Nationwide Pet Insurance Reviews

I purchased pet insurance on my first dog about 4 years ago. I recently adopted/rescued my second dog. Nationwide has NEVER covered any claim on my first pet. My second dog was seen by the vet and deemed healthy. About a month later I took him in and he needed 2 antibiotics, steroid shot and medications. I submitted the claim for over $500.00. They have continued to contact me for additional vet records for the past year. I don't have any. They required a letter from me showing I just adopted him and they are now taking 30 days to review. They always want to quote you the policy when you call before they will answer any questions. I feel they look for any reason to delay or deny claims. I am paying over $70.00 a month for both dogs in good health. There is also a deductible of $250.00... wondering which is cheaper... just roll the dice that they do not get a terminal disease... Very frustrating.

If I could give 0 stars I would. In March 2017, I decided to enroll in pet insurance through my job. My policy took effect May 1, 2017. Unfortunately, my dog had to have her right ACL surgery in April (so I knew that the pet insurance would do no good for this). While rehabbing her right leg, she tore her left ACL. Because this is such a big problem with dogs of all sizes, I figured, okay my insurance will cover her the 2nd time around. I went to the vet yesterday (June 15) and we scheduled to do her left ACL surgery on June 27th. This is after they took a X-ray of her right leg and decided it was good to go.

Since Nationwide took over from VPI they have consistently increased reduced coverage and increased premiums. But the worst is that they deny nearly every claim with some spurious "reason". I have complained, I have threatened them with the California Attorney's General to little avail. Our cat is 17 years old and we have been paying her insurance since she was five, for just such an instance when she would need care towards the end of her life. That is the contract we make with the insurance companies and that is the contract they have broken. I hope that someone can bring them to justice. Class action lawsuit anyone?

I have had 2 policies for my pets for nearly 13 yrs. with VPI (now Nationwide). I've never complained about pricing or anything for that fact, but recently my payments went up almost $20.00 per policy a month. This may not seem like a lot but for a payment to jump that much I figured there would be a valid reason why. So, I called Nationwide to find out and the only reason I was given is "your dogs are older". OK, well they have been older for a while now. I can see maybe a couple dollars in increase but almost $20, is what I asked and the responses I was given are "you can downgrade", "you can cancel", "you can pay higher deductibles"...

When I engaged Nationwide for my 5 year old akita in February 2017, I was informed that routine dental cleaning was included in the wellness plan. I ended up enrolling in two programs to ensure both she and I would be covered. WRONG! I had her teeth cleaned and Nationwide has denied paying for it because she had tartar and they are stating it’s a pre-existing condition. They are also refusing to cover the tooth extractions and the medication which they all stated initially was covered.

I got this insurance for my new puppy when he was three months old. It went fine until he had to actually use it for something big. He fell off of our bed and broke his growth plate. He had to have extreme orthopedic surgery and plates put his leg because unfortunately it developed into a worse situation of elbow dysplasia. Note here; Primary diagnosis: break to growth plate from fall. Secondary diagnosis: elbow dysplasia from fall and break to growth plate. Elbow dysplasia is often a hereditary condition and especially in English Bulldogs and unfortunately for the situation, that is the breed he is. However, this is not due to hereditary conditions, this is due to trauma from the fall.

I have had VPI pet insurance on my dog since 2005. I had no problems until Nationwide took over VPI. My rates always increased each year with VPI but I expected it as my dog aged and it wasn't a significant amount. VPI paid claims as I generally expected and I felt safe knowing I had the insurance so that I could provide care for my dog if or when something major happened.

We got our lovely dog Henry, a beautiful toy Australian shepherd last year so I decided to choose the highest possible plan listed (Major Medical Plan). There were NO other plans listed higher than that one. I later find out there is a plan that was not an option which covers spay and neutering. One of the main reasons I wanted health insurance to begin with. Henry has Cryptorchidism, which basically means one testicle did not drop and they need to remove one from the abdomen. It's basically double the amount because it's another incision $700 dollars. For what should be a routine neuter on a 7.3 lbs dog. Typically $250 - $300 surgery. NATIONWIDE COVERS 0% of all spay and neutering!!! Be warned!

Nationwide Pet Insurance truly is a waste of time and money. They consider everything a pre-existing condition even when symptoms are not a part of a "pre-existing" condition. They will find every way to deny your claim. Take my word for it, do not go with Nationwide!!!

I have had this pet insurance for 10 1/2 years. I had the cancer coverage as a cautionary plan. So when my beloved Coach was diagnosed with lung cancer I felt secure knowing that we could get him the best care. Up until this time Coach has been a very healthy dog. Imagine my surprise when our bill was $9000 thousand dollars and was only covered at $2000 thousands dollars. Surely this must be a error so I resubmitted the claim and they told me this is all they cover. Moving forward I had to put my Coach to sleep a couple of months later.

My shih tzu, Gizmo had a cornea ulcer which is very common in these dogs. This can happen even from being groomed and eyes not being rinsed well. This is our first claim. I have had this insurance for two years. They canceled me without even giving a reason... just said "you are canceled". Btw, it is healed. He got a clean bill of health and it finally healed. I am LIVID. Now I get this letter on April 21 and it was dated April 6. They have always contacted me on email and I DID not receive a thing. He is 9 and this is a time when he really needs insurance as he is aging. What is even worse, I probably won't be able to get him insurance through a reputable company. I was recommended to this company by the LAFD. Is there an insurance commissioner that handles pet insurance?

They have no problem taking your monthly payment, but when it comes time to submit a claim. NOTHING. I went through hoops and spoke with several managers in order to see if the procedure I was going to have done on my dog was going to be covered. They will not tell you by looking at a quote if you will be covered. They make you go through with the procedure then submit the final receipt only to then deny you. They are crooks literally. Taking our money.

My family bought VPI pet insurance, now Nationwide when we got our dog over 6 years ago. We have a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and wanted to be prepared if she developed any health issues. We have been paying for over 6 years and about a month ago, my dog was diagnosed with a heart condition. Nationwide denied our claim telling us that it is not covered because she is a Cavalier and it heart conditions are common in this breed. In their material they called it a hereditary condition. However, I didn't know hereditary means common to the breed and not having it is the breeding line. Had my husband and I known this was the case we would have never paid for insurance for 6 years only to have nothing. They advertise they cover hereditary condition but consumers should beware because they don't.

Prior to getting the Pet Insured they said, "No problem." Now that I filed a Insurance Claim they told me that my pet dog had a pre-existing tooth condition and is not covered. They SOLD me on the BOGUS POLICY stating there would be "No Problem" with pet coverage, just needed to pay the monthly fees. BIG MISTAKE, going to file a Formal Complaint Against them for misleading me. $884.00 Lost plus monthly fees of $66.00 all for nothing. You're much better off setting up a side bank account every month to take care of your pet’s needs.

It is impossible to get reimbursed for an animal illness. My 7 year old Newfoundland had worms at 6 months of age called enteropathy and was see and treated by my vet. Now at 7 years of age she has vomiting on exertion and they will not pay the claim because they believe it is related to the enteropathy -- worms, that she had at 6 months of age. I would advise anyone to NOT use Nationwide Pet Insurance EVER. Save your money and put it in a pet savings account to pay for your animal's illnesses. This company is a ripoff and will take your money and you will pay in full for your animal's illness! This company function far better when it was VIP Pet insurance before Nationwide took it over.

I purchased a pet insurance policy for my dog in November of 2016. I paid every premium on time. My dog ended up getting very sick about two months later. Thank god I have insurance... NOPE! Immediately after I file large claims a Nationwide PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR calls me for a recorded statement. She grills me on some trivial mistake I made on the application. Then DELAY DELAY DELAY. They waited nearly four months before retroactively rescinding my policy because of some minor error on my application. I am currently looking for an attorney and have submitted complaints to the department of insurance and to the department of justice. THEY ARE AWFUL. DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. READ THE REVIEWS HERE. THEY ARE TRUE.

I left Healthy Paws and went to Nationwide Pet Insurance because they supposedly covered wellness and dental. They made me and my Veterinarian jump through too many hoops over and over but seemed to cover nothing, nor apply anything towards the deductible of $250. They didn't have a problem taking their premium payments though. They are not the company they claim to be. In my opinion, they false advertise. I canceled my policy with them today and went back to healthy paws. I never had a problem with healthy paws, I was only looking for the addition of wellness/dental coverage. My rating for nationwide equals minus stars!

I read other reviews and went against what they said. I was wrong. Picked up our new puppy from the breeder, puppy had a small cough so I thought maybe kennel cough so I took him into the vet and had an exam. Found out the puppy had a collapse trachea. Never knew about it so I had some x-rays done to verify and submitted the claim. I bought the top of the line insurance policy paying 70.00 a month. Didn't know the puppy had this problem and the breeder never mentioned anything. Claim was denied. I was stuck with a 700 hundred dollar vet bill.

I switched from Trupanion to Nationwide November 2016. Huge mistake!!! Nationwide looks for loopholes to not pay. Absolutely everything and anything is a pre existing condition. My dog developed Hypothyroid and they claimed it was pre-existing condition. I was able to prove that was not the case since her thyroid was checked in June of 2016 and was completely fine. They still claimed that it must have been pre-existing. Her Doctor was completely appalled and will no longer recommend them EVER!!! Additionally she wound up with surgery removing a small mass cell. They also did not cover it because they felt it had to be a pre-existing condition. They have no proof it was, in fact her doctor records show otherwise. This assessment took over two months. All their claims take at least 30 days and then they ask for more time. I have had nothing but huge problems with them. Do not use them, they are scam artists.

Please do not waste your money getting pet insurance through Nationwide. I took my cat to Med Vet a few months after she was referred by our regular vet due to hyperextension. She had suddenly started walking on her flat feet. Her policy went into effect on 12/1 and she was seen at Med Vet on 12/5. I submitted the claim. Was told I needed to send her medical history. I have only had her for a little over a year and she had seen the vet 2xs prior to this trip. One for her skin, the other she was dehydrated and hospitalized due to that. So why they denied a claim for something that was sudden and not diagnosed prior to her policy going to effect is beyond me. I think they will take every vet visit and spin it to be pre-existing.

In July 2016 we rescued a dog with no medical conditions from the shelter. In Sept 2016 He got into some cupcakes so we took him in to get checked out because he had some diarrhea and was scratching at his ears. They checked for mites and said he had dry skin but still got a healthy pet check up with no issues. In Dec 2016 we decided to get Nationwide Pet Insurance just in case.

I enrolled in Nationwide (then VPI) when I adopted my beagle 9 years ago; she's healthy and has only had wellness visits, for which I was reimbursed some percentage. In December 2016, she had surgery (at age 10, her first surgery) to remove a perianal adenoma -- Nationwide reimbursed me $480 on a $1,487 bill. I'm stunned. Very disappointed.

My cat is 9 years old, and she's always been healthy. I decided to get her pet insurance last November. When the insurance was deemed in force, I took her to the vet to check out fur loss. I just noticed it--it wasn't as if my pet was mangy or bald, but I love my cat and always get care when I feel it is needed. The vet was someone we hadn't seen before, and my cat hates the carrier--but the mobile vet couldn't see us for a few more weeks. Unfortunately, my cat's blood glucose level was elevated because she screamed and cried for more than a half hour in the car! She really doesn't like carriers and the mobile vet and I have discussed this in the past.

I was looking for pet insurance after my dog had swallowed a rock and had to have surgery. After deciding to go with Nationwide looking at the plans and coverage I called and got the pet insurance going. A few days later I received a letter now saying that even though she was clear of any rocks that is now pre-existing and will not be covered. They could have told me that when I explained the situation to them. This company is not worth the effort if anyone is looking for insurance. The bad thing is I was required to pick a star and there should be a negative star.

