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USAA Pet Insurance Review

USAA pet insurance review featuring a girl holding a pug
ProtectMyPaws Team
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If there’s a major, reliable place where members of the US national security and armed forces go whenever they need stable, fail-safe insurance, investing, or banking services, it’s most definitely the United Services Automobile Association (USAA).

The company is a 100-years-old organization that serves millions within the US military community – a sanctuary not only for active forces, but also retired veterans, pre-commissioned officers, and their spouses and children as well.

Among the tons of benefits that USAA offers to their members, like discounted car rentals, shopping rewards and savings, travel deals, and more, they now provide pet insurance solutions as well.

The USAA pet insurance program partnered with Embrace in 2014 and since then, they offer Embrace’s pet insurance products at a discounted price, exclusively to their USAA members.

So, why should one get their pet insurance coverage through USAA instead of directly going to Embrace for it?

It’s all in the discounts. As a USAA member, you can score up to 15% off of your Embrace pet insurance policy. With the additional 10% discount that Embrace offers for signing up multiple pets with them, USAA members can actually lower their pet insurance premiums by up to a staggering 25%.

In this USAA pet insurance review, we’ll go over everything these two partners (USAA and Embrace) offer, how they stand within the pet insurance industry regarding prices and customer service, and all the important details in between.

USAA’s Pros & Cons

ProsCons
A comprehensive pet coverage for accidents and illnesses.A complete veterinary exam is required prior to enrollment.
A vast number of claim options for customizing your policy.Cats and dogs 15 or older are restricted to accident-only coverage.
Pet coverage is available for traveling worldwide.There are no unlimited annual claim benefits.
Healthy pet deductible – diminishing deductible for each year you don’t file any claims ($50 off per year).The wellness plan doesn’t provide more value than its annual fee.
A 24/7 live vetline is included at no extra charge – PawSupport.A $25 entry fee.
Discounts of up to 25% available through Embrace.A $1.00 monthly transaction fee.
Discounts of up to 15% available through USAA.
30-day money-back guarantee.

USAA’s Key Attributes

  1. Underwriter: American Southern Home Insurance Company and American Modern Home Insurance Company in California (Munich Reinsurance Company as parent company)
    • AM Best Rating: A+
    • BBB Rating: A+
  2. Exam period: Embrace requires each of their potential policyholders to submit their pet’s medical history records from the last 12 months as they apply for Embrace’s pet insurance policy. Policyholders can obtain these exam records for their pet even after they enroll with Embrace – within the first 14 days of enrollment. However, until they provide this info, they won’t be able to use Embrace’s pet coverage;
  3. Increase in monthly premium: Embrace constantly collects data about anything pet related. They study pet’s breeds and how they develop throughout the years. They also closely monitor the costs of veterinary services and their changes across the country. Based on these parameters, Embrace adapts their policy premiums so they can continue providing reliable insurance services;
  4. Claim submission time limit: Policyholders have, at maximum, 60 days after their current policy period ends, to file a claim for a veterinary expense that occurred within that policy period. This is valid for the accidents and illnesses pet coverage. For wellness procedures, claim submissions aren’t restricted with a deadline;
  5. Claim processing times: Embrace claims that they process all submitted insurance claims within 15 days from the moment of filing. However, when they have all of your pet medical history records sorted out, this process should go much faster. Wellness claims are usually processed faster (within 5 days);
  6. Waiting periods: With Embrace, illnesses are covered only after a waiting period of 14 days has passed. This is well within the average in the pet insurance industry. On the other hand, accidents have a much shorter waiting period – only 48 hours. For wellness coverage to go into effect, there’s no waiting period at all.
    • Accidents – 2 days;
    • Illnesses – 14 days;
    • Wellness – 0 days;
    • Orthopedic conditions – it applies only to dogs and lasts for 6 months from enrollment unless you have your dog examined by a licensed veterinarian and they determine that your dog is free of these types of conditions. The waiting period can be reduced to 14 days or whenever you obtain your pet’s orthopedic report card.
  7. Pet insurance coverage with Embrace is valid anywhere in the world. Wherever you travel with your pet, if something unexpected happens, you don’t need to worry. Take your pet at any licensed vet in the world, and Embrace would cover your expenses;
  8. Bilateral conditions that can affect both sides of a pet’s body such as hip and elbow dysplasia, luxating patellas, cruciate ligament issues, cataracts, or others, won’t be covered by Embrace if they were observed before you signed up with the pet insurer. For example, if your pet experienced elbow dysplasia on their right hind leg 7 months before you got your Embrace pet insurance policy, you won’t be covered if the same condition appears on their left side.

