PetFirst Review

Overview

PetFirst was founded in 2004, is based out of Indiana, and provides illness and injury coverage for dogs and cats in all 50 states. PetFirst has helped thousands of Americans keep their pets happy and healthy with comprehensive health insurance and they’re constantly working to improve the experience they offer to policyholders and their pets.

With PetFirst, you’ll get tons of pet insurance benefits like no age limit on enrollments, no required vet exams to sign up, and short waiting periods on conditions that many other companies don’t even cover, like hip dysplasia or patella luxations. You’ll also be able to continue using your own vet and won’t have to worry about getting pre-approval on life-saving medical treatments for your dog or cat.

Coverage Details

Our PetFirst review is going to show you some of their great pet insurance coverage benefits. We’ve gathered up all the info on what’s covered by PetFirst for you, so you don’t have to waste your own time when trying to choose the best pet insurance company.

Accidents & Illnesses: If your pet suddenly becomes injured or ill, PetFirst wants to help you pay for the treatment they need to get better. They’ll reimburse you for medical care resulting from an accident or illness, Including hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions.

Emergency Care: PetFirst understands how scary a pet emergency can be and they want the bill to be the last thing on your mind when rushing your pet to the ER. They’ll cover up to 90% of the total charges for your pet’s emergency medical care.

Diagnostic Testing: One of the most expensive aspects of veterinary care is the diagnostic testing that needs to be done before life-saving treatments can begin. PetFirst will reimburse you for your pet’s bloodwork, x-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, and more.

Surgeries & Hospitalization: Once your pet has been diagnosed, your vet might want to perform surgery and keep them in the hospital for the night or even longer. PetFirst will reimburse you for up to 90% of your pet’s surgical and hospitalization costs.

Prescription Medications: Getting your pet home from the hospital may only be the beginning of his recovery. PetFirst understands this and provides pet parents with coverage for necessary veterinary prescription medications, which can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars.

Holistic & Alternative Therapies: For some pets, their vet might recommend a nontraditional route of treatment, like a visit to the chiropractor or acupuncturist, which many pet insurance companies don’t cover. PetFirst is happy to reimburse policyholders for these alternative therapies, as long as they’re performed by a licensed veterinarian.

Optional Routine Care: For an additional fee, PetFirst offers the additional coverage of regular animal wellness care like vaccines, annual checkups, teeth cleaning, and spaying or neutering, which usually aren’t covered at all by most pet insurance companies.

Like all pet insurance companies, PetFirst does have some coverage exclusions you should know about. What’s not covered by PetFirst pet insurance includes pre-existing conditions, pregnancy care, elective procedures, grooming or special diet, and behavioral therapy.

Plan Rates & Sample Quotes

PetFirst offers some of the most reasonable monthly premiums that we’ve come across and they also have discounts available to veterinary staff members and military personnel. From what we found during our PetFirst research, you should easily be able to fit pet insurance into your budget with their plans.

Monthly premiums start at just $16 for dogs and $8 for cats, and if you purchase your PetFirst policy online, they’ll give you up to $20 off, along with available corporate discounts from many of the largest businesses around the country.

PetFirst makes getting a free online pet insurance quote quick and easy. But in case you want to get a good idea of what you can expect your PetFirst monthly premium to be without any of the available discounts, we’ve gathered up some sample policy quotes for you.

Domestic Shorthair Cat: 1 year old, Male, Florida (32818) covered for $17.95 per month.

Golden Retriever: 3 years old, Female, Illinois (60007) covered for $36.95 per month.

French Bulldog: 6 years old, Male, California (94102) covered for $42.95 per month.

German Shepherd: 2 years old, Female, New York (10003) covered for $34.95 per month.

Please Note: All sample policy quotes come with an 80% reimbursement rate, a $250 annual deductible, and $5,000 in yearly coverage.

Reimbursements & Deductibles

PetFirst gives you the option of choosing your own reimbursement percentages, in an effort to help you make pet insurance even more affordable. You can pick a 70%, 80%, or 90% reimbursement rate to help you get a good mix of value and health insurance coverage.

