Once you have your Pet Assure card, your coverage is effective immediately. There are no waiting periods before you can start using your discount. To apply the 25% discount, simply present your digital or physical ID card to the veterinary clinic staff at checkout. The discount will be applied directly to your bill, reducing your out-of-pocket expenses at the time of payment.
Additional Benefit: Lost Pet Recovery Service
As an added perk, Pet Assure membership includes a lost pet recovery service called ThePetTag. Each member receives a unique ID tag for their pet’s collar.
If your pet gets lost, anyone who finds them can use the tag number to report the found pet online. This system allows for quick notification and can help facilitate the pet’s safe return home. Considering statistics indicating that a significant portion of pets will become lost at some point in their lives, this service provides valuable peace of mind for pet owners.
Availability and Cost of Pet Assure
While Pet Assure boasts a network of veterinarians across all 50 U.S. states, it’s not universally accepted at every veterinary clinic. The discount is only applicable at veterinarians participating in the Pet Assure Veterinary Network. Therefore, it’s essential to verify the availability of participating vets in your area before committing to a Pet Assure plan.
The cost of Pet Assure varies based on factors such as your location, the size of your pet, and the number of pets you wish to cover under the plan. Based on market analysis, Pet Assure plans generally range from approximately $6.50 per month to around $22.00 per month.
Opting for an annual plan, paid as a single lump sum, can often result in savings compared to monthly payments. For instance, a Family plan might be available for around $149.00 per year, effectively reducing the monthly equivalent cost.
Pet Assure vs. Pet Insurance: Key Differences
It’s critical to reiterate that Pet Assure is not pet insurance. It is a discount plan, providing a fixed percentage off the cost of in-house veterinary services at network providers. This contrasts significantly with pet insurance, which is designed to reimburse a higher percentage of covered costs (often up to 90%) after you have paid your vet and filed a claim.
One of the appealing aspects of Pet Assure is the absence of waiting periods. You can start using your discount immediately upon enrollment. Furthermore, unlike most traditional pet insurance policies, Pet Assure typically does not exclude pre-existing conditions from receiving the discount. As long as the service is medical and provided in-house by a participating vet, the 25% discount applies.
However, the magnitude of potential savings differs significantly between Pet Assure and pet insurance. While Pet Assure offers a consistent 25% discount, pet insurance plans often reimburse a much larger portion of eligible expenses, potentially reaching 90% coverage. This difference becomes particularly important when facing substantial veterinary bills.
Advantages of Pet Assure: No Deductibles, Claims, or Exclusions
Pet Assure simplifies cost savings by eliminating several common features of pet insurance. There are no deductibles to meet before savings kick in, and no annual coverage limits restricting how much you can save in a year. The discount is applied directly at each vet visit, regardless of how frequently you use it.
The claims process is also eliminated with Pet Assure. Instead of paying the full vet bill upfront and then filing for reimbursement, you receive an immediate discount at the point of purchase, reducing your initial out-of-pocket expense.
Moreover, Pet Assure generally has no exclusions based on the type of in-house medical service. Whether it’s routine care or treatment for an illness or injury, the 25% discount applies. This contrasts with some pet insurance policies that may have age or breed restrictions or exclusions for specific conditions. Notably, Pet Assure extends its discount to treatments for pre-existing conditions, a significant advantage over pet insurance plans that typically exclude these.
Cost Comparison Example: Pet Assure vs. Pet Insurance
To illustrate the practical difference, consider a scenario where your cat requires veterinary care due to ingesting a foreign object.
Pet Assure Example:
- With Pet Assure, assuming a $9.95/month plan and a participating vet, an $800 vet bill would be reduced by 25%, resulting in a final cost of $600.
- However, if your vet is not in the Pet Assure network, you would be responsible for the full $800.
Pet Insurance Example:
- With pet insurance, assuming a $12.95/month plan, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a $200 annual deductible, the same $800 vet bill would be calculated as follows: After meeting the $200 deductible, the remaining $600 is eligible for 90% reimbursement. This means the insurance would cover $540 (90% of $600), and your out-of-pocket cost would be $260 ($800 – $540).