USAA’s Insurance Plans

USAA provides the entire Embrace collection of services – two pet insurance plans that cattos and doggos can enjoy for the entirety of their lives.

In its existence of almost two decades, Embrace managed to become synonymous with reliable and complete pet coverage products by learning exactly what to include in their coverage.

They offer only two pet insurance plans but pack them with everything you’ll ever need for your pet to be promptly taken care of whenever they face any kind of harm – the Accidents and Illnesses plan and the Accident Only plan.

Accidents and Illnesses Plan

The first one is the Accidents and Illnesses pet insurance plan that reimburses for everything from minor or major bodily injuries to conditions like a simple cold or complex cancer treatments.

We understand that everyone has a different opinion on how much in benefits their pet might require annually. And different pet parents are able to allocate different budgets for their pet’s veterinary costs. With that in mind, Embrace has options for everyone.

The accidents and illnesses plan is fully customizable, letting you choose the amount of coverage that you believe is enough to cover your pet but also what’s suitable to your financial standing.

The following is every available option on all of Embrace’s policy parameters:

  • Lifetime claim benefits limits: Unlimited;
  • Annual claim benefits limits: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, and $30,000;
  • Reimbursement percentages: 70%, 80%, and 90%;
  • Annual deductibles: $200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000.

Now, onto the waiting periods. With USAA/Embrace, you can access coverage for accidents in only 48 hours after you enroll with the insurer. The same is possible for illnesses but you’ll need to wait 14 days to make their coverage available.

On the other hand, orthopedic conditions have a much larger waiting period – 6 months. Don’t lose hope here – if you take your pet for an orthopedic exam, you can obtain an orthopedic report card and reduce this long waiting period to 14 days at minimum.

It’s worth noting that your pup or kitten needs to be at least 6 weeks old to become eligible for a USAA/Embrace pet insurance coverage. After they reach this age milestone, they can be enrolled with the pet insurance provider until they reach 15 years of age. When they become 15 years old or older they cannot get on this plan anymore – Embrace will let them sign up only for their Accident Only pet insurance plan.

Note that whenever you sign up for the Accidents and Illnesses plan, your coverage is for life. USAA/Embrace won’t terminate it when your pet reaches the age of 15.

Accidents Only Plan

For the few precious seniors among all pets, USAA/Embrace provides the Accidents Only plan. Only new pets that are 15 or older can be insured with it and get coverage only for unexpected accidents and injuries.

This is especially convenient for cat owners who never insured their cats before they reached late adulthood. Domestic cats can comfortably live up to 20 years and even longer in caring domestic conditions.

Older pets are fragile and more prone to accidents, so they can greatly benefit from this USAA/Embrace coverage. 

Each of the policy parameters on this plan is available with only one option – there’s no flexibility like with the Accidents and Illnesses plan:

  • Lifetime claim benefits limit: Unlimited;
  • Annual claim benefits limit: $5,000;
  • Reimbursement percentage: 90%;
  • Annual deductible: $100.

Given the lack of flexibility, we still believe that this plan is pretty amazing for covering so many instances with a low annual deductible and an affordable monthly fee.

USAA pet Insurance for cats and dogs by Embrace featuring a puppy and a kitten

What’s Covered With a USAA Pet Insurance Policy

The best way to discover what’s included with a USAA/Embrace pet insurance policy is by opting for an online quote by Embrace. Nevertheless, in this section, we’ll go over everything that’s covered by an Embrace pet insurance policy.

First, let’s jump into the coverage offered on the Accidents Only plan since everything that’s covered on it, comes included with the Accidents and Illnesses plan.

Here’s what you can use your USAA/Embrace pet policy if you enroll a pet that’s 15 or older:

  • Accidents: foreign body ingestion, getting hit by a moving vehicle, poisoning, torn ligaments, curs, lacerations, burns, bites, wounds, jaw and body fractures, and many more;
  • Bloating;
  • Veterinary visits and exam fees for related covered accidents and injuries;
  • Drug prescriptions* if they are prescribed by a vet and used to treat a covered accident/injury.

    *Prescribed medications aren’t covered in the state of New York.

Naturally, the Accidents and Illnesses plan is more comprehensive because it includes all of the covered mentioned above for accidents. All kinds of illnesses and disorders are mentioned in this plan’s coverage.

