Banfield Pet Insurance

Banfield has over 800 pet hospitals across the United States located in Petsmart stores and thousands of Banfield customers have Banfield Optimum Wellness Plans. But it's important to understand that there is (currently) no such thing as Banfield pet insurance.

Once you understand the differences between a pet insurance policy and a Banfield wellness plan, you may want to do a comparsion to find the best pet insurance company.


Banfield vs Pet Insurance

Banfield Optimum Wellness Plans are sometimes referred to as Petsmart Pet Insurance. In reality, Banfield Optimum Wellness Plans are contracts that give you a pre-determined number of vaccinations, office visits, diagnostic tests, and more, but they do not reimburse you for the unexpected and costly illnesses and accidents your pet can run into. You cannot use your Banfield plan at a non-Banfield veterinary hospital.

On the other hand, pet insurance plans can be used at any veterinary hospital and they do cover unexpected illnesses and accidents.

To make it easier to understand, we've summarized the key differences between Banfield Optimum Wellness Plans and Embrace pet insurance.

corner-left   Embrace Banfield Wellness Plan corner-right
  Use any veterinary hospital Icon Icon  
  Reimburses you for accidents & illnesses Icon Icon  
  Reimburses you for visits to vet ER
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  Includes preventative care
Optional Wellness Plan
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  Unlimited office visits at Banfield
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  Discounts on other services at Banfield Icon Icon  
  Pay upfront for services Icon Icon  
  Plan cost varies with breed & age of pet (insurance only)
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  One-time Membership fee Icon Icon  
  Typical Monthly Cost (insurance only) $10.00 to $50.00 $18.95 to $37.95  
Prices shown are for dogs.


An Example

Let's say your dog started vomiting at 3am and you rushed him to a non-Banfield hospital. One of the first things your veterinarian might do is take X-rays to rule out an intestinal obstruction from swallowing something.

If it turns out that your dog did swallow something then a visit like this can easily cost $1,500 to $2,000. A pet insurance plan would reimburse you around 80% or 90% of the cost. You can read a few of our claims stories for yourself to get a feel for how much modern veterinary treatment can cost.

A Banfield plan would not help you financially in this situation and wouldn't reimburse you because it's not a Banfield hospital.

Embrace Pet Insurance Helps Pay for Wellness Too

Some pet insurance plans offer additional wellness or routine care packages. These are usually optional and purchased along with your pet insurance plan. Pet insurance wellness plans (available for an additional cost) reimburse you for vaccinations, office visits, preventative care, and more.

Embrace Wellness Rewards offers flexible wellness care through an annual allowance that you can spend on things such as office visits, vaccinations, and lab tests. More importantly, with Wellness Rewards you can use any veterinarian.

corner-left   Embrace Wellness Plan Banfield Wellness Plan corner-right
  Office visits Icon Icon  
  Vaccinations Icon Icon  
  Heartworm test Icon Icon  
  Basic blood test
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  Electrocardiogram
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  Urinalysis Icon Icon  
  Deductible or co-pay Icon Icon  
  Supplements & nutraceuticals Icon Icon  
  Behavioral or training issues Icon Icon  


Choosing the Right Plan

The good thing is you can use pet insurance and your Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan together. If you already have a Banfield plan then you can purchase pet insurance along with it to cover you for the unexpected, expensive things such as accidents, illnesses, and emergency visits.

If you already have pet insurance, you should feel comfortable knowing that a Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan will cover your pet's regular care at Banfield hospitals and your pet insurance can be used anywhere else, including your regular Banfield vet.


Do the Right Thing for Your Pet

No matter what you choose to do, help protect your pet with pet insurance for the unexpected and keep him healthy with a good wellness plan from Banfield, your pet insurance company, or your local veterinary hospital.

This comparison was wholly prepared by EPI Agency LLC. Banfield Optimum Wellness Plan is a registered trademark of Banfield. To learn more about Banfield Wellness Plans, you can call them at 1-866-277-PETS (1-866-277-7387).