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MetLife Pet Insurance Review 2024: Short Waiting Periods

Lisa Scott

MetLife Insurance offers pet insurance for cats and dogs and is known for the shortest waiting periods in the industry. With over 100 years of experience in providing various insurance products, MetLife Insurance is one of the best insurance providers in the market.

Overall rating

4.8

Summary: MetLife is a promising option if you’re looking for high annual coverage levels and no waiting period for accidental coverage.

MetLife Pet Insurance

metlife pet insurance logo

$25,000

Coverage Up To

50% - 100%

Reimbursement Rates


Reviews

5

Policy Application

4.5

Fees & Coverage

4.5

Claim Support

5

Customer Service

5

Safe & Secure

Pros

  • Discounts available
  • Flexible Deductibles
  • No incident limits
  • Waiting period for injuries is less than 24 hours
  • Customizable Plans
  • Accidental coverage begins at midnight

Cons

  • Bills are paid out of pocket and reimbursed after
  • Wellness coverage at an additional charge

Best For

  • No restrictions on eligibility
  • Customizable annual benefit limits
  • Short waiting periods on accidental coverage

Features

HQNew York, NY
PolicyAccident and Illness with Wellness add-on
Eligible Pet AgeAll ages
Annual Coverage$25,000
Reimbursement Rate50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%
Deductible$50 – $2,500
Chronic DiseaseYes
Cancer CoverageYes
Dental CoverageYes
Pre-existing Conditions CoverageNo
Medical ExamNo
Restricted StatesOperates in all US states

In depth review on MetLife Pet Insurance

MetLife Insurance is known to offer a comprehensive illness and accident policy that covers the costs relating to injuries and health conditions along with alternative and holistic therapies. MetLife offers insurance policies for both dogs and cats without any restrictions on the breed. This makes it very easy for pet owners to insure the health and wellness of their four-legged friends.

The provider offers various policies with three coverage levels that pet owners can customize as per their requirements. The pet owners have the freedom to change variables like an annual maximum benefit, deductibles, reimbursement rate, and routine care coverage.

MetLife also offers an optional preventive care package. This particular add-on is introduced to limit and manage the routine care costs incurred by pet owners, which include dental cleaning, vaccinations, and wellness tests.

MetLife Insurance coverage allows the pet owners to visit any licensed vet or an emergency clinic in the US only. With MetLife’s customizable plans, pet parents can be reimbursed for up to 100% of unexpected pet care expenses. Further, the pets are not subjected to any initial exams to obtain coverage. The MetLife mobile app is available for free for both Apple and Android devices You can use the app to view the details of the policy, file or track a claim, upload vet records, etc.

MetLife Pet Insurance is best for

  • No restrictions on eligibility: There is no restriction on the pet’s age and breed. That means that the pet can be insured at any time.
  • Customizable annual benefit limits: MetLife Pet Insurance offers annual benefits ranging from $2,000 up to $25,000.
  • Accidental coverage starts right away: One of the benefits of choosing MetLife Pet Insurance is that there is no waiting period for accidental coverage. 

MetLife Pet Insurance benefits

  • Discounts available: MetLife is known to offer various discounts for multi-pet owners, military personnel, healthcare workers, etc. In addition to that if you do not make any claim in a policy year then MetLife automatically decreases your deductible by $25 or $50.
  • Flexible Deductibles: MetLife enables you to choose your deductible which can be between $50 to $2500.
  • No incident limits: MetLife does not have a lifetime or per-incident limit for any pets.
  • Waiting period for injuries is less than 24 hours: The waiting period in an accidental case is less than 24 hours in the policies offered by MetLife.
  • Customizable Plans: The policies offered by MetLife are highly customizable and make it extremely easy for people to find a policy that fits their needs and budget.
  • Accidental coverage begins at midnight: The policy that offers accidental coverage becomes effective at midnight the day after you sign up. 