I have been reading the reviews and I have to tell you I have had only great experiences with this insurance. I started with VPI (veterinary pet insurance) when my puppy was 4 months old and they changed to Nationwide sometime back. (My dog is now 2). I have to file 5 or 6 claims in this amount of time and I have ALWAYS been reimbursed! I have met my deductible (easy to do on one visit alone!) and the reimbursement in my last 3 visits has been 100% within 2-3 weeks. I am hoping this letter will not jinx me, but so far so good! I actually have no complaints!

Nationwide is an insurance company. Just like all insurance companies, their job is to find reasons to deny claims. We had a premium policy. When I got my puppy, she had Giardia. It was resolved immediately. Then we got pet insurance and of course told them of the Giardia incident. Since then, any stomach or intestinal issue is denied and called "pre-existing". For example, when she was spayed, she had a bad stomach reaction to the vet medications. I took her back to the vet and had her treated. I submitted a letter from my vet explaining that the diarrhea and vomiting was a result of the anesthetics. The claim was still rejected. There have been other denials from them and realize it is time to move to another carrier.

I see online today that Nationwide claims it pays 90% of vet bills. In reality, it is 90% of COVERED vet bills. Much of what your vet will charge will be deemed uncovered or will exceed the allowed amounts which are very small amounts for serious medical issues. After paying the premiums for 10 plus years, I had a large claim (about $6,000). I initially received reimbursement of about 1/4 of the claim amount, and after repeated requests, I was able to get about 50%, but no more. Do your research before you buy pet insurance. You may be better off putting the premium amount in a personal pet account at your bank.

I am a breeder of Havanese dogs. I would say I am a very good breeder and have a pretty excellent standing with my clientele. One thing I do is I cover all my dogs with Nationwide Pet Insurance... yes, even my newborn puppies. This is quite costly but gives me peace of mind. In the beginning before WholePet was offered, I loved VPI and the major medical. Claims were paid on time. Then I switched all 6 of my dogs to WholePet. My first & oldest dog (Grace~age 7) was less than 2 weeks away from switching to WholePet from Major Medical when she came down with an umbilical hernia. Nationwide claimed that this was a congenital/hereditary issue. I fought it and said, no way. There are like 7 types of hernia's and this could have been congenital in a newborn pup but certainly not a 7 year old. This was due to her straining to jump on our high bed.

After researching pet insurance companies, I went with Nationwide after a friend suggested them and showed proof of them paying for her dogs care. Unfortunately, my dog tore his ACL a few weeks later and I submitted a claim. He had no prior injuries (this was his first time ever being injured) and this should be an easy claim.

They are terrible. Do NOT get this insurance. They reviewed my pet records and then sold me the insurance with no pre-existing issues despite having access to everything. Now that I actually need the insurance and require a bunch of tests they have decided to add an addendum to the policy saying all gastro issues are void for coverage. The instances in the past with gastro issues have been directly related to a puppy eating something he should not have. The vet even called them to confirm that situation and let them know the issues now are unrelated and new. They disregarded the vet's testimony and won't cover the cost of the tests. Nationwide is garbage. They are terrible cheats and scam artists. Do not consider them. Do not call them. They are terrible. They abandoned me at the moment my dog needed it.

I have been paying for this insurance for several years, for my rescue cat. I am convinced now that Nationwide discriminates against rescue animals, as the only bill we were ever partially reimbursed for was when he fell out of a second story window and was injured. They have continually denied his health issue claims, and now I am beside myself. My boy has developed chronic bronchitis/asthma, and needs expensive medications for life now. I have a lot of insurance for a lot of different things, and have never had an issue anywhere near the ones I've had with Nationwide. They're scammers and will find any way not to help our pets by paying the bills they promise to pay when they take our money every month.

I never write reviews but had to in this case. My vet suggested I get insurance for both of my pets as a safeguard. When I typed in (pet insurance) in google, NATIONWIDE came up first. I read into it, and it appeared to be a great company. WOW WAS I WRONG! I placed a claim with Nationwide for my dog Nino's teeth cleaning. Unfortunately, my poor dog needed teeth pulled and it's been 4 months and they refuse to pay the claim. I've been calling them at least once a week and getting the runaround. Each week it's an additional piece of information that is needed, and another 30 days. I have been waiting since July 22, 2016 for a refund, but it is apparent that I am not getting one. Please DO NOT GET INSURANCE WITH NATIONWIDE. You will be frustrated and stressed by the people on the phone.

I have been paying into Nationwide/VPI pet insurance for almost 3 years - to date, I have received a $52 reimbursement for one bill. My dog is very healthy and recently, she had to have a mass on her eye biopsied - The bill totaled $1480. Just got the explanation of benefits back and they have managed to justify not paying us anything back due to the "exclusions" sections - BEWARE! They have this section for the sole purpose of "excluding" payment for any issue if they want.

I had fill out a pet claim and they said that I had to fill another one because the name on the claim was Snowflake instead of Snowny. I was upset with how long my claim was taking. The customer service was poor and she was not understanding at all. I wish we had more choices for exotic pets.

I purchased this pet insurance a year ago; Major Medical AND Pet Wellness Plan ($44.00 biweekly). Our family just got a new puppy and we wanted to make sure we didn't get caught off guard with high vet bills. You can imagine my surprise to discover that despite this coverage, Nationwide only paid $18.10 for a $617.00 procedure (spaying). Further, the other claims submitted to them during the last 12 months went towards my deductible and the amount Nationwide paid back to me was minimal. Purchasing this insurance was a mistake. Take a closer look before purchasing this insurance... I wish I did prior to signing up for it.

If I could give zero stars I would. Please do not trust these people. This company is a complete scam. I had VPI for years then Nationwide and he never had anything more than routine vet visits. On his yearly visit I was told he had a slower than normal heartbeat and that they wanted to do an EKG to rule out any heart problems. The EKG came back with a very minor level one heart block which athletic dogs and/or people commonly have.

I have been waiting since JULY for a $50 refund. I've called several times with assurances that my problem would be handled. It never was. I've since stopped using Nationwide Pet Insurance. BTW, I never had this issue when they were VPI Pet Insurance. It must be a nationwide thing.

I have had Pet insurance for 8.5 years. I work with dental insurance and know what to look for and yearly benefits and coding. Even with all this knowledge, it appears that the Major Medical Plan I thought I had was on a hidden other plan location called medical plan. This plan cost me more than the major medical and covers less-significantly.

First Nationwide customer service representatives are very professional and helpful. However, I have been waiting over 4 months for my claim. They asked for medical records and at first denied my claim saying my dog's surgery happen in 2007, when the claim was clearly for May 2016. I emailed Nationwide and called California Insurance Bureau to complain. My claim was magically under review again. Received 3 letters so far, they need 30 more days. Still waiting and no payment. To be continued...

Over the past year I've spent close to $1000 on my dog, for small illnesses (ear infection, cyst, etc) and NONE of this was covered by this insurance, and I was on the HIGHEST level plan (so paying ridiculous amounts for this coverage). The intention of having insurance is to offset the cost of simple AND major expenses with a pet. This was by far the worst decision I have made surrounding my dog, who is FAMILY and I have never been so disgusted by the blatancy of this company to be purely providing Pet Insurance to make millions of dollars off of caring and dedicated pet owners. Shame on Nationwide for taking advantage of responsible pet owners.

We have had Nationwide Pet Insurance since Aug 08, 2016 and cancelled it on Sept 17, 2016 - only 40 days later! Why? Because they immediately placed 3 exclusions on our new policy - only ONE exclusion was correct. We called on Aug 06 and spoke with Cynthia. She told us to have our Vet call their Vet and explain that Ralphie does not and never did suffer from Intervertebral Disc Disease! Our Vet spoke with their Vet on Aug 09, 2016. Review would take less than 30 days per Cynthia so we called on Aug 30 and told it could take up to 30 days and would be finalized on Fri Sep 09.

When I prepaid my pet insurance for the whole year, my pet was perfectly healthy, all medical records were sent to the insurance company as they requested it in order to pay for my claims and every time I call to wonder about my claims, they keep on telling me that is taking longer than expected. First they told me 30 days, now they tell me 45 days and nothing happens. I paid the whole year in advance and they just don't want to take any responsibility for the claims they get in order to pay the consumer back. Very bad insurance company. I will follow legal procedures against them if no payment is received on my claims.

Like many of the prior loving pet owners who had endure nothing but hardship with Nationwide Insurance I too I am disgusted with the runaround, lack of follow-up, lack of true and transparent information just to get back a simple blood test insurance reimbursement. After One year with them and 3 months they still denied my reimbursement in spite of my Vet's file and written documentations. First they stated that if when my Vet re-submitted the claim once again (4 times) that their vet will review and if was to be declined that they will reimburse a "%" of 1 year and 3 month payments.

My dog was perfectly healthy when I signed up for the major medical policy with a $14K annual benefit. Last year, she came down with some health problems that required some significant testing to diagnose. A few other problems earlier this year, and so far, Nationwide has only paid $2,716 out of $7,113 total. I have paid almost that much in monthly premiums over the last 5 years, meaning I would have been just as well off putting that money in savings account and just setting it aside for emergencies. Their customer service is horrible. They will offer you no assistance throughout the process and they will make every excuse to not make good on the services you signed up. $14K annual benefit? Yeah right. It is flat out false and misleading advertising. They should be forced out of business.

VPI was taken over by Nationwide and I absolutely recommend that you find another insurance company. I have had nothing but problems. They simply do not want to pay and will manufacture any excuse no matter how unreasonable. They paid $20 on a claim of $200. The deductibles are horrible and they don't seem to understand pet insurance and illnesses. They cannot be trusted and are totally unreasonable. This is the worst experience I have ever had with an insurance company in my entire life. I am getting rid of them ASAP.

My dog sophie was signed up at 10 weeks old, no pre-existing conditions. Her FIRST claim was this year. She wasn't acting right and the rule outs were infection vs cancer vs other. This visit was covered. The next day she was still sick so they did a lymph node aspirate. They only gave us 10% coverage because they said it wasn't necessary. That is the ONLY way to diagnose this condition, as a certified vet tech, I would know. My dog was euthanized because it progressed so quickly, in a week after the diagnosis she was ataxic. This insurance company was less than helpful, extremely uncaring, very nit picky, avoided questions we asked regarding this claim, and overall disappointed. We've had VPI for 1 years and used it minimally. They couldn't give us full reimbursement for my now deceased dog. They lost a customer.

I am a responsible pet owner and a loyal customer who has had pet insurance through VPI which is now Nationwide for over ten years. I have been fortunate to have a healthy dog, so I have not had to make many claims for my other dog. I recently bought a new purebred AKC registered Shiba Inu puppy. The day I brought my puppy home on June 17, 2016, at eight weeks old, I set up a new policy with Nationwide since I know how expensive a new puppy can be.

Nationwide is the worst pet insurance. They don't want to pay any claims. They make you wait weeks for claim to be process and then send you a denial. If you have too many claims they will not allow you to upgrade your insurance policy. Nationwide is a ripoff. I would not recommend you to my worst enemy. I give you ZERO STARS!

When this was VPI they were wonderful, then Nationwide took over and what a nightmare it has been. Their favorite answer is DENIED....followed by "we need more information". I have gotten EVERYTHING they need, having gone to my veterinarian myself to get it....STILL "we need more information." This is a typical insurance company... Deny deny deny until the customer, who pays a buttload of money to have the insurance, gets frustrated and just pays out of pocket. My cat was recently diagnosed with very aggressive cancer and now I REALLY need Nationwide... I've been with them/VPI for YEARS and 3 cats... They are heartless and couldn't care less.

Rip off...never received my money. They clearly covered my rabbit's disease but stated they wouldn't because they put in under the category parasites. It was a disease that was affecting her whole body. I wish I would have never signed up with this company. Please do not waste your money on Nationwide. I spent my last for my rabbit because she is sick. I was told they don't cover only wellness such as food...being spade or neutered. I have to save to make all the money back that I spent on my rabbit. A company so evil to scam people for their money is not cool.

