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COMPARISONS

MetLife Pet Insurance vs. ASPCA

Three Minutes

Feb 19, 2024

Beagle dog and brown cat lying together on the footpath outdoors in the park.

Pet insurance can be a great way to help keep your pet healthy. But how do you know which provider is right for you? Dozens of companies have entered the U.S. pet insurance market — and for good reason! Pet ownership is on the rise, with 62% of families owning a pet.¹

To help you find the right insurer for you, let’s take a look at how a MetLife Pet policy stacks up against an American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) insurance policy.

Compare ASPCA vs. Metlife Pet Insurance**

Don’t want to waste time doing a ton of research? No problem! Here’s a look at how some of MetLife Pet’s policy provisions compare with those of the ASPCA.²

MetLife Pet’s Plan vs. ASPCA's Plan

Download the excel sheet

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	ASPCA
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)³	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	Yes
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes⁴	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia/Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Grief Counseling	Yes⁵	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Yes
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁶	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁷	Flexible ($100 – $500)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁸	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁸	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁹	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	Generally 30 days or less
Days to Submit Claim	90	270
NerdWallet Rating¹⁰	5.0 stars	4.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout¹⁰	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”¹⁰	“Generous coverage and multiple plan options, including an accident-only policy.”¹⁰

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	ASPCA
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)³	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	Yes
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes⁴	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia/Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Grief Counseling	Yes⁵	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Yes
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁶	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁷	Flexible ($100 – $500)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁸	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁸	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁹	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	Generally 30 days or less
Days to Submit Claim	90	270
NerdWallet Rating¹⁰	5.0 stars	4.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout¹⁰	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”¹⁰	“Generous coverage and multiple plan options, including an accident-only policy.”¹⁰

This table has 3 columns and 20 rows. 1st column represents the product 2nd & 3rd represent MetLife and its competitors. Each row indicates whether the product is covered by MetLife or its competitors
	MetLife Pet Insurance	ASPCA
Wellness and Preventative Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)³	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Prescriptions	Yes	Yes
Holistic/Alternative Therapy	Yes	Yes
Dental Cleaning and Care	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
24/7 Telehealth Access	Yes⁴	Yes
Cancer Coverage	Yes	Yes
Euthanasia/Cremation	undefined Yes	undefined Yes
Grief Counseling	Yes⁵	No
Spaying and Neutering	Yes (optional add-on coverage)	Yes (optional add-on coverage)
Includes All Ages and Breeds	Yes	No
No Per-Incident Limits	Yes	Yes
Reimbursement	Flexible (50% – 90%)⁶	Flexible (70% – 90%)
Average Deductible	Flexible ($0 – $2,500)⁷	Flexible ($100 – $500)
0-Day Accident Waiting Period	Yes⁸	No
Illness Waiting Period	14 days⁸	14 days
Deductible Savings	Yes⁹	No
Days to Reimburse	Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days)	Generally 30 days or less
Days to Submit Claim	90	270
NerdWallet Rating¹⁰	5.0 stars	4.0 stars
NerdWallet Callout¹⁰	“Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”¹⁰	“Generous coverage and multiple plan options, including an accident-only policy.”¹⁰

A “No” accompanied with a red “X” in the above table means this is not included or that exclusions may apply.

As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary and exclusions apply. See our coverage and exclusions page for more details, and learn how our pet insurance works.

Still searching for pet insurance? See how we compare to other providers.

Why Consider MetLife Pet Insurance Over ASPCA

What makes MetLife Pet Insurance stand out over the ASPCA’s coverage? Here are a few ways MetLife Pet may come out on top:

Multi-pet policies: No other pet insurances offer multi-pet policies.¹⁰ We let you mix and match up to three cats and dogs on one policy with a shared deductible. This way, all of your pets’ covered injuries and illnesses are counted toward one deductible, rather than separate ones. ASPCA offers a 10% multi-pet discount if you purchase multiple separate policies, however, each pet will still have an individual deductible for you to meet.¹¹
No minimum age: Cats and dogs of all ages are eligible for a MetLife Pet Insurance policy. Meanwhile, ASPCA typically requires pets to be at least 8 weeks old for eligibility.²
Competitive premiums: MetLife Pet Insurance monthly premiums start at $9 for cats and $15 for dogs.¹² Meanwhile, a ASPCA Pet Insurance monthly premium starts at $16 for cats and $16 for dogs.^10,13 Like MetLife Pet, their prices vary and can go up from there, depending on factors like your pet’s size, breed, age, gender, and location.
Covered lost pet expenses: MetLife Pet works with pet owners to find lost pets. In the event your furry friend goes missing, we can help cover advertising and a reward. This way, you can get the word out and incentivize people to watch out for your pet. The ASPCA doesn’t cover lost pet expenses.²

Why Choose MetLife Pet Insurance?

