Hartville is a pet insurance company that strives to define and constantly redefine the term “quality pet coverage”. Improving their insurance plans with new features to satisfy the needs of cats and dogs across the nation while keeping everything as transparent as possible is Hartville’s core mission.
Founded in 1997, Hartville is one of the oldest pet insurance providers. In 2013, they were acquired by the Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group™, a company that also owns ASPCA Pet Insurance, PetPremium, and 24PetWatch.
Since their acquisition, Hartville has been an ever-evolving brand that employs technology to simplify the process of enrolling and managing a pet insurance policy.
To learn all about their pet coverage plans, wellness options, prices, customer service, and how they compare to other top players in the industry, dive deeper into this Hartville pet insurance review.
Hartville’s Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent rating with the AM Best and the BBB | Long claim processing times |
| No exam is required prior to enrollment | Long waiting period for accidents |
| Short waiting period for ligament and knee conditions | Bilateral exclusions for ligament and knee conditions |
| Pet coverage is valid throughout the US, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Canada | No unlimited annual/lifetime coverage option |
| Options for accident-only coverage and pet wellness care are available | No coverage for cremation and burial expenses |
| Reinstatement of curable conditions after no signs of related symptoms have been noticed in 180 days | Expensive premiums for senior pets |
| Coverage includes exam fees, hereditary conditions, and behavioral issues | $2.00 monthly transaction fee |
| No upper age restrictions for cats and dogs | |
| 10% discount for enrolling multiple pets | |
| 30-day money-back guarantee |
Hartville’s Key Attributes
- Underwriter: United States Fire Insurance Company
- AM Best Rating: A
- BBB Rating: A+
- Exam period: Hartville doesn’t make taking a full physical exam for your pet a requirement in order to sign up for their pet insurance policy. They will request all of your pet’s medical information and history the moment you file your first claim and at that point they will determine which conditions are deemed pre-existing.
- Increase in monthly premium: Hartville may increase the price of your pet insurance premiums when you renew your policy. They will notify you of any increases or other changes 60 days prior to the policy renewal date. These increases happen naturally as the costs of veterinary services usually rise as a result of inflation or other market fluctuations. Additionally, as your pet gets older, they are more at risk of developing health conditions and require more healthcare.
- Claim submission time limit: To remain eligible for reimbursement, you must file a claim within a timeframe of 270 days from the date of your pet’s veterinary visit or treatment.
- Claim processing times: Hartville is a bit slower when processing submitted claims. While they will process your claim within the standard 30-days time frame, the average processing times vary from 14 to 16 days which is still a bit slow when compared to other similar companies.
- Waiting periods: Every Hartville waiting period that concerns the incidents covered by their base pet coverage plan amounts to 14 days. All illnesses, accidents, injuries, and orthopedic conditions have a waiting period of 14 days. However, preventative care becomes effective the very next day after you sign up.
- Accidents – 14 days;
- Illnesses – 14 days;
- Wellness – 1 day;
- Orthopedic conditions – 14 days.
- Pet insurance coverage with Hartville is valid throughout all of the United States including its overseas territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands) and Canada.
- Bilateral conditions that involve ligament and knee conditions (ligament, patella, meniscus, soft tissue disorder of the knee, etc.) are excluded from Hartville’s coverage when they occur on the other side of the pet’s body.
Hartville’s Insurance Plans
Pet parents who decide to opt for Hartville can pick from their two plans designed to cover veterinary costs for the unexpected medical problems regarding your pet’s health.
Choosing between Hartville’s Complete CoverageSM plan and their Accident-Only Coverage plan is easy when you’re sure about what you actually can afford. You should also be certain of your pet’s needs, as some cats and dogs are predisposed to some genetic conditions.
Complete CoverageSM
The Complete CoverageSM plan offers comprehensive insurance against all unexpected instances that may complicate your pet’s health and threaten their life.
To mitigate the costs for treating serious illnesses, injuries, and emergency situations, the Complete CoverageSM plan covers the related treatments for any pet above the age of 8 weeks. There are no upper age restrictions.