I purchased pet insurance for our dog (AKC Registered Doberman with 4 blue ribbons) who is an pure breed and just about perfect dog. We purchased this insurance knowing in the future he may have hip or joint issues. Or heaven forbid he get into an accident or eat poison or whatever issues could arise. So we adopted our dog on 4/16/2016 from a reputable breeder and she shows all of her dogs. On 4/21 we bought the pet insurance and on 4/25 our account was debited the money. We had to attest that there were no pre-existing conditions on our pup. We even sent every medical record from the previous owners Vet. He was eating Fromm Dog Kibbles (really good food) and we continued with the Fromm brand, just changed the type of kibbles he was eating.

I was a Nationwide Pet Insurance customer. I originally cancelled my policy due to the price of it vs the coverage you receive and the reimbursement on the claim. They were able to direct deposit my unused premium to me but my claims not so much. I was supposed to receive a total of two claims and till this date I only have one. The customer service was so horrible. They would not allow me to speak to management as it has been two months and I should never have to wait 30 days after the fact I did not receive the money I was owed.

This company will give you any and every reason to not pay claims. I wish I had done my research before signing up with them. I used to have Petplan and never had a single problem getting reimbursed, however Nationwide had better coverage with lower rates for my older dogs. I have 4 dogs insured with Nationwide. They will honor all claims until your deductible is met and then when it comes time for them to pay up after deductible is met they won't. They ask for vet records, they notify you of 30 day extensions for processing, and then will find any reason to deny a claim. This company is bogus. I will be taking all of my business back to Petplan.

I've had Nationwide Pet Insurance, which used to be VPI since 2010 for my Rottweiler and Pomeranian. The premiums, unlike others, have always been reasonable, considering I only have a $100 deductible. I also have never had to wait more than three weeks for reimbursement. My first and only problem just happened this month, July 2016.

I've had Lucy's Insur. with VPI Insur. for over 10 yrs. Nationwide bought VPI and has raised my premium by 36%. I have not filed a claim for Lucy's in over 5 yrs. and when I called them they said "They're raising the rates for everyone in my Insurance group plan". This is price gouging and we as consumers should not put up with this. I asked the person on the phone "What would you do if your cable, elec. or phone bill went up 36% for absolutely no reason?" "I understand, I'd be upset." Please who are these people kidding!

Here is my story. I purchased a puppy from All About Puppies store and I applied for Nationwide Pet Insurance most expensive 87.44$ a month. Over a month later puppy got sick so I took to a vet. They did x-rays treatments over 1000$ bill. I paid for it and I was happy cause I have insurance, so I submit a claim, and what do you think? It take them almost two months and finally they refuse to reimburse because puppy has soft stools. When I got it 4 months puppy is a baby so they refuse to reimburse anything because of that. And when you apply anyone checking what--soft or hard stool??? And how do you know as an owner how describe your 4 months old puppy stool? Is it too soft or not??? Stay away from this insurance company. I never had anything like that.

Do yourselves a favor and do not get pet insurance through this scam. My dog is just a puppy and found out my company offered pet insurance. My dog has had diarrhea issues in the past before this insurance, however he had gotten really sick: vomiting and diarrhea last month. He was diagnosed with Colitis. I had the Nationwide Pet insurance at this time and Nationwide declined my vet bill of 400.00 because they said prior to having insurance he had a small episode of diarrhea, so it's considered a pre existing condition. What the **?!? How is this a pre-existing condition when he did not have Colitis when I took him months ago. No way... Do not purchase this insurance for pets. They will find anything and everything to not pay for claims just to collect your $.

I don't even want to give any star to them, it's a fraud. I trust the vet which recommend the pet insurance company. I wonder the doctor also want to make money on it. I have similar situation with others. I claim my dog's first vet bill, and they ask for medical record, so I sent them. She was good on record, they said it takes 30 days to review. Now I got another mail says it will take another 30 days, I think it's **. They have every excuse to deny the payment. I will call them again and ask them to return my money back. I also think people had been fraud by them. we should gather the money to sue Nationwide Pet Insurance company. It's a trick. We can't let them do this to fraud people who loves their pet so much. They are wasting our time to argue and wait for their response.

They reserve the authority to reject an upgrade in plans if your dog gets diagnosed with a serious condition, even while covered by their plans! Swine. They claim that the upgrade policy falls outside any documents and rules posted on their site and hence they can reject such upgrades to their premium plan if any serious health conditions exist. Her condition was diagnosed while on their medium plan, so it was not pre-existing. Hence, if upgraded, they would have to pay for treatment of her hip dysplasia. They don't want to allow the upgrade because of this. Now I gotta save up 10,000 for my dog to have new hips. How is this legal for them to have these hidden conditions for denying upgrades?

I bought this insurance 14 years ago when it was called VPI Pet Insurance--really no other option available. After dealing with this company for many years I'm VERY disappointed with them. There is always a reason for them to deny you any money back and the final insult was when I sent them a $8000.00 bill which turned out not to be covered as noted in their fine print. When your pet is in a life and death crisis, it's difficult to determine what is and what isn't covered and let the insurance company determine your final outcome.

My experience with Nationwide began with the first claim I had for my cat Jack. He went in for a dental cleaning which is an expensive procedure. I fully expected this claim to be honored in part. But NO it was not covered at all due to what Nationwide called a pre-existing condition, that condition being tartar. Unbelievable. I adopted Jack from the Humane Society and he got a free exam. On this exam it was noted that he did have some tartar which is why vets do dental cleanings. This is the norm. Usually only very young animals do not have tartar. Nationwide considered tartar a pre-existing condition. I talked to my vet about this and he couldn't believe it. The initial exam was in December. The dental cleaning was April 5th! Over a $500 cost.

Anything you tell the representative during the application process will be used AGAINST your pet in the form of exclusions, even without medical documentation. After being approved for the insurance and 7 days after the policy was activated, I learned about exclusions that were applied to the policy. During my conversation with Nationwide's representative, I explained any veterinary visits that were made for my kitten. The first visit was a wellness visit two days after I picked up my 10-week old kitten; he received a clear bill of health.

I have a ten-month-old pug I purchased when he was roughly eight weeks old. He is a healthy little dog - no health problems whatsoever. When he was 5 months old I took out Nationwide Pet Insurance on him. A month later I had the dog neutered and also had a complete physical and bloodwork performed for my own peace of mind. The dog passed with flying colors - healthy, no health problems at all.

My dog was 10 years old, very, very ill with pancreatitis and diabetes and maybe Cushing's disease. We weren't sure because all of her signs were elevated. After 6 days in the expensive Blue Pearl Hospital which ALSO IS A RIP-OFF she had to be put to sleep. Her kidneys were going, she threw water up that we gave her, she wouldn't eat for 10 days. She had stones in her bladder and couldn't be operated on. She was so sick that we had to put her out of her misery. It was awful. The HORRIBLE NATIONWIDE reimbursed us $1,700 out of $10,000!!! We paid $66.00/month for 10.5 years = $8,316 and never during that time period did we really get anything back when she went to the vet. Nationwide is a scam. Don't keep your policy if your dog is healthy enough so that you can switch. We would have paid anything to keep our baby alive but it is a total rip-off! Run, don't walk away from it. They are insensitive as well!!!

I cringe to even give 1 star but I have to choose something, would love to see a 0 star option. I also wish I had read these reviews before signing up with this insurance through my employer. I acquired this insurance in Jan. of this year, never had pet insurance in the past. My dog passed away 30 days later from bone cancer, no idea he had it, limping and went to vet, put him down that day due to broken leg from tumor and assumed metastasis to lung. Called several days later to cancel policy and stop auto withdrawal from paycheck. Notified withdrawals happened through a third party company and Nationwide would need to notify them. I also notified employer. Over a month later premiums still being taken from checks.

I rescued a West Highland Terrier. His age and medical history were unknown. I procured Nationwide Insurance on him and nearly every claim I have turned in is denied because they do not pay for "diagnosis or treatments". They don't pay for anything for their ears, or teeth, or allergies because Westies are known to have these issues. They also say that IPF is a hereditary disorder and they will not pay for any of those treatments (which are very expensive). I asked them to provide the research and proof that it is hereditary because there are groups all over the world doing research to find out WHY this disease is so prevalent in the breed.

Nationwide former Veterinary Pet Insurance has not sent the check in more than 90 days. My online statement shows that the claim was paid but a month ago for services 4 months past, and the check has not arrived. First, it was a 2 month wait to get the claim processed. Now I don't have the reimbursement, and they don't do direct deposit. Hm. Every time I call, the rep says the check is "In the mail" but no specifics on when it was processed, and that they can't issue a replacement check until 30 days is up. I pay my premium through autopay, and if I mail a check, it takes two days to reach someone. So why does it take them 60 days or more to process a claim and another 30 days to delivery the check? I'm sorry for the people who did not get their claims covered, but no loss really, because it looks like I'll never see my money.

I took my dog into the vet three times for stomach issues. On the third visit, they diagnosed her with Giardia. Because Giardia is not covered by the insurance, they claimed that all three visits will not be covered. They claimed that it was based on the final diagnosis. Nationwide allow themselves to deny your claims based on final diagnosis. There was no diagnosis of Giardia for the first and second visit. All I got was meds for my dog. It's unfair that they can go back and make that call. There was nothing on the receipt that said she was diagnose with Giardia until the 3rd visit. This doesn't mean that she had it all this time. What is it was a year later. Will they go back a year and deny the claim? I can't deal with companies like this. I cancelled my policy today. Both receipts doesn't show a diagnosis of Giardia. Not until the 3rd treatment.

We adopted a 10 month old pup from our local shelter and we added her to our already existing policy for our two cats (started with VPI) six and a half years ago. Two weeks after the adoption, and after 10 days of emergency care, we discovered that our pup has kidney problems and will probably not live long. Nationwide claims that it's a pre existing condition, which it might technically be since we did not know she was so sick but we just wanted to give a throw away dog a new home and a better life. We have also noted that no matter what we take the pup to the vet for they always claim it's due to her kidney issues, even needed shots and one time when she had an upset stomach. DO NOT USE NATIONWIDE. It's a waste of money for when you need your insurance company to step up.

I was a consumer fraud and housing law professor before becoming disabled several years ago. I have chronic severe pain since 2/2012-trigeminal neuralgia nerve pain in face and also chronic PTSD, among other issues. My eldest cat Jack went into kidney failure. As he is beloved, there was no question I was going to take my vet's advice and bring him to emergency hospital, where he had supportive care, fluids, etc. Vet bill was at 1,000 for Jack and Jerry, as bloodwork was done on both and Jack had further procedures. The cost of hospital stay was at 2500$. When I called to get forms for reimbursement they said the policy lapsed for nonpayment. They insisted they sent a letter and emailed me, several times. They did not email me.

As I canceled my plan for this falsely advertised insurance I realized that there is not a place for me to put in my own review under their review tab. Please do not waste your time with this company not even if you read all the fine print that will do everything they possibly can to not pay for your pet's care. My dog was drinking more water than usual and that comment alone excluded him from being covered for any diagnostic care from that point forward. Find a good vet and purchase their personal payment plans.

Basically company seems to do anything feasible to not provide coverage and when coverage is provided likely to be at significantly below anything close to actual costs. Strongly suggest to find alternative to avoid the added financial & emotional impact when your family member "pet" needs care.

They illegally rejected my application due to a pre-existing condition which they clearly state in their policy is not basis for rejection. It is just not covered by the policy.

I just signed up with Nationwide through my employer for pet insurance and I thought everything was going well until I submitted a claim for a seizure my dog had. He's only a year old and never had a seizure before so, I submitted the claim and Nationwide asked for his medical records so they could review them. They ended up reimbursing me for the seizure; however, they sent me a letter saying they found a pre-existing condition of an ear infection that occurred in November 2015. I never submitted a claim for that, but when I called to inquire about the letter I was told that I wasn't honest when filling out the questionnaire asking if the dog had any pre-existing conditions before the policy started 1/1/16.