MetLife Pet offers customizable coverage options with up to 90% reimbursement for various pet health care costs.⁶ We work with all licensed veterinarians across the U.S., letting you keep your favorite vet! This way, you can focus on caring for your pet, knowing the unexpected doesn’t have to drain your savings account.

Here are a few more ways a MetLife Pet Insurance policy may stand out:

Deductible and premium discounts

MetLife Pet is all about helping pet parents save on the ever-growing costs of pet care. We offer a few discounts in an effort to make pet insurance more accessible.

Deductible discount: For every policy year you don’t submit a claim and get reimbursed, your policy’s deductible automatically decreases. We offer a $25 discount for policies underwritten by IAIC and a $50 discount for policies underwritten by MetGen.⁹

Service members discount: Veterans, active service members, and first responders may be eligible for a discount on their monthly premiums.¹⁴

Animal care workers discount: Animal care workers — such as veterinarians, vet techs, shelter workers, and veterinary physical therapists — may be eligible for a 10% discount on their monthly premiums.¹⁵

Healthcare workers discount: Healthcare workers — such as doctors, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and therapists — may be eligible for a discount on their monthly premiums.¹⁴

Employer discount: Pet parents who enroll in a policy through their employer may be eligible for a discount on their monthly premiums.¹⁶

Internet purchase discount: People who purchase a policy online may be eligible for a discount on their monthly premiums.¹⁷

Free mobile app

MetLife Pet’s mobile app is a unique space for pet parents to submit claims, maintain veterinary records, get artificial-intelligence-recommended articles for your pet’s needs, and access a 24/7 telehealth vet chat service.⁴ And the best part? Policyholders get free access to all its benefits!

MetLife Pet cares

About the community: To help care for shelter animals, we donated over $1.3 million in 2023 to our partner animal rescues all over the U.S. This went directly toward caring for rescued animals, operations costs, and pet parent education. Plus, we recently announced our Golden Beagle Award — which awards $20,000 to an animal welfare organization helping find forever homes for large-breed dogs.

What’s more, when you adopt a pet from one of our partner shelters, you may be able to enroll in a MetLife Pet Insurance policy so your new companion can have coverage from the start.

About our customers: In the event you’re hospitalized, we may be able to help cover boarding fees for your pets. We want to make sure your pets are well cared for when you’re not physically able to do so.

Fast claims process and accident coverage

MetLife Pet Insurance works hard to ensure pet parents are covered as soon as possible and reimbursed shortly after a claim is submitted.

Our claims process is easy. First, submit the vet bill and any veterinary records to us through the app, online portal, email, snail mail, or even fax! We’ll process your claim and reimburse you — typically within 10 days. Meanwhile, the ASPCA may take up to 30 days to reimburse you.²

We also have one of the shortest waiting periods for accident coverage. Our accident coverage kicks in at midnight after you enroll your pet,⁸ whereas ASPCA’s accident coverage typically doesn’t kick in for 14 days after enrollment.²

Preventive Care plan

MetLife Pet offers an add-on Preventive Care plan to enhance your standard illness and injury plan’s coverage. It can typically help cover the cost of vaccinations, spay or neuter procedures, routine vet visits, and teeth cleanings, as well as parasite prevention and treatment.³

Holistic coverage

Like us, our pets have the potential to benefit from holistic treatment. At MetLife Pet, we want you to be able to care for your pets as members of the family. That’s why we can cover alternative treatments — such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy, chiropractic care, massage, and laser therapy.

Success stories

While comparison charts and bullet points can help break down what MetLife Pet covers, they’re not the same as seeing how a policy helped a real pet. Here’s a claim story that may help you decide if MetLife Pet Insurance is worth it for you.

Ezzie, a 6-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever, injured her front right leg. She experienced lameness and pain as she limped around. Her pet parents took her to the vet for an exam, where they were referred to a physical therapist.

