Our Take On 24PetWatch Pet Insurance
24PetWatch (formerly known as 24PetProtect) is a popular pet protection and lost pet service that helps reunite missing animals with their families. The company also provides pet health insurance, including accident-only coverage, five accident and illness plan options and a wellness care add-on.
The company has higher premiums than some other companies but includes unique benefits, including a lost pet assistance helpline. Plus, its 24PetWatch Gift of Insurance program provides new pet owners who adopt an animal with up to 45 days of complimentary pet insurance to cover common accidents and illnesses.
Pros and Cons of 24PetWatch Pet Insurance
Pros
Has multiple coverage tiers for pet owners to choose fromCovers lost pet recovery costs Offers add-on wellness coverage
Cons
Premiums are often higher than other providersEnforces age restrictions for newly enrolled pets
24PetWatch Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage
24PetWatch has an accident-only plan and five tiers of accident and illness coverage. Each tier includes a different coverage limit for veterinary fees with varying reimbursem*nt rates and deductible options. You can also add a wellness plan to cover routine care costs for an additional monthly cost.
Accident-Only Plan
24PetWatch pet insurance offers an accident-only plan that covers emergency care related to pet accidents, non-chronic illnesses and diseases. For example, an accident-only plan could provide coverage if your pet breaks a bone or ingests a foreign object but not if they have chronic ear infections.
The policy includes a $20,000 annual coverage limit and $100 deductible.
Accident and Illness Plan
An accident and illness plan offers more comprehensive pet coverage if your pet gets hurt, experiences an accident or becomes sick. 24PetWatch has five tiers of accident and illness coverage, all of which cover the same services but vary based on annual coverage limits and deductible options. All accident and illness policies cover the following:
- Unexpected accidents and illnesses
- Hereditary conditions
- Congenital conditions
- Exam fees
- Diagnostic testing
- Lab tests, X-rays and CT scans
- Ultrasounds
- Prescription medications
- Surgery and hospitalization
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Alternative therapy (up to $1,000 per year)
- Prescription pet food (up to $500 per year)
24PetWatch also includes the following coverage benefits with its pet insurance policies, which have per-incident limits, no copay and no deductible.
- Boarding, kennel or cattery fees
- Pet-related trip cancellation
- Additional living expenses
- Lost pet recovery service costs
- Euthanasia and cremation costs
- Accidental pet death
Optional Add-On Coverage
In addition to its pet health insurance plans, 24PetWatch offers one policy add-on: Pet Recovery Assistance.
Pet Recovery Assistance
Pet Recovery Assistance is available 24/7 to connect you with specialists who can help reunite you with a lost dog or cat using your pet’s microchip. You can purchase a lifetime subscription for a one-time fee of $99.95 or pay $49.95 for the first year, then $19.95 annually. Your pet must have a working microchip to participate in this program.
Wellness and Preventive Plans
25PetWatch offers two preventive care plans, including basic wellness care and a more comprehensive option. The basic preventive care plan covers the following services if performed by a licensed veterinarian:
- Wellness exams
- Deworming
- Certain vaccines
- Fecal testing
- Heartworm testing
- Dental cleanings
The prime preventive care option covers the services listed above and adds the following:
- Spay or neuter procedures
- Flea and heartworm prevention
- Additional vaccines
- Blood testing
- Urinalysis
24PetWatch Coverage Levels
Like with most pet insurance, 24PetWatch allows you to customize your policy by choosing from different annual coverage limits, deductibles and reimbursem*nt rates. Your selections will affect your monthly premium cost and how much you receive for a claims payout.
Deductible Options
An annual deductible is what you have to pay out of pocket before 24PetWatch will cover your pet’s vet bills. 24PetWatch offers the following deductible options for its accident and illness plan: $100, $250 or $500.
The lower your deductible, the higher your monthly premium will be. After you meet your deductible amount, you won’t have to satisfy it again until your policy renews for the year. Your deductible will not count toward optional preventative care plans.
Reimbursem*nt Rates
You also have to select a reimbursem*nt rate during policy enrollment. Your reimbursem*nt rate is the percentage of a submitted claim that 24PetWatch will pay after you reach your deductible. 24PetWatch offers the following reimbursem*nt rate options: 70%, 80% or 90%.
