Progressive Pet Insurance Review 2023

Progressive pet policies are available through Pets Best, a highly rated pet insurance company and a pioneer in providing coverage for household cats and dogs since 2007. A diverse range of plans is available starting at around $6 to $10 per month. The additional services Pets Best offers only serve to increase value for enrolled pet parents.

Company Overview

Progressive was started in 1937 by two lawyers from Ohio who saw a need for more affordable auto insurance. Over several decades, the company introduced other types of insurance, offering policies for homes, boats, businesses, and more. In the 1990s, Progressive became a digital pioneer as the first insurance company to create a website and, a few years later, the first to offer instant online quotes.

It added pet coverage to all of its auto insurance policies in 2007, providing up to $500 in benefits for family pets injured or who died in an accident. Progressive now offers standalone pet insurance policies through a partnership with Pets Best.

The company's headquarters is still in Ohio, in Mayfield Village, a suburb of Cleveland.

Pros Explained

• According to its website, plans start at just $1 per day: Progressive offers affordable premiums with accident-only policies.
• Flexible policy options: Choose from accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness coverage with various deductibles and reimbursement levels.
• Offers direct vet payments: Progressive’s pet insurance provider reimburses veterinarians directly, so you’ll only need to pay your coinsurance out of pocket.
• Multiple ways to save: Discounts are available for online enrollment and multi-pet families.
• Flat-rate pricing on some plans: Accident-only coverage and wellness riders won’t increase in price as your pet ages.

Cons Explained

• Sparse website: Progressive’s website provides relatively little information about its pet insurance policies. More details are available on the Pets Best website, but where to find them isn't always clear.
• Fewer options for annual limits: There are only two annual limit options with accident and illness plans and no choice for accident-only coverage.
• Doesn’t cover cremation or burial: End-of-life expenses are excluded from every type of Progressive pet insurance plan.

Available Plans

Progressive offers a total of four pet insurance plans and two optional riders. The first, an accident-only plan, is available with preset terms: 90% reimbursement on up to $10,000 in injury-related treatments per year after a $250 deductible.

There are also three accident and illness plans to choose from. These offer a bit more customization and tiered levels of coverage. The Accident Only Plan only covers accidental injuries, such as broken bones and bites, and is the cheapest option. The BestBenefit Plan covers injuries and illnesses, regardless of severity, and the BestWellness and EssentialWellness Plan is for routine and preventative care.

Two wellness riders can be added to accident and illness plans to cover preventive care, including annual checkups and vaccines. Each pays for specific treatments on a schedule, meaning each individual service carries its own annual limit.

Plan Pricing

Many of Progressive’s pet insurance policies carry flat monthly rates that won’t get more expensive as your pet ages. The only plans that consider age as a factor in determining premiums are the provider’s three accident and illness policies. Pet insurance tends to get considerably more expensive with each year of age, so depending on which type of coverage you opt for, the savings could certainly add up over your pet’s lifetime.

Waiting Periods

Waiting periods on Progressive policies are fairly good for pet insurance. Benefits begin a few days after enrollment for injuries with a longer 14-day waiting period for illnesses. Coverage for certain conditions affecting ligaments doesn’t go into effect for six months, but this isn’t anything out of the norm. You can use optional wellness benefits immediately with no waiting period required, which is typical among pet insurance policies.

Pre-Existing Conditions

No pet insurer covers pre-existing conditions, including Progressive. An illness or injury is considered pre-existing if it showed symptoms or required treatment before the policy began. This also applies to conditions that happen to appear during the applicable waiting period. For example, if a ligament injury occurs within the first six months of coverage, it will be considered pre-existing for the rest of your pet’s lifetime.

Coverage Limits

One area where Progressive falls slightly short is in annual limits. There are only two limits available for accident and illness policies: $5,000 or unlimited. These options are squarely on opposite ends of the spectrum, so offering some middle ground would be more convenient. Accident-only policies are sold exclusively with annual limits of $10,000, eliminating choice entirely.

Plan Exclusions

You can purchase almost any type of veterinary coverage you’d want for your pet through Progressive with a combination of policies and riders. The only notable exception is that it never covers end-of-life costs. Most pet policies pay for cremation or burial expenses if your pet passes away, but these costs are named exclusions in every Progressive policy.

Claims

Even if you sign up for pet insurance with Progressive, all claims are filed directly with Pets Best, the insurer that services these policies. The company offers a fast and convenient digital filing process that only takes minutes through the Pets Best mobile app or online.

Another great feature is Vet Direct Pay, an optional service that directly reimburses your veterinarian following treatment. Traditionally, insurance companies require you to pay your entire vet bill upfront and submit a claim for reimbursement later. Enrolling in Vet Direct Pay means that money never has to leave your bank account in the first place.

Customer Service

Once again, pet insurance customers that sign up through Progressive should contact Pets Best directly for customer service. Policy support is available via phone and chat Monday through Saturday during daytime hours. For questions related to your pet’s health, a hotline staffed with veterinary experts is available 24/7.

Third-Party Ratings

Because Progressive has little direct involvement in its pet insurance plans, we looked at Pets Best ratings, which services all policies. Many policyholders have complained that claims take significantly longer than the processing time that Pets Best advertises.

American Pet Insurance Company is the underwriter for Progressive Pet Insurance by Pets Best policies. This insurer has yet to be rated by AM Best but received an A Prime (Unsurpassed) rating from Demotech, a similar agency that evaluates property and casualty insurers.

Competition: Progressive vs. GEICO

Progressive and GEICO have long been competitors in the auto insurance industry, but they also go toe to toe in pet insurance. Like Progressive’s model, Geico has teamed up with third-party pet insurer Embrace to offer policies. The two are similar in many other ways, but there’s one key difference: Though Progressive sells plans with no annual limit, GEICO only goes as high as a $30,000 annual limit.

Though this is as good as unlimited benefits for most pets, GEICO premiums tend to be slightly more per month for this policy than Progressive's. It’s not hard to see that Progressive offers better value here.

Final Verdict

With policies serviced by a dedicated and experienced pet insurance company, Progressive’s pet plans offer great value. Finding the right level of coverage is easy, even if policy customization falls slightly short of competitors. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing that your premiums should stay affordable as your pet grows older, with accident-only and wellness coverage prices remaining steady for animals of all ages.

FAQ

Does Progressive Own Pets Best?

According to Progressive, Pets Best is not among its actual subsidiaries. Though Progressive makes its pet insurance available through its collaboration with Pets Best, they are otherwise entirely separate organizations.

Does Progressive Cover Animal Damage?

Progessive's comprehensive insurance policies cover damage that results from any events it deems outside of your control, including damage that results from hitting an animal with your car.

Does Progressive Pet Insurance Cover Prescription Food?

Progressive pet insurance doesn't cover any costs related to your pet's diet, including prescription food. It does, however, cover many prescription medications.

Methodology

Pet insurers come in many shapes and sizes, so we use a standardized evaluation system to help you make the best choice for your pet. We take a deep dive into policy documents, looking at each provider's coverage and weighing it against quoted prices. We also make note of any exclusions that could affect how you get reimbursed for claims. Overall, we use a combination of information we collect and third-party data to evaluate service quality.