Let’s review the amazing benefits that come with this plan:

  • All of the accidents and injuries that we mentioned above;
  • Fees for veterinary visits and exams for accidents and illnesses as well;
  • Hereditary and breed-specific conditions such as birth defects, patellar luxation, allergies, hypothyroidism, hernias, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), hip and elbow dysplasia, portosystemic shunt, and other congenital disorders;
  • Dental conditions - coverage that is exempt from providing dental exam and includes tooth extractions, gingivitis, periodontal disease, root canals and crown fillings, stomatitis, and more similar procedures (the annual claim benefit limit for dental procedures is capped at $1,000/year);
  • Cancer treatments – related diagnostics like endoscopy and biopsy, procedures like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, complementary therapies, rehabilitation, and follow-up care for many cancer types such as melanoma, lymphoma, osteosarcoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, lipoma, and more;
  • Some conditions that are preventable with routine care are still covered – parvo, leptospirosis, influenza, parasites, lyme disease, and other conditions that can be combated with vaccination and/or better nutrition;
  • Chronic conditions - illnesses and injuries that are present long-term and require continuous treatment such as epilepsy, diabetes, kidney disease, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, seizures, skin mass, and many more;
  • Complementary therapies and rehabilitation – procedures that are less invasive and help pets regain full body function and mobility. Instances include acupuncture, chiropractic therapy, hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, therapeutic laser treatment, and more;
  • Orthopedic conditions – hip or elbow dysplasia, osteosarcoma, cruciate ligament tears, broken bones, and many more are also included with a waiting period of 6 months (can be waived to 14 days with an orthopedic report card);
  • Emergency care – visits and treatments at emergency veterinary clinics including after-hour care;
  • Specialist care – visiting and receiving treatment from veterinary specialists such as radiologists, oncologists, ophthalmologists, behaviorists, internal medicine specialists, and more; 
  • Hospitalization and surgery – everything required for emergency or scheduled surgeries including exam fees, vet and tech time, anesthesia, overnight stay, medication, medical waste fees, rehab, follow-up care, etc.;
  • Behavioral treatments – therapies for behavior issues like aggression, depression, anxiety, and more, including necessary medication;
  • Laboratory and diagnostic testing – exams and tests for covered conditions or injuries. This includes CT scans, MRIs, ultrasound, X-rays, urinalysis, and more;
  • Prescription drugs – Medications that are prescribed for treating covered conditions or injuries. That may include antibiotics, antidepressants, allergy meds, eye drops, ear drops, insulin, pain killers, steroids, and more.

What Does USAA Exclude From Pet Coverage

Every USAA member is met with ultimate transparency when understanding the pet insurance policy they receive by Embrace. All the conditions and covered instances are clearly outlined in the paperwork these companies provide for their policyholders.

The exclusions they have are also properly defined within the pet insurance policy. That’s great for every pet owner to know when they can and cannot use their USAA/Embrace pet coverage.

This list can help you understand all of the omitted instances from Embrace’s coverage:

  • Conditions that are pre-existing;
  • Preventative care such as wellness exams, vaccines, grooming, castration or spaying, de-matting, tick or parasite control and prevention, and similar procedures;
  • Alternative treatments such as reiki, prolotherapy, magnet therapy, electroacupuncture, ozone, Massage, hyperbaric oxygen, nutritional counseling, bicom, veterinary orthopedic manipulation, etc.;
  • More than one removal of ingested object per policy year;
  • Boarding including medical boarding;
  • Treatments for deliberate injuries or neglect inflicted by you or someone from your close family;
  • Treatments for illnesses or injuries resulting from organized fighting, cruel activities, racing, working, and more;
  • Cosmetic and elective procedures such as ear cropping, tail docking, and dewclaw removal unless it was deemed as medically necessary;
  • Natural supplements even if they are prescribed by a licensed vet such as probiotics, denamarin, ear cleaner, glucosamine, shampoos and conditioners, and more;
  • Treatments for conditions related to breeding, pregnancy, birth, and nursing;
  • Organ transplants;
  • Cloning or genetic testing;
  • Epidemics, pandemics, avian or swine flu;
  • Treatments for nuclear or biochemical radiation or poisoning;
  • Costs for treatments resulting from war, strikes, uprising, rebellions, and similar situations.

Pre-existing conditions can be reinstated by Embrace. If your pet goes symptom-free from a condition they previously had and they are deemed cured by a licensed veterinarian, they can have that condition covered again. Note that from the moment of disappearance of symptoms, there needs to be a 12-month “symptom-free” period for the condition to enter the USAA/Embrace coverage policy.

USAA’s Wellness Coverage Plan

USAA pet coverage wellness featuring a groomer combing a cat

USAA partners with Embrace not only for their pet insurance products. Embrace offers a pet wellness care solution that USAA members can benefit from too.

