Everything you need to Know about Nationwide Pet Insurance
Pets get sick too! And when they do it can be tough managing care, especially because it can get pretty pricy! Luckily SDPEBA partnered with Nationwide to provide you with discounted pet insurance for your furry and feathered friends!
How does it Work?
Nationwide offers two forms of Pet Insurance for SDPEBA members: My Pet Protection and Avian and Exotic Pet Insurance. Both of these plans cover a portion of your medical bill and offers access to a 24/7 vet helpline. You also can receive a discount on pet activities and toys. The main differences between the two plans are the price and the types of animals covered.
We are going to focus on the My Pet Protection plan here, so if you’re looking to get health coverage for animals that aren’t cats or dogs, or would just like to learn more about the exotic plan, click here.
The My Pet Protection plan works on a reimbursement model. If you’re familiar with coinsurances, it’s very similar. Basically, after your pet has been to the vet you need to send your bill to Nationwide in order to receive reimbursement. For example, if you have the 70% plan, when you get a $1,000 bill, you’ll pay that bill, send the receipt to Nationwide, and then they’ll reimburse you $700. We’ll go over the specifics in greater detail in the “how do you use it” section below, but that’s the general gist for the most part.
Who Should get this Plan?
Since vet bills are so expensive, every pet owner should at least consider some form of pet insurance. Most of our members who have this plan agree that they use it the most when they JUST get their pet, especially if they have a puppy/kitten. We wrote an article about that! Click here to check it out.
This is doubly true because Nationwide does not cover preexisting conditions. So, if your dog or cat has a chronic health condition, this plan might not be as useful to you, but that’s all the more reason to sign up while your pet’s young to make sure you’re able to deal with problems before they show up.
Since the wellness plan covers a lot of necessary early care options, a lot of our members also report that they simply get this plan to help pay for spaying/neutering, vaccinations, and the first few pet checkups. Other members have reported that it is extremely useful with older pets too, since they frequently have health issues/need emergency treatment.
This plan is also extremely useful to people who own multiple pets. There’s a blanket discount that applies to you when you have more than one pet enrolled, so don’t worry about breaking the bank if you’ve got your hands full.
Click to Enroll in Pet Insurance Today!
What’s Covered?
The standard My Pet Protection plan covers a long list of first-time conditions:
- Accidents
- Injuries
- Common Illnesses
- Serious/Chronic Illness
- Hereditary and Congenital Conditions
- Surgeries and Hospitalization
- X-Rays, MRIs, and CT Scans
- Prescription Medication and Diets
Some restrictions apply, the biggest is pre-existing conditions. We suggest you thoroughly check through your individual policy document while signing up to make sure the plan covers exactly what you need it to. Additionally, please note that these plans feature a $250 deductible and a $7,500 annual maximum benefit. Meaning you must pay $250 on your own before savings begin, and you can only receive up to $7,500 in coverage per year per pet.
How Much is it?
The plan varies based on a couple of factors and choices you make while signing up. Essentially, you’ll be able to decide between a 50% and a 70% plan and then some facts about your pet (age, size of your pet, and whether or not it’s been spayed/neutered). The plan ultimately hovers somewhere between $15-$20 per paycheck, or around $400-$550 annually. Again, these numbers vary pretty drastically based on your pet’s status and which plan you sign up for, you can get a quote by clicking the link below.
How do you Use it?
Unlike other forms of insurance, Nationwide Pet allows you to go to any licensed vet in the country to receive care! Once you have the bill, all you need to do is submit the claim.
There are a few ways to submit a claim that they should email you about when you sign up. The easiest is probably by logging in through their website or by using their VitusVet app that you can download from the app store.
You can also do it by hand with their paper form. You’ll need to head to their site to download the claim and fill it out. Then you can email, fax, or mail it directly. For more on that click here.
How do you Enroll
Enrollment is available year-round and is quite simple. For cats and dogs, all you need to do is click this link and fill in your pet’s information. From there you’ll be able to read your explanation of benefits and get a quote for whichever plan you’re interested in.
Click to Enroll in Pet Insurance Today!
For birds, reptiles, rabbits, or exotic pets, you just need to call 888-899-4874.
Want to learn more?
Check out this PEBA talk where Will goes over all of the information you need to know!
Want to know more about what to do once you’re enrolled? Click here.