For dog and cat (and puppy and kitten) owners looking for pet insurance, Embrace Pet Insurance is one company to consider. They offer coverage for not only accidents and illness but also routine wellness visits and preventative care. This is a reputable company that you can rely on for help in paying for your pet’s veterinary care.




Embrace Pet Insurance Review
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Average Customer Rating

4.6

What we like:
Optional wellness plan

Monthly Premium As low as $10 for cats and $16 for dogs
Deductible $200, $300, $500, $750, or $1,000
Benefits Limits 70%, 80% or 90% of annual costs
Age Restrictions As young as 6 weeks and as old as 14 years

Visit the Embrace Pet Insurance website or get a quote for pet insurance

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In this review, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Embrace Pet Insurance in order to help you make an informed decision. We’ll look at pros and cons, coverage information, what it costs, customer reviews and more

What We Like

Embrace is generally a good plan and has some great things going for it. One of our favorites is that it offers an optional wellness plan in addition to its regular accident and illness plan. You can choose whether you’d like routine visits covered or if you would rather save money on premiums and focus only on the more expensive treatments for sickness and injuries. Other features we like include:

  • Diminishing deductible. Embrace offers the industry’s best diminishing deductible. For every claim reimbursement-free policy year, the deductible is reduced by $50 the following policy term.
  • Curable conditions policy. While this policy (like just about all pet insurance policies) doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions that are incurable, they will cover curable conditions that have been symptom- and treatment-free for a year.
  • Extra reimbursements. You might be able to get reimbursed for grooming, training, and other extras that are often not covered by pet insurance.
  • No lifetime limits. There’s no ceiling to the amount that you can be reimbursed for the lifetime of your pet.
  • Quick payments. Claims are processed and paid promptly, usually within 15 business days.

What We Don’t Like

Of course, no pet insurance plan is going to be perfect! There are some things about Embrace Pet Insurance that did not make our list of favorite features. Here they are:

  • Enrollment fee. At the time of this writing, the enrollment fee is $25.
  • Upper age limits. Embrace doesn’t allow new enrollments for illnesses after age 14. However, if your pet is enrolled before age 14, they will cover illnesses for the life of your pet.
  • Bilateral injury policy. If your pet has had an ACL tear on one leg before enrollment, then the other leg is considered pre-existing, too. The same applies to other types of bilateral conditions.
  • Waiting periods. There are waiting periods for both accident and illness coverage.

Coverage Information

With Embrace Pet Insurance, some of the conditions and treatments it covers will depend on your specific policy.

What Is Covered Under the Illness and Accident Insurance?

  • Office visits
  • Emergency vet visits
  • Specialty vet visits
  • Cancer treatment
    • Radiation
    • Chemotherapy
    • Diagnostic tests
    • Alternative therapies
    • Surgery
    • Follow-up care
  • Alternative therapies
    • Acupuncture
    • Chiropractic care
    • Laser therapy
    • Hydrotherapy
  • Prescription medications for treatment
    • Antibiotics
    • Insulin and supplies
    • Eye and ear drops
    • Steroids
    • Pain relievers
    • Anxiety medication
  • Dental disease treatment
  • Surgery
    • Anesthesia
    • Overnight observation
    • Medical waste fees
    • Prescriptions
    • Rehabilitation
    • Follow-up care
  • Accidents
    • Bloat
    • Hit by car
    • Poisoning
    • Cuts/lacerations
    • Foreign body ingestion

What Is Covered Under the Wellness Insurance?

  • Wellness exams
  • Vaccinations
  • Preventative medication
    • Flea, tick, and heartworm preventative
    • Prescription diet food
    • Nutritional supplements
    • Medicated shampoos
  • Dental cleanings
  • Grooming
  • Spay/Neuter surgery
  • Toenail trimming
  • Anal gland expression
  • Training
  • Hip dysplasia exams
  • Cremation or burial

What Is Not Covered?

  • Pregnancy and whelping
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Injuries caused by abuse, intentional harm, fighting, racing, cruelty, neglect
  • Cosmetic procedures
  • Organ transplants
  • Stem cell therapy that is not medically necessary
  • DNA testing
  • Avian flu
  • Nuclear war
  • Routine veterinary care (for the accident and illness plan)

How Much Does Embrace Pet Insurance Cost?

The cost of a policy with Embrace Pet Insurance will depend on several factors, including the age of your pet, whether you want the additional wellness program, the deductible you choose, and so on. We asked for quotes for a young dog and a middle-aged cat to see what the premiums would be.

Our hypothetical dog was a one-year-old mixed breed male weighing 75 lbs. We chose an annual reimbursement limit of $10,000, an annual deductible of $500, and a reimbursement level of 90% in zip code 34286. We did not choose the optional wellness program. The total premium per month was $26.84. Note that there is an enrollment fee of $25, so the first payment due would be $51.84.

For our cat, we used an 8-year-old mixed breed female. This time, we chose a $5,000 annual limit with a $200 annual deductible and a reimbursement level of 90%, also in zip code 34286. Without choosing the optional wellness program, the monthly premium was going to be $27.56. When we added a $250 maximum reimbursement wellness program, the monthly premium became $46.31.

Discounts, Promotions, or Coupon Codes

Embrace Pet Insurance offers a number of discounts that are stackable – meaning you can take advantage of multiple discounts if you’re eligible for more than one, up to a total of 25% off in most states.