The service in question is a healthcare plan designed to reimburse for all the routine and preventative treatments that you plan to take for your pet so they can enjoy a guarantee for a safe, healthy future.

However, this plan called Wellness Rewards for Routine Care takes a different approach to what we’re used to seeing with services of the same kind.

The plan acts as a simple budget pool that you can use to get reimbursed for preventative veterinary visits or procedures up to an annual maximum.

You can choose from three options allowing you access to three different reimbursement limits: $250/year, $450/year, and $650/year – all of which come with a different monthly fee.

The plan with a $250 allowance per year costs $18.75/month, the middle plan ($450/year in allowance) costs $35.42/month, and the plan with the biggest allowance of $650 per year costs $52.09/month.

Wellness care options include the same benefits, more or less, across the entire pet insurance industry. To be certain of what exactly is included in your USAA/Embrace wellness plan, check out the following list of benefits:

  • Wellness exam fees;
  • Vaccinations & titers;
  • Flea, tick, & heartworm preventatives;
  • Spay/neuter surgery;
  • Fecal & routine blood tests;
  • Microchipping;
  • Nutritional supplements;
  • Grooming;
  • Medicated shampoos;
  • Toe nail trimming;
  • Routine anal gland expression;
  • Wearable pet-tracking monitors;
  • Gastropexy;
  • Preventative teeth cleaning;
  • Prescription diet food;
  • Training;
  • Routine chiropractic care;
  • Reiki, massage therapy, acupuncture;
  • Hip dysplasia exams and radiographs;
  • OFA testing;
  • Cremation or burial.

We recommend getting the $650/year allowance plan if you own a puppy or a kitten. Young pets require more routine and preventative care such as spaying/neutering, microchipping, a full set of vaccines, and other treatments, more so than adult or senior pets.

A convenient characteristic of this plan is that there is no waiting period for the preventative coverage to begin. It goes into effect on the day of signup.

This coverage doesn’t add toward your pet insurance annual maximum as well. The annual deductible and copayment parameters don’t apply for the wellness coverage too.

The best thing we discovered about the Wellness Rewards plan is implied in its name. After the end of a full year you spend on this plan, you’ll be rewarded with $25. The amount goes toward your annual wellness allowance and you can spend it on the preventative treatments for your pet.

Nevertheless, besides the $25 annual reward, we believe Embrace’s wellness plan is pretty unnecessary as it doesn’t provide any value for your money. You can simply save up each month and pay for your preventative veterinary services when you need them or pick another of the many options by other wellness care providers.

Note that Wellness Rewards is currently not available in the state of Rhode Island.

Extra Features

Extra perks are what makes a service even more desirable. Acquiring a pet insurance policy by USAA/Embrace is already a great asset to possess, but adding more features shows that Embrace demonstrates great care for its community of pet-loving people.

Read more about what’s included with your USAA/Embrace pet insurance policy at no extra charge and learn how to get advantage of it.

Healthy Pet Deductible

This unique feature is offered by Embrace so every loyal policyholder can feel that they are truly considered a valued customer.

The healthy pet deductible is rewarded to every pet owner who doesn’t file any claim within a full policy period. This “diminishing deductible” feature allows these owners to lower their deductible for the next policy period by $50.

The more claim-free years go by, the lower your chosen deductible gets. For example, if you initially chose that your annual deductible is set at $300 and you go 4 years without submitting any claims for veterinary expenses for your pet, your deductible will be set at $100 given then you need to file a claim in your 5th year of being enrolled with USAA/Embrace (4 x $50 = $200).

Once you file a claim, you’d need to pay your annual deductible (whatever its price might be at that moment) in order to get reimbursed for your veterinary expenses. After that, your diminished deductible will reset to its original amount.

24/7 Access to PawSupport

The PawSupport pet helpline provides access to Embrace’s Pet Pros – a team of dedicated professionals who are always there for each USAA/Embrace policyholder to offer their veterinary expertise.

As an Embrace subscriber, you can access your online account and get in touch with a Pet Pro through the PawSupport service to ask questions about your policy, its conditions, or talk about a pet-related issue you may be facing at the moment.

Your dedicated Pet Pro can advise you on what might be the best course of action provided with the details of their age, sex, breed, and their current condition. However, they can’t diagnose them or prescribe them medications. They’ll let you know if you need to promptly visit a licensed vet or go to the emergency vet clinic.

You can choose to talk to a Pet Pro via live chat, live video call, or call them on the phone, even late at night or on holidays. The questions you can ask can be of any pet-related nature including:

  • Medication concerns;
  • Vitamins and supplements;
  • Holistic care options;
  • Emergencies;
  • Poisons and toxins;
  • Possible symptoms;
  • Managing chronic conditions;
  • Wellness care;
  • Behavioral issues;
  • Exercise;
  • Lab results;
  • Diet;
  • and much more.