MetLife Pet Insurance drawbacks

  • Wellness treatment not included: MetLife offers only an accident and illness plan and a wellness rider along with it. Customers can only learn about them once they start the process of obtaining a quote.
  • Pay first and be reimbursed later: Bills are paid out of pocket and then reimbursed. There is  no option for the vet to bill insurance directly 

Policy application

5

To apply for MetLife Insurance, you can visit MetLife’s official website and begin filling out an online form to receive a free quote.

Once on the website you can begin the quote by providing the following information: –

  • Whether you own a dog or a cat
  • Whether your pet is male or female
  • Pet’s name
  • Pet’s age
  • Pet’s breed
  • Pet’s fur color
  • E-mail address
  • ZIP code

After you have chosen the policy that deems fit as per your needs, all you have to do is submit the payment and wait for MetLife to confirm the coverage. It is important to note that no medical examination is required to obtain a policy for your pet with MetLife.

Fees and coverage

4.5

MetLife Pet Insurance provides accidental and illness pet insurance policies. These policies are offered to cover healthcare costs for dogs and cats only. These policies provide coverage for health-related expenses for your pets. Customers can also customize their policies based on their needs. The cost of your policy is based on the following factors:

  • Annual benefit limit: $25,000
  • Reimbursement rates: 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%
  • Deductible: ranging from $50 to $2500.

Pets covered

The MetLife Pet insurance policy exclusively covers cats and dogs. However, there is no breed restriction and the age of such a pet should be 8 weeks or older. 

Healthcare coverage

The insurance policy offered by MetLife covers accidents and illnesses. Some of the expenses covered by MetLife policies are

  • Accidents and illnesses
  • Hereditary conditions
  • Congenital conditions
  • Hospitalizations and surgeries
  • Alternative therapies and holistic care
  • Diagnostic tests
  • Chronic conditions
  • X-rays
  • Ultrasounds
  • Emergency care
  • Medications

Preventive and wellness coverage

Apart from the policies offering accidental and illness coverage, MetLife also offers preventive care. Some of the things that are covered by this are as follows:

  • Spaying
  • Vaccinations 
  • Dental cleaning
  • Wellness exams
  • Bloodwork, etc.

Vet selection

The pet insurance policy offered by MetLife enables you to visit any licensed vet or emergency clinic, for long as it is situated in the US.

Exclusions

It is further important to note what is not covered under the insurance policy. The following things are excluded from coverage:

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Elective procedures
  • Grooming and bathing costs
  • Breeding costs
  • Organ transplants
  • Special diets, pet food, etc.
  • Expression/removal of anal glands

Claim support

4.5

The process of filing a claim is very easy and convenient with MetLife Insurance. You are required to submit the pet insurance claim along with supporting documents within 90 days of the treatment or the invoice date. The claim can be submitted via an online portal, mobile app, email, etc. Documents that are required include a signed claim form, veterinary medical record, and an itemized invoice from the incident. The reimbursement shall be received either by cheque or a direct deposit.

Customer support

5

MetLife has a reliable team of customer representatives. If you search online, you will find a wide array of positive reviews for their customer support team. Customer service representatives are available by phone or email seven days every week during daytime hours. You can also send an email to pet.info@metlife.com

Safe and secure

5

MetLife has maintained a great reputation with its clients as a safe and secure platform for pet insurance. The company has shown a great track record of over 100 years of offering coverage in core and voluntary benefits for various insurance products. Reimbursements are either sent via a cheque or a direct deposit to your bank account.

Is MetLife Pet Insurance right for you?

Pet insurance is meant to ensure that the health and wellness of your pets are not compromised, and proper treatment can be availed at the time of an emergency. Those who seek a basic level of accident and illness policy can opt for MetLife Insurance. However, preventive coverage is also offered if you are willing to pay extra. It is especially a good option for pet parents who are on a budget. It is one of the best pet insurance policies in the market owing to its budget-friendly monthly premiums, wide-ranging illness coverage, and short waiting period.

However, there are certain areas where competitors offer better products, for instance, some policy providers pay the Vet directly whereas MetLife takes about 10 days to reimburse. But still, MetLife appears to be one of the best pet insurance providers owing to the benefits that can be obtained.