- Furthermore, with pet insurance, network limitations are typically not a concern, and once the deductible is met within the policy year, subsequent covered vet expenses will also be reimbursed at 90%.
Customer Reviews and Feedback on Pet Assure
Pet Assure holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and has been BBB accredited since 2016. Customer reviews on the BBB website provide an average rating of 3.67 out of 5 stars. Trustpilot reviews show a similar rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars.
Positive reviews often highlight the ease of use, convenience, and perceived value of Pet Assure for its affordable cost. Long-term subscribers frequently mention that the savings gained through the discount plan quickly offset the annual membership fee.
Negative reviews commonly mention challenges in obtaining the discount, even at participating veterinary clinics. Some customers reported being incorrectly instructed by vet staff to seek reimbursement from Pet Assure after the visit, which is not the plan’s procedure. Other negative feedback stems from customers who were unaware of the requirement to present their Pet Assure card at the time of checkout to receive the discount. Some reviewers also express dissatisfaction with the 25% discount rate, finding it insufficient to justify the membership cost.
Pet Assure: Pros and Cons
To summarize, here’s a breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages of Pet Assure:
Pet Assure Pros:
- Consistent 25% discount: Provides a predictable discount on veterinary services.
- No annual deductible: Savings apply from the first vet visit.
- No claims process: Discount is applied directly at checkout, simplifying the process.
- No waiting periods: Coverage begins immediately upon enrollment.
- Coverage for pre-existing conditions: Discounts apply even to the treatment of pre-existing conditions.
Pet Assure Cons:
- Limited veterinary network: Discount only applicable at participating veterinarians, restricting choice.
- Lower savings potential for major expenses: A 25% discount may not be substantial enough to mitigate the financial impact of very high vet bills.
- Discount limitations: Does not apply to outsourced services, medications, or prescription food.
- Requires card presentation at checkout: Discount may be missed if the card is not presented at the time of payment, and retroactive discounts are not available.
Final Verdict: Is Pet Assure a Worthwhile Investment?
Pet Assure can be a valuable option, particularly for pet owners with senior pets or pets with pre-existing conditions, as it offers guaranteed discounts on their ongoing care without exclusions related to these conditions. However, it’s crucial to confirm that your veterinarian is part of the Pet Assure network before enrolling to ensure you can utilize the benefits.
It’s important to recognize that Pet Assure, on its own, may not provide sufficient financial protection against the highest veterinary costs associated with emergencies or serious illnesses. While a 25% discount is helpful, it may not significantly alleviate the burden of a multi-thousand-dollar vet bill.
A potential strategy to maximize coverage is to use Pet Assure as a complementary plan alongside a comprehensive pet insurance policy. Pet insurance can provide broader coverage and higher reimbursement rates for major medical events, while Pet Assure can offer consistent discounts for routine care and pre-existing condition management. This combination could be particularly beneficial for pets with pre-existing health issues.
Alternatively, for pet owners seeking cost savings on routine veterinary care, Pet Assure can be considered as an alternative to a pet wellness plan add-on. However, note that some pet insurance providers may restrict combining their coverage with other discounts, requiring you to choose between using pet insurance benefits or the Pet Assure discount at the time of payment. In most cases, leveraging pet insurance for unexpected illnesses and injuries and utilizing Pet Assure for routine care or pre-existing condition management may be the most financially advantageous approach.
Key Takeaways: Pet Assure
- Pet Assure provides a 25% discount on pet medical bills at participating veterinarians, contrasting with the higher reimbursement rates (up to 90%) offered by many pet insurance plans.
- Enrollment is quick and offers same-day coverage, regardless of pet age or health status, with flexible plan and payment options.
- Pet Assure’s limitations include its network-dependent nature, the necessity of presenting an ID card at checkout, and the potentially limited discount impact on very expensive medical services.
- Combining Pet Assure with a pet insurance policy can be a strategic approach for pet owners seeking comprehensive coverage and cost savings, especially for pets with pre-existing conditions.