USAA’s Pricing Quotes

Researching Embrace’s premium prices gave us valuable insight into how much USAA members would have to allocate from their monthly budgets if they wish to offset their veterinary costs with the help of USAA and Embrace.

We have to admit that, while pulling quotes about purebred senior cats and, especially, senior dogs, we were dumbfounded how expensive Embrace’s premiums for accidents and illnesses coverage can get.

But other than that, if you act wisely and insure your pet while they’re still in their youth, you’ll get pretty competitive pricing on your quote.

The claim options that you’ll choose also make a huge impact on your final price. Picking a $200 deductible instead of a $750 one can bump your monthly fee by up to $30 more.

Therefore, Embrace is mostly suitable for mix-breed, young pets.

Their Accident Only plan is always affordable no matter the breed and location of your pet.

Check out the charts below to see how some purely bred cats and dogs fare regarding USAA/Embrace premium prices.

Pricing Quotes for Dogs

BreedGerman ShepherdFrench BulldogLabrador Retriever
GenderMaleMaleFemale
Age2 years 4 months4 years 2 months6 years 6 months
LocationNew YorkCaliforniaColorado
Deductible$500$500$500
Claim Limit$10,000$10,000$10,000
Reimbursement90%90%90%
USAA’s Accidents and Illnesses plan$76.28/month$70.31/month$86.82/month
USAA’s Accident Only plan (if dog is 15 or older)$22.18/month$18.02/month$35.44/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $250$18.75/month$18.75/month$18.75/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $450$35.42/month$35.42/month$35.42/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $650$52.09/month$52.09/month$52.09/month

*quotes obtained in January 2022

Pricing Quotes for Cats

BreedSiamesePersianAbyssinian
GenderMaleMaleFemale
Age2 years 5 months4 years 1 month8 years 2 months
LocationNew YorkColoradoCalifornia
Deductible$500$500$500
Claim Limit$10,000$10,000$10,000
Reimbursement90%90%90%
USAA’s Accidents and Illnesses plan$52.25/month$47.92/month$31.52/month
USAA’s Accident Only plan (if cat is 15 or older)$8.21/month$13.11/month$6.67/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $250$18.75/month$18.75/month$18.75/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $450$35.42/month$35.42/month$35.42/month
USAA’s Wellness Rewards plan – $650$52.09/month$52.09/month$52.09/month

*quotes obtained in January 2022

Discounts and Savings

The USAA/Embrace duo is one of the fiercest combos on the current market when it comes to scoring high on some valuable discount and savings options.

Embrace discount options are as follows:

  • 10% multi-pet discount for signing up more than one pet with the platform. It’s applied to each of your pet insurance policies, unlike most other pet insurers that apply the discount only to the additional pet’s policy;
  • 5% military discount for active or former US military members (not available in the states of New York and Tennessee;
  • 10% employee benefits discount for employees working in companies that partner with Embrace to offer their pet insurance services as benefits for their employees (not available in the states of Florida, North Dakota, New York, and Tennessee;

This is where USAA gets to truly shine. Their members can use up to 15% of USAA’s discount (depending on their military status) and even combine it with some of Embrace’s discounts for a maximum of a 25% discount on their monthly fee.

For example, if your original quote amounts to $70.00/month, USAA and Embrace can help you bring that price down to $52.50/month by applying the ultimate 25% discount.

How Does USAA Compare With Its Competitors?

Embrace and USAA make a strong team, that’s for sure, but we can only evaluate this duo if we compare them to some strong rivals.

There are dozens of competing pet insurers that prowl the pet insurance market and fight to climb to the top of their industry. By comparing to some of them, we’ll notice where USAA/Embrace lags behind them and where it excels.

In this section, Embrace’s three competitors are Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, and Trupanion. Let’s see if they can offer better options for pet parents.

USAA vs. Nationwide

Nationwide is the mother of all pet insurance providers as it’s the first company in the US that started providing this type of service to pet parents of not only cats and dogs, but other pet types such as rabbits, birds, reptiles, turtles, rodents, and others too.

Just like Embrace, they make their pet coverage available anywhere in the world. But unlike Embrace, they provide annual claim benefits without a limitation and extend their coverage to include bilateral conditions as well.

Nationwide requires no exam prior to your enrollment and they won’t bill you an entry fee with your first premium.

