Embrace Pet Insurance Review

Pros Explained

• Broad coverage: Many treatments and services are covered, including cancer, dental issues, genetic conditions, and orthopedic issues.
• Deductible decreases each year that you don’t file a claim: For every year you don’t file a claim on your pet’s insurance plan, the company will reduce your deductible going forward by $50.
• Offers affordable accident-only coverage: If you want peace of mind that your older pet or pet with extensive pre-existing conditions is covered in the event of an accident, this may be the perfect plan for you.

Cons Explained

• Wellness is extra and pricey: Embrace is primarily an accident and illness insurer. Though wellness coverage is available, it’s somewhat pricey and has a coverage limit of $650 per year.
• Additional fees can add up: Embrace charges some fees that other insurers don’t, including a $25 enrollment fee and a monthly charge if you do not pay your premiums annually.

Introduction

Embrace Pet Insurance offers comprehensive accident and illness coverage with multiple premium, reimbursement, and deductible levels. A Wellness Rewards add-on is available, but it’s more like a budgeting tool than an insurance plan.

Company Overview

Embrace Pet Insurance was founded in 2003, although it didn’t sell its first pet insurance policy until 2006. It’s located in Cleveland, Ohio, and its insurance policies are underwritten by American Modern Insurance Group, Inc. Embrace won the Wharton Business Plan Competition when it was just a concept in 2003, and has since gone on to win other accolades like the International Service Excellence Award and the NorthCoast 99 Award.

Embrace’s policies are available in all 50 states, though the terms and conditions vary between states. Only dogs and cats are covered; you can enroll your pet online or over the phone.

Available Plans

Embrace Pet Insurance’s main accident and illness plan provides reimbursement for a wide array of treatments and services. There are multiple ways to customize the plan, with five different annual limits, five deductibles, and three reimbursement amounts to choose from (explained below). 

The accident and illness plan is only available for dogs and cats enrolled before their 15th birthday. For older pets and those with pre-existing conditions that exclude them from that plan, Embrace offers an accident-only plan.

Available Riders/Add-Ons

Wellness coverage is offered, not as insurance, but through a program called Wellness Rewards. This is a “budgeting tool” that works a bit like a savings account. Three different annual coverage limits are available: $250, $450, and $650.

Some things that are reimbursable under the Wellness Reward program include:

• Wellness exam fees
• Vaccinations & titers
• Flea, tick, & heartworm preventatives
• Spay/neuter surgery
• Fecal & routine blood tests
• Microchipping
• Grooming and nail trims
• Dental prophylaxis (cleaning)
• Alternative medicine

Waiting Periods

Embrace’s waiting periods are fairly good for the industry. Accident coverage begins only two days after enrollment of your pet, which is sooner than many competitors. The waiting period for illness coverage is 14 days. 

The company has a 180-day waiting period for orthopedic conditions in dogs, but there is a waiver available in certain situations. To apply for a shorter orthopedic waiting period, you will need to take your dog to the vet for an orthopedic exam. The exam will have to show that, in the veterinarian’s opinion, the dog is not prone to any orthopedic conditions. This exam must take place after coverage has started; the exam isn’t covered by Embrace’s insurance plans, but it is covered under the Wellness Rewards program. 

Cancellation Policy

To cancel your coverage, you can contact the company at (800) 511-9172 or by email.

If you cancel in the initial 30 days of the policy and no claim has been filed, the paid premium will be refunded. Embrace will not backdate a cancellation of more than 60 days without proof that the pet has died or is no longer in the owner’s possession. 

Plan Exclusions

Embrace pet insurance has several exclusions, such as:

• Pre-existing conditions
• Bilateral conditions
• Prescription food and supplements
• Breeding, whelping, and pregnancy
• Injury caused deliberately or resulting from fighting, racing, cruelty, or neglect 
• Cosmetic procedures such as tail docking, ear cropping, and dewclaw removal unless medically necessary
• DNA testing or cloning
• Stem cell therapy not deemed medically necessary

Pre-Existing Conditions

Like all pet health insurance companies, Embrace does not cover pre-existing conditions. The company will review your pet’s veterinary records upon enrollment, and it will tell you which conditions qualify as pre-existing. This is a great service, because you may cancel for free in the first 30 days if you decide not to enroll based on the medical record review.