All of the waiting periods for this plan are 14 days. That is the average for illnesses, a bit long for accidents, and incredibly short for orthopedic conditions.
Hartville doesn’t offer any additional coverage options for this plan, as they make it unnecessary to add anything since all of the essentials are included. Things like exam fees, hereditary conditions, alternative, and behavioral therapies are all part of the Complete CoverageSM insurance policy.
To make this plan more accessible to every pet owner, Hartville ensures to include several options under each benefit limit. Such flexibility makes tweaking the price of your premium adaptable to your budget, which is a great perk.
Fetching a free quote for the Complete CoverageSM plan requires some essential information about your pet. After you enter the necessary details, you’d be given the opportunity to choose from the following options:
- Annual benefit amounts: $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, and $10,000;
- Annual deductibles: $100, $250, and $500;
- Reimbursement percentages: 70%, 80%, and 90%.
Finally, arming yourself with this Hartville plan will enable you to visit any veterinary, specialist, or emergency clinics in the US (and its territories) and Canada. After you take care of your pet and ensure they’re safe and sound, you can file a claim with Hartville and receive reimbursement via direct deposit or get a check in your mail.
Accident-Only Coverage
To be able to only treat new injuries and emergency situations that arise from accidents, you can obtain Hartville’s Accident-Only Coverage plan and get reimbursement for the related medical expenses.
With this plan, illnesses such as hereditary conditions, chronic conditions, cancer, etc. aren’t covered.
Unlike other companies that offer accident coverage to senior pets that are unable to get illness coverage, Hartville makes this plan available to any pet, regardless of their age or pre-existing conditions.
The waiting period for this plan is 14 days and the coverage limit options are the same as the Complete CoverageSM plan.
What’s Covered With a Hartville Policy
With Hartville, your furry friend is covered for basically every unexpected threat to its life and wellbeing.
Illnesses, injuries, and emergency situations that you cannot plan treatments ahead but must tend to immediately are always covered by Hartville.
If you’re unsure of everything that’s covered, you can check the following list of conditions and other benefits that come with a Hartville pet insurance policy:
- Accidents – torn ligaments, bite wounds, cuts, broken bones, lodged foreign objects, toxic ingestions, sprains, burns, bruises, lacerations, and many more;
- Illnesses – vomiting, diarrhea, digestive problems, urinary tract infections, skin and ear infections, heartworm, and many more;
- Hereditary and congenital conditions – heart disease, IVDD, eye disorders, diabetes, upper respiratory infections, liver disease, glaucoma, cataracts, and many more;
- Chronic conditions – allergies, epilepsy, arthritis, asthma, and others;
- Orthopedic conditions – ligament and knee conditions that aren’t pre-existing, and hip and elbow dysplasia;
- Cancer – chemotherapy and radiotherapy;
- Dental coverage for non-routine treatments – tooth injuries that require tooth extractions;
- Alternative therapy – stem cell therapy, chiropractic treatments, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, homeotherapy, and much more;
- Behavioral issues – fur pulling, excessive licking, destructive chewing, tail chasing, aggressiveness, anxiety, and more;
- Veterinary exam fees;
- Prescribed food and medications – FDA-approved drugs and pet foods used only to treat covered conditions, not for prevention or general health maintenance;
- Diagnostics, examinations, consultations, and laboratory tests – imaging, chemistry test for blood work, CT and MRI scans, urinalysis, hematology, ultrasound, and more;
- Surgery and hospitalization – intensive care, rehabilitation, and more;
- Specialist treatments – visiting departments such as cardiology, oncology, neurology, dermatology, ophthalmology, endocrinology, dentistry, and urology;
- Microchip implementation;
- End-of-life expenses – euthanasia that’s prescribed by a vet.
It’s worth mentioning that Hartville reinstates curable pre-existing conditions after they’ve been cured and stayed treatment-free for at least 180 days. This rule doesn’t apply to ligament and knee conditions.
What’s Excluded From Hartville’s Coverage
Hartville won’t reimburse you for a number of conditions and procedures. They exclude an entire list of items for various reasons. Some of those reasons include limiting liabilities and keeping premiums affordable.
