Pets Plus Us strives to make filing bills more manageable while easing the veterinarian experience.
In this Pets Plus Us review, we’ll take a look at the pet insurance company and how it works to serve Canadian pets (and their owners) better.
Pets Plus Us Review 2023
- Edited by
-
Why you can trust us
The team at WealthRocket only recommends products and services that we would use ourselves and that we believe will provide value to our readers. However, we advocate for you to continue to do your own research and make educated decisions.
Pets Plus Us: Overview
Pets Plus Us is a leading Canadian pet insurance company, distributed by Northbridge General Insurance Corporation, whose goal is to help dog and cat owners balance all the highs and lows of everyday life with a pet.
Pets Plus Us offers its Blue Ribbon Benefits free with any coverage plan, providing owners with 24/7 access to PetHelpFone™ and Pet Poison Helpline®, as well as the surprise and delight subscription to Modern Dog or Modern Cat magazine.
Pets Plus Us
- Insurance Provided Pet Insurance
- Provinces Available All Provinces
- Founded 1988
Pets Plus Us: Features
Services with Pets Plus Us may seem similar to other insurers, but when you stop to see what makes Pets Plus Us stand out, you’ll notice that even the smallest details make a difference. Features include:
- PetHelpFone™, a customer service line that offers 24/7 support to help answer any questions concerning your pet,
- Compassionate Care Line, a service that helps with bereavement,
- Pet Poison Helpline®, a 24/7 hotline in case your pet ingests something toxic,
- Pet Concierge, a service that assists with pet-related services, pet businesses, and pet products near you,
- Emergency Medical Coverage, a service that if your pet gets hurt while lost, and covers you up to $1,000 of medical coverage, and,
- A free subscription to Modern Cat or Modern Dog magazine
Pets Plus Us: Policies
Wealthsimple prides itself on being an accessible, easy-to-use wealth management platform.
All accident and illness policies are mapped out upfront to ensure pet owners are aware that any prior noted symptomatic or diagnosed illnesses or conditions will not be covered before making a claim.
Like the majority of animal insurance companies, pre-existing conditions cannot be covered.
Pets Plus Us: Plans
Pets Plus Us has four basic plans available that are either comprehensive or accident only.
Accident-only plans exist to help people who are in shockingly stressful situations when the unexpected occurs. Being forced to weigh over the emotions of having a pet in pain while attempting to calculate your financial situation is not easy.
Comprehensive plans are a little more in-depth and offer different levels of coverage, supporting both accidents and ailments that may arise throughout a pet’s life.
This pet insurance company even offers add-ons to its basic plans, and a higher monthly fee means more coverage.
Wellness Care Plan
Pets Plus Us offers a stand-alone plan called Wellness Care. With this, you pay your monthly fee and schedule veterinary appointments according to your pet’s age and selected Wellness Care benefits. You will then be reimbursed for 100% of the pre-selected services.
Options for cats and dogs include:
| Puppies & Kittens 7-Weeks to 1-Year | Dogs & Cats 1-Year to 8-Years |
|---|---|
| Fecal test | Exam and vaccinations |
| Deworming | Blood profile |
| Spaying or neutering | Fecal test |
| Microchip | Deworming |
| 3 visits for physical exam | Urinalysis |
| Core vaccinations | Dental care |
| Blood tests | Nail trim |
| Flea treatment and prevention | Flea treatment and prevention |
| Heartwork testing | Heartwork testing |
| Heartwork prevention | Heartwork testing (dogs only) |
Furthermore, the Wellness Care benefits include services such as boarding kennel or cattery fees (up to $1,000 per incident) if you’re hospitalized and can’t care for your pet, cremation, or burial-related costs (up to $1,000) if your pet passes away, holiday trip cancellation (up to $1,000 per incident) if your pet has a medical emergency, and lost pet assistance (up to $1,000 per incident) with no extra deductible or copay fees.
Pets Plus Us: Eligibility
You can enroll pets as young as seven weeks old, and although there is no age limit, pets eight years and older — or six years and older for giant dog breeds — must have a physical exam, blood profile, and urinalysis within two months before enrolment.
Pets Plus Us offers support during tough times, although regular checkup fees, routine vaccines, and medications are all to be paid out of pocket by the pet owner.
The traditional waiting period applies between the time of your pet’s enrolment and when the insurance kicks in to avoid pets being signed up when they already have pre-existing conditions.
Pets Plus Us: Fees
Pets Plus Us offers Canadian cats and dogs monthly policies ranging from $19 to $89 per month, depending on the plan you choose.
The wide range of deductibles can be anywhere between $100 and $700 depending on your pet’s age. Regardless, the copay options can be made with either 10%, 20%, or 30%.
The payout amount is based on your final vet bill and includes coverage of exam fees and taxes. The annual limit will be either $5,000, $7,500, or $15,000 depending on your plan.
Cancellations are welcome at any time if the owner is not happy with the services, but it will always take effect from the following month.
Cancellations made within the first 60 days of the date of enrolment will grant a full premium refund.
The copay percentage and the deductible are determined by the pet owners when enrolling their furry family members.
The annual age-based deductible can range from $100 to $700, where the copay can either be 10%, 20%, or 30%. Regardless of the chosen percentage, the payout is always based on the final vet bills.
Clients who choose the low $100 deductible will be paying a higher monthly policy premium and receive a higher payout per incident.
Once a claim is made after seeing a licensed vet in either the United States or Canada and speaking with Pets Plus Us’ customer service team via the website or by phone, 99% of claims are processed within two days, but it could take up to 10 business days.
Once enrolled, policies will auto-renew, and thanks to Pets Plus Us’ 4LifeGuarantee, your pet’s age does not affect the pricing.
Pet Plus Us Pros & Cons
Pros
Wellness Care policy available
Age-based annual deductible
Up to $15,000 in benefits per year
Standard $100 deductible for accident-only plan holders
Alternative treatment coverage included
Cons
Does not cover pre-existing conditions (very standard for pet insurance)
Non-essential services and supplies
Limited pregnancy coverage
Routine procedures and vaccinations
Our Final Thoughts
Pets Plus Us is a decent option when it comes to pet insurance companies in Canada. Choosing one of its four packages, although insurance plans have limitations, your pet is bound to be covered if something were to unexpectedly occur, such as an unforeseen illness or accident.
Features, rates, and discounts may depend on province or territory eligibility, but its 24-hour team is bound to find something to fit your four-legged friend’s needs.
Lastly, the Blue Ribbon Benefits is a nice addition to any chosen policy as a clear and simple method to help during the most chaotic times.
