Nationwide Pet Insurance Review

Nationwide pet insurance review

Nationwide earned 4.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance, thanks to its broad and customizable coverage. Nationwide is one of the oldest and largest pet insurance companies in the U.S. Unlike most pet insurers, Nationwide sells policies for dozens of species, not just cats and dogs — so owners of parrots, rabbits and guinea pigs can get coverage, too.

Nationwide has three main plans to cover accidents and injuries, though not all may be available to all pets. Two are similar to many other pet insurance plans, reimbursing you for a percentage of your vet bill. The other pays a set amount per condition, regardless of what you actually spend. The company also offers wellness coverage. Not all plans are available in all states.

Strengths: Nationwide covers a much wider variety of animals than most pet insurers, and its Modular plan can be customized to fit your needs and budget. It also has a 24/7 vet helpline you can call with questions about your pet.

Weaknesses: With Nationwide’s plans, the highest reimbursement rate available to you may be 70% or 80%, which is lower than the 90% rate available from many other pet insurers. That means you’ll have to cover more of your vet bills yourself. Nationwide also has a longer waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries — 12 months — than most other insurers.

Choose Nationwide if: You have an exotic pet, you want a plan from a well-established national insurer or you’re an existing Nationwide customer looking for a multipolicy discount.

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Nationwide pet insurance plans and coverage

Nationwide offers a variety of pet insurance plans.

Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.

Modular

Nationwide’s Modular plan allows you to pick the coverage you want. For example, you could choose accident coverage only or add coverage for illnesses, behavioral therapies, prescription food and supplements, and/or wellness. (Some options may be available only by phone.) The Modular plan pays you back for a percentage of your vet expenses.

Depending on the options you select, Nationwide’s Modular plan can cover:

• Exams, treatment and surgery for injuries and illnesses, including cancer.

• Hereditary and congenital conditions.

• Diagnostic tests.

• Prescription medication, food and supplements.

• Behavioral exams and therapies.

• Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic.

• Routine and preventive care expenses such as vaccinations, fecal tests and heartworm prevention.

• Dental diseases, as long as there were no previous signs before the effective date of your pet’s coverage.

Whole Pet

Whole Pet is Nationwide’s most comprehensive plan, covering the broadest range of illnesses and injuries. Like the Modular plan, it will reimburse a percentage of your vet bill for accidents or illnesses, including exams and tests. However, there’s no option to add wellness coverage to pay for things like routine exams or heartworm prevention.

Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan covers:

• Exams, treatment, hospitalization and surgery for injuries and illnesses, including cancer.

• Hereditary or congenital conditions.

• Diagnostic tests.

• Prescription medication.

• Nutritional supplements or therapeutic diets that your vet prescribes.

• Dental diseases such as gingivitis.

• Behavioral exams and therapies.

• Alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic.

Major Medical

The Major Medical plan pays based on a benefit schedule, which lists a maximum annual reimbursement amount per condition — regardless of what your vet charges you.

Major Medical plans may cost less than other plans, but they don’t offer as much coverage. For example, Major Medical plans won’t pay to treat congenital conditions (disorders your pet is born with), while Whole Pet plans will.

Nationwide’s Major Medical plan covers:

• Treatment for injuries and illnesses listed in your benefit schedule, including cancer.

• Diagnostic tests.

• Prescription medication.

• Some hereditary conditions.

• Some dental conditions, but not gingivitis.

Wellness

Nationwide’s optional wellness coverage can reimburse you for vaccinations, heartworm tests, microchipping and other basic services. Where available, you can buy a wellness plan in conjunction with a Major Medical or Modular plan. You can’t add wellness coverage to a Whole Pet plan.

Depending on the plan you choose, Nationwide’s wellness plans may cover:

• Routine checkups.

• Vaccinations or titers.

• Heartworm or FeLV/FIV testing.

• Fecal testing.

• Deworming.

• Microchipping.

• Flea or heartworm preventives.

• Additional screening tests.

• Spay or neuter surgery.

• Dental cleaning.

» MORE: What does pet insurance cover?

What Nationwide doesn't cover

Nationwide’s pet insurance plans don’t cover:

• Pre-existing conditions.

• Grooming.

• Cruciate ligament problems within the first 12 months of coverage.

• Wellness and preventive care (unless you’ve purchased a wellness plan).

• Experimental treatment.

• Waste disposal.

• Taxes.

The Major Medical plan also excludes:

• Congenital or developmental disorders.

• Some hereditary conditions.

• Various dental issues such as gingivitis or treatment of baby teeth.

• Behavioral therapies.

• Age-related changes to an animal’s eyes or ears.

• Treatment for parasites such as heartworms.

• Prescribed nutritional supplements or pet foods.

• Expenses associated with breeding or pregnancy, such as cesarean sections.

• Any conditions specifically excluded in your benefits schedule.

» MORE: How much does pet insurance cost?

Nationwide pet insurance plan options

Deductibles: The default deductible is $250 for Whole Pet, Major Medical and Modular plans, but other options may be available online or by phone.

Reimbursement amounts: For Whole Pet plans, you can opt to be reimbursed 50% or 70% of your vet expenses. Modular plans can pay 50% to 80% of expenses. Major Medical reimbursement is based on your schedule of benefits.

When calculating your claim payout for a Whole Pet or Modular plan, Nationwide generally subtracts your deductible from your vet bill before applying your reimbursement amount. Here’s how that would work if you had a $2,000 vet bill, a $250 deductible and 70% reimbursement:

• $2,000 vet bill - $250 deductible = $1,750.

• $1,750 x 0.7 (70% reimbursement rate) = $1,225 reimbursement.