Here’s everything that’s excluded from Hartville’s pet insurance coverage:
- Pre-existing conditions;
- Cosmetic and aesthetic dental procedures including orthodontic and endodontic treatments such as root canals, implants, crowns, or caps;
- Expression, treatment, and/or resection of the anal gland (sac);
- All ligament and knee conditions if any ligament and knee conditions were treated prior to enrolling with Hartville;
- Boarding fees;
- Conditions related to breeding, pregnancy, and whelping;
- Cosmetic and elective procedures such as tail docking, claw removal, ear cropping, and more;
- Dental cleanings that aren’t prescribed for treating an illness;
- Cremation, burial, memorial, urns, caskets, and related services;
- Experimental treatments and medications;
- Grooming and bathing;
- Recreational supplies such as toys, bedding, ramps, leashes, and others;
- Preventative care such as spaying or neutering, vaccinations, parasite control, and more (optional add-on available);
- Intentional injuries or neglect inflicted by you or a close family member;
- Organ transplantation;
- Veterinary costs resulting from activities such as racing, organized fighting, coursing, guarding, or law enforcement.
Hartville’s Wellness Plans
If you wish to acquire a complete medicare package for your four-legged companion, you may pay a bit more each month by adding one of Hartville’s preventative care packages.
The Basic Preventative Care and the Prime Preventative Care plans add more benefits to your policy that you can use to always stay ahead of your pet’s health and needs.
These plans reimburse with fixed annual amounts and impose no waiting periods nor deductibles.
Helping protect your pet from getting sick should be your priority, not a choice. Now let’s review everything that comes on these two pet wellness plans.
| Health Benefits | Basic Preventative Care | Prime Preventative Care |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Cleaning | $100 | $150 |
| Wellness Exam | $50 | $50 |
| Deworming | $20 | $25 |
| Health Certificate | $0 | $25 |
| Flea/Heartworm Prevention | $0 | $25 |
| DHLPP Vaccine/Titer | $20 | $25 |
| Rabies or Lyme Vaccine/Titer | $20 | $25 |
| Bordetella Vaccine/Titer | $0 | $25 |
| Fecal Test | $20 | $25 |
| Heartworm Test | $20 | $25 |
| Blood Test | $0 | $25 |
| Urinalysis | $0 | $25 |
| Total Annual Benefit | $250 | $450 |
Both these plans have a great pricing model. Their monthly prices don’t change no matter what. Additionally, they’re the same for everyone – your pet’s breed, age, or location doesn’t affect the preventative care plan’s pricing.
With that said, the price of the Basic Preventative Care plan is $9.95/month ($8.25/month in the state of Washington and $7.75/month in the state of Florida).
The Prime preventative Care plan is priced at $24.95/month ($20.75/month in the state of Washington and $19.75/month in the state of Florida).
Hartville’s Pricing Quotes
Hartville compares the daily cost of their complete coverage with the price of your morning coffee. And they claim the average cost is half the price of a cup of coffee. In short, it costs $1.33/day to cover your pet with Hartville.
We decided to put this claim to test and compiled the charts below, to show how premiums are calculated for the most popular cat and dog breeds across the US. We did notice that their statements are true when mixed breeds are in question. Pure breeds, however, tend to result in higher premiums.
The price of your premium will always be influenced by your pet’s breed, age, and the area of your residence. Some premiums may turn out to be even double the price of Hartvile’s average costs, but you can utilize the flexibility of their quote builder to develop a more affordable premium.
Pricing Quotes for Dogs
| Breed | German Shepherd | French Bulldog | Labrador Retriever |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | Male | Female |
| Age | 2 years 4 months | 4 years 2 months | 6 years 6 months |
| Location | New York | California | Colorado |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 |
| Claim Limit | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Reimbursement | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Hartville Complete Coverage℠ (accident and illness coverage) | $66.29/month | $69.94/month | $105.85/month |
| Hartville Accident-Only Coverage | $37.13/month | $18.62/month | $37.68/month |
*quotes obtained in August 2021
Pricing Quotes for Cats
| Breed | Siamese | Persian | Abyssinian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | Male | Female |
| Age | 2 years 5 months | 4 years 1 month | 8 years 2 months |
| Location | New York | Colorado | California |
| Deductible | $500 | $500 | $500 |
| Claim Limit | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Reimbursement | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Hartville Complete Coverage℠ (accident and illness coverage) | $31.82/month | $49.55/month | $42.65/month |
| Hartville Accident-Only Coverage | $20.61/month | $21.45/month | $13.24/month |
*quotes obtained in August 2021
Discounts and Savings
It seems like the pet insurance industry is going through a period of vast expansion at the moment. Pet insurance providers are popping up every few months and it gets harder and harder to incentivize new customers to sign up for a pet coverage plan.
To get ahead of the competition, Hartville offers a discount on its coverage plans. If you enroll multiple pets with them, you’ll get a 10% discount on each additional pet insurance policy.
Additionally, pet owners can test Hartville’s services and cancel their policy within the first 30 days of their enrollment without paying a dime. They can get a full refund on their first premium if they didn’t file any claims within this 30-day free trial period.
How Does Hartville Compare With Its Competitors?
In this section, you’ll get the chance to review each detail you might have missed in the sections we covered above, and maybe even discover new features.
Here, we’ll compare Hartville to three top-tier companies in the pet insurance industry. PetPartners, Petplan, and PetFirst are all similar to Hartville, but also different in areas that might be crucial to you.
The charts in this section will also help you discover if one of the other three providers is a better alternative to Hartville based on your particular needs.
Hartville vs. PetPartners
PetPartners exceeds Hartville’s services by offering more options for customizing your coverage limits, an unlimited payout option, and a very short waiting period for accidents. However, they have a much longer period for orthopedic conditions than Hartville and many of Hartvile’s covered conditions and medical procedures are only available as optional add-ons with PetPartners.
On top of that, PetPartners offer a smaller multi-pet discount than Hartville and impose higher fees on each monthly transaction.
| Feature | Hartville | PetPartners |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage Effective | USA, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, and Canada | USA and Canada |
| Reimbursement | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses |
| Co-Payment | 10%, 20%, or 30% | 10%, 20%, or 30% |
| Deductible | $100 – $500 | $100 – $1,000 |
| Type of Deductible | Annual | Annual |
| Claim Limit Options | $2,500 – $10,000 | $2,500 – Unlimited |
| Accident-Only Plan | Available | Available |
| Wellness Plan | Available | Available |
| Unlimited Benefits Plan | No | Yes |
| Accidents | Yes | Yes |
| Illnesses | Yes | Yes |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days | 14 days |
| Accident Waiting Period | 14 days | 2 days |
| Orthopedic Conditions Waiting Period | 14 days | 6 months |
| Bilateral Exclusions | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic Conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Hereditary and Congenital Conditions | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Cancer | Yes | Yes |
| Dental Coverage | Yes | Accidents only |
| Prescription Medicine | Yes | Yes |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Behavioral Issues | Yes | Yes |
| Exam Fees | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Exam Required for Enrollment | No | No |
| Available At Any Vet Clinic | Yes | Yes |
| Microchip | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Minimum Pet Age Limit | 8 weeks | 8 weeks for dogs and 10 weeks for cats |
| Maximum Pet Age Limit | No limit | 9 years for illnesses |
| Entry Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Monthly Transaction Fee | $2.00 | $3.00 or $4.00 (depending on the state) |
| Multi-Pet Discount | 10% for each additional pet | 5% for multiple pets |
| Claim Repayment | Within 30 days (14-16 days on average) | Within 14 days (7 days on average) |
| Direct Vet Bill Payment | No | No |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| AM Best Rating | A | A- |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
*companies compared in August 2021
Read the full PetPartners Pet Insurance review.
Hartville vs. Petplan
Just like Hartville, Petplan is rated excellent by both the AM Best and the BBB. Their strong suits are the extra care coverage (boarding fees, advertising and reward costs for stolen pets, and vacation cancellation) that comes included with their base coverage, and their Healthy Pet discount that can become as high as 30%.
