In-Depth Analysis

Embrace Pet Insurance Review 2024

Advertiser Disclosure
Written By
I. Mitic
Updated
September 16, 2024
Some or all of the products/services listed on this page are from our affiliate partners from which we receive commissions. This, however, does not influence the evaluations in our reviews. Learn more by reading our Advertiser Disclosure.

An insurance policy is like a life jacket: You don’t think you’re going to need it, but then an iceberg hits and you’re happy as hell to have it.

What if Mittens is sick? What if Rex is injured? Pets need care too, and it can be expensive. Why not get your four-legged friend fitted for a life jacket so you can enjoy life’s unpredictability worry-free? Embrace Pet Insurance is here to ensure that your pet will be covered and that you won't drown in debt if the need for healthcare arises.

 
Deductible options
$200 - $1,000

Pets covered: Dogs, Cats

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Fortunly Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

DEDUCTIBLE OPTIONS
$200 - $1,000
REIMBURSEMENT
70% - 90%
CLAIM LIMIT
$5,000 - $30,000
TERM
Annual
PETS COVERED
Dogs, Cats
VET SELECTION
No restrictions
BBB RATING
A+
TRUSTPILOT
3.7
pros thumb up Strengths
  • Basic policy includes alternative therapies and rehabilitation
  • Lifetime coverage
  • Plan for pets 15 years of age and older
  • Submit a claim on the MyEmbrace app
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Customizable pricing
  • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Available wellness plan
pros thumb up Weaknesses
  • 6-month waiting period for canine orthopedic conditions
  • Yearly price increases

Embrace Overview

What should you look for from a pet insurance company? Affordable prices top the list, of course. Extensive coverage. But perhaps most importantly, you want a reliable company that won’t cause you additional stress in a nerve-wracking situation.

Embrace was founded in 2003 and every step it’s taken since then has been in the right direction – as evidenced by the company’s large collection of awards.

None of this is surprising. Embrace started as a Wharton Business Plan Competition winner. The business plan became a business and today it is an exceptional insurance carrier that ensures pets get treated and owners get peace of mind.

Wherever you look, no matter how hard, you will be hard-pressed to find bad pet insurance ratings for this company. The reviews on the Better Business Bureau website might be a mixed bag, but the rating is an excellent A+.

This is because customer care agents are quick to respond to complaints and thorough when resolving them. They find out what went wrong, explain what happened to customers, and do what it takes to make it right.

Embrace’s altruistic endeavors are numerous. The company donates $2 to charity for every policy it sells, matches employee donations to charitable causes, and contributes to many animal-related causes. Not only that, but Embrace works hard to maintain an eco-friendly office and support volunteer activities.

The company even underwrites scholarships for veterinary-technician students, making its philanthropy unrivaled in the industry.

All of this demonstrates that Embrace is a trustworthy company with great values. The rest of this review will focus on the services Embrace provides and how much money it charges for them.

How Does Embrace Compare to Other Pet Insurance Companies?

Embrace Logo
Embrace
Claims Process Time

10-15 business days

Monthly Premium starts at

$15 for cats and $25 for dogs

Healthy Paws Logo
Healthy Paws
Claims Process Time

2 business days

Monthly Premium starts at

$25 for cats and $35 for dogs

Figo Logo
Figo
Claims Process Time

Within 15 business days

Monthly Premium starts at

$10 for cats and $16 for dogs

Embrace Coverage

Embrace offers 70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursements for medical expenses. No matter which option you choose, your pet will receive coverage for:

