Nationwide offers comprehensive coverage at an affordable price. While they have fewer reimbursement options than their competitors, they’d be a strong option for most pet owners.
| Pros | Cons |
| Comprehensive coverageDiscounts for multiple pets, Nationwide customers, and Nationwide employees | Fewer reimbursement options than competitors12-month waiting period for cruciate ligament problemsNot available for pets older than 10 |
Bottom Line: Nationwide is a good pet insurance option for pet owners seeking comprehensive coverage for pets under age 10.
Pet Insurance Plans Offered by Nationwide
Nationwide offers three pet insurance plans for cats and dogs — Whole Pet, Major Medical, and Pet Wellness.
You can opt for one plan on its own or stack the Major Medical and Wellness plan together for more comprehensive coverage. You cannot, however, add a Wellness plan to a Whole Pet plan.
What Is and Isn’t Covered With Nationwide Pet Insurance
Whole Pet Plan
The Whole Pet plan covers expenses related to accidents and illnesses, such as:
- Procedures and hospitalization related to an injury or illness (eg. surgery and chemotherapy)
- Chronic illnesses (eg. allergies and skