Best Pet Insurance that Pays the Vet Directly in 2024

What is vet direct-pay insurance?

Direct-pay pet insurance pays the vet bill directly for you instead of making you pay out of pocket and wait to be reimbursed. If a pet insurance provider does not offer vet direct-pay, you have to pay the vet bill upfront, submit a claim for reimbursement, and wait to be reimbursed by check or direct deposit.

How does vet direct-pay work?

While not overly common in the pet insurance industry yet, a few pet insurance providers are at the forefront and offer a solution for paying the vet’s office directly on your behalf. Those companies are PetsBest, Healthy Paws, CarePlus by Chewy and Trupanion.

Each pet insurance company has a different method for paying the vet directly. Each method has differing levels of complexities. How each provider pays your vet is important to consider, since some require authorization from your vet before treatment.

Which companies offer pet insurance that pays the vet directly?

These four pet insurance companies offer direct pay plans:

Pets Best

With Pets Best, your vet needs to fill out an authorization form saying they are willing to wait and be paid by the insurer instead of being paid directly by you at the time of service.

This direct pay option works much like standard pet insurance. After your vet visit, you submit a claim via the company’s online portal. You include your itemized receipt of service and an authorization form that has been filled out by your vet. Instead of reimbursing you, Pets Best reimburses your vet for all eligible expenses. You’ll be responsible for any expenses not covered by your policy.

The authorization technically doesn’t need to be filled out until after treatment, so it can still be used in emergency situations. However, it’s a good idea to ask your vet ahead of time to ensure they are willing to receive payment this way.

Learn more from our Pets Best Pet Insurance review or get a quote.

Healthy Paws

Healthy Paws can pay the vet directly for you, but unlike Pets Best, you must request payment in advance. They require authorization before treating the animal, which can be a bit of a pain. 

The company’s claims team only works during normal business hours, so this can affect your ability to make a direct vet payment in the evening or on weekends. This can make direct payments difficult or impossible in unexpected emergency situations.

Healthy Paws vet direct pay works with any licensed veterinarian, so you don’t have to worry about choosing an in-network vet.

Learn more from our Healthy Paws Pet Insurance review or get your customized quote.

Trupanion

Trupanion was the first company to test paying the vet directly and invented a software called Trupanion Express to make this possible. When you’re at the vet’s office and ready to pay the bill, the claim is paid directly by Trupanion to the vet. Therefore, the customer is not involved in the transaction and pet owners are only responsible for their deductible and copay.

However, for this to work, the vet must have Trupanion’s software, and the number of vets in the US who have it is only around 20% nationwide. If you use a vet that hasn’t opted into Trupanion Express, you won’t be able to use the vet direct pay feature.

CarePlus by Chewy

CarePlus by Chewy is unique in the sense that all of its plans are offered through other insurance providers. Depending on the plan you choose it may be through a provider like Trupanion or another. CarePlus acts as a sort of middle man, but ensures you get the excellent customer service Chewy is known for. As a result, if the plan you choose is provided by Trupanion, you can have the option of Trupanion’s vet direct-pay solution. If not, then you won’t have direct pay as an option.

Learn more from our CarePlus by Chewy review or see your personalized rate.

What are the benefits of direct-pay pet insurance?

Direct-pay pet insurance is more convenient for people who don’t want to wait for reimbursement or who may not have funds immediately available to cover the bill on their own.

Pet insurance that pays upfront has the following benefits:

• Convenience:
  With traditional pet insurance, you have to submit a claim every time your pet sees a veterinarian. If you have pet insurance that pays a vet directly, you don’t have to do all the extra paperwork.
• Financial relief:
  Not everyone has extra money on hand to cover unexpected vet bills. This type of pet insurance makes it easier to get your pet the care it needs without worrying about running up your credit card balance or draining your savings.
• Seamless care:
  If you don’t have to wait for your insurance provider to reimburse you for vet bills, you can make decisions based on what’s best for your pet, not on what’s best for your wallet.
• Peace of mind:
  Pet insurance that pays up front gives you extra peace of mind by covering a large portion of your pet’s eligible vet bills. With the right pet insurance, it’s easier to afford accident-related and illness-related veterinary expenses.

