Petco Pet Insurance Review 2025

Petco Pet Insurance offers pet insurance through a partnership with insurance giant Nationwide. While Petco offers exotic pet insurance, rare in the industry, dog and cat owners should be wary of Nationwide's involvement as the company announced plans in June to drop coverage for 100,000 customers. 

We compared Petco to the best pet insurance companies and found it to lag behind the rest of the industry, burdened by various limits and exclusions that its competitors don't have, though it offers a 10% discount for treatment with Vetco Total Care hospitals and vaccine clinics. Ultimately, if your primary vet is a Vetco Total Care hospital, Petco's pet insurance may be worth looking into. For anybody else, look elsewhere.

Pros and Cons

Petco Pet Insurance Pros

• Covers exotic animals
• 10% at Vetco Total Care and Vaccination clinics
• 24/7 Vet helpline
• Coverage for prescription food

Petco Insurance Cons

• Limited coverage for hereditary/congenital conditions
• 12-month waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries
• Whole Pet plan is only available for pets under 6 years old
• Petco's partner Nationwide has cut 100,000 policies in 2024
• Petco's quotes page is difficult to use

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Petco Pet Insurance Overview

Petco Health and Wellness, Inc. — founded in 1965 under the moniker United Pharmaceutical Company (UPCO) — began as a mail-order veterinary supply business based in San Diego, California. The company ultimately blossomed into a pet food and supplies chain beginning with the first retail outlet in 1976 before its rebranding in 1979. Petco started offering pet insurance in partnership with Nationwide pet insurance in early 2024.

As a partner with Nationwide pet insurance, Petco offers the same features. It offers coverage for exotic pets, which is rare in the pet insurance industry. It also has per-incident annual coverage limits instead of an overall annual limit. This could be beneficial for pet owners who are worried about their pet's general health, as opposed to one or two chronic conditions.

Petco pet insurance also comes with a 10% discount at Vetco Total Care and Vaccination clinics. However, we contend that the discount is not significant enough to cancel out the money you can save on a cheaper pet insurance company.

Unfortunately, Petco also shares Nationwide's shortcomings. It has a 12-month waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries, which is far longer than most insurance companies. Whole Pet coverage is only available for pets under 6 years old. Additionally, claims can take 30 days to process, which can be a problem if you don't have the money on hand to pay your vet bill and have to put it on your credit card.

Additionally, it's worth noting that Nationwide issued non-renewal notices for 100,000 customers in late May and early June.

Petco has additional issues not found with Nationwide. For one, obtaining a quote for your pet is an uphill battle. Each button you press on Petco's website is a potential landmine, breaking the page and forcing you to start over again.

Petco Pet Insurance Plans Available

Pet insurance plans from Petco not only cover a variety of health needs for pets — from minor to major, and myriad in between — but they also provide peace of mind for pet owners. Consider your pet's specific needs when deciding between the following pet insurance plans: 

Nationwide Major Medical Plan

The major medical plan provides pet insurance coverage for illnesses and injuries. Reimbursements depend on the treatment received, though a $250 deductible applies to the entire policy.

It's the least expensive of Petco's options but offers the least coverage. In the event of an accident or illness, your out-of-pocket expenses would be higher. Cats must be enrolled before they turn 10.

Nationwide Major Medical With Wellness Plan

With major medical and wellness coverage, you'll be reimbursed for preventative services like heartworm tests, vaccinations, illnesses, and injuries. This is an excellent option if you don't need coverage for hereditary and congenital conditions with the benefits of wellness coverage. In addition, premiums are affordable for the average pet parent, providing significant financial relief in an emergency without a massive strain on their wallets.

Once again, reimbursements depend on the treatment received, though a $250 deductible applies to the entire policy. Similar to the Major Medical plan, cats must be enrolled before they turn 10.

Nationwide Whole Pet Plan

Whole Pet is the most comprehensive and expensive plan compared to the other two coverage options. It will cover illnesses, injuries, accidents, exams, and testing, up to a $10,000 annual maximum, with a $250 deductible, and either 50% or 70% reimbursement. It will also cover treatment for hereditary and congenital conditions.

However, the Whole Pet plan does not offer wellness benefits. Additionally, dogs must be enrolled before they turn 6. 

Petco Pet Insurance Cost

Petco's pricing is based on a trio of factors including your pet's age, breed, and ZIP code. Your choice of plan and coverage levels also influence how much you pay.

Petco plans are generally more expensive than the national average price of pet insurance, especially considering that its equivalent to a wellness plan for routine care — Vital Care Premium — adds $19.99 per month to Petco's cost of pet insurance.

To get a better idea of how much Petco pet insurance costs, we'll look at how much a pet owner living in New York City would pay in pet insurance premiums. We chose New York City for our quotes because it is one of the most expensive places to receive vet care, which insurance premiums will reflect. Your premiums will likely be lower than the prices below.

Business Insider acquired the following dog insurance quotes for a Petco Major Medical With Wellness plan: 

Let's go over premiums for a New York City cat covered under a Petco Major Medical With Wellness plan:

Petco offers pet parents a 5% discount on multiple pets and a 10% discount when pet owners enroll four or more pets.