So if you have a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursem*nt rate, 24PetWatch will reimburse you for 90% of veterinary costs after you meet your $500 copay. You can choose to receive your reimbursem*nt via direct deposit or a mailed check.
Annual Limit Options
Your annual limit is the maximum dollar amount that 24PetWatch will pay each year to cover your pet’s veterinary expenses. 24 PetWatch offers annual coverage limits of $2,500, $4,000, $7,000 or $10,000.
So if you select $10,000, that is the maximum amount that 24PetWatch will pay out in claims each year. But like deductibles, higher annual limits will raise the cost of your premium.
24PetWatch Pet Insurance Exclusions
Exclusions are specific situations or conditions not covered by an insurance plan. Some of the conditions and services not covered by 24PetWatch plans include:
- Pre-existing conditions
- Routine and preventive care (without a policy add-on)
- Cosmetic and elective procedures
- Training costs
- Medical conditions that can be prevented by neutering or spaying
- Breeding or pregnancy care
24PetWatch Waiting Periods
When you purchase a pet insurance plan, your coverage will not begin immediately and it’ll take a few days before coverage kicks in. These waiting periods help prevent insurance fraud by ensuring a pet does not have any pre-existing conditions.
24PetWatch does not have a waiting period for accident coverage. It enforces a 14- to 30-day waiting period for illnesses depending on your coverage level. The company also has a 14-day waiting period for musculoskeletal issues like cruciate ligament injuries and hip dysplasia, which it considers illnesses, not accidents.
24PetWatch Cost
The cost of pet insurance can vary depending on your level of coverage and your pet’s age, breed and location. Based on sample quotes we gathered, 24PetWatch’s accident-only plans typically start around $9 per month. Accident and illness plans can range from $22 to $70 per month, depending on your level of coverage and deductible. Additional wellness packages can add $10 to $25 to your monthly premium.
Discounts and Deals
24PetWatch offers pet healthcare discounts for the following:
- Microchipped pets
- Multi-pet enrollment
- Annual policy payment
24PetWatch Pet Insurance Reviews
We combed through hundreds of online reviews to give you an idea of customers’ experiences with 24PetWatch pet insurance. We have included some examples of positive and negative customer feedback below.
Satisfied 24Petwatch policyholders liked the company’s comprehensive coverage and quick claims processing. Dissatisfied customers frequently mentioned issues with the claims process, including requests for medical records and denied claims.
“Love 24PetWatch! The people are helpful and it’s very easy to put in an insurance claim. I highly recommend 24PetWatch.”—Karen B. via Google Reviews
“We could not be happier with the care and kindness from 24PetWatch. Our dog Suzy came with this insurance when we adopted her nine years ago. Looking back, 24PetWatch has always been extremely stress-free to deal with. The staff is knowledgeable and compassionate.”—Priscilla M. via Yelp
“I have had this insurance for several years, but if you try to use it for a claim — forget it. It’s impossible. I will not be renewing my policies.”—Dale P. via Yelp
“I paid about $38 a month for each of my cats and even when I did submit a claim, it was never covered for whatever reason. Always something different. I wasted so much money on this insurance to no benefit whatsoever. Please do not get your insurance through here. There are better options.”—Alicia W. via Yelp
24PetWatch Pet Insurance vs. Competitors
See how 24PetWatch pet insurance stacks up against its competitors using the chart below. While 24PetWatch’s average prices are slightly higher than other companies, it allows you to tweak your cost and coverage to suit your needs. The company also has no waiting period for injuries, which is a major plus for pet parents with accident-prone animals.
| Factors | 24PetWatch | Spot | Lemonade | Embrace | Healthy Paws | ASPCA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 4.1/5 | 4.9/5 | 4.8/5 | 4.7/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Average monthly cost for dogs | $60 | $30–$50 | $37 | $30–$40 | $39 | $49 |
| Average monthly cost for cats | $30 | $18–$25 | $15 | $15–$20 | $12 | $29 |
| Multi-pet discount | 10% | 10% | 5% | 10% | No | 10% |
| Mobile app | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wellness add-on | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Online chat | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating* | A+ | A | F | A+ | A- | Not rated |
*Note: BBB ratings are accurate as of April 2023. All cost data is based on sample quotes we pulled from each company’s website for standard accident and illness coverage.
24PetWatch Availability
24PetWatch pet insurance is available in all 50 U.S. states and Canada.