While Petplan is a great option for many pet parents, they don’t offer a multi-pet discount and the processing times for claims are quite long. They’re also not suitable for anyone looking for pet wellness options as Petplan don’t offer any.
| Feature | Hartville | Petplan |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage Effective | USA, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, and Canada | USA and Canada |
| Reimbursement | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses |
| Co-Payment | 10%, 20%, or 30% | 10%, 20%, or 30% |
| Deductible | $100 – $500 | $250 – $500 |
| Type of Deductible | Annual | Annual |
| Claim Limit Options | $2,500 – $10,000 | $5,000, $15,000, or Unlimited |
| Accident-Only Plan | Available | Not available |
| Wellness Plan | Available | Not available |
| Unlimited Benefits Plan | No | Yes |
| Accidents | Yes | Yes |
| Illnesses | Yes | Yes |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days | 15 days |
| Accident Waiting Period | 14 days | 15 days |
| Orthopedic Conditions Waiting Period | 14 days | 6 months |
| Bilateral Exclusions | Yes | Yes |
| Chronic Conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Hereditary and Congenital Conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer | Yes | Yes |
| Dental Coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Prescription Medicine | Yes | Yes |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Behavioral Issues | Yes | Yes |
| Exam Fees | Yes | Yes |
| Exam Required for Enrollment | No | Yes |
| Available At Any Vet Clinic | Yes | Yes |
| Microchip | Yes | No |
| Minimum Pet Age Limit | 8 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Maximum Pet Age Limit | No limit | No limit |
| Entry Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Monthly Transaction Fee | $2.00 | $0.00 |
| Multi-Pet Discount | 10% for each additional pet | Not available |
| Claim Repayment | Within 30 days (14-16 days on average) | Within 30 days (22 on average) |
| Direct Vet Bill Payment | No | Not available |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 30 days |
| AM Best Rating | A | A+ |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A- |
*companies compared in August 2021
Read the full Petplan Pet Insurance review.
Hartville vs. PetFirst
PetFirst outranks Hartville, and many similar companies for that matter, when it comes to covering bilateral conditions. The company is also amazing for combining comprehensive pet coverage and routine pet care with low annual deductibles and short waiting periods.
However, PetFirst has no option for unlimited payouts. Their coverage is only valid in the United States and the free-look period that customers can use to test their services lasts only 14 days.
| Feature | Hartville | PetFirst |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage Effective | USA, Puerto Rico, Guam, US Virgin Islands, and Canada | USA |
| Reimbursement | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses | Choice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses |
| Co-Payment | 10%, 20%, or 30% | 10%, 20%, or 30% |
| Deductible | $100 – $500 | $50 – $500 |
| Type of Deductible | Annual | Annual |
| Claim Limit Options | $2,500 – $10,000 | $2,000 – $10,000 |
| Accident-Only Plan | Available | No |
| Wellness Plan | Available | Available |
| Unlimited Benefits Plan | No | Yes |
| Accidents | Yes | Yes |
| Illnesses | Yes | Yes |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days | 14 days |
| Accident Waiting Period | 14 days | 1 day |
| Orthopedic Conditions Waiting Period | 14 days | 6 months |
| Bilateral Exclusions | Yes | No |
| Chronic Conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Hereditary and Congenital Conditions | Yes | Yes |
| Cancer | Yes | Yes |
| Dental Coverage | Yes | Yes |
| Prescription Medicine | Yes | Yes |
| Alternative/Holistic Therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Behavioral Issues | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Exam Fees | Yes | Yes |
| Exam Required for Enrollment | No | No |
| Available At Any Vet Clinic | Yes | Yes |
| Microchip | Yes | Optional add-on |
| Minimum Pet Age Limit | 8 weeks | 8 weeks |
| Maximum Pet Age Limit | No limit | No limit |
| Entry Fee | $0.00 | $12.00 |
| Monthly Transaction Fee | $2.00 | $3.00 |
| Multi-Pet Discount | 10% for each additional pet | 5% for second pet;10% for third and all subsequent pets |
| Claim Repayment | Within 30 days (14-16 days on average) | Within 30 days (10-14 days on average) |
| Direct Vet Bill Payment | No | No |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | 14 days |
| AM Best Rating | A | A- |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
*companies compared in August 2021
Read the full PetFirst Pet Insurance review.
