MetLife Pet Insurance Review

Pros Explained

• Discounts available: MetLife offers a variety of discounts (multi-pet, animal care, military, healthcare worker, etc.), and if you make no claims in a policy year, MetLife will automatically decrease your deductible by $25 or $50.
• Flexible deductibles: MetLife lets you choose your deductible; it can be as low as $50 or as high as $2,500.
• No incident limits: MetLife has no lifetime or per-incident limits for pets of all ages.

Cons Explained

• Limited coverage options: MetLife only offers an accident and illness plan and one wellness rider, which you can only learn more about if you move through the process of obtaining a quote. 
• Vague cancellation policy: MetLife makes it difficult to learn more about its cancellation policy and how to start the cancellation process. 
• Very few payment options: You can only make your premium payments by autopay from a bank or by a credit card. If you are enrolled in group benefits, payroll deduction may be available.
  

Introduction

If you’re looking for a basic level of pet insurance coverage, MetLife has an accident and illness plan with no lifetime or per-incident limits. You can customize your deductible and reimbursement rates so they work best for your pet's needs and your budget.

Company Overview

Founded in 2004 and headquartered in New York City, MetLife offers coverage for cats and dogs of all ages and breeds, and it's known for having some of the shortest waiting periods in the pet insurance industry. It has over 100 years of experience in core and voluntary benefits for various insurance products.

MetLife’s pet insurance coverage allows you to visit any licensed vet or emergency clinic, as long as it’s in the U.S., and you can potentially receive up to 100% reimbursement for covered expenses. MetLife offers various levels of coverage and doesn’t have any breed exclusions. No initial exam or previous vet records are required to obtain coverage.

Available Plans

MetLife offers a fairly thorough accident and illness plan that has no lifetime or per-incident limits for pets of all ages. This policy offers chronic care coverage and allows you to customize your deductible and reimbursement rates. You can insure dogs and cats of any breed or age. 

The following table outlines the main covered treatments.

Available Riders/Add-Ons

Alongside its accident and illness plan, MetLife offers a Routine Care add-on wellness plan, which covers preventative care like parasite prevention and treatment. You can select an annual coverage amount for routine care treatments when customizing your policy. 

Waiting Periods

MetLife advertises some of the shortest wait periods in the industry for accident and illness coverage. The accident coverage and wellness coverage begin on the effective date of the policy. Illness coverage begins 14 days after the effective date of the policy. 

For policies issued by IAIC, treatment coverage for the following conditions is subject to a six-month wait period:

• Cruciate ligament issues
• Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) issues
• Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) issues
• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)

Cancellation Policy 

Unfortunately, MetLife is not very upfront about its cancellation policy. If you want to cancel your plan, you can contact customer support via email, online chat, or phone to get the process started. 

Plan Exclusions

The following areas of coverage are not included in MetLife’s pet insurance policy.

• Pre-existing conditions
• Elective procedures
• Expression or removal of anal glands or anal sacculitis
• Breeding or conditions related to breeding
• Vitamins, mineral supplements
• Grooming costs and bathing/medicated baths
• Illness or injury caused by racing, coursing, commercial guarding, or organized fighting 
• Organ transplants

Pre-Existing Conditions

Pre-existing conditions are defined by MetLife as any conditions, illnesses, injuries, or symptoms that manifested prior to the coverage date or before the waiting period ends.

Plan Pricing

MetLife’s annual deductibles range from $50 to $2,500, and reimbursement levels range from 70% to 100%. Annual coverage limits start at $500 and go up to unlimited, with no lifetime cap on benefits. You can customize all those details when you select your policy. 

When it comes to monthly premium costs, your pet’s age and breed will affect the price, as well as your location and some other factors. The level of annual coverage you choose will also impact how much you pay for your premium. You can check your options by getting a custom quote online. 

MetLife also offers these discounts:

• Employer benefit discount
• Affinity group discount
• Internet purchase discount
• Military, veteran, and first responder discount
• Healthcare workers discount
• Animal care discount

If you make no claims in a policy year, MetLife will automatically decrease your deductible by $25 or $50, depending on your underwriter. Eligibility for other discounts may depend on the underwriter, as well.

Claims

MetLife requires you to submit any pet insurance claims and supporting documentation within 90 days of the treatment or invoice date. You can submit your claim and veterinary records via the online portal, mobile app, email, fax, or mail. When you submit a claim you will need to provide a completed and signed claim form, veterinary medical record, and an itemized invoice from the incident.

You will receive your reimbursement by check or direct deposit if your claim is approved. 

Customer Service

If you require customer support for your MetLife pet insurance policy, you can connect with them via email, online chat, and phone. You can send an email to pet_info@metlife.com, or call (855) 270-7387 during the following days and hours.  

• Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. EST
• Saturday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST

Third-Party Ratings

MetLife’s pet insurance products are underwritten by two different companies, depending on where the customer lives—Independence American Insurance Company and Metropolitan General Insurance Company. IAIC has an AM Best Financial Strength rating of an A-, which indicates the company is financially stable and likely to pay out for insurance claims. MetGen is rated highly as well, with a Financial Strength rating of A+ and a Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of A+.

In our pet insurance customer survey, one MetLife customer said they would renew their plan with MetLife because “I enjoy my experience with the company.” On the whole, customers rated the company highly regarding claim filing and customer support.

Alternative Choices

Finding the best pet insurance policy for you—one that meets your budget that offers the coverage you need—can take a decent amount of research. Spend some time trying to find answers to the following questions for each plan you’re considering before you make a decision.

• Which treatments are covered and which are not?
• Is there a standalone wellness plan or a wellness rider option?
• What are the coverage limits?
• How much does the monthly premium cost?
• What is the deductible?
• What are the reimbursement percentages and limits?
• Are there minimum and maximum cutoff ages?

Competition

Final Verdict

Those seeking a basic level of accident and illness coverage will appreciate that MetLife’s plan covers a wide variety of treatments, without much need for riders and add-ons (although you can pay extra for preventative coverage). MetLife has no lifetime or per-incident limits, and makes it relatively easy to customize your deductible and reimbursement rates.

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.