Embrace pet insurance review

You love your pet like a family member, and it's heart-wrenching when your fur baby suffers an injury or illness. And often, the vet bill you receive for your pet's treatment can be equally devastating. Perhaps that's why many pet owners are turning to pet insurance to offset the expensive costs of veterinary care.

If you can afford the monthly premium, you may want to buy pet insurance that can cover a portion or all of the necessary treatment for your pet. One insurer worth considering is Embrace Pet Insurance, a pioneer in the pet insurance industry. Embrace offers a robust policy that covers numerous conditions and treatments. 

If you think you could benefit from pet insurance then start by getting a free quote so you know exactly what it will cost. 

Embrace Pet Insurance overview

Embrace is an original player in the pet insurance game. The company was founded in 2003, winning the Wharton Business Plan Competition when pet insurance was in its infancy. Embrace has since gone on to win the NorthCoast 99 Award 10 times as a top workplace in Northeast Ohio while donating over $400,000 to Cleveland charities.

Embrace offers pet insurance for dogs and cats in 50 states. Unlike many providers who offer multiple plans, Embrace offers one policy that covers accidents and illnesses.

Applicants may appreciate not having to sort through accident-only, comprehensive, and other coverage levels to come up with a suitable policy.

The company also offers an optional Wellness Rewards non-insurance plan that reimburses you for routine care treatments like spay or neuter surgery, dental cleanings and grooming.

What's covered

• Breed-specific conditions and congenital and genetic conditions, including hip dysplasia, allergies, and intervertebral disc disease
• Cancer testing and treatments
• Chronic conditions such as arthritis and diabetes with no limits based on conditions
• Dental coverage up to $1,000 per year for conditions and procedures like extractions, gingivitis and root canals
• Diagnostic testing, such as X-rays and MRIs for covered illnesses and conditions
• Orthopedic conditions when your furry friend suffers from a ligament tear, broken bone, or other issues (conditions apply)
• Parvo, Lyme disease, parasites and other preventable conditions
• Pet care from emergency vet clinics
• Prescriptions drugs for covered conditions
• Scheduled or emergency surgeries

Embrace also offers an optional pre-certification which lays out what your policy covers before your pet undergoes surgery. If you think you could benefit from the protections that Embrace provides then start by getting a free quote now.

What's not covered

Like most pet insurance companies, Embrace doesn't cover pre-existing conditions. Embrace defines a pre-existing condition as "any injury, illness, or irregularity noted by you or your vet before your pet's waiting period is over, even if your pet never went to see the vet for it." Before your policy is in force, Embrace will review your pet's medical history for the previous 12 months to identify any pre-existing conditions. In addition, the following conditions are not covered by an Embrace pet insurance policy:

• Breeding, whelping or pregnancy
• Cosmetic procedures like tail docking and ear cropping, unless determined to be medically required
• DNA testing
• Injuries that result from various forms of animal cruelty
• Routine veterinary care, including regular checkups

Cost of Embrace Pet Insurance

If you decide to enroll with Embrace pet insurance, you'll pay a one-time $25 enrollment fee and a $1 monthly processing fee if you make monthly payments. 

The average cost of an Embrace dog insurance policy is around $30 to $40 per month for dogs and roughly $15 to $20 monthly for cats. Generally, dogs cost more than cats to insure because pet insurers typically receive more claims for dogs than cats, and veterinary bills for dogs are usually more expensive than for their feline counterparts.

Your monthly premium amount depends on several factors, including your pet's breed, age and where you live. Your premium amount can vary depending on the parameters you set for your policy, including the following:

• Deductible: Deductible amounts range from $100 to $1,000 per year.
• Reimbursement amount: With pet insurance, you pay your veterinary professional upfront and the pet insurance company reimburses you for a specific amount. A pet insurance policy with Embrace can reimburse you for 70%, 80% or 90% of your covered veterinary expenses.
• Coverage limit: You can opt for a coverage limit from $5,000 to $15,000 or unlimited.

Cost comparison

Here's a side-by-side pricing comparison to see how Embrace stacks up against the competition:

*Quotes are for a 5-year-old mixed dog, medium weight, in good health in Boulder, Colorado. Coverage options include a $500 deductible, an 80% reimbursement percentage and the maximum coverage amount for each provider.

In our example, the Embrace policy is more expensive than Lemonade and Odie. You may receive a higher or lower quote than this amount, depending on your pet's age and breed, since some breeds are more expensive to insure than others. 

Also, note that the Embrace quote is likely higher because the three quotes are for the maximum coverage amount. With Embrace, the maximum coverage is unlimited, but neither Lemonade nor Odie offers that option — their coverages max out at $100,000 and $40,000, respectively. In this case, if we drop our annual coverage limit to $5,000, the premium decreases to $52 per month. The best way to get an accurate premium quote for your pet is to use Embrace's online quote process.

Pros and cons of Embrace pet insurance

Embrace delivers many benefits to pet owners to manage veterinary costs while ensuring their furry family member gets the care they deserve. It's always wise to consider the downsides of any pet insurer before enrolling in a policy. Here are a few pros and cons of Embrace Pet Insurance:

Pros

• Simplicity: Embrace offers one plan for accidents and illnesses, so you don't have to sort through different plan levels to get the appropriate care.
• Comprehensive: Embrace covers a broad spectrum of conditions and treatments, including cancer, genetic conditions, chronic diseases and dental issues.
• Convenience: You can take your pet to any licensed veterinarian for care.
• Mobile-friendly: You can file claims easily on the mobile app.

Cons

• Limited: Embrace only offers pet insurance for dogs and cats.
• Long waiting period: The waiting period for orthopedic conditions is six months. Embrace will waive the fee if your pet undergoes an orthopedic exam after enrollment.

Unique benefits and drawbacks of Embrace pet insurance

Embrace offers a diminishing deductible, a unique feature for its policyholders. Your deductible will decrease by $50 each year that you aren't reimbursed for a claim. The pet insurer also offers a 10% multi-pet discount and a 5% military discount.

Unfortunately, the pet insurance company imposes a rarely-implemented enrollment, in this case, $25. Remember, there's also the $1 per month charge if you pay your premiums monthly instead of annually.

The bottom line

If you're looking for pet insurance with preventative and wellness coverage, Embrace may not fit the bill. But, if you're more concerned with safeguarding your finances from unexpected and costly vet bills, a pet insurance policy with Embrace makes sense.

Embrace Pet Insurance offers a comprehensive plan that covers a wide variety of expenses, from vet exam fees and dental issues to cancer treatments and surgeries. The accident and injury plan is relatively affordable, and you can customize your price by adjusting your deductible, reimbursement percentage and coverage limit to suit your needs. Start by getting a free quote now.