Plan Pricing

Premiums are well-priced for Embrace’s main accident and illness plan. The lowest tier of coverage starts at $7 per month for cats and $14 for dogs. The plan is customizable with varying deductibles, reimbursement percentages, and annual coverage limits, which will affect the premium amount. Sample quotes may be obtained online.

Deductibles: Embrace offers several annual deductible choices for the main accident and illness policy, ranging from $200 to $1,000 per year. The accident-only policy for older or ill pets has a set annual deductible of $100.

Your deductible will be reduced by $50 for each year that no claims are filed on the policy until it reaches $0. When a claim is filed, the reduced deductible will apply and then your deductible will reset to the original amount the following year.

Reimbursement amounts: The accident/illness plan offers reimbursement levels of 70%, 80%, or 90% of your veterinary expenses. The accident-only policy reimburses you for 90% of your expenses.

Coverage limits: The accident/illness plan has many choices for annual coverage limits, ranging from $5,000 to $30,000. Higher limits come with higher premiums. The accident-only policy has an annual limit of $5,000.

The Wellness Rewards program can be paid for monthly or annually; Embrace states that the average savings are only $25, no matter which tier you choose. However, if an owner has a hard time saving for preventive care, this program may allow them to do that.

Claims

Insurance claims with Embrace may be submitted in a few different ways:

• Online customer portal
• Mobile app
• Email
• Fax
• Physical mail

Claims will be processed in an estimated 10 to 15 business days. 

Embrace allows clients to sign up for direct deposit once they are enrolled, which speeds up payment. Alternatively, you may request reimbursement via check; the company advises that this method may take up to 10 additional days.

Customer Service

If in need of customer service, Embrace provides a variety of ways to get in touch. Phone support is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. 

• General phone support: (800) 511-9172
• Policy quotes and purchasing: (800) 779-1539
• General email support: hello@embracepetinsurance.com
• Claim questions: askclaims@embracepetinsurance.com 
• Claim documents: claims@embracepetinsurance.com 
• Founder’s email: BrianVIP@embracepetinsurance.com

You can also submit documents through the online customer portal.

Embrace’s mailing address is:

Embrace Pet Insurance
P.O. Box 22188
Beachwood, OH 44122-0188

Third-Party Ratings

American Modern Insurance Group, which underwrites Embrace’s pet insurance policies, has been given an A+ (Superior) financial stability rating from AM Best, an insurance rating company. Its Superior grade is given to insurance companies that have demonstrated a superior ability to meet their financial obligations, such as paying out claims.

In our survey of pet owners, most responses regarding Embrace Pet Insurance were positive. One customer said the policy was worth the price because their pet has Addison’s disease, and they received good coverage for the medication; another remarked that they renewed their Embrace plan because they received good service. There was also a negative comment about the company raising the customer’s monthly premium.

Alternative Choices

Choosing to purchase pet health insurance is a big decision. The best way to start is by evaluating your pet’s and your family’s needs. Plans can vary significantly in what they do and do not cover, how much they cost, and how much of your medical expenses will be reimbursed. 

It’s important to remember that many factors can affect the cost of insurance, so taking the time to collect quotes from different companies can pay off. Factors that can affect premiums include:

• Pet age
• Pet breed
• Location
• Increases in veterinary costs
• Other undisclosed factors each company considers

Competition

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Our Methodology: How We Review Pet Insurance Carriers

Investopedia is dedicated to providing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of pet insurance companies. We rated 25 providers and collected over 2,000 data points, including information about plan options, company features, and fees and limits, to ensure that our reviews help users make informed decisions for their pet insurance needs.

Our full pet insurance methodology, including our data collection process and weighted data points, is available for review.