The therapeutic treatment cost just under $4,000, but their MetLife Pet Insurance policy covered the entire bill.¹⁸ Imagine having that kind of coverage if your pet gets an injury or illness.

Wondering if MetLife Pet Insurance — the 2024 “Pet Insurance of the Year” award winner¹⁹ — is right for you? Take the next step in your research by getting a free quote today!

Take the Next Step in Your Research

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Coverage is subject to the language of the policies as actually issued. This comparison or description of ASPCA policy(ies) was not furnished by ASPCA. It was prepared solely by MetLife Pet Insurance based on publicly available summary information about competitors' offerings and highlights selected coverages of the policies referenced as of January 2024 and is subject to change without notice. It may not be completely accurate and should not be the sole source of information relied upon in deciding which insurance coverage to purchase. To receive the latest information about other providers' available plans, please visit their website. If you have questions regarding the illustration or about a particular competitor’s policy or coverage, please contact a representative of ASPCA. Referenced publicly-available material for ASPCA sample plan. For completely reliable benefit comparisons, insurance departments (including North Dakota’s) advise that you obtain the benefit schedules directly from each applicable insurance company.

**As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn how MetLife Pet pet insurance works and review our coverage and exclusions.

¹ “About half of U.S. pet owners say their pets are as much a part of their family as a human member,” Pew Research Center, 2023

² Based on ASPCA’s sample policies, retrieved from https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/more-info/sample-plans-for-dogs-cats/v41/, and information found across the ASPCA website.

³ For IAIC policies, optional Preventive Care coverage is based on a Schedule of Benefits. For MetGen policies, optional Preventive Care coverage is included in the annual limit.

⁴ Virtual veterinary services are available through the MetLife Pet App and are provided entirely by AskVet, a third-party partner; MetLife Pet is not responsible for any pet guidance or advice provided or taken. Veterinarians providing virtual veterinary services cannot prescribe medication or answer questions about the pet policy.

⁵ Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by TELUS Health are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife Pet. Not available to NY residents.

⁶ Reimbursement options include: 70%, 80% and 90% and a 50% option for MetGen policies and a 65% option for IAIC policies only. Pet age restrictions may apply.

⁷ Deductible options range include: $0 – $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500.

⁸ Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy is compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Illness coverage begins 14 days from the effective day of your policy compared to 14 to 30 days for many competitors. Based on a January 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.

⁹ Your pet’s deductible automatically decreases by $25 (IAIC policies) or $50 (MetGen policies) each policy year that you don’t receive a claim reimbursement. May not be available in all states.

¹⁰ Based on a January 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.

¹¹ IAIC family plan policies are limited to dogs and cats under the age of 10. MetGen family plan policies are limited to dogs age 12 and under and cats age 14 and under.. Multi-policy discount is not available with Family Plans.

¹² Calculation based upon select plans and coverages. Actual rates may vary based on pet age, breed, location, deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limits you choose. For IAIC policies, premium is also based upon pet gender.

¹³ “ASPCA Pet Health Insurance 2021 Review: Coverage, Costs, and Fine Print,” Pawlicy Advisor

¹⁴ Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is available to Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and serving and retired members of the Armed Forces.

¹⁵ Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is applicable to staff/owners of animal care facilities. When using multiple discounts, discounts cannot exceed 30%. Each discount may not be available in all states. Please contact MetLife Pet for further details.

¹⁶ Discount is not available in MN or TN. This discount is only available to individuals who are eligible members or employees of an entity that has arranged for MetLife Pet to offer pet insurance. (IAIC policies, the discount is 10% for Groups > 1000 lives and 5% for Groups 51-999 lives. MetGen policies, this discount is 10% for Employer Groups and 5% for Associations).

¹⁷ When coverage is purchased on-line, a premium discount will apply during the first year of the policy.

¹⁸ All claims paid amounts are based on MetLife Pet internal claims data from October 2022. Story altered for illustrative purposes.

¹⁹ “2024 Pet Insurance of the Year Award” Winners, Pet Independent Innovation Awards

Coverage issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company (“MetGen”), a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886, and Independence American Insurance Company (“IAIC”), a Delaware insurance company, headquartered at 11333 N Scottsdale Rd, Ste 160, Scottsdale, AZ 85454. Coverage subject to restrictions, exclusions and limitations and application is subject to underwriting. See policy or contact MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC (“MetLife Pet”) for details. MetLife Pet is the policy administrator. It may operate under an alternate or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota) and MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois).

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