These benefits help to make the cost of your pet insurance worth it.

Which is the best direct-pay pet insurance?

Our top choice for direct-pay pet insurance is Pets Best.

While it’s a little more complicated to set up, we like the fact that it can be used to pay any vet directly. It doesn’t require the vet to be on any special network, making it a more flexible option. Just don’t forget to get the authorization filled out beforehand.

At the end of the day, the best direct-pay pet insurance depends on what type of pet you have, how much you can afford to spend and whether your vet agrees to accept your coverage.

Before deciding, we recommend checking the terms of each provider to determine the best fit for your needs.

In addition to choosing the best coverage levels, you’ll also want to consider the following factors when choosing a policy:

For help finding the right insurance for your pet, you can also:

• Check out our guide on the best pet insurance plans
• Get specific recommendations for dog insurance or cat insurance. We’ve even reviewed the best pet insurance for senior dogs.
• Head to our cheap pet insurance guide for advice on finding affordable pet insurance
• Use our online comparison tool to compare multiple policies at once

What if I need help with my vet bills?

Pet insurance gives you extra peace of mind, but it doesn’t cover everything.

For example, many plans don’t cover exam fees and other routine expenses unless you pay for a wellness add-on. Some policies also have a payout limit, which limits the total amount of money the insurer pays out for covered expenses.

It’s also common for pet insurance companies to exclude preexisting conditions from their policies. A preexisting condition is a health problem that exists before you purchase pet insurance. For example, if your dog shows signs of hip dysplasia before you sign up for coverage, there’s a good chance the policy won’t cover any expenses related to hip dysplasia treatment.

If you need help paying veterinary expenses that pet insurance companies just won’t cover, you have a few options.

The Onyx and Breezy Foundation

The Onyx and Breezy Foundation provides grants to pet owners who need help paying veterinary expenses. Before you can apply for a grant, you must apply for Care Credit, a medical credit card. If you don’t qualify for Care Credit, you must include the denial letter with your application. If you’re approved, you must provide a copy of the approval letter to show that your credit limit is less than you need to pay your pet’s expenses.

Waggle

Waggle is a crowdfunding platform specifically for pet owners and animal rescue groups. If pet insurance companies won’t cover your veterinary bills, try creating a Waggle campaign. You must submit your veterinarian’s contact information, an estimate of your pet’s treatment expenses and several photos of your pet.

Once Waggle approves your campaign, you’ll be able to post the link on social media, making it easier to raise funds. For best results, make sure you submit compelling photos. If a donor has to choose between your pet and someone else’s, a good photo may draw their attention to your beloved dog or cat.

The Pet Fund

The Pet Fund provides financial assistance directly to pet owners. To qualify, your pet must need non-basic, non-emergent care. This means that The Pet Fund doesn’t cover routine dental care, spaying, neutering or treatment for broken limbs. It does cover treatment for cancer, heart disease and other non-emergent conditions.

If pet insurance companies won’t cover your pet’s bills, send an email to [email protected]. In the email, describe your pet’s needs as thoroughly as possible. If you meet the organization’s funding criteria, someone will ask you to complete a formal application. Be sure to include your telephone number in case the reviewer has any questions.

GoFundMe

GoFundMe isn’t specifically for pet owners, but it may help you raise money for vet expenses if the pet insurance companies won’t cover your bills. To solicit donations, set up a campaign on the GoFundMe website. If possible, post a copy of your pet’s treatment estimate to help potential donors feel comfortable supporting your cause.

The Magic Bullet Fund

The Magic Bullet Fund provides funds to help pay for chemotherapy or surgery to treat cancer. It doesn’t pay for experimental treatments, euthanasia, palliative care or treatments for other diseases.

RedRover

RedRover is another option of one of the pet insurance plans with direct pay that will cover your pet’s bills. The organization’s Urgent Relief Program provides small grants to help with the treatment of life-threatening injuries and illnesses.