Coverage limits: Unlike many other pet insurers, Nationwide doesn’t offer plans with unlimited annual coverage. There’s a $10,000 annual coverage limit for Whole Pet plans. With a Modular plan, you can choose a limit between $2,500 and $10,000. Wellness coverage has various annual limits depending on the plan you choose. Maximum coverage for Major Medical plans is on a per-condition basis.

Restrictions and waiting periods

Age restrictions: Depending on the plan, your pet may need to be at least 8 weeks old to get coverage. A maximum age of 8 or 9 years may apply.

Waiting periods: A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage starts. Depending on your plan, you may have to wait 14 days before coverage begins. On the Modular plan, coverage for spaying, neutering and dental cleaning generally starts 90 days after the policy takes effect. A 12-month waiting period applies to cruciate ligament issues in most states. On the Major Medical plan, a 12-month waiting period may also apply to coverage for hereditary conditions.

Nationwide pet insurance sample rates

The cost of Nationwide pet insurance depends on where you live, the coverage limits you choose, and your pet’s breed and age.

To give you a rough idea of how much you might pay, we gathered quotes for several popular dog breeds at ages 2 and 8. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for dogs living in Katy, Texas.

For younger dogs, our sample plan was for accident and illness coverage with a $250 deductible, $5,000 of annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. Because of their age at the time of enrollment, the older dogs were eligible only for accident coverage. However, they had the same deductible, coverage limit and reimbursement rate. Your own price will vary.

We also gathered rates for a variety of cat breeds with the same coverage limits as above. Cats at age 8 at the time of enrollment were eligible for accident coverage only. Rates below are sample monthly premiums for cats living in Katy, Texas.

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Nationwide pet insurance discounts

You can save 5% on a new pet insurance plan if you currently have another Nationwide policy such as auto or homeowners insurance.

You may also be able to save 5% to 10% if you insure more than one pet with Nationwide.

If your employer offers Nationwide pet insurance as a benefit, you can get a 5% discount.

» MORE: Is pet insurance worth it?

State availability

Nationwide sells pet insurance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. However, the availability of specific plans may vary by state.

Digital experience

Nationwide’s website is relatively easy to use, with information and FAQs about its plans and an online claim submission process. You can also get a quote and buy a policy. Nationwide pet insurance policyholders get free access to the company’s VetHelpline service, which connects you with veterinarians for advice and consultations.

You can use the Nationwide app to check claim status, view policy information, and see perks and rewards.

How to file a claim with Nationwide

You can file a claim online or download a form to send in by email, fax or physical mail. You can check your claim status through your online account. The company says it generally handles claims within five days but notes that the process may take 30 days or more in some cases. You can opt to be reimbursed electronically or by paper check.

How to contact Nationwide customer service

You can reach customer service by phone at 800-540-2016 Monday through Saturday or contact the company by email.

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Nationwide pet insurance vs. competitors

Here’s how Nationwide stacks up against a few other popular pet insurance companies.

Nationwide vs. Trupanion pet insurance

In most states, Trupanion has a single plan with unlimited coverage and a 90% reimbursement rate, while Nationwide has a variety of plans and options to choose from.

Each company handles deductibles differently. Nationwide has an annual deductible, while Trupanion offers lifetime deductibles per condition in most states. The latter could save you money if your pet develops a chronic condition that needs ongoing treatment every year.

For accidents and illnesses, Trupanion’s plan is similar to Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan. Both cover hereditary and congenital conditions, prescription medications and supplements, and diagnostic tests. However, certain treatments included in the Whole Pet plan cost extra with Trupanion, such as acupuncture, behavioral therapies and chiropractic.

If you’re looking for wellness coverage, Nationwide is a better bet; Trupanion doesn’t cover wellness expenses.

Read our full Trupanion review.

Nationwide vs. Healthy Paws pet insurance

Healthy Paws offers a single pet insurance plan with no annual or lifetime limits. It can offer up to 90% reimbursement for some pets, which is a higher rate than any of Nationwide's plans offer. However, there’s no option to add wellness coverage.

The Healthy Paws plan covers hereditary and congenital conditions, prescription medications, and alternative treatment such as acupuncture and chiropractic. However, it won’t pay for exam fees, some dental health care, behavioral therapies or prescription diets — all of which Nationwide’s Modular and Whole Pet plans can cover.

Healthy Paws says it processes most claims within two business days, while Nationwide generally takes about five days.

Read our Healthy Paws review to learn more.

Nationwide vs. ASPCA pet insurance

ASPCA’s Complete Coverage plan is similar to Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan. Both cover hereditary and congenital conditions, exam fees for accidents and illnesses, alternative therapies, behavioral therapies, and prescription food and supplements. But you can add wellness coverage to ASPCA’s Complete Coverage plan, while you can’t for Nationwide’s Whole Pet.

ASPCA also offers an accident-only policy, which you can choose as a cheaper alternative to a full accident and injury plan. Nationwide’s Modular plan can be a similar option if you customize it to include accident coverage only.

ASPCA's waiting period for cruciate ligament issues is significantly shorter than Nationwide’s — just 14 days compared with 12 months. But unlike Nationwide, it doesn’t cover rabbits, guinea pigs or other “exotic” pets other than horses.

Read our full ASPCA pet insurance review.

How we review pet insurance

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, we consider coverage, discounts, financial strength ratings from AM Best and more to determine our star ratings.

In our evaluation, we:

• Analyzed 2,100 data points.

• Got 800+ quotes from pet insurers.

• Compared 20+ companies.

Our rating system rewards companies that cover a wide range of potential expenses, offer many ways to customize your plan and have a strong financial rating. Within the consumer experience category, we looked at features such as mobile app ratings and whether the company offers direct vet payments. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale.

Dive deeper with our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.

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Methodology