  • Healthy Pet Deductible: A diminishing deductible is included on every policy at no additional cost – $50 off your deductible each year you don’t have reimbursement for an accident or illness claim.
  • Multiple Pet Discount: 10% discount on policies for two or more pets (5% in NY).
  • Military Discount: 5% discount for active or former members of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, or Coast Guard (proof of status required).
  • Employee Benefit Discount: 10% discount for employees of companies offering Embrace Pet Insurance as a voluntary benefit (5% discount in TN, and this discount is not available in FL, HI, ND, & RI).
  • Veterinary Practice Discount: 10% discount for staff of veterinary practices that promote Embrace Pet Insurance (5% discount in KY, and this discount is not available in FL, HI, & ND).
  • ACH Discount (NY Only): 5% discount in NY when paying with a bank account instead of a credit or debit card.
  • Annual Pay Discount (NY Only): 5% discount in NY when paying for the policy in full annually instead of monthly.
  • Spay/Neuter Discount (NY Only): 5% discount for policies for pets in NY who have been spayed or neutered.

Customer Reviews

When looking for pet insurance, it’s important to look at positive and negative reviews so you can get a clear picture of how the coverage works and how consumers feel about it. Here’s a look at what customers have to say about Embrace Pet Insurance.

Positive Reviews
Embrace Pet Insurance policy holders are typically pleased with the fast turnaround time for claims as well as the company’s prompt response to questions and communication from customers. Customers say claims are easy to submit and most are pleased with the coverage and reimbursement.

“My dog, Molly, had elbow and shoulder problems. The recommended treatment was really cutting edge – Stem cell and bone marrow treatment on top of arthroscopic surgery to clean out her joint. These procedures were very expensive, and I did not know if insurance would cover it. So, I called Embrace. They told me that it was probably covered, but that I should send in a pre-surgical application. I did so, and found out that Embrace actually covered it. This was such a relief, since I did not know if I could afford it. Then, when I filed the actual claim, Embrace covered some items that I didn’t know were included. Absolutely wonderful.” – Matthew, Consumer Affairs, 3/3/19

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“In 2009, I got my first Cocker Spaniel, and shortly thereafter I joined a cocker spaniel forum to learn more about the breed, grooming tips, etc. I learned a lot from this forum, particularly that cockers are predisposed to a variety of health issues, many of which are extremely expensive to treat. The other thing that I learned was that many of the owners obtained pet insurance for their cockers, but had mixed reviews as to their reputations. One company that kept getting excellent reviews was Embrace, and that is the company that I chose for my dog when she was a couple of years old. Their reputation for paying based on actual costs, and for not having breed-specific exclusions were two positive features that I liked.

Fast forward several claim-free years, and Gromit tore the ccl in her knee, requiring surgery. The cost of the surgery and follow-up exams was over $4,000. My first pleasant surprise was that since I had not filed any prior claims, my deductible was automatically reduced! Next, the claims that I submitted were not only paid quickly and without question, but the agent suggested that I set up direct deposit so that I could receive reimbursement even faster. As Gromit has gotten older, the premiums have increased. But the peace of mind that Embrace has provided is worth it to me. I didn’t have to hesitate about getting Gromit the surgery that she needed regardless of the cost. And watching her run around and play, pain free and fully-healed, warms my heart.” – Darra, Consumer Affairs, 1/14/19

Negative Reviews
As with many pet insurance companies (and insurance companies overall), some consumers say they’ve had claims unfairly denied. Others say that pre-existing conditions can be a problem and may be cause for denial based on any observations your vet has documented about your pet.

“We started with Embrace in 2017, paying $80-something per month for our four cats. The renewal paperwork we just received (to begin in 2019) is for $143, which means that over only two years, our rates almost doubled with this company. Frankly, they’re not that great to begin with: We only get 80% reimbursement after a $1000 deductible (per cat), with a $15,000/year maximum. Other companies don’t have per-year maximums, etc. That was fine at $80/month, but NOT at $143/month. When I first bought the insurance in 2017, I specifically asked their representatives about rate hikes, and both of the Embrace employees I spoke with said that even after using the insurance, their rates didn’t go up. They’re very dishonest, and we feel trapped. I highly recommend that people go elsewhere for pet insurance!” – Genevieve, Consumer Affairs, 8/1/19

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“Like any insurance you need to read all the fine print and fully understand what you are getting. I made this mistake particularly with the waiting period and pre existing conditions. That said, I agree completely with what other reviewers have said about pre existing conditions. My vet also had noted some minor lumps and bumps on my older dog during a wellness exam and assured me that they were fatty tumors. Fast forward to a situation where an oral lump was discovered. Vet was concerned and wanted a biopsy. You guessed it, Embrace rejected it. So be aware, anything your vet writes down they will use it as a reason not to cover it. For accidents etc, there was no problem.” – Colleen, Consumer Affairs, 7/5/17

The Final Verdict

We feel that Embrace Pet Insurance is a legitimate and valid way to make sure that your pets are covered. We like that customers get the benefits of an optional wellness plan as well as a diminishing deductible when pets stay healthy and injury-free. On the other hand, there are exclusions such as with pre-existing conditions and waiting periods, which some customers find less to their liking. It is important to read the fine print of any pet insurance policy that you are considering and make sure you fully understand it.

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