Is 24PetWatch Best for Your Pet?
While 24PetWatch offers comprehensive coverage and some unique benefits such as the optional Pet Recovery Assistance program, its plans tend to cost more than other providers. However, the company offers customizable pet insurance that includes an accident-only plan, five tiers of accident and illness coverage and optional wellness care.
You can visit 24PetWatch.com for a free quote to help you decide if this insurance provider is right for you and your pet.
Frequently Asked Questions About 24PetWatch
Deciding if pet insurance is worth it comes down to a variety of factors, including your financial situation and your pet’s health history. Pet insurance can offer peace of mind in knowing you have coverage in the event of an unexpected pet accident or illness. But you should consider a company’s coverage options, cost and customer reviews before deciding if coverage is worth it for your pet.
Based on our research, 24PetWatch costs $22 to $70 per month for pet accident and illness coverage. Most 24PetWatch plans tend to cost more than other providers. However, your cost may vary depending on your pet’s age, breed and location. You can also customize your policy by adjusting the annual coverage limit, deductible and reimbursem*nt rate. The company also offers an accident-only plan for around $9 a month and wellness care add-ons.
The United States Fire Insurance Company performs all underwriting for 24PetWatch policies. 24PetWatch is a subsidiary of Pethealth Inc., a division of the Canadian holding company Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited.
Pets in the U.S. and Canada who are at least eight weeks old are eligible for 24PetWatch pet insurance. Dogs must be younger than 10, and cats younger than 12 years old to qualify for coverage.
24PetWatch provides some unique benefits like its optional Pet Recovery Assistance program, which can help you find a lost animal. It also offers five plan tiers to cover illnesses and accidents and provides per-incident benefits for pet boarding, pet-related trip cancellation, end-of-life expenses and more.
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pet Insurance Companies
We review each pet insurance company based on factors most important to pet parents like you. To inform our reviews, we surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage. Our process includes in-depth industry research about each provider, such as comparing coverage options, gathering quotes online to determine pricing and reading reviews to assess customer service.
We then score each provider on a 100-point scale and divide the final score by 20 to calculate an overall rating out of 5.0 stars. Here are more details about the factors we consider when reviewing pet insurance providers:
- Monthly pricing (25%): To assess pricing, we collect sample quotes for medium-mixed breed and purebred dogs and cats, ranging from four years old to one year old. Providers earn the most points in this category for offering affordable coverage and a multi-pet discount.
- Plans (15%): The best pet insurance companies offer a range of plans to give customers the option to choose the coverage that is best for their pet. Companies offering accident and illness plans, accident-only plans, and wellness or preventive care add-ons earn full points in this category. We also look at coverage limits and award the most points for policies with unlimited coverage.
- Covered treatments (15%): According to our survey of pet owners, coverage is one of the most important factors when shopping for pet insurance. Companies with a breadth of included treatments and unique coverages receive more points in this category than providers with more standard or general policies.
- Customization options (10%): Customizing your pet insurance policy can help lower your cost. Providers that offer more annual limit, deductible and reimbursem*nt rate options earn the highest scores in this category.
- Customer care (10%): Respondents to our survey also valued customer service when comparing pet insurance providers. We score each company based on its website accessibility and overall usability, customer service availability, mobile apps, money-back guarantees and veterinarian telehealth options, awarding points to insurers with more customer experience offerings.
- Industry reputation (10%): We review up-to-date ratings and accreditation information from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and score companies based on years of industry experience and state availability.
- Waiting periods (10%): Companies with shorter accident, illness and orthopedic waiting periods between the time you sign up for coverage and your policy starts score higher in this category.
- Eligible age (5%): Some companies do not offer policies for pets over a certain age. For this category, we deduct points from providers that have age limits for covered pets.
We use our rating system to compare each company we review and determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.
Angela Beal, DVMDoctor of Veterinary Medicine
Angela Beal, DVM, loves using her writing to help pet owners provide the best possible care for their furry companions. Angela has worked in private practice and taught veterinary technicians for 15 years. Since 2020, she has worked full-time with Rumpus Writing and Editing, a veterinary-specific writing and editing company. Angela lives in Columbus, Ohio with her husband, two sons, and their spoiled Chihuahua mix, Yogi.
Tori AddisonEditor
Tori Addison is an editor who has worked in the digital marketing industry for over five years. Her experience includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.
