VPI Pet Insurance Review
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Dr. Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in companion animal practice. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Glasgow, with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She works at Blythwood Vets and the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Pippa is an advocate of Fear-Free Practice, an animal addict, and a veterinary writer. She is also w...
Veterinarian
UPDATED: Jul 5, 2022
Pet Insurance U receives compensation from the third parties included on this site. This includes payment for clicks from our site to insurance providers’ sites and quote requests generated. Our rankings and reviews are not affected by payments from the insurance companies. The compensation we receive allows the site to be free and regularly updated. Our goal is to review every pet insurance provider, but not all companies are listed on the site.
And many of the companies we review do not pay us anything. We simply rate, compare and review their plan because we feel it will be valuable to you. Our reviews are guaranteed to be unbiased, professional and advertising compensation does not influence rankings.
We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.
UPDATED: Jul 5, 2022
Pet Insurance U receives compensation from the third parties included on this site. This includes payment for clicks from our site to insurance providers’ sites and quote requests generated. Our rankings and reviews are not affected by payments from the insurance companies. The compensation we receive allows the site to be free and regularly updated. Our goal is to review every pet insurance provider, but not all companies are listed on the site.
And many of the companies we review do not pay us anything. We simply rate, compare and review their plan because we feel it will be valuable to you. Our reviews are guaranteed to be unbiased, professional and advertising compensation does not influence rankings.
On This Page
In 2015, VPI or Veterinary Pet Insurance Company was rebranded as Nationwide Pet Insurance Agency and can be found by searching www.petinsurance.com.
All of their plans are underwritten by the National Casualty Company and the company headquarters are in Brea, California.
VPI had below-average customer service marks across several sites. But since it was brought into the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company brand, policyholder sentiment has improved dramatically.
Low ratings tend to be focused on frustration with payouts–VPI’s pet insurance policy coverage has so many pet insurance plan options that it’s important to review your coverage very carefully before purchasing a policy.
Be sure to check out the wellness coverage options and if your medical plan covers congenital conditions. No pet insurance company will offer coverage of pre-existing conditions.
Table of Contents:
Need Pet Insurance?
FACT: Pet insurance pays up to 90% of vet bills when your pet is sick or injured!
About VPI Pet Insurance
Customer complaints note that the company’s benefit schedule is confusing and makes it difficult to calculate reimbursements once you meet your annual deductible.
Currently, they offer a percentage of invoice or a benefit schedule for reimbursements. The invoice percentage option comes only with the wellness plan leaving a benefit schedule for their major medical option.
As the nations’ oldest pet health insurance company, VPI offers some of the industry’s broadest coverage. Some pet insurance companies will penalize you for filing a claim, adding restrictions to your policy.
Nationwide promises to keep your coverage at the same level, making sure you are never penalized for your pet’s accident or illness.
Because deductibles affect your coverage rate, Nationwide offers an annual deductible OR no deductible, letting you customize your plan for your budget.
Established in 1982, the company covered Lassie, TV’s original pet celebrity.
In 2014, VPI and Nationwide Insurance joined together to provide coverage for pet owners across the country. They widened their coverage past dog insurance and cat insurance. In fact, Nationwide offers coverage of exotic animals such as rabbits, snakes, and birds to name a few.
Real Cost Savings from PetFirst Clients
Luna
PetFirst saved his parents
$6,712
A happy energetic Luna one morning couldn’t hold her food down. After months of multiple costly vet visits to specialists and an endoscopy, the problem was discovered and fixed. Luna put 22 pounds back on in no time and her parents were grateful for having PetFirst by their side to pay the bills.
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap pet insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) Coverage Plans
Plans for pet insurance through VPI offer flexible coverage and as much as 90% reimbursement on vet bills.
Because the company is part of Nationwide Insurance, a highly rated company, VPI is positioned to offer competitive rates with these three plans.
Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness
- Starts at $64 per month
- Exams and treatments
- Lab tests and X-rays
- Prescription coverage
- Accident coverage
- Surgical and hospitalization
- Hereditary conditions, no waiting period
- Chronic conditions
- 90% reimbursement on vet bills
- No maximum benefit
- Dental cleanings
Nationwide’s Major Medical
- Starts at $34 per month
- Exams and treatments
- Lab tests and X-rays
- Prescription coverage
- Accident coverage
- Surgical and hospitalization
- Some hereditary conditions, waiting period
- Reimbursements per schedule
Nationwide’s Pet Wellness
- Starts at $17 per month
- Wellness exams
- Vaccinations and tests
- Flea and heartworm prevention
- Reimbursements per schedule
- Dental cleanings
VPI earned an average rating of 2 stars out of 389 reviews on Yelp.
Related: 10 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Pet Insurance
Additional VPI/Nationwide Plans
VPI once covered pet health care basics with these additional budget-friendly plans. Their whole pet wellness plan has a copayment and deductible schedule for all items, including preventive care.
However, these older plans have been phased out and replaced by the plans above.
VPI Medical
- Starts at $20 per month
- Flexible deductible
- Illness and emergencies
- Some chronic conditions
VPI Injury
- Starts at $10 per month
- Accident coverage only
VPI Feline Select
- Starts at $20 per month
- 15 common cat conditions
- Some chronic conditions
VPI Pet Insurance FAQ
Do I have to use an in-network vet?
No, you can still use your vet. In fact, you can use any vet anywhere in the world.
What kind of reimbursements does VPI offer?
The Whole Pet plan reimburses 90% of vet costs.
The remaining plans base reimbursement on specific benefit schedules with limits and caps on payout amounts.
Unfortunately, you need to pay the vet bill and file a claim. Once your claim is processed, you will be reimbursed, minus the deduction, according to your reimbursement schedule.
Is there a surcharge for emergencies?
Customers who need emergency pet care don’t pay a surcharge for emergency clinic services.
There is no surcharge for examination by a specialist, and no referral is required to make the appointment.
How soon is a policy effective?
Whole Pet and Major Medical require a 14-day waiting period after application approval and payment receipt.
Pet Wellness goes into effect 24 hours after the policy issue and payment receipt.
How are claims handled?
The customer pays for treatment and then sends in a claim form along with invoices documenting payment.
VPI processes the claim and mails reimbursement to the customer.
Real Cost Savings from PetFirst Clients
Gidget
PetFirst saved his parents
$2,194
Artemis was a beautiful and friendly cat to all who were willing to pet him. Unfortunately, he developed feline diabetes which required regular vet visits and medications that his Mother could not otherwise afford on her fixed income. Having PetFirst insurance, she called and discussed the problem with a friendly PetFirst agent. To her surprise, she found out that Artemis’ ongoing required vet visits and medication would be covered by his PetFirst insurance. Artemis was able to live out the rest of his life with proper medical care and medicines thanks to PetFirst insurance.
Can a pet be dropped because of age?
As long as a pet is enrolled before their 10-year-old birthday, it enjoys lifetime coverage. However, the older your animal becomes, the more your premiums will increase.
The policy stays in force unless the customer decides to cancel. This can be done through the customer’s online account or in writing.
How does VPI cover birds and exotic pets?
The company’s Bird and Exotic Pet Insurance covers illness, accidents, exams, and more.
Most pet bird species are covered, and the exotic pet list includes hamsters, rats, lizards, turtles, and ferrets.
Other articles you may find helpful:
Is Exotic Pet Insurance Necessary?
The Best Pet Insurance By State
Fun Facts, Dog FAQ, And Unsolicited Dog Advice
5 Training Commands to Save Your Dog’s Life
The Ultimate Guide to Safe Foods for Dogs
You may find helpful one of our other Best Pet Insurance Reviews which include over 35 top insurers compared with cheap and affordable pet insurance and discounted mixed breed pet insurance.
- 24PetWatch
- AKC
- Allstate
- American Modern
- ASPCA
- Banfield Pet Hospital
- Bivvy
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- CareCredit
- Embrace
- Esurance
- Farmers
- Figo
- Geico
- Hartville
- Healthy Paws
- Liberty Mutual
- Nationwide
- Pet Assure
- PetFirst
- Petplan
- Pets Plus Us
- Petco
- PetPartners
- PetPremium
- Petsecure
- Pets Best
- Pin Paws
- Progressive
- Prudent
- Trupanion
- USAA
- VCA CareClub
- VIP Petcare
- VPI
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap pet insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Dr. Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in companion animal practice. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Glasgow, with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She works at Blythwood Vets and the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Pippa is an advocate of Fear-Free Practice, an animal addict, and a veterinary writer. She is also w...
Veterinarian
We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.
I just recently got involved with taking care of pets since as I grew up, my mother didn’t want us to keep any pets at home. Now that I’m living on my own, I got a Chihuahua, and whew, I needed to learn the basics of taking care of pets and all that. And just found out that Doggies have insurances too! Trying to find which plan is best for my little doggie. Thanks for this informative post. $17 is not much considering it’s your pet’s life also at stake.
I had the same problem faxed the forms three weeks later they needed to know if only seen the vet during the waiting period fax that the very next day to prove that Odie did not see the vet doing waiting period So all they have to do is look at it put it with the paperwork and pay me but nope they sent me another letter and told me it could be another 30 days before they make a decision which I think is bullshit thinking about filing complaint with the attorney general and the Better Business Bureau
Sorry to hear about your experience, Harold. We hope you’re able to find a pet insurance plan that covers your pet. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Also, you can compare pet insurances on our site to see which is best for your family. All the best!