FeatureUSAANationwide
Coverage Effective WorldwideWorldwide
ReimbursementChoice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expensesChoice of 50%, 70%, and 90% for the whole pet® plans;
Fixed benefit schedule amount for the major medical℠ plans.
Co-Payment10%, 20%, or 30%10%, 30%, or 50%
Deductible$200 – $1,000$250
Type of DeductibleAnnualAnnual
Claim Limit Options$5,000 – $30,000$10,000 or Unlimited
Accident-Only PlanAvailableAvailable
Wellness PlanAvailableAvailable
Unlimited Benefits Plan NoYes
AccidentsYesYes
IllnessesYesYes
Illness Waiting Period14 days14 days
Accident Waiting Period2 days14 days
Cruciate Ligament Waiting Period6 months (14 days with orthopedic report card)12 months
Bilateral ConditionsExcludedIncluded
Chronic ConditionsYesYes
Hereditary and Congenital ConditionsYesYes
CancerYesYes
Dental CoverageYesYes
Prescription MedicineYesYes
Alternative/Holistic TherapyYesYes
Behavioral IssuesYesYes
Exam FeesYesYes
Exam Required for EnrollmentYesNo
Available At Any Vet ClinicYesYes
MicrochipOptional add-onYes
Minimum Pet Age Limit6 weeks6 weeks
Maximum Pet Age Limit14 years for illnesses;
No limit for accidents
10 years
Entry Fee$25.00$0.00
Monthly Transaction Fee$1.00$2.00
Multi-Pet Discount10% for each pet policy if more than one pet is added5% for second and third pet;
10% for fourth and subsequent pets.
Claim RepaymentWithin 15 days (8-9 days on average)Within 30 days (4 on average)
Direct Vet Bill PaymentNoNo
Money-Back Guarantee30 days10 days
AM Best RatingA+A+
BBB RatingA+A+

*companies’ features compared in January 2022

Read the full Nationwide Pet Insurance review.

USAA vs. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual’s strongest suits are their coverage for bilateral conditions, euthanasia, cremation, and burial which are all included in their base pet coverage. They also don’t restrict cats and dogs based on their age – all doggies and kitties are welcomed on their coverage.

But they too ask for an entry fee (albeit lower than USAA/Embrace) and don’t have a trial period. On the other hand, Embrace has a 30-day money-back guarantee.

FeatureUSAALiberty Mutual
Coverage Effective WorldwideUSA
ReimbursementChoice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expensesChoice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses
Co-Payment10%, 20%, or 30%10%, 20%, or 30%
Deductible$200 – $1,000$50 – $500
Type of DeductibleAnnualAnnual
Claim Limit Options$5,000 – $30,000$2,000 – $10,000
Accident-Only PlanAvailableNot available
Wellness PlanAvailableAvailable
Unlimited Benefits Plan NoYes
AccidentsYesYes
IllnessesYesYes
Illness Waiting Period14 days14 days
Accident Waiting Period2 days1 day
Cruciate Ligament Waiting Period6 months (14 days with orthopedic report card)6 months
Bilateral ConditionsExcludedIncluded
Chronic ConditionsYesYes
Hereditary and Congenital ConditionsYesYes
CancerYesYes
Dental CoverageYesYes
Prescription MedicineYesYes
Alternative/Holistic TherapyYesYes
Behavioral IssuesYesOptional add-on
Exam FeesYesYes
Exam Required for EnrollmentYesNo
Available At Any Vet ClinicYesYes
MicrochipOptional add-onOptional add-on
Minimum Pet Age Limit6 weeks8 weeks
Maximum Pet Age Limit14 years for illnesses;
No limit for accidents
No limit
Entry Fee$25.00$12.00
Monthly Transaction Fee$1.00$3.00
Multi-Pet Discount10% for each pet policy if more than one pet is added5% for second pet;
10% for third and all subsequent pets
Claim RepaymentWithin 15 days (8-9 days on average)Within 30 days (10-14 days on average)
Direct Vet Bill PaymentNoNo
Money-Back Guarantee30 days14 days
AM Best RatingA+A-
BBB RatingA+A+

*companies’ features compared in January 2022

Read the full Liberty Mutual Pet Insurance review.

USAA vs. Trupanion

Trupanion is always interesting to us when we evaluate their unique deductibles. They impose them only when you file a claim for a new condition. This can be tricky if you file multiple claims per year for different veterinary procedures but at the same time convenient if you treat your pet for a chronic condition every year.

They also don’t increase their premiums based on your pet’s age unlike all other pet insurance companies (with a couple of exceptions).