Customer Service
While Hartville offers most of the communication channels that other similar pet insurance providers do, they stop short of not making live chat available to their customers. A 24/7 televet service is also not a part of their customer support system.
What you can do to get in touch with a Hartville representative is use their phone, fax, or email:
- Phone:
1-800-799-5852 – Sales;
1-800-799-5852 – Customer satisfaction; - Fax:
1-866-888-2497 – Service;
1-866-888-2495 – New Claims; - Email:
sales@hartvillepetinsurance.com – Sales;
cservice@hartvillepetinsurance.com – Customer satisfaction; - Operating hours:
Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST.
You can also use their member portal or download their Android or iOS app to submit and review your claims, upgrade your billing and pet information, and contact the company.
Customer Reviews
We believe that, in order to form a truly unbiased personal insight into how a company operates, a peek into reviews that real customers provide all over the internet is a must.
In this section, we’re including several genuine experiences with Hartville’s services so you can shape a clear picture of whether this company is a hit or miss for you.
Positive Hartville Pet Insurance Reviews
I love the company and my insurance! It is by far the best decision that I have ever made. My little furbaby seems to be the Queen of anything that is rare and falls into less than 1% of things seen. All of the people that I have spoken to have been especially kind and caring, even checking back on her and wishing her well on procedures.
I have always had a great experience with submitting and getting reimbursed for claims, never having had any claim denied. But I am also very diligent and aware that when a recheck for any diagnosed issue is recommended by the veterinarian, then it should be done. If an issue is not rechecked by the vet and declared resolved in the record, then it is not resolved and considered pre-existing.
They have been wonderful and never question anything that my baby requires, even covering her acupuncture. She got very sick recently and had to have multiple hospital stays and eventually an adrenalectomy and they were wonderful. And believe me, my little girl has many issues, I think her vet records are over 200 pages by now. I am also soooo happy I chose to pay the extra for no annual claim maximum, cause she is a little money pit.
Lisa Richards
We purchased the insurance after adopting our four-month-old ragdoll kitten in January. Coronavirus hit and things changed… then our (perfect) kitten developed an open polmyra (I’m positive I got that wrong) and needed emergency surgery to save her life.
Emergency surgery is NOT inexpensive… at all. I hate to think about the choices that we may have had to make if we didn’t know we had the insurance.
The claim process was amazingly simple and we got a reply in a week.
This is how a business should operate and we will absolutely keep our coverage and definitely add for any more pets in the future. Thank you!
Matt Hardcastle
We have been customers of Hartville for over 10 years and they have been amazing. Our claims are always paid within weeks of me submitting them. They are some of the nicest people I’ve ever dealt with. Over the years, they have made personal calls to me, just to ask how our pets are doing.
But when our young bulldog died, I got a call from the sweetest woman. Hartville really cared about my loss. She asked me all about our Sweet Tilly, and she just listened as I cried my eyes out. I’ve never felt such pain as I did losing our TIlly and her call was just what I needed. I will never forget their kindness!
Luann Ginney
Negative Hartville Pet Insurance Reviews
I see all these people who stated they got their reimbursements so quickly. Well, that so far is not my experience. I submitted claims, small ones at that, on August 14, 2018 and it’s now September 11, 2018 and no reimbursement. I had to email them after it had been 20 days and they told me it can take a month for claims to be processed. I tried to use the same email to write again and it comes back as not deliverable. Extremely frustrated. I’m glad my claim isn’t for thousands.
VJ
This company is hard to deal with. Waited multiple days just to get an estimate only to be denied for my dog’s teeth cleaning. My vet records do not state anywhere about my dog having a “dental disease” prior to my policy starting. I don’t know how a mention about tartar is a pre-existing condition. Customer service is unhelpful and condescending. Why do I pay for “Complete Coverage” & still have to purchase “preventative”?