I have been with VPI which is now Nationwide Pet Insurance for 10 years now. It wasn't until this year that I have noticed a huge change in their customer service and coverage. They have a cap on all illnesses and they do not cover your pet. I am devastated to find this out after I have paid into this policy for so many years.

I have had the Superior plan since my dog was a puppy, 7 years. He recently tore his ACL and needed surgery in hind leg. I submitted $4,484.77 in vet bills and Nationwide only paid $1290.00. There is not a vet in New Jersey that would do this surgery for this amount of money! No pain medication or antibiotics were covered or the electronic anesthetic monitoring. The FLAT FEE according to "the policy" is only $1207.00"!

My pet has had this insurance since he was a puppy so 8 years. I always had the standard and wellness plan. In the 8 years I've had this insurance I've only used the wellness plan and may have filed a claim once. Because he's getting older and this plan covers nothing, I decided to get full coverage. They denied it and won't let me even get just the wellness plan so I can get some other insurance. They won't even work with you. They are horrible. Don't get this pet insurance. Anything is better than this.

No matter what you do, DO NOT use this company. My dog has been with them for 9 years. They changed plans years ago and did not inform me of the potential to upgrade. EVERY OTHER PET INSURANCE company pays 2/3 more per claim than this company. I BEG YOU USE ANOTHER COMPANY.

I have paid for Nationwide pet insurance for my service dog for 9 years, without any significant claims. I last renewed my policy for $450 for the year less than 4 weeks ago. Today I went to my vet and found out my dog needs surgery for an eyelid mass and cherry eye, with the bill estimated at around $1300. I contacted my insurance to see what my coverage is and was shocked. They will cover nothing for the cherry eye, and on total estimated costs for the eyelid mass as follows: $354 surgery, $7.25 surgical pack and materials, $51 surgical suture, $114 anesthesia, $37.75 hospitalization and monitoring, $47.25 IV fluid, $85 surgical screen and CBC, $11 buster collar. My very expensive insurance will pay only $339.

Nationwide owns a company called Veterinarian Pet Insurance or VPI. I carried insurance through them for approximately 12 years. I tried to file two claims. One was denied, but that was after they put me through the ringer because they were unwilling to accept my veterinarians diagnosis. They continually asked for a different worded diagnosis until they could find one that they could deny. The second claim was the same thing, however this particular diagnosis was very clearly stated covered in their schedule. Again they kept asking for a different wording regarding the diagnosis. I sent them everything that my vet gave me including his notes, the bills and what his diagnosis was. Still they gave me a runaround.

VPI started out good 6 months ago when I insurance our 5 yr old shepherd. I have a preexisting pollen allergy listed on my policy and I have never billed them for that. However, my dog was bitten twice by insects. After having to ask them to fax my vet for med records after their refusal to pay, they finally paid it. The second time they argued with my vet and said the bite was allergy and refused payment. They are slow in processing claims and paying and the customer service people are rude. In 6 months they upped my policy from 66.00 to 79.00. I'm sooo done with them. I'm dropping them and going to Pet Plan. I would never recommend them to anyone!!!

Don't be fooled by the salesperson who tells you that your claim will be covered in full minus the deductible. That is not always true. We paid all premiums when due and the policy was active when our dog got hit by a car. She needed and I paid for surgery and treatment totaling $5800. I submitted every invoice with paid receipts as required to make the claim. VPI paid back $1319. I requested reconsideration, and they paid an additional $605. That's about $1900 of a $5810 claim. That's not insurance. That's fraud and misrepresentation. Total bad faith. I am preparing to litigate. Don't make the same mistake. Find a better value.

The last of my two dogs passed away Nov. 29th. She was 18 years and had medication for heart, dementia, and kidney. VPI (now Nationwide) wouldn't pay for 2 of the 3 meds because they're 'special diets.' My last submitted claim, going back to July 2015, was for $381.46. What they paid was a total of $106.02, and all the while billing me over $80/month. So from July to Nov. 2015, I paid them $320 and they reimbursed me $106!

I have paid for VPI pet insurance for over 3 years. Just filed my first claim - my dog was treated for a skin infection. It was a relatively small amount, only $50 above my annual deductible but I thought well, I'll put the time in to submit the form, why not. I made a call to VPI to make sure it was worth filing the claim (they said yes). I then filed the claim. A few weeks later upon their request I submitted documents from the vet's office and re-submitted the claim on the correct form which they sent me in the mail (they did not mention this over the phone).

Had bought VPI Pet Insurance back in October 5, 2015. Had the major medical plan and the pet wellness plus. Had taken my dog in to the vet once his insurance was active to be seen for an issue he was having that related to his skin. So after his visit I had submitted a claim thinking that they would cover it. Turns out they claimed that once they did their so called review of the case that they were not going to pay for a portion of the bill that they were suppose to because they needed more information. So I faxed over his paper work stating that he is adopted and I had just gotten him. He was never seen by a beer for this issue. Called to confirm that they recharged the information.

If anyone was ever interested in getting their pet Nationwide Pet Insurance, DON'T. It is a ripoff and a complete waste of time. My fiance and I got our 2 cats Shadow and Thunder (Before Thunder passed away) Pet Insurance. We thought it would be great because when we take them to the vet, we would get our money back for whatever we spent. Here is where I start complaining.

I purchased a major medical insurance policy from Nationwide Pet Insurance and it was an absolute waste of money. My 2 year old dog went through a horrible ordeal that required numerous medical procedures and a lengthy surgery. The cost was extraordinary, yet every single claim I submitted to Nationwide was rejected. To add insult to injury every "customer service" representative I spoke with gave me a completely different reason for the rejections - some of which were wholly inaccurate from a medical perspective and others that didn't even comport with the definitions provided in their own explanation of benefits. It was not a major medical insurance policy, it was nothing more than a waste of money. They were rude, difficult to deal with and inconsistent in their responses. Nationwide was absolutely NOT on my side. Don't waste your time or your money on this sham of a policy.

I at one time was a strong advocate for VPI but no more. When my first boxer contracted cancer and I had the extra cancer coverage they were wonderful. However that was back in 2006, let's fast forward to 2015. I've had VPI on my current boxer since 2006, submitting a few minor claims here and there, had no complaints with their reimbursements, customer service etc. I recently found out my 10 year old boxer has cardiomyopathy. What a surprise to learn they denied his claim cause they consider this to be an inherited disease. I had the superior plan with them and was told at the time this was their "Cadillac" policy. They informed me that they just recently started covering inherited diseases but Benny is 10 and he doesn't qualify. But they had no problem raising the monthly premium $20 in Nov at renewal cause of his age and I received nothing in return.

Do not use this company, unless you want to spend a lot of time making phone calls, disputing your claims, etc. I was told I exceeded the $415.00 primary allowance for my cat's condition. Meanwhile, I noticed there was $165 available for the secondary allowance on the plan benefit schedule. They would not pay for additional medication that was required to continue with my cat's treatment. They mislead consumers. VPI has become a rip-off since joining Nationwide. They wanted me to have my vet call them and formally dispute the claim on my behalf. When I told them I was considering canceling the policy, they could not tell me how much I would be reimbursed. I would have to cancel the policy first and wait to see how much, if anything, they mail back to me.

We have had VPI pet insurance for over 15 years for numerous dogs and they used to be great to deal with and reputable in paying their claims. However, something happened over the past several years where they went from great to terrible. I feel like I am part of the Grisham novel "The Rainmaker" where the insurance company's mandate was to deny all claims. When I review our claim history over the last several years you can see the change. It used to be most of the claims were paid and now everything is denied. We have the major medical policy for two dogs right now and and they are both healthy but VPI still denies their claims. They just denied one of their Rabies vaccinations as already reached maximum benefit for this service. How is that possible? I agree with others here. VPI has become a total ripoff.

My company added this particular insurance as a perk for employees with pets. I have a 5 yr. old dog but because of my own healthcare expenses due to cancer I could not afford a vet bill. So I jumped at this opportunity. Only to find I made a very big mistake. 30 days to process and IF approved reimburse you for your bills. Then to have my dogs history investigated only to have the claim repeatedly denied with multiple excuses and finally settling on calling heartworms a pre-existing condition. Then a smart-mouthed customer service rep calls me a week after final denial to say it wouldn't do any good to have my vet contact them to verify because they don't cover parasites anyway. So no matter what illness my pet has from this moment forward they won’t pay for it because it will mostly be caused by the parasites she has. If you are looking for pet insurance DO NOT USE NATIONWIDE.

5 dogs, 1 cat and 12 years later I have to say I am saddened to know how ROTTEN VPI became when my 12-year-old became ill at age 12. None of my other animals in 12 years, all with top coverage, EVER had more than annual checkups, teeth cleanings and vaccinations. Just under $100 each for each animal over 10 years and suddenly, they REFUSE to pay claim for X-rays done at the same time my Cushings dog had his Q 6 mos blood work and claim Primary benefit was maxed yet secondary benefit should pay. Basically it is obvious that if he is dying (he is), and there is no real hope that he will ever be better, you are better off cancelling and paying cash.

First of all I want to note that I never leave 1 star reviews on any company. With that said, VPI / Nationwide Pet Insurance is a complete scam. I paid for two dog Major Medical Plans ranging from $50.00 to $60.00 per month each. I have been a customer for over 3 years and always paid my premiums on time through auto pay. When I purchased both plans the "Salesperson / Customer Service advised me that the Major Medical Plan was a great plan that provides extensive health care for each of my dogs. It covers everything from teeth cleaning to heartworm prevention to accidents involving my pets.

We have had Nationwide/VPI since 2008, paying for insurance for their Superior Plan on 3 dogs. They still say in their ridiculous "glossary" on their website that the superior plan pays the highest... What a joke. It is not the highest paying plan they have and anyone who has this plan is being fooled. Recently our middle girl got very ill and we lost her. She was diagnosed with IMHA as the main illness. Our total vet bills for this were over $15,000. Nationwide/VPI paid $3,900 - not even 20%. They use a prehistoric "fee schedule" which is totally in their favor and their website is untruthful when they say the superior plan pays the highest.

Everything was great and I kept paying my premiums to VPI thinking that I will be covered the day my pet would need serious veterinary care. However the day I submitted my claim, they turned on their witch-hunt. I started getting calls from VPI's on-the-payroll Vets who started building a case against my claim in the disguise of my pet's welfare - very unethical on their part. Questions afters questions were submitted to my Vets, harassing them with carefully worded letters crafted in legal/lawsuit language, until they obtained a line from my Vet that they could use to deny my claim. My Vets were simply scared by VPI's aggressive campaign.

This review is subject to change, but as of 3 days ago, I was told on Tuesday that I'll be getting a call back in 2 days, yesterday. They really have been good but seems like as they changed to Nationwide, formerly VPI, looks like, LIES and deception. If they choose to separate, I will give them back their 88 dollars and dispute the last 90 days of charges. I have enough trouble, stress and worries and I got a mail from VPI on Thursday but I have yet to understand it. I will update asap. I will not be deceived or lied to by any insurance company as I never committed fraud in any way, shape or manner in my LIFE. I won't elaborate until I talk to them on the phone, if I end up upset, personally.

VPI (petinsurance.com) is a rip off. I paid extra each month for the Major Medical Coverage for my dog. We have had this coverage since he was a puppy. For his recent claims, he had several different doctor appointments that for whatever reason were not covered. Several diagnostic procedures that were not covered, and what was covered was reimbursed at a fraction of the actual cost. My dog has never been sick, in fact, I never even put a claim in until now. I always felt comfort in knowing that if my dog had a major medical incident, this coverage would help pay for it.