The Pet Insurance U Team
We used to use VPI, but switched to Petplan and really like them. VPI offered very low rates and good coverage, but we could never contact them about claims without a hassle. Aside from their customer service, VPI was a very good pet insurance company that saved us a lot of money.
I have been with Nationwide/VPI for several years. My older dog, Largent is a nine year old male neutered Sharpei. He was diagnosed with a mast cell tumor on his back right hock in March of 2016. He has been on chemo for several months. The total cost through Jan.2017 is $6369.41 for his regular vet and his cancer vet, Dr. Herrara at Blue Pearl Vets in Seattle, WA. Nationwide has paid $5340.05 leaving us with out of pocket costs of $1029.36.This is for 10 months of treatment. I do not consider that exorbitant and am so pleased with this insurance. I do have a cancer rider and the monthly payment has ranged from $50 to $57 as he has gotten older. He has been covered since he was three months old when I adopted him so I’ve paid over $10,000 in premiums but he also had a torn ACL and other trips to the regular vet. I considered a couple years ago switching to another company but found that their premiums were much higher than VPI/Nationwide and decided to remain with them. Am so happy I did as they have paid 85% of the costs associated with this cancer and kept him alive through ten months of treatment.
Bonnie, thank you for your feedback on Nationwide pet insurance. For a company with a spotty reputation, it seems they’ve taken good care of you and Largent. We’re so glad to hear that! It’s very helpful for real customers like you to provide Nationwide insurance reviews, so that other pet parents can make informed decisions when comparing pet insurance. Thanks again for sharing your experience. We hope Largent graduates past chemo treatment and on to live a happy pup life.
All the best,
Pet Insurance U
Great post. your post has lots of information about VPI pet insurance. Really pets are our family member. so we should have insurance. Do you have a update to your VPI pet insurance reviews?
Hi Travise, we absolutely agree with you. Our pets are certainly part of the family! VPI Pet Insurance became Nationwide Pet Insurance, so VPI technically no longer exists. Therefore, we don’t have an update to our VPI pet insurance reviews. You can read more about Nationwide or other companies on our reviews page or in our pet insurance comparison chart. Please let us know if you have any more questions. Best health to your pet!
I have had VPI pet insurance for my dog King since he was a puppy. He is now nearly 9 years old. I consider myself very fortunate that he has never had any major health issues, but the peace of mind that I have knowing that he would be covered if he did is worth so much more. We have the major medical (formerly VPI standard) with the pet wellness (formerly Well Care rider). Our total monthly payment was only $34/month when he was a puppy and has only gone up by about a dollar each year. I have never had any issues submitting claims, or receiving payment, especially since they made it possible to email claims. It does seem like the claims take a little bit longer to process ever since Nationwide took over (4weeks vs. less than 2weeks previously), but we are otherwise very pleased with our experience with this company. I recommend it to everyone I know with pets. I was very surprised to find this page saying VPI had negative reviews when I was google searching for the website to give to my sister, so I just had to come here and say this!
Hmmm. I had VPI Pet Insurance for my cat, Teeno who died at the age of 16 three years ago. I was well-pleased with them and have recommended them to everyone I know, so I’m really very surprised to read these complaints. I’ve just adopted a 3-month-old kitten, so I looked here to see what I can get for my new very busy kitten and unless VPI has gone downhill in the last 3 years, I will enroll my new pet with VPI.
I’ve had my two dogs insured for the past couple of years with you under the 90% plan. I had a previous dog insured under vpi for many years.
A few weeks ago I got a letter feeling me my cc paymentvdid not go through and to call to update, which I immediately did.
My cc was automatically billed monthly for both dogs at abou $160/month. Well, I got a shock when I inquired about two claims I had sent in a few months ago. I was informed that one dog was fine but the other dogs policy had lapsed back in June!!
I had no idea!! I was never sent anything.
I was told by the rep that I could bring the one policy current by paying almost $500. She went on to tell me that she did see in the notes that I called back in June to update payment information, but the rep only updated for one dog!!!
I got a supervisor on the phone who told me the same….pay and it will be fine. But, he wasn’t covered I respond. And if something had happened to him would this be an option? Make current and nationwide will cover the claim. I think not. I ended up cancelingy other dogs policy that day.
Needless to say, I am VERY UNHAPPY about how I was treated at the expense of one of your employee’s faults.
I truly believed in your company, but not anymore. I’ve paid a lot of money over the past years to insure my dogs and have not had many claims. I really had every intention of insuring my dogs till the end. I will not refer your company to any of my many friends who inquire as to who I use for pet insurance. I used to give you glowing reviews.
I guess nationwide is not really on my side.