Their member center doesn’t give you exactly what’s covered and not. They are good at withdrawing money from your account without sending correspondence or notifications?! Except annually. If you’re taking money out quarterly I would hope to be notified! Save your money. Plus all these good reviews have been “invited” and I can’t wait till my policy ends.
Diana
Initially, I was impressed with how quickly my claims were processed. However, my last several claims took over a month to process. When I would call to check the status, I was told they were simply still in process & they would expedite. Finally, after calling again I spoke with a manager that told me they were questioning the Physical Therapy procedure. They should have documentation in a file that should have been shared in the beginning so I wouldn’t have to keep calling & pushing.
T Meyer
Conclusion
Before we wrap up this thorough Hartville pet insurance review, we’d like to point out that while Hartville brings a lot to the table regarding pet healthcare coverage, the insurer is quite expensive and a bit slow in processing insurance claims when compared to other top competitors.
Even though Hartville’s options don’t include unlimited payout benefits and they don’t offer the latest communication channels such as live chat or a veterinary helpline, the provider is amazing if you’re looking for a solution that covers almost everything that might concern your pet’s health and future.
Hartville boasts an amazing accident-only coverage plan that’s both affordable and comprehensive, and they even include coverage for exam fees, behavioral issues, and alternative treatments.
Good luck on your adventure with Hartville. If you think they don’t tick all of your boxes, we curated a list of all the pet insurance companies on the market where you can discover an alternative that’s a better match for you.
Hartville’s Alternatives
Unlike Hartville, Lemonade offers the much-desired unlimited payouts option. And that’s only one of the perks they can brag about – the company provides an all-encapsulating accident and illness coverage, affordable premiums that you can bring down using their discount options, and even great wellness care. Lemonade implements the latest technologies to provide a fast, intuitive, and transparent experience.
Another amazing pet insurance solution for those who value speed is 24PetWatch. The waiting periods that are imposed for accidents and illnesses are so short that barely any other pet insurance company can catch up. The speed with which they process claims is also lightning-fast.
Figo is our third alternative to Hartville mainly because of its top-notch coverage options. The company offers a complete reimbursement of your vet bills with 0% copayment on your side. They boast unlimited claim benefits (both annual and lifetime), many deductible options, and their waiting period for accidents is pretty short as well.
F.A.Q.
My veterinarian recommended euthanasia for my sick dog but it’s due to a pre-existing condition. Will Hartville cover it?
Unfortunately, no. If a pre-existing condition is still present with symptoms, your pet cannot get covered for any veterinary treatments related to that condition, including euthanasia.
How do I obtain a copy of my Hartville pet insurance policy?
You can either use the member center or access Hartville’s smartphone app to be able to download a copy of your pet insurance policy.
Is there any limit to the number of claims that I can submit with Hartville?
Absolutely not! You can file an unlimited number of claims with Hartville, no matter their amounts. The only thing you need to keep in mind is the claim submission time limit – you have 270 days from the date of the veterinary procedure to file the related claim.
What documents does Hartville require when submitting a claim?
To be able to reimburse for your vet bills, Hartville needs the following paperwork:
- An itemized invoice that you received from the veterinary/emergency clinic which performed your pet’s diagnostic/check-up/treatment;
- A completed and signed claim form which you’ll find in your Hartville account.
You can take a photo of your invoice and submit that with your claim form. Hartville is totally fine with that approach.
What are the reimbursement methods available by Hartville?
The default reimbursement method implemented by Hartville is via check. Once your claim is processed and approved your reimbursement will be sent via snail mail in the form of a check. However, you can access your member portal or Hartiville’s smartphone app to set up direct deposit and receive your reimbursement directly in your bank account in a faster manner.
Will Hartville cancel my pet’s insurance policy when they grow old?
This will never happen in any case. Hartville would never cancel your pet coverage based on your pet’s age or their health condition. Although, take note that these reasons may be an incentive for your premiums to increase in price.