I've maintained my 2 cats on VPI for 10+ years because frankly, I had no idea other insurance companies existed for pets. It's been a HUGE disappointment and a major rip-off! I pay almost $120/month for both cats to have the Superior Plan. They've been in good health and had nothing but wellness checks done annually. Within the last year however, both cats have had major illnesses. This year, Buffy had Feline Lipidosis and Cindy has been diagnosed with Chronic Rhinitis (common in flat-faced Persians). I've paid thousands for both cats! Though VPI touts a high reimbursement, they have reimbursed at a rate of less than 44%!

I have had pet insurance now for 14 years. Now that I look back it has been such a rip-off. Every time I would put in a claim, they would say it is not covered or just pay a small amount. If you figure at least 200.00 dollars a month for basic, it really adds up. Recently, my dog passed after 14 years. When I filed the claim for euthanasia (150.00) it wasn't covered. Are you kidding me?!!! If anyone can learn from my experience, don't ever get pet insurance.

My 11 year old Maltese has been covered by VPI almost his entire life. Recent claim for surgery and other medical services was $2,284.80, reimbursement amount was $586.07. My Maltese had no pre-existing conditions. The surgery removed an anal sac growth which might have been cancer. The good news was the adenoma wasn't cancer... Bad news for $1,405 surgery VPI reimbursed $379.00. The payout amounts for what they consider to be covered are ridiculously low, especially considering my monthly premium amount is $68. I am disappointed that I've wasted a lot of money in case. I had a major vet expense and the amount reimbursed barely made a dent in the medical costs.

I called in to obtain a quote from VPI. The customer service rep Phillip ** was helping me and gave a quote for my dog and my cat. He said he will send out the brochures so we can take a look over to determine if we really want it or not. He will check back with us in the next 4 weeks to finalize the policies. Never heard back from him. I called back in today and I tried to cancel the policy, that I never approved to be activated. They informed me that since they sent me emails and letter mail, it is considered a contract between them and I. Since I had just moved to a new house, there is some mail I never received. Also, my email has a strict spam filter. I have never received any confirmation concerning the policy, and it was activated without my consent.

Advertise 90% coverage on claims. They pay around 50% to 60%. They get away with this by allocating extremely low amounts for services. My dog had torn ACL. Family vet charged $2400. Other estimates $3000-$4000. VPI covers $1200.

VPI/Nationwide has no business being in healthcare, they are thugs. I signed up for VPI because their premium was low and they were owned by a well known company, however little did I realize that they are big thugs. My pet had an "accident" and I took him to the Specialists hoping that I am covered. During his expensive treatment, I kept the VPI customer service apprised of the treatment and charges my pet was going through. While they seemed artificially polite (as if caring for the pet), however they send scary vibes - 'we have your recordings', 'everything you say, will be used'... as if I was being questioned. After I submitted my claim, they took a long time, and during that time, it was nightmare - questions after questions. After a month of interrogation, I just let them go. They reimbursed me ZERO dollars for a legitimate accident. May they rot in hell.

DO NOT SIGN UP! We signed up in case our dog needed another TPLO. VPI was the only pet insurance that claimed to cover TPLOs for dogs that have already had a TPLO. As long as the knee in question wasn't damaged prior to the 12-month probationary period, they claimed they would cover approximately $2,500 of the surgery and rehab costs. I've spoken to at least 4 different agents between the time I signed up up until my dog's TPLO last month. Each and every time they confidently assured me they'd cover it and that all I needed to do was make sure the surgery was after the 12-month probationary period. They were so reassuring I didn't think I needed proof of their verbal agreement to reimburse me for the TPLO costs. Well, I'm an idiot and out $5,000 (price of surgery and VPI monthly fee for the past year). My dog just had the surgery and they aren't covering any of it. DO NOT SIGN UP!

I cannot count the number of issues I have had with this company. First they argued with my vet regarding a diagnosis. Then told me I did not have coverage for something I have paid for both my dogs. I am now suing them for not paying out the right amount of dues for both my dogs. I finally cancelled with them after 10 years, stupid me. THEY ARE JUST A RIP OFF AND A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE COMPANY!!! RUN!!!

We are disappointed with our choice of getting pet insurance through VPI. Our experience had taught us a valuable lesson that once again, insurance company's best interest is in the money they make and not the policyholder. We submitted our claim several times, VPI claims they never received it. Once we terminated the policy, we did exactly what they hope you don't do--We opened a savings account for medical funds for our dog, plus our accounts earns interest. The monthly cost of VPI's insurance did not seems to make financial sense. Monthly we were being billed $29.00 per month. The insurance only covers up to $30.00 for yearly shots/well-care visits.

VPI has been OK for claims, but very selective and choose to club claims into "pre-existing" conditions and leave it for you to follow up. In our case, the home cat has been covered for the last 6 years and has been diagnosed with cancer. He has been prescribed pain killers to ease his pain and after 6 months we find that the covered amount is only around $350/- , while his monthly expense for the pain killers is around $450/-. I was shocked to hear this information.

We faxed our information for one of our dogs who had an ear infection. If there was some fine print stating they wouldn't cover this condition, that would be all fine. However, we didn't receive any callback or anything. Waste of time for us to have made copies, faxed (twice) only to hear that back. Our vet actually helped copy/explain fax the first time. The only interaction we had was during our cancellation when they tried to keep us paying.

I've been paying monthly premiums for 4 years and have NEVER had a claim paid by this company. Seems every condition is considered a pre-existing condition!! Really sorry I ever enrolled with this company and will be cancelling the policy immediately. I was warned to stay clear of this company but went ahead and was trusting their service as being upfront. Really a waste of money. So, I now have a bill of 900.00 for my beloved pet with a new condition however they found a way to deny the claim. If you have a policy be sure to understand the terminology in the fine print as far as exclusions go. Really a rip off!!!

We had a Great Dane that we ended up giving to a family friend. She was insured through our policy. According to the policy, you can cancel anytime and they will refund you the portion of your unused policy. The policy was canceled over two months ago and I still have not seen a refund. After reading others reviews, I have also canceled policies on my other animals. I don't expect to ever see my refund but I would like to warn everyone else about this company.

Before we had the insurance, we took the dog to the vet because she was scratching. No biggie. We purchased VPI and she came down with a case of vaginitis. VPI CLAIMED IT WAS A PRE-EXISTING condition! What does vaginitis and scratching around the neck have to do with each other? Months later she developed hives from seasonal allergies. Claim was also denied with VPI once again stating the hive were pre-existing along with the scratching from months ago. People, stay away from VPI. Once I found out their affiliation with Nationwide, I knew they would be crooked. If I break my arm at 8 years old from falling off my bike and I break the same arm at 32 years old from a car accident, the broken arm isn't a pre-existing injury.

My border collie was limping, and unable to walk without cries of pain. I wanted her seen by her vet to make sure she did not have bone cancer, a broken leg or a torn ligament. So we took her in and had her x-rayed. The doctor said it was probably arthritis. So when we got the claim back for $645, with the total amount rejected, we were told they did not pay for diagnosis or treatment of dysplasia or osteoporosis. My purpose was not to have this 'diagnosed' but rule out serious ailments or conditions that would require treatment.

I also had a large claim for my dog who had a tumor in his jaw. They paid less than 20% of the claim. They used to be good. I can definitely say that "Nationwide is not on my side". I have canceled my policy.

I purchased insurance for two cats three years ago. My two cats were (supposedly) covered for illness and injury. I have submitted four legitimate claims, satisfied deductibles, and I get nothing but denial letters because the injury "doesn't qualify". I've paid $1,000+ over three years. I'm calling tomorrow to cancel. VPI is good at taking your money, useless at paying a claim.

I visited the Low Cost Vet Mobile for the same problem. (9-12-14, then 4-24-15, 5-30-15) (180.00, 305.00, 65.00).. The doctor diagnose Fluffy with mange, he said to buy Ivomec at Amazon.. This is only use for houses, pigs & cows. Something that can kill my dog.

I insurance my cat on 4.23.2015 and he used to have insurance with a different company and I decided to switch because VPI apparently offered more perks and better service... WRONG! My cat has always been healthy, he is only 3 years old and on 05.01.2015 I had to take him to the emergency pet clinic because he had some tenderness in his stomach and he was urinating too much. The emergency pet clinic said that he developed a life threatening blockage in the urethra and they had to treat him asap or he could die. He spent a whole weekend in the emergency pet clinic with a catheter and antibiotics etc. On Monday I took him to our vet for further treatment and of course he needed more blood work and new xrays and more medication etc. We ended paying out of our own pocket over $3100 dollars in a matter of 3 days.

After paying $1,760.00 in premiums to VPI for the past 32 months, I finally filed a claim for my dog when he was sick and needed veterinary care. My vet bill was $1,075.66. The check I received back from VPI was $177.30 which represents 16% of the cost of the vet bill or 2.7% of the amount I've paid to VPI and the vet bill. This has been the consistent percentage that VPI has paid out with 3 claims made over 7 years of my dog's life. Needless to say, I'm done with VPI! I just cancelled my account!

Zero stars is what they deserve. You pay premiums. Your dog gets sick. Your dog gets treated. Your claim gets denied. And, repeat. That is their business model. Do not be fooled by kind emails. Everything will be denied. My dog is fighting cancer. My efforts should be focused on his health. Instead, I email daily with VPI. How can they help me? Pay the claims and let me focus on my dog. Instead, we battle and battle - involving vets, endless paperwork. Let me be clear. His condition was not pre existing. It is being treated per vet instructions. Does not matter. They deny all claims.

I join the other unhappy clients with similar situations. Member since 2006. The exclusions exceed what is covered. I insured my pet when she was 6 weeks old. Now at 8 1/2 I am learning that almost everything associated with older dogs is NOT covered. Three years ago we adopted a rescue dog. My vet guesstimated his age. Last year during his regular yearly checkup he was diagnosed with cataracts. Because of his guesstimated age it would have made him 6 years old at diagnosis. We think he is a lot older. Well because he was 6 (considered juvenile) they would not consider coverage for surgical procedure which could restore his sight.

I was thrilled to learn that my company would be offering pet insurance. My dog is my child so I enrolled. He was diagnosed with cancer and everything from submitting the bills to waiting for them to respond is a headache and then it gets worse because they 'exclude' and 'deny' everything. My child is ill, terminally, and now I have to take all the effort and energy and add stress because they STINK. AWFUL. HORRIBLE. DO NOT USE. I plan to contact the owner. I want my premiums refunded!

My most recent pet, an adopted Rottweiler, had a urine test that showed slightly higher than normal protein on file. This was a pre-existing condition called proteinuria for which coverage is denied. One night, I took her in to emergency for "sneak eating" a HUGE amount of dog food she ripped out of a 20-lb bag of kibble. Her belly was hurting, sensitive to the touch, very bloated. She couldn't settle down and was clearly in great distress. I suspected bloat which is a life-threatening condition and common in big breeds. X-Rays were taken stat and also sent to another radiologist for second opinion stat, because her intestines were so blocked, they couldn't make out what was what. Then, while she was on the exam table, she had the hugest poop (sorry folks) that the vet and techs said they ever saw.

I bought a VPI pet insurance policy for my golden retriever when he was 8 weeks old. He is now 10. At age 5 he was dx with a lung mass.. surgery was necessary to save him. $8500 was the cost.. VPI found multiple ways not to pay anything... I got a check for $1500.. We had to refinance our home to save our beloved dog. I kept the policy unfortunately 5 more years and was nickel and dimed by them and again. They always had an excuse not to pay much or anything... Please don't waste your time with this company.. I have wasted 10 years and a lot of $$$.

I signed up with VPI 14 years ago when I adopted my two dogs. At the time it was the only pet insurance that I knew of. Over the past 14 years, I have paid about $19,000 in premiums. Over the years, VPI has been quite selective with reimbursements. By the time I considered switching to a different insurance company, my dogs were already at a point where pre-existing conditions wouldn't be covered by another carrier due to their age. Since my hands were tied, I stayed with VPI.