  • Accidents and illnesses: Regardless of your dog’s or cat’s age, at some point your beloved bundle of fluff is bound to get sick or injured. With proper treatment, neither scenario must be traumatic for you or your pet. With Embrace on your side, you can afford to give your pets the care they deserve. Even chronic conditions like allergies and diabetes are covered.
  • Breed-specific conditions: We can’t control the combination of genes that we are born with, but modern medicine has given us tools to deal with the outcome. Embrace’s insurance allows you to do the same for your pets. Some breeds are vulnerable to genetic and congenital health issues. At Embrace, treatment for those conditions is part of the deal.
  • Alternative therapies and rehabilitation: Most companies charge extra for acupuncture, chiropractic, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, and therapeutic laser treatment – but not Embrace. The coverage includes 12 weeks of alternative treatments for any injury or illness covered by the policy – at no extra charge. Be sure to check the terms and conditions when you sign up. In some states there is no 12-week limit.
  • Diagnostic testing: Sometimes a lot of tests are required to determine what’s ailing your fur babies. To prevent you from going bankrupt, Embrace picks up most of the check.
  • ER and specialist care: Embrace won’t make you choose between the fastest and the best pet care. All emergency veterinary hospitals, centers for after-hour treatments, and specialists will be at your disposal.
  • Prescription drugs: Embrace pays for take-home medication, a benefit that we believe to be unique to this pet insurance company.
  • Cancer treatment: With luck, you’ll never have to write a claim for cancer-related medical care. But if you do find yourself in that bleak situation, finances won’t have to be your priority.
  • Behavioral therapy: Although some pet insurance providers don’t consider behavioral therapy a priority and thus don’t include it in their basic policy plans, Embrace does – with every single policy.
  • Dental illnesses: Dental insurance is a part of every policy. It covers dental accidents and illnesses up to $1,000 per year.
  • Hospitalization and surgery: Going into a vet’s office and walking out with your pet in tow is one thing. Leaving your pet there for surgery or overnight care is another story. It’s emotionally and financially trying, but with Embrace’s policy, you can at least stop worrying about the cost.
  • Exam fees: Examinations might not cost as much as most treatments but when the bills pile up, every dollar counts.
  • Prosthetics and mobility devices: Thinking about prosthetics, carts, and wheelchairs isn’t pleasant. But if need be, Embrace will reimburse you for them so your pet’s life can return to normal as soon as possible.

Is Your Pet Eligible?

Any pet younger than 15 years is eligible for a full Embrace policy. Owners of pets aged 15 and over aren’t out of options either, since Embrace has accident-only insurance coverage specifically for older pets. This is impressive, as Embrace is one of the few insurers that don’t disregard older pets.

Here are the additional exclusions:

  • Routine veterinary care
  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Breeding, whelping, and pregnancy
  • Deliberate injuries caused by the policyholder and anyone residing in the same household
  • DNA testing or cloning
  • Injury or illness resulting from cruelty, neglect, fighting or racing (organized and professional racing is not excluded if you inform Embrace of your pet’s involvement with such activities at signup)
  • Elective cosmetic procedures
  • Avian or swine flu
  • War injuries

It’s a long list, but those exclusions are both common and reasonable. Even with these limitations, Embrace’s is one of the best pet insurance policies you can find.

It’s worth taking a moment to clarify what “pre-existing conditions” means at Embrace, as this is something that tends to vary from company to company. Embrace does not cover injuries or illnesses that afflicted your pet – that showed symptoms – before the end of a short waiting period after you sign up.

Embrace offers a loophole for curable conditions if your pet doesn’t present any symptoms or need treatment for 12 consecutive months.

Embrace Policy Plans

Your pet’s age determines which of the two pet insurance plans you will have access to.

The accident and illness policy for the 14-and-younger group is extremely customizable. You can adjust the reimbursement limit, deductible, and reimbursement percentage. Keep in mind that no matter how old your pet gets, the complete coverage will apply to them as long as you enrolled them before they reached 15 years of age.

This policy costs a bit more depending on the age of your pet at signup. That’s common. All pet insurance companies require more money for older dogs.

The company reviews the data you submit for your quote request, and pets that are 15 and older are automatically offered an accident-only plan. Unfortunately, this plan can’t be modified like the full-coverage plan.

Wellness Rewards is an optional preventive care package that covers grooming, vaccinations, training, microchipping, and the like. You can add it to any policy. It is not an insurance plan, the company says, but a budgeting program that lets you pay for these routine expenses as part of your monthly bill. Embrace even issues you a $25 reward every year for signing up.