FeatureUSAATrupanion
Coverage Effective WorldwideUSA, Canada, and Puerto Rico
ReimbursementChoice of 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered expenses90%
Co-Payment10%, 20%, or 30%10%
Deductible$200 – $1,000$0 – $1,000
Type of DeductibleAnnualPer condition
Claim Limit Options$5,000 – $30,000Unlimited
Accident-Only PlanAvailableNot available
Wellness PlanAvailableNo available
Unlimited Benefits Plan NoYes
AccidentsYesYes
IllnessesYesYes
Illness Waiting Period14 days30 days
Accident Waiting Period2 days5 days
Cruciate Ligament Waiting Period6 months (14 days with orthopedic report card)30 days
Bilateral ConditionsExcludedIncluded
Chronic ConditionsYesYes
Hereditary and Congenital ConditionsYesYes
CancerYesYes
Dental CoverageYesYes
Prescription MedicineYesYes
Alternative/Holistic TherapyYesOptional add-on
Behavioral IssuesYesOptional add-on
Exam FeesYesNo
Exam Required for EnrollmentYesNo
Available At Any Vet ClinicYesYes
MicrochipOptional add-onNo
Minimum Pet Age Limit6 weeksNo limit
Maximum Pet Age Limit14 years for illnesses;
No limit for accidents
14 years
Entry Fee$25.00$35.00
Monthly Transaction Fee$1.00$0.00
Multi-Pet Discount10% for each pet policy if more than one pet is addedNot available
Claim RepaymentWithin 15 days (8-9 days on average)Within 60 days (14 on average)
Direct Vet Bill PaymentNoYes
Money-Back Guarantee30 days30 days
AM Best RatingA+Unrated
BBB RatingA+A+

*companies’ features compared in January 2022

Read the full Trupanion Pet Insurance review.

Customer Service

Embrace contact information featuring a woman kissing a dog

Whenever you have any questions concerning your Embrace policy through your USAA membership, you can contact Embrace’s customer support representatives directly at 800-660-2386 or email them at usaa@embracepetinsurance.com.

If you want access to more communication channels, Embrace provides the following contact options:

  • Customer Support: (800) 511-9172
  • Fax: (800) 238-1042
  • Email: hello@embracepetinsurance.com
  • Claims Questions: askclaims@embracepetinsurance.com
  • Mailing Address:
    Embrace Pet Insurance
    P.O. Box 22188
    Beachwood, OH 44122-0188
  • Contact Center Office Hours:
    Monday through Friday: 9 am to 8 pm ET
    Saturday: 10 am to 2 pm ET (customer service) and 10 am to 5 pm ET (sales)

Remember that managing your pet insurance policy is done best through the MyEmbrace online portal. There you can file and track claims, add pets, review your coverage and change it, manage your billing, change your address, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most of the online reviews about USAA’s pet insurance coverage are, in fact, dedicated to Embrace as that’s the real provider of USAA’s pet coverage solution.

So, in this section, the real user reviews that we’ll include about USAA pet insurance mostly refer to Embrace. Let’s see what some customers have to say about their experience with these companies.

Positive USAA/Embrace Pet Insurance Reviews

I have pet insurance through USAA, which actually goes through Embrace.

It’s pretty good. After you meet the deductible, you get reimbursed at 80% I believe. Deductible level varies based on what you pay. For my dog that we got at 8 weeks, it’s like $850 for the year I think, and we have like a 500 deductible I think.

Definitely worth it to have, in my opinion. Vet bills get expensive if something goes wrong, and I like having the peace of mind that my little pup is covered. You get 15% off for being with USAA as well.

RockStar4341

They basically contract the pet insurance through Embrace. I have had it for like 2 years for my 2 dogs and 2 cats. One good thing is you can get a wellness plan that you pay monthly like 15 dollars and can spend up to 250 / 500 / 750 (with different monthly options). This is basically a small discount but adds up with 4 pets.

As for if it is a scam or not, the way I look at it is, are you willing to put down your pet if there is a $5000 cost they need? My wife will do anything to make sure the pets stay alive and healthy so the 15 dollars a month for like $8000 in coverage is worth it. The other option is to put savings into an account you do not touch equal to the monthly premiums which is a good option as well.

Tsakax

I had an excellent experience receiving information from our Allstate Insurance agent for all our insurances but then I researched best pet insurances to find Embrace on the top. I called around to veterinarian hospitals near me and Embrace was always accepted. So, in Embrace’s website it connected me to a great representative, Joe, who was very informative, professional, detailed, and patient.

Therefore, I closed the deal and picked an excellent package for our new baby girl, Athena, a Doberman Pinscher. She turns 6 weeks next week. She will have her first vet, wellness appointment and first vaccinations and fecal test. We are so excited to keep her healthy and feel safe to know she is covered 100%.