My review echoes the 70+ other reviews - this place is an absolute rip off. I pay $50 a month and do not cover ANYTHING. Either a condition is "pre-existing" or is not covered per the terms and conditions. An absolutely terrible company!

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. I used this company for multiple pets over the span on 15 plus years --- tens of thousands of dollars of premiums. One dog had liver failure and all of the treatments were conveniently exclusions. Now my other dog has cancer and VPI is saying that there will not be coverage for that. There are other insurance companies that do not have exclusions that are miles long. Unless you have a crystal ball and can go and read what will be covered down the road, you certainly are not getting the peace of mind that this company is pretending to sell. Liver failure and cancer are exactly why people buy vet insurance!! And no, they do not care about the health of your pet. Nobody asked me how either pet was doing. Either put the money aside or choose a different company.

AVOID THIS COMPANY AT ALL COSTS!!! Absolutely horrible to work with. Extremely disrespectful, even when dealing with "supervisors". I spoke with ** and she was so condescending and uneducated in regards to her company and with how to speak professionally. I highly recommend taking your money and time elsewhere.

This shouldn't even had one star, but it had to be given something to submit a review. A while back I wrote a review how this insurance company said my dog has allergies and made it a pre-existing condition. After many arguments, I just had to accept it if I wanted to have pet insurance. However, my nightmare of what they may do has come to surface. My dog went to the Dr. for conjunctivitis and medication. Due to the fact that the eye was discharging my dog was rubbing her face and made some hot spots. They said it is ALL RELATED AND ALL DENIED. I thought this would happen.

I insured my puppy with VPI from day 1. The puppy was healthy and had routine vaccinations and check ups - which VPI covered at about 20% reimbursement. Then, about 6 months in, my dog got very ill. We took him to our vet - they gave him some antibiotics. The next day, the dog was worse and we had to take him to a 24 hour care facility. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. Now, faced with a large bill, the company refused to pay any of the claim, saying it was due to a pre-existing condition. There was no pre-existing condition. I have fought this and am sick of fighting... This company should be avoided at all costs.

ABSOLUTE RIP-OFF!!! I actually cannot believe this company is still in business and hasn't been sued. After I post this, I am contacting the Better Business Bureau. I've been a paying customer of a Premium Plan for SIX YEARS at $50 a month. My dog has been relatively healthy for that whole period.

We have two dogs and both have had policies with VPI for the past 5 years. Initially it was great with the routine puppy care and procedures. Recently, it seems anything we submitted was not a covered diagnosis. Our one dog was recently diagnosed with cancer and underwent a major medical procedure. I submitted all the bills and claim forms, and provided all the medical records for the multiple vets she had been to but was told it was a pre-existing condition and did not receive one cent from VPI.

VPI kept stalling and asking for more paperwork or documentation. This is a classic example of when a company is not going to pay out. They should be held accountable.

We have, thankfully, only had our dogs enrolled with VPI for a short period. Same story as most of the rest of the posts: our claim was denied as a pre-existing condition. Our appeal was denied with no explanations. One call center representative even said they were not able to share the reasoning in writing because the policy used to deny our claim was secret. As someone who works in the insurance industry I am sad to see all of the fraudulent practices that used to plague other medical insurance are still alive and well at VPI.

I wish I had read all of these reviews before I enrolled my dog with VPI. All of you say the same thing; that VPI denied the claim saying your pet's condition is pre-existing. My story is too long to tell but, in a nut shell, the same as almost all of yours. VPI is supposed to be a reputable company. I actually get it through my employer! What in the world??? My vet specialist even called them herself and the person she spoke to gave conflicting information to her! She is baffled.

Seriously. The only GOOD thing that I can think of is to sign up before your pet is born. My ANNUAL premium is $600 plus and so far I spent $150 and only got $70 in return. 46% refund!

My dog, who recently passed away has been with VCA since 2003. I had pet insurance before most people I know, there were also very few options at the time. Thankfully I never had to use it or make any significant claims for the last 12 years. My dog was, however, recently diagnosed with Heart Murmur which progressed to Heart Failure in last 3 months. I am furious as the claims they are paying out are terrible relative to what I have spent taking care of him. The thresholds are based on a national average that have not been updated since 2008!!

I submitted a claim when we had to have our dog taken to the veterinarian because of anorexia and severe vomiting. It was found he had something in his stomach. He was pre-medicated and anesthetized. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy procedure was performed. A ball of thread mixed with food and ingesta was noted. The foreign material was removed with endoscopic grasper. The full medical record was submitted to Veterinary Pet Insurance. They denied the claim on grounds that this was a pre-existing condition, which is NOT true. They will pay small claim amounts, but will find a way to disclaim larger amounts. Therefore, I have concluded they are an unethical company taking policy payments, but find ways to avoid paying substantial claim amounts. I DO NOT recommend this company.

I rescued a dog in October 2013. She was brought to the Dr. with NO medical problems at all!! Clean bill of health. I decided to get pet insurance just in case. The day her health insurance took effect, I called VPI to ask a few questions. I told them on the phone that I wanted to take the dog to the Dr. because she was itching and biting her paw. There was NO rash or nothing there; I just wanted to see why and what was bothering her. The "Young Kid' on the phone said THIS WILL BE PRE-EXISTING. I asked what he was talking about. I told him she has NEVER been to the Dr. for this and I didn't even know what was wrong. He said it didn't matter. He threatened me and said he has it recorded that I called and said the dog was scratching, so whatever I do it will BE PRE-EXISTING!!!!

We got a new dog enrolled in VPI effective on 04/30/2014. We thought this policy would be a good idea since he was only 16 months old and could provide great health care his entire life. This is the VPI line and hook. The first chance we had to make a claim was on 05/10/2014. He had a scratch on his eye which required first aid and prolapsed gland of the third eyelid. We sent the claim to VPI and after some weeks of waiting, they denied the claim because it was a listed ineligible condition. By that time, the gland needed to be surgically re-attached to the eyelid and we had a surgery date. The vet stated the condition was probably due to a concurrent injury with the scratch eye because the dog was too old to be a congenital condition. Claims for a pre-surgery examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist and the surgery itself were submitted.

I extensively researched insurance companies and was assured by a VPI rep when I was considering signing up that usually when people don't have all of their costs covered, it is because they don't have the top of the line plan. He literally said to me that if I got the best possible plan, that VPI covers '100%' of the costs as long as it wasn't for flea medicine or preventative'. I grilled the rep about this - I said 'so I won't get a bill if he gets ill and gets a diagnosis that you will only cover 50% of, as long as it's also not a pre-existing condition'? "Absolutely not", he says.

We were recently denied for a claim involving a false pregnancy and mastitis. I argued with them that the only way for a dog to get mastitis which is caused by milk and the mammary glands is to be in heat, pregnant or a false pregnancy. Because they don't cover pregnancy, they denied it but my benefits say they cover $350 for the mastitis.

A little over a month ago, I made the decision to join VPI Pet Insurance because I had heard wonderful things about fairness and accuracy and quickness/high payouts. Nothing was further from the truth. Unfortunately, my dog (AFTER signing a policy with you) was diagnosed with Anaplasmosis, a non-pre-existing condition but was denied any benefits because they dishearteningly consider it a pre-existing condition. This means that ANYTHING that could even REMOTELY be related to this disease as he ages will NOT BE COVERED. This is according to one of their CSRs that I was on the phone with last Friday. He is a little over a year old and they are telling me it is fine that I pay out of the butt of $41+/month, only getting back $125 out of $500+ in bills and now not having my dog's health covered!

I just cancelled my policy today after my first claim was denied, saying that my dogs skin irritation was due to a pre-existing condition. They are ludicrous - if you had a cold a year ago and get another cold this year, it is a pre-existing condition. Reading all of these reviews, this is how they make their money. It looks like the only time they actually pay out is in the case of an accident, like your dog getting hit by a car, or something. VPI is just a shameless scam.

After being reimbursed for my 2 dogs recent illness I started to look into the plan information. I had been a loyal customer for over 12 years. The premium plan was both costly and very misrepresented by the company. The claims were denied, reimbursed slowly and often very little was covered. Both dogs were covered by the premium plan in excess of over $700.00 dollars per year. On one plan on 2% of all doctors fees were covered: this for a normal healthy dog - just shots, flea and tick coverage.

After considerable time with this outfit and having had a few issues in the past, I can now see that this is indeed a classic bait and switch issue. If those of you who have had similar issues would wish to make the leap and bring this entire outfit to the attention to the Calif. State Attorney Generals office and begin a class action suit then feel free to contact me as I WILL be monitoring this site for updates. Apparently due to some personal issue with a less than stellar customer service rep, we've been denied due to a " chronic dry eye" issue.

I took out Pet Insurance last year. My dog had a seizure and the vet said it was probably late onset of "Epilepsy"..He soon was put on meds..This year he had an MRI.. then brain surgery..plus 18 treatments of radiation. The MRI showed he had a brain tumor..My claims were denied as, "They said he already had the brain tumor" and said it was a "Pre-existing"..! How would I have known my precious dog had a brain tumor??!!

I signed up with VPI via online. I was told to call and/or email with any questions since it would take 14-days for them to underwrite my girls' policies. Within 48-hours I tried to call and get information. After a series of repetitive questions I was given very general information. This drew red flags. So I informed the customer service rep of my desire to cancel the policy. She said she would. After an additional 24-hours (total now 72) I called to inquire on the status of both policies. They were very much NOT cancelled. The early deceit just didn't sit well so I emailed the customer care department to cancel. I called the next day spoke with super nice customer service reps who wanted to know how they could assist me with my insurance needs. I told them I just wanted to verify my policies cancellation and see verify my full refund (with unbeknownst to me via the web they charge two months upfront per pet).

BEWARE - This insurance company reimburses for medical expenses only if there is a diagnosis. I took my dog in for tests because she became sick, and we were in the process of going to several specialists to try and determine why she was sick. Well, VPI would not reimburse 90% of the medical tests (terms of my policy) because the doctors had not yet determined the diagnosis. Then she died. So not only did I lose my best friend, but I am out hundreds of dollars because VPI didn't stand behind the policy. I thought insurance companies covered medical expenses incurred when a dog is sick, but at VPI they need a diagnosis or they cover VERY LITTLE of the costs. That's why VPI is #7 of the top 10 pet health insurance companies.

We have had VPI Pet insurance for 8 years now. We have never used it until my dog had an ACL injury. We submitted $3252.40 for the TTA surgery. Beau is an 85-lb dog, and had to have the TTA. Otherwise he would have been in pain. We received reimbursement for $1653.00! A touch over 50%. I felt fooled and deceived. What they claim their benefits are do not line up with the actual reimbursement. Time for a reality check!

I was very disappointed that surgery for a torn ACL on our dog would not be covered until we had the policy for a year. The fact that they would not cover even though it was an unforeseen accident was enough for me to cancel my policy.

I've had this "insurance" for my dog for 12 years, paying 50 bucks a month. I've had 3 claims and on every single one they pay almost nothing. When my dog became ill on January 4th, I took her to the vet, they did blood work and diagnostics. They diagnosed an arthritic spine and gave her anti-inflammatories and painkillers as well as some antibiotic for her ear which was in danger of infection. They had done blood work to determine if she had cancer and that came back okay. I was billed by the vet $356.38. VPI paid $153.00. There's a 50 dollar deductible, which is understandable. So they only paid $153 out of $306.00. I later got a letter saying that there was no diagnosis for one of the charges...DUH...

I am shocked at the bad reviews for VPI Pet Insurance. I've had them for over 15 years and never had one problem. They have paid everything they are supposed too. I have their best policy and they have paid most of the bill so I think some people do not have the right policy. If you want everything covered, it will cost more. My friends also have this Pet insurance through VPI and are so happy with them too. I'm so glad I have the coverage for my two dogs. By the way, I do not work for VPI, just am very happy with them!