Reimbursement Structure: Actual Cost

Minimum Reimbursement: 70%

Maximum Reimbursement: 90%

You’ll also get to choose your own annual deductible with PetFirst pet insurance, so you get a fully customizable experience. You can pick a deductible amount of $50, $100, $250, or $500 to help you make sure your pet’s health insurance will fit into your monthly budget and to ensure you’re getting the most return possible on your pet insurance investment.

Deductible Type: Annual

Minimum Deductible: $50

Maximum Deductible: $500

Just remember that if you choose a lower deductible and higher percentage rate, you’re going to have a larger premium to pay each month. Luckily, PetFirst offers plenty of options when it comes to lowering your cost with a variety of available discounts, like multi-pet or from an employee benefit at work.

Enrollment & Waiting Periods

Maybe you’re asking yourself, “Should I enroll my pet in PetFirst?” When shopping for pet insurance with any provider, you need to take your pet’s age and any coverage waiting periods into account, in order to make sure you get the best value.

PetFirst enrolls puppies and kittens beginning at 8-weeks-old and has no age limits, so you can get health insurance coverage for dogs and cats in any life stage. They also offer short waiting periods for accidents and illnesses.

Dog hip dysplasia surgery can be one of the most expensive pet health care costs you’ll ever have, which is why we were so impressed with PetFirst covering this painful joint disorder within 2 weeks of enrolling your pup.

Accidents Waiting Period: 14 days

Illnesses Waiting Period: 14 days

Hip Dysplasia Waiting Period: 14 days

Cruciate Ligament Waiting Period: 12 months

If you’re looking for pet insurance with no age limits or vet exams required for enrollment, PetFirst just might be your top choice. You won’t have to worry about waiting for long to get your pet treated if the unexpected happens.

Claims & Customer Support

PetFirst has a team of friendly and knowledgeable pet insurance experts ready to help you with your policy and answer your questions quickly and efficiently. You can reach PetFirst 7 days a week by phone during regular EST business hours.

PetFirst also offers super-simple pet insurance claims processing by fax, phone, or email. All you have to do is download their online claim form, have your vet’s office fill it out, and send it back to PetFirst with your pet’s medical records. PetFirst will get your claim processed and paid out to you within 2 weeks of submission.

Pet Owner Opinions

As a part of our review of PetFirst pet insurance, we wanted to see what actual pet owners had to say. We turned to Facebook, Yelp, and Trustpilot to get some real info from PetFirst customer reviews. Here’s what they had to say…

We’ve been using PetFirst for four years now and couldn’t be happier. Our dog Posey rescued us when she was only 4 months old. She’s had the typical dog issues over the last few years, but this year she needed abdominal surgery and tore her thigh muscle. Needless to say, we maxed out our coverage. PetFirst never balked on anything over the last four years. As long as you provide the required documentation they ask for… you’re golden. We’re opening a dog daycare/boarding facility in Colorado and will be recommending PetFirst to all our customers.  Eli S, Facebook 10/12/18

A year ago we adopted 2 cats and were offered the 30-day coverage. We ended up with a kitten who became sick with respiratory issues. PetFirst was very clear about not covering pre-existing conditions, so we were more disappointed with ourselves for not reading the entire medical records on the adoption file.  I believe the adoption agencies are saving too many chronically sick animals. We came to the realization that we should have chosen a healthier animal- but dang- even the sickly ones are so darn lovable. A few months ago the kitten ate a toy- and required surgery to remove from her intestines. PetFirst was awesome – easy claim submission- quick communication that we needed additional documentation from the hospital- and voila- within 2 weeks we were reimbursed well beyond expectation. PetFirst was the best investment for our pets- I will never go without insurance again- and I will try to choose healthier animals from the rescues or shelters. Sandy F, Yelp 1/5/19

When I had my cat Gidget I had insurance on her, for many years I did not have to use the insurance, then one day she had to have surgery for Cancer not one but two times and then found out she was a diabetic. I called Pet First and this wonderful person told me that this was covered under her plan. I had to pay my deductible then 90% was paid. When I would send in the information to get reimbursed it was no hassle and got paid in record time. Gidget has passed on and I now have two wonderful kittens and each of them has insurance. I hope Fawn and Raven never need to use the insurance but just in case its there and I feel more at ease that they have it. Thanks again Pet First. Leslie L, Trustpilot 4/26/18