Further Reading

Find the Best Pet Insurance For Your Four-Legged Friend

Embrace Policy Details

When your pet’s health is at stake, you want to be as informed as you can be. Here are some of the most vital details of Embrace's insurance policy:

  • Underwriter: American Modern Insurance Group.
  • There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • You can downgrade or upgrade your coverage at any time. Upgrading may entail consequences like new waiting periods and added pre-existing conditions.
  • The pet insurance waiting period for illnesses is 14 days, while it’s 48 hours for accidents. There’s also a six-month waiting period for canine orthopedic conditions. The six months can be reduced to 14 days if you follow the Orthopedic Exam and Waiver Process.
  • A MyEmbrace mobile app is available for Android and iOS users. It lets you view your pet’s account and submit claims.
  • If your pet has a pre-existing bilateral condition, the same issue will not be covered on the other side of the body. However, if the bilateral condition appears following the start of your coverage, Embrace will pay for the treatment of both sides.
  • It takes 10 to 15 days for claims to be processed.
  • Once you submit your first claim, the company reviews your pet’s medical records for the 12 months that came before the beginning of your coverage. That means your first claim will probably take a few days longer.
  • You can earn a discount by paying your premiums annually instead of monthly.
  • After you enroll you can ask for a free medical history review.

Embrace Pricing & Discounts

Factors that determine your monthly pet insurance premiums are your pet’s place of residence, breed, and age. And of course you can customize the main accident and illness plan to suit your needs and wallet.

You can choose an annual reimbursement limit of $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, or $30,000. The higher the limit, the higher your monthly premiums.

Your annual deductible is the amount you pay for care each year before insurance coverage kicks in. You can choose from these amounts for your deductible: $200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000. The higher the deductible, the lower your premiums.

Finally, you can write a policy that reimburses 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered treatments. Increasing the amount that Embrace covers raises your monthly premium.

You can get your quote by visiting the website and filling out a short form. For example, let’s say you have a 4-year-old male beagle and you live in Arizona. Your monthly premium for full coverage would amount to $28.66 if you made the following choices:

  • Reimbursement limit: $5,000
  • Deductible: $750
  • Reimbursement percentage: 70%

With an accident-only plan, the options are preset to a $100 annual deductible and 90% reimbursement up to $5,000 per year. For our beagle that is now, for the sake of this example, 15 years of age, the premium would be $24.06 per month.

Embrace Wellness Rewards can be purchased for $18.75, $35.42 and $52.09 per month. The price is calculated based on the annual maximum that you pick ($250, $450, or $650).

Embrace is quite affordable, especially considering all the different ways you can tailor the main policy to meet your needs and budget.

Discounts

You can lower the cost of your monthly pet insurance premiums if you qualify for one of Embrace’s discounts. The discounts can be combined up to a cap of 25%.

The Embrace Healthy Pet Deductible is similar to the wellness plan. It encourages owners to take good care of their furry friends. It works like this: For every year that you don’t receive a claim reimbursement, your deductible is reduced by $50. It may not sound like much, but a few reimbursement-free years could get you a policy with a $0 deductible.

Next up is the multi-pet insurance discount. You don’t have to click on it or apply for it, just add another pet to your policy. A 10% reduction will be applied to the policy automatically.

Embrace also offers a 5% military discount. To get it, you submit proof of your military service after you sign up for insurance. This discount isn’t available in all states.

Finally, you can get a 10% employee discount if you work for a company or veterinary practice that partners with Embrace. Before you start asking your co-workers about it, you should check to see if this discount is available in your state.

Embrace Customer Service

Embrace’s customer support is among the best in the business. Not only are support agents extremely helpful, but they can be reached 24/7 by phone, live chat, or video conferencing.

Policyholders sometimes mention difficulties concerning claim reimbursements, but almost none report being unhappy with Embrace’s customer care. Excluding diagnosing or prescribing treatments, Embrace’s pet experts can assist you with pretty much anything concerning your pet’s insurance or health.

If you’re not an Embrace member yet, you can contact the customer care team via phone or email from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time and on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking for the best pet insurance that won’t cripple your budget, stop looking. Embrace offers flexible pricing options, great coverage, and first-rate customer support. The chances of being unpleasantly surprised are very low because this company is very clear about what it does and doesn’t cover.

From what we could see, the handful of negative reviews online were mainly written by people who didn’t read their policies thoroughly.

We have no hesitation in giving Embrace our high rating.

FAQ

Do most vets take pet insurance?

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Yes, almost all vets accept pet insurance. Whether you get reimbursed for your expenses or your vet gets paid directly depends on your insurance company.

Is Embrace a good pet insurance?

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Yes, Embrace is a good pet insurance provider. It covers a substantial number of conditions and it has a highly customizable pricing plan