My 8-year-old Bichon (rescued her at 4 months). Had bladder stones which required surgery. Costs were $3,300 and I was reimbursed $800.00. I have had VPI since Gabby was a puppy and had NO claims... My premiums are now over $500.00/year... What good is this insurance... Time to start a class action suit against VPI... Anyone want to join in?

This is my very first negative review and it's dedicated to VPI pet insurance. I absolutely abhor you with all my heart. I have been a loyal customer and had my dog insured under your medical policy for 6+ years. This is the first time this year, where I DID NOT receive the renewal policy and failed to renew on time. Now my dog is not qualified for renewal because she's 10? What a bunch of baloney. I am livid due to the fact this is how they treat a long time customer...obviously not valued at all. They can kiss my dog's **.

I wanted the best for my new Cat, who is beautiful, very funny & smart. I had 3 prior animals that all lived well past the average age, but with illnesses later in life. My Vet's practice was just purchased by a new group of Vets, none of which I had ever dealt with. But I figured I would give them a chance, and I did. They were pushing VPI Pet Insurance, and though selling a Product, Insurance, the Manager, Mike and his receptionists, could not give the fine details of insurance coverage, but tried. I purchased VPI Insurance and within a few weeks, they had signed me up for Basic coverage, and I wanted Full coverage, and this took a few months to straighten out. VPI Paperwork was not received till November, 4 months later, and I called and asked for specifics of coverage, not generalities, as stated on their policy. Told they would email me the papers I requested, and they were never received. The papers have no specifics of coverage and the big problem I saw was that you pay your vet, then submit for reimbursement.

Just take what this so-called insurance company says is a premium and put it in a savings account at a bank. You will be far far ahead and much less disappointed.

I had VPI's Superior Plan for six years at almost $50 per month. I realize that every company is in business to make money and I don't begrudge them that at all. However, the one major claim that I had for more than $1,100.00 they paid $330.00. When I questioned why they paid so little of the total costs, including surgery, the person on the phone said "well, if you upgrade to our next higher plan we pay more". WHAT? When I go to my doctor does he tell me I'll treat you part way if you or your insurance company pay me this much BUT, if you pay me more then I'll really treat you so you're cured?

I had the injury plan for my puppies mostly since they liked to chew on rocks. In Sept. one of the dogs fell off the couch and popped his knee cap. It never really healed so he had to have surgery (patellar luxation). Even though this was the result of an injury, verified by many letters from the vet, they refuse to cover since that is one of their many, many exclusions. Run far and fast from this company.

We had a very sick 4-year-old dog with sudden onset respiratory symptoms. Took him to the ER. Turned out to be a form of lung cancer and the dog was euthanized. I was reimbursed ~$600 for a $3000 bill. I did not do every test under the sun. Main portion of bill was "nursing care", oxygen, and fine needle biopsy. We changed to Pet Plan and they are less expensive with better reimbursement and good reviews. BEWARE OF VPI.

Adopted dog in February started coverage same month. Dog had Diarrhea or soft stool on and off and was related to food. Finally found a food that resolved issues. Over 30 days after consulting with regular vet that his condition was not from parasites or GI issue but a food formula problem. We resolved the Intermittent Diarrhea issue. In the middle of the night our dog started to scream in pain and was vomiting everywhere. We rushed him to the ER in fear of bloat as his stomach was squishy. He is barely a year old. We had no idea if he ate something or was poisoned.

Stay away from this company. They are a complete ripoff and they have no humanity. They only care about getting more customers to rip them off, but once their pet is sick, they'll try everything not to cover them. I took one of the most comprehensive insurance for my cat who is healthy and not even 1 year old and still they would not cover her vet bill for a conjunctivitis, asking me to send all her medical history plus a personal letter. I did all this and sent 5 pages of documents for a cat who is healthy and not even 1 year old and they would not cover her for her conjunctivitis!

I gave this company $45 per month for the entire life of my cat (5 years). They were okay at first. I would go for check ups and they'd pay the majority of the bill. It wasn't until this year that my cat had a urinary problem and had to get surgery. I paid almost a grand for this and submitted my claim, confident that VPI would take care of most of the bill as they have been. I was dead wrong. They gave me about $100!!! Numerous phone calls, re-filing, appeal letters... and nothing! They don't agree with compensating me more than $100. They claimed he never had surgery (I submitted even the vet's charts!) and they claimed that his condition was a urinary tract infection (he had stones and had to get them surgically removed!).

You buy a policy that supposedly gives you 90% coverage, and when you submit a claim, they only reimburse subject to their ridiculously low caps for each condition. Example: I incurred $4,500 in vet bills for my dog's serious condition, got reimbursed $700. Cancelled my policy today. There are so much better ones out there. Do your research.

Only wish I could give zero stars! I signed up our 3 dogs in late May. VPI came back with one of our dogs having a pre-existing condition of allergies. Funny, because this 8 year old dog has never had allergies! 2 weeks ago, we actually did take him in for itching and lo and behold - allergies! I sent in a claim form, and it was denied. Come to find out that in July 2011, our dog was seen for a pyroderma, which is a bacterial infection, however VPI has lumped it in as an allergy. He was given Benadryl because he was scratching the scabs from the infection. Apparently, if you give a dog Benadryl (for whatever reason), it is considered an allergy.

VPI is a ripoff. Their website makes you think you will be covered for a lot of common problems furry babies encounter. That is until they have your money and you file a claim. They have someone there who is going to change your pets' diagnosis as to make sure your claim is denied to their advantage. Twice now our pets' diagnosis has changed to things we have NEVER even heard of from our vet. Diagnosis not listed on their deceiving website. Disgusted and so angry I gave them $362.32 for this ** coverage. Save your money and the frustration you WILL encounter with this awful, bogus company. Take at a look at all the bad reviews. VPI seems to be ripping a lot of consumers off who are dissatisfied with this bogus policy. EVERYONE I know is going to know about my experience and they shouldn't be even promoting pet insurance to consumers with all the negative reviews.

They just want your money and when it comes time for them to cover you.... THEY DONT and find any excuse not to!! The following things are things that occur often among our furry friends and they are what my dog is a 3 yr old German Wirehaired Pointer. I use them for hunting and they are extremely active in the outdoors. I applied for this insurance because they came recommended from a friend; however, it should be noted that she has never had to file a claim.

We had never heard about Pet Insurance until a late night trip to the emergency vet. At this point, we had had our Spaniel mix about 18 mos. (making her about 3). We had tried to make a Bloomin' Onion at home and failed, thrown it in the trash and forgot about it. 2 hours later, she dumped the trash and ate it. A late night trip to the emergency vet ($90 to walk in the door), $290 and 6 hrs later we learned a lesson. At that time they told us about VPI. We signed up for it a few weeks later. I can honestly say, when we first got it, our regular vet was skeptical and not crazy about filling out the forms for us, he was old school, but extremely good. That sign up was in 2001, 3 yrs later totally changed his and our opinion of it.

I have a golden retriever, 12 years old. I got her insurance in 2009, thinking about her age and further problems. Unfortunately, my experience with this company has been awful. Last April 13th, my dog got very sick and I had to take her to emergency. She needed two surgeries (pyometra and bladder stone), few transfusions, 3 days hospitalized and a huge list of medicines and tests. The bill obviously was huge too ($9,120). I filed the claim with the insurance right away. 2 weeks later, they asked for more documentation which I sent the next day. Just now, checking their web page, I found out that they are going to pay me $2,716.20. Not even 50% of the total. If you are thinking about pet insurance, look for other company - faster and better benefits.

I'm not asking a question, but I want to give feedback about my experience with VPI. I called this morning and spoke to a sweet lady; I think her name was Jennifer. I called to verify my payment date and happened to mention that my dog needs surgery (I adopted my dog from the shelter in November of 2012). I got her a preventative medical plan through Banfield Veterinary Hospital, which is awesome. I purchased VPI pet insurance in the event she did need medical treatment.

Unfortunately, I submitted an application for my two dogs by phone before I read all the terrible reviews about this company. I called back the next day and told her to cancel both applications, and gave the reason as being the terrible reviews I had read. She proceeded to put through the applications and though I have received a credit for the one dog, I still have not received the $70+ credit on my charge card for the second dog. She said she didn't know I wanted that one canceled - like after I said I wanted to cancel because of the terrible reviews, I would want to keep the bad insurance for my one dog! Stay away from this company!

I had pet insurance with another carrier. Through my husband's job, we were supposed to get a "big" discount if we went with them. We had 5 dogs (3 were rescues), one of which was a Newfoundland. Prior to signing with the new insurance company, I was instructed that she was approved for insurance. The only exception was if she had cancer even though 5 cancer tests were done before she would be accepted. I paid for a ** load of medical tests before they would take her. I got the acceptance letter. I called the old pet insurance company and cancelled out the policy. Before they cancelled it, they told me that VPI would find excuses not to pay any claims. I figured it was just bad talk between 2 companies. So I blew it off.

8 years of having this insurance (VPI Superior Plan with CareGuard Core coverage) now feels like a complete waste. They have never been really good at reimbursements but managed to live with that. Now with our bill for laminectomy totaling $6,121.24 (including consultation, anesthesia, surgery itself, hospital stay, injections and catheterization), we had been reimbursed only with $1,825.29. Pathetic. And then the very friendly customer service rep referred us to the Veterinary Pet Insurance Benefit Schedule (bluish brochure that they usually send with the insurance renewal form) that read Column A is the benefit limit for the primary diagnosis or condition. This includes exam, injections, hospitalization, treatment and surgery.

I took both my dogs for their annual vet visit. They were due for shots and checkup. I was denied payment on one dog because they said my annual vet visit was ten days too early. They paid very minimally for the other dog stating “Vet checkups are covered up to $20 and shots up to $30. Blood work is $50.” Their payment fees are so out of line with the actual costs. I have been a customer for nine years and was told, “Sorry, but that is policy.” I was never told that ten days early would cause them to deny a claim. I immediately cancelled my policies. They were okay with losing a customer of nine years with two dogs. I told them that I didn't think they would stay in business much longer if that is their attitude. I spoke with customer service rep, Michelle **, and then her supervisor, Steven **. I have a feeling they do this denial thing all day long. It’s very unacceptable and deceptive in their practices!

Last year, my dog became very ill. Initially, the vet thought she had UTI. It turned out that after more checking of labs and a sonogram, she had a pyometra. She almost died. Thank god she is fine. When I initially called VPI to discuss what she went through, I was told I would be reimbursed a lot more for her surgery, labs, meds, and visits to the vet. Earlier this year, my vet submitted the medical records for my girl's bills. I called to find out what was taking so long and was told the amounts I was to be reimbursed, which was absolutely a joke. The rep on the phone told me the final diagnosis was cystitis, when clearly the initial diagnosis was a UTI and with further checking it was definitely a pyometra. Not only did they put the wrong diagnosis, but they separated the claims into 3 separate claims.

I have two dogs (7-9). We got them VPI. They are very healthy dogs. The first claim, I got no problems. That's their tactics. No red tape. No runarounds. They give you the money.... at first, just to give you the illusion that it pays to have insurance. Then the next 3-4 claims, they deny, deny, deny. They push for more paperwork. They tell you that you need form abc. Then when you get those forms sent, they want abcd as well. So back and forth it goes. These guys are major scammers. I bet half of their positive reviews online comes from their own paid staff. I know a close friend that has VPI as well and they feel the same way I do. Coincidence? I think not. Do yourself a favor. Learn from my lesson. Take the money you pay these crooks and stick it in a savings account. Every month, you put in $50-$60, you'd be surprise how much you have during hospital time. You have plenty left over. These people should be shut down. If I lived closer to their HQ, I'd pay them a visit.