Angelique Naranjo-Segura

Negative USAA/Embrace Pet Insurance Reviews

I only had them for 2 months. My dog got sick and of course he’s been sick before so they weaseled their way out of helping me with the vet bills. I’ve given them all the documents from the vet stating that there were 2 different illnesses. The one I claimed and another one which led me to get insurance.

Well, they see it as all the same problem and denied my claim which was a month later. Then they say that he can’t be sick for a year before they cover him. Would you get medical insurance if you had to wait a year to use it? Waste of money.

EDIT: I’m not claiming the pre-existing condition. I claimed for a different illness that developed after I was “covered”. It was a month apart from what I’m claiming. But I was still denied.

Dragonangel

Worst pet insurance ever. Hardly worth it. They didn’t cover my dog’s neuter under the regular pet insurance but under another benefit of wellness. Everything was covered under wellness, an additional add-on benefit. I ended up paying them $90 a month and then wellness was tapped out on regular things like shots before my dog’s neuter came up. I ended up canceling with them after the neuter and they sent me a bill for the rest of the year… for the next 6 months of wellness.

They sent me an email saying I could pay in one large lump sum or they would send me to collections. They sent me this on a holiday. I canceled a little after Christmas. Here it is, almost two weeks later and they jump the gun to send a notice out like this. I have never been sent to collections or received a threat like this. It is unethical for them to cancel and not tell me they would be charging me for the next 6 months. To send out a threatening email like this, two weeks later, lets me know what kind of company they are.

Joy Katherine

Conclusion

Finishing this USAA pet insurance review, we can safely say that the company’s pet insurance offers are one of the best fits for pet parents who are also military members, military veterans, or close members of their households.

USAA provides their pet insurance products through Embrace – a company that has proven time and time again that they can lead the way forward for the entire pet insurance industry.

With complete pet coverage options and tons of extra features and discounts, Embrace is truly a loyal companion to all those that want to be there for their pets.

You’re welcome to go through everything this review covers once again. If you’re still reluctant and need to learn more about the industry and discover other options, Protect My Paws is always at your disposal.

USAA Pet Insurance Alternatives

Eusoh is quite similar to traditional pet insurance products even though they operate quite differently. All of the funding that’s used for reimbursing your veterinary expenses is community-based and the most you can pay for your monthly premium is $65. For that price, you get comprehensive pet coverage that includes bilateral conditions, wellness coverage, prescriptions, end-of-life expenses, and so much more.

VCA Animal Hospitals is one of your best bets if you only want to be proactive with your pet’s health. The company offers the VCA CareClub option that takes care of all the routine and preventative needs for your pet so they can always maintain an optimal health level. Vaccines, microchipping, dental cleanings, and parasite prevention treatments are only a few of the many benefits you’d get through this provider.

We understand everyone that doesn’t want to bother with pet insurance policies, tedious paperwork, and veterinary claim processing. However, we believe every pet parent should demonstrate basic responsibility and provide coverage for emergency situations at the very least. Pawp provides just that. It’s an emergency fund that you can use once per year if your pet is at a senior threat to their life. Pawp’s monthly fee is low and flat – only $24/month.

F.A.Q.

How do I know how much pet coverage I need to acquire through USAA and Embrace?

Honestly, it’s all up to you. You can consult a licensed veterinarian about your pet’s health condition and get an initial estimate of how much care they might require throughout their youth and adult life. Another aspect worth considering is your budget. See how much you can comfortably afford for your pet’s insurance coverage each month and build your pet policy from there.

I already have a pet wellness coverage for my dog from another provider. Do I need to sign up for Embrace’s wellness plan if I want to enroll on their pet insurance?

Absolutely not. The wellness coverage that’s offered through USAA/Embrace is only optional. It’s your personal choice if you want to attach it to your base pet coverage plan or not.

Do I need to cancel my USAA membership if I want to terminate my Embrace pet insurance subscription?

Definitely not. You commit to an annual contract whenever you sign up for an Embrace pet coverage through USAA. However, when your policy term ends and you wish to cancel for whatever reason, you’d still keep your USAA membership and the right to use all the rest of their benefits.

What about increasing or decreasing my USAA/Embrace pet wellness care coverage?

You can increase your wellness allowance anytime you wish, but you cannot ever decrease it. That’s why you need to decide how much you’ll need to use in wellness treatments each year, so you’re not left with any unused coverage. Your allowance doesn’t roll over to the next policy year and it’s non-refundable.

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