How to Purchase and Manage a Petco Pet Insurance Policy

To purchase a Petco pet insurance policy, you'll first need to obtain quotes on its website. Be prepared to provide your pet's name, species, breed, age, sex, and whether your pet is neutered/spayed. You'll also provide your email and ZIP code, as your location is one of the most important factors when pet insurance companies calculate your premiums. You'll also be asked when you obtained your pet and if they have ever had another insurance policy or a Nationwide pet insurance policy.

Once you obtain your quotes, you'll choose from one of Petco's three plans. Depending on the plan you choose, you may be able to customize your reimbursement level. As you check out, you'll be asked additional questions about your pet, such as their color, whether they've had a vet exam in the past year, their preventive medicine regiment, any pre-existing conditions they have, and if Petco can obtain their medical records.

When you check out, you'll have to pay two months of your premium upfront. This can be a hefty sum, especially for pet owners enrolling older pets. 

How to File a Claim With Petco Pet Insurance

To file a Petco pet insurance claim, you'll upload your receipt to the Petco portal. The company offers reimbursement for covered expenses via direct deposit or US mail.

To ensure prompt processing of your claim, submit your form electronically — within 270 days from the date of treatment — and include the following information:

• Name, address, contact information
• Description of the condition/treatment for which you are submitting a claim
• Itemized invoice listing actual cost of treatment
• Your signature

If you prefer, your veterinarian is able to submit a claim form on your behalf and — if indicated on the claim form — be paid directly.

You can contact Petco by calling 1-833-898-7387 or emailing support.insurance@petco.com.

Petco Pet Insurance Customer Service and Claims Experience

Reviews of Petco are overwhelmingly negative, receiving an average of 1.5 on Trustpilot. These reviews almost entirely pertain to the online retail, grooming, and vet services. However, it's worth noting the customer service experience, since Petco policyholders are incentivized to use Petco vet services.

To get an insight into how Petco policyholders are treated, we'll need to look at Nationwide's reviews, which are very mixed and fall short compared to many of its competitors. Nationwide pet insurance has an average of 3.7 stars on Trustpilot and 1.14 on its Better Business Bureau page, though this page is for Nationwide as a whole, not just pet insurance. While the majority of customers had positive experiences with customer service and claims, some members expressed frustration with the claims limits. Additionally, customers found that their premiums rose significantly after a year of coverage.

When considering customer reviews, it's also important to see a company's response or lack thereof. Nationwide slants toward the latter, refraining from responding to any Trustpilot reviews, positive or negative. The company is more responsive on its BBB page, but again, this page encompasses all of Nationwide's insurance departments.

Petco Pet Insurance Alternatives

See how Petco compares to three other options for pet insurance coverage: 24Petprotect, Hartville, and Allstate.

Petco vs. 24Petprotect

24Petprotect Pet Insurance offers comparable coverage to Petco for illness and accidents, but offers an overall annual limit as opposed to per-condition limits. That said, 24Petprotect is slightly more expensive than Petco.

24Petprotect offers two preventive care options (Basic and Prime). While Petco offers similar benefits with its Medical and Wellness plan, 24Petprotect customers don't have to sacrifice hereditary and congenital condition coverage for wellness.

Ultimately, neither 24Petprotect nor Petco are great options, but customers might be inclined to choose 24Petprotect for its more traditional insurance structure. Additionally, 24Petprotect might be a more reliable option given Nationwide's recent policy non-renewal.

Read our 24Petprotect pet insurance review.

Petco vs. Hartville Pet Insurance

Like 24Petprotect, Hartville Pet Insurance offers overall annual limits instead of per-condition limits. Additionally, Hartville covers hereditary and congenital conditions like patella issues, hip dysplasia, and ligament conditions. While we're on the topic, Hartville has a 14-day waiting period for ligament issues, which is far shorter than Petco's year-long waiting period. 

On top of all this, Hartville is cheaper than Petco, though not by much. All things considered, Hartville isn't the best pet insurance company, but it still beats out Petco.

Read our Hartville pet insurance review.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Petco Pet Insurance Review

Finding the right pet insurance provider to meet your needs (and budget!) requires patience. In compiling this review, we sorted through lots of information and considered multiple factors, including (but not limited to) the following:  

• Plan options (standard and additional)
• Coverage limits and exclusions
• Available options (for deductible and reimbursement percentage levels) 
• Waiting periods (for coverage to commence)
• Pre-existing condition eligibility
• Overall rates and discounts
• Reviews and customer satisfaction 

Read more about how Business Insider rates pet insurance.

Petco Pet Insurance FAQs

Hannah Van Sickle

Hannah Van Sickle is a writer who lives and works in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Hannah works with college-bound seniors on their application essays and contributes regularly to Berkshire magazine and The Berkshire Edge; essays about her journey parenting daughters can be found at Refinery29, Modern Loss, and SheKnows.  

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Evelyn He is a compliance and operations associate for Business Insider’s Personal Finance team. Evelyn ensures content accuracy and editorial independence so readers get the most up-to-date and objective financial advice, enabling them to make informed financial decisions.ExperienceAs part of the compliance team, Evelyn helps fact check Personal Finance stories and works to make sure that the language is clear, precise, and compliant with government regulations and partner guidelines. Previously, Evelyn worked as a compliance specialist for Apellis Pharmaceuticals and a legal assistant at the law firm Morrison Mahoney.ExpertiseEvelyn is an expert in the following areas:

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EducationEvelyn earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from UMass Amherst and a master’s in marketing from Boston University.Evelyn has two dogs, Money and Tibber.

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