Do not sign your pet up for VPI insurance. My employer offered a small discount for enrolling in VPI, so after reviewing what they had to offer, I decided to sign up my new puppy. I chose the most comprehensive plan because I figured I would rather pay a little bit extra each month to know that I have maximum coverage in case of emergencies.

Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) is a huge rip off. Stay far away. Before signing up, they will promise you the moon. Heaven forbid, your pet has any major issues, they pay approximately 20 percent of the total vet bill. I first signed up with VPI when they had a TV commercial showing a man with his dog who had cancer. They bragged that they paid $75,000.00 of the dog's medical bills. Unfortunately, my dog had an operation for a tumor on his liver. The operation and lab work was over $6,000.00. We submitted the bills and were reimbursed for only $772.00.

I have carried my VPI Pet Insurance for approx. 9 years and have found their rates continue to go up but any claims I've submitted qualified for minimal to no reimbursement. My suggestion is not to carry this insurance but rather open a savings account for your animal and put the money into that account instead. I'm very, very disappointed with the lean times we struggle with today - there are still companies like this ripping people off. Shame on them and shame on me for not investigating better.

I was on the phone for almost an hour this afternoon trying to get a policy reinstated on my account after four years of this dog being insured with them. It is truly a shame that spending over $10k over the last few years with five dog policies with VPI means nothing. Receiving a blank statement phone call to return their phone call and supposedly getting three renewal notices is not a way to treat a good repeat customer. They never talk about their grace periods and no one knows what the other hand is doing. As a small dog business owner, I take pride in my customer service and the care of the dogs, but that surely does not seem to be the same case with this company. There are many other pet insurance places out there and others that will actually care to have you as a client!

I had contacted VPI for pet insurance. I was told they needed a 12-month history from my vet. I had contacted my vet and they needed my signature of approval. So they faxed everything over after signing. A month had passed and they contacted me that they have not received anything from the vet. So my dog was in an accident during all this. So, I was going back and forth for my vet to fax and confirming if VPI had received it. Nothing. They do not receive their faxes in an approximate timely manner. I emailed customer service and they had told me that it's noted in my account that they contacted me and they never received it until two months after. I was trying to get my effective date changed prior to the accident since they did not receive the fax. The gist of all this is they told me that if they faxed it and it was confirmed that it was sent and they haven't received it, then it would not be their fault and they could do nothing about it.

This pet insurance company is horrible! I couldn't even get through the process to get a policy through them due to the horrific customer service. I have spoken to three representatives and a saleswoman, all four people were condescending, twisting my words and generally refused to listen to what I had to say. They would cut me off in the middle of sentences and talk over me, every single phone call. In general, the company was quick to invent "pre-existing conditions" to deny my pet. They took one medical issue that happened over a year ago one time and called it a pre-existing condition to deny my pet. When I asked them to get medical records proving it was a one time thing over a year ago, they proceeded to call all the vets my pet has seen and denied based on two new conditions they found while combing through old records. Again, things that were one time issues and had never come back.

I was traveling with my cat Nora and she became sick. I had to take her to an emergency hospital. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Her clinical signs included vomiting. She previously had been treated for IBD and I had reached my claims limit with VPI on that illness. Though the emergency doctor and Nora's regular vet said Nora's stomach problems was likely related to the hyperthyroidism, both doctors (and one hardly knew me) even wrote letters on my and Nora's behalf to VPI. VPI continued to deny the claim stating that Nora had reached her limit for stomach illnesses.

VPI Pet Insurance is a complete ripoff. I've been a VPI customer for over 18 years and I'm a physician myself (M.D.). My dogs sustained life threatening rattlesnake bites and the cost of a single dose of anti-venom was $500. This is the normal going rate for this medication. Each of our dogs is required to have the anti-venom and inpatient monitoring, IV fluids and pain control to save their lives and 1-2 nights of inpatient care. The bill for one night was $1600. For 2 nights, it was $2100 at a reasonably-priced VCA hospital with a 30% professional courtesy discount, since I'm a fellow physician. VPI's coverage was $500 for everything, for each pet. This is obscene and a complete ripoff. Don't bother with purchasing VPI pet insurance. It covers almost nothing compared to the monthly premiums and it's not there for you when you most need it. Shame on VPI.

I have had Veterinary Pet Insurance for my dogs since 2003. VPI does nothing but back talk on the coverages offered. Almost every time there is a claim, they somehow find an excuse not to pay enough back. Recently, my oldest had to have hip surgery due to trauma from a previous incident that lead to severe osteoarthritis. Almost $4000 in vet bills later, I was informed they will only allow $155 worth of payments for arthritis! I explained to them that the reports clearly state trauma, but it is just an endless battle with them. This is not the first time I have had issues getting reimbursed. Surely, a class action suit is applicable reading all these other complaints. I cannot imagine that at least 50 of us will join in on this if an attorney stepped in. People should stop being misled by this company! Does anyone agree?

VPI is a blatant fraud. I've had the best VPI plan offered on both my cats for 2 years now. I just recently had to submit my first claim. I found out yesterday that the benefit I will be receiving for $794.00 out of pocket so far to keep my pet from eminent death is $132.00. However, if a $2,500 surgery had been necessary, VPI was prepared to offer up an additional $157.00, which would include hospitalization, anesthesia and injections, the actual surgery reimbursement would have fallen under $60.

I filed a claim for my pet’s vet visit with Pet Plan. They had me submit the same information repeatedly. They kept insisting that they needed the past two years of vet visits for a 1 1/2 year old cat. Finally, they cancelled the claim.

Dog had salmon poisoning, $6,300 in bills - The title says it all. My dog needed 6 days to be treated for salmon poisoning which was diagnosed late. VPI's limit is approx. $300 for this treatment. They claim to have a $7,500 coverage limit. In order to reach this limit, your pet would likely have to develop/require 75%+ of chronic diseases/tests. I called VPI and stated how misleading their coverage limit claim was, considering their coverage limits for each diagnosis was so miniscule. Class action lawsuit please. At least my dog survived, now to deal with the debt.

I had my cat covered under the standard level of care since 2004. In Feb. 2012, I sadly had to put my cat to sleep at age 15. Her kidneys gave out on her over a two month period. The vet bills that I submitted totaled about $1,500.00. VPI reimbursed me a total of $250.00.

I sure wish I read these comments before purchasing from VPI. What you read here on these posts is all true. My dog had three exclusions, fine and all stated fairly upfront. After I filed my first claim, they added exclusion and failed to inform me. They are refusing to pay for tests done for my dog based on an exclusion that wasn’t even there when they accepted my enrollment. They are not covering another condition (even though it is listed as a condition that they cover) because they are saying it was pre-existing and according to VPI, they can deny coverage even if the condition was not discovered until after you have signed up.

VPI does not pay any claims. It is a scam. For seven years, I have paid over $600/year to insure my two dogs. They have rejected 95% of the claims and the remaining 5% they have paid a total of $96. The last claim concerned a routine yearly procedure done for the first time in seven years, teeth cleaning. They are asking me to send the records for the one dog from 2005 to the present. This is outrageous and abusive, as it is not an on going illness but a covered procedure which they claim it is covered, no questions asked. I am dropping these crooks and going for a respectable company. Beware of this scam!

I just cancelled my policy and since 2006, Veterinary Pet Insurance repeatedly denies claims. I don't understand what I am paying for. They said that there was a lapse in coverage for two years (2004 - 2006) yet one dog was covered. They both had automatic billing. During this time, they made changes with their software. A representative talked me into staying in 2006 even though my older dog had to go through a new process and now with a higher premium.

I have had VPI Pet Insurance for over six years now but when I filed a claim for veterinary services for the first time, they had me running around in circles. They have said twice now that they can't read the forms sent by the Vet's Office. I found this out on my own; they did not notify me. Now, they are denying a third claim that is unrelated to the other two forms. They gave me the same reason even though I already spoke with a supervisor and asked her to intervene. This is like a bad movie trying to get someone to resolve the Issue! I have spoken now with four different people on four different occasions to resolve this. What else can I do?

Unfortunately, I purchased VPI Pet Insurance for my golden retriever when he was a puppy; routine checks were all he needed until the age of five. When he had difficulty breathing and was diagnosed with a lung mass, an ER visit and subsequent surgery at a specialty hospital for a lung resection racked up an $8500 bill. We were not concerned with the cost over the life of our precious dog. However, VPI picked apart of our claim, and only reimbursed us $1700. We had to refinance our home to pay off the balance. We had just finished catching up with bills after my husband’s recovery from cancer. It was a kick in the head from VPI. Don't buy this insurance.

We are Jewish and we think VPI PET Insurance tries to get rid of us as Jewish customers. We were cancelled more than once despite paying the premiums and without any explanation. VPI PET sends a letter (no signature or name), saying they would credit back our payment and try not to enroll us again. When we insist on enrolling, they would register us, but few weeks later send us another cancellation letter.

I purchased what I thought was premium health insurance for my 14 year old mixed terrier, female. The charge was approx. $63 for (what I was advised on line) the first two months coverage. My dog went to the event to the vet on January 9, 2011 for not feeling well. She was diagnosed to have coronary heart disease but a determination was not made as yet until further tests were made the following week. A claim form was submitted to VPI.

We have had VPI Superior Plan Pet insurance for nearly 3 years for our 3-year old Golden doodle (Dolly). Every time we submit a claim, they deny for some reason or another. Here is our most recent issue: On Oct. 9, 2010, we noted some scabs or sores on Dolly, so we took her to the vet. He said these were likely hot spots and gave her a shot and told us to apply antibacterial ointment. The bill was $80.64. The letter we received denying service stated that the expense was denied because the injury or illness was contracted, manifested or incurred prior to the effective date of our policy. This is ridiculous. We have had the policy almost 3 years and she just got these sores. We have submitted multiple claims in the past few years and VPI is not paying when they should.

I had a policy from VPI on my golden retriever since we got him at 8 weeks of age. At age 5 in May, he almost died from a necrotizing pneumonia and required emergency surgery. VPI brags about their high pay backs from claims. Out of $8500 we paid to save our dog, VPI paid us $1700. We had to refinance our home to pay off the bills; interest rates on the credit cards were killing us. My husband is a cancer survivor and Rudy our golden retriever was his get well gift. We had to save him.

I have had this insurance since April 2009 and as of today, June 29 2010, these people have maybe paid me $300.00 on claims I have filed and I have filed over $5,000.00 with these people. I would not recommend this insurance to anyone unless you have money to burn. I would not have purchased this insurance knowing that they would not pay anything to reimburse me for their monthly payments.

When I rescued my first doberman, I purchased VPI insurance. Due to dobermans being susceptible to cancer, I opted for the double cancer coverage. My dobie was only a little older than one year and had no medical problems outside of demodex, which was considered pre-existing and not covered. Two weeks shy of turning two years old, my dobie developed what was originally determined by tests to be a fatty tumor. After taking him to a specialist due to breathing problems (it was located on his ribcage/chest), he was seen by the oncology department and tests were performed to determine the cause of breathing problems. The tests showed that he had an aggressive cancer that had engulfed his entire chest cavity and with nowhere else to go, blew through his ribcage and created the fatty tumor, which his previous vet had tested and determined to be nothing to worry about.

We just cancelled our policy after our claim was denied. VPI takes your money and fails to follow through on payment of claims. Because our dog had symptoms of vomiting and bowel problems it was labeled gastroenteritis and was documented as pre-existing. VPI told us that any condition our dog would have in the future would be denied if those symptoms were present! Absolutely disgusting company.

We went to a trip to Miami and then we stayed at Doral area. The hotel has so big a room and my dog gets so excited and run around the room fast. Then he hit his leg with the table and then after day he is started to walk limping. That right hind leg hurt so I take him to the Doral vet. The X-ray showed that he has a sprain that was secondary to the patellar luxation. It is not true!