MetLife Pet Insurance offers short waiting periods, multiple pets on one policy, and no age limits. You have the flexibility to see any licensed vet in the US and the rewards program adds even more value over time. If you have several pets in your household, MetLife could be a great option.
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
Annual Coverage: $2,000-$10,000
Reimbursement: 70-90%
Deductibles: $50-$500
Waiting Periods: Midnight ET same-day (accident); 14 days (illness)
Age limits: No age limits
Customer Support: Phone, fax, email, live chat
Pros
Cons
MetLife allows you to include up to three pets on one plan—and there’s no age limit, either. You’re covered with any licensed vet in the US, so you can stick to your trusted or local practitioner. Plus, the short waiting periods offer greater peace of mind, while the rewards program can save you money.
That said, it should be noted that MetlLife’s annual benefit is capped at $10,000. Additionally, the claims system is a little clunky as you have to download and sign a form rather than doing everything online.
MetLife’s pet insurance is fairly comprehensive, covering a range of useful treatments, common ailments, and less common conditions as well. Coverage includes:
Like many pet insurers, MetLife won’t cover pre-existing conditions that arose before you took out your policy. In addition, it won’t cover:
When you follow MetLife’s quick online quote process, you’re presented with three ready-made options—but you can also adjust your annual benefit, deductible, and reimbursement, and add preventive care to create a custom plan. You can claim a 10% discount if you work in animal care or the military, and there’s a $1/month discount for purchasing your cover online.
The quoted price you receive may differ depending on your pet’s details, location, and when you request it. See for example the results for requesting quotes for several different eight-year-old pets in California, based on an annual benefit of $5,000, a deductible of $250, and a reimbursement of 80%.
|
Pet |
Monthly cost |
Monthly cost with preventive care included |
|
Pure breed dog (labrador) |
$78.95 |
$101.12 |
|
Mixed breed dog |
$59.32 |
$82.48 |
|
Pure breed cat (American shorthair) |
$36.12 |
$46.27 |
|
Mixed breed cat |
$34.73 |
$44.95 |
MetLife’s quotes are on the cheaper side, and what’s great is that you can add up to three pets on the same policy for no additional cost.
MetLife also has a rewards program, offering discounts and special offers on pet care purchases in store. You can redeem up to five rewards per year.
You can set your reimbursement—the amount of your covered costs—to 70%, 80%, or 90% (a higher reimbursement means a higher monthly premium), and your deductible—the amount you’ll need to pay before getting reimbursed—to $50, $100, $250, or $500 (a higher deductible means a lower monthly premium).
You can adjust your annual benefit limit (the amount you can claim each year) to $2,000, $5,000, or $10,000. Increasing the benefit limit also increases your monthly cost.
MetLife really stands out from competitors for its short waiting periods. Your pet will be covered for accidents by midnight ET the day you buy your policy (usually a few days with other insurers) and for illness by 14 days after purchase.
There are a few different ways to claim from MetLife, giving you a lot of flexibility. You can submit your claim through your online account, the MetLife pet insurance mobile app, by email, fax, or mail. You need to submit a signed claim form, vet records, and an itemized invoice. Most claims are dealt with within 10 days, which is a speedy turnaround. However, it would be more convenient if you could do everything online rather than needing to download and sign the claims form.
You can contact MetLife by phone, fax, mail, or email for support. There is also a live chat function on the website. Support is available Monday-Friday 8am-9pm and Saturday-Sunday 10am-7pm ET. When I reached out on the live chat, the team replied right away.
The MetLife website also has lots of useful information, including articles and an FAQ. Using the site is easy, and getting a quote takes just a couple of minutes. When you take out a MetLife policy you can also use the MetLife app, which has a range of useful features including submitting and tracking claims, storing your pets’ health records, and finding pet care providers.
It’s really fantastic that MetLife’s policies cover multiple pets in the household for no additional cost. The short waiting periods might also appeal to you and the coverage is very inclusive, with no age limit for pets.
MetLife as a general insurance provider has some poor ratings on Trustpilot (average 1.6/5 from 237 reviews) and the Better Business Bureau (average 1.09/5 from 132 reviews). Customers found reimbursement times to be higher than reported, and found communication with the company challenging.
Email : pet_info@metlife.com
Address :
MetLife Pet Insurance
400 Missouri Avenue
Suite 105
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
MetLife Pet Insurance has lots of great features. For a start, if you’ve got more than one pet then being able to cover up to three on one policy offers good value for money. Additionally, the short waiting periods put you at ease, and the ability to use any vet in the US is really convenient. If you feel like you’ll need a lot of cover for your pets, it’s worth bearing in mind there’s no unlimited benefit on offer here, and the claims process is a little more fiddly than some other providers. However, for decent cover for multiple pets, MetLife is certainly worth considering.
Pet Insurance offered by MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company (“IAIC”), a Delaware insurance company, headquartered at 485 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10022, and Metropolitan General Insurance Company (“MetGen”), a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886, in those states where MetGen’s policies are available. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC is the policy administrator authorized by IAIC and MetGen to offer and administer pet insurance policies. MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC was previously known as PetFirst Healthcare, LLC and in some states continues to operate under that name pending approval of its application for a name change. The entity may operate under an alternate, assumed, and/or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions as approved, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota), MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois), and such other alternate, assumed, or fictitious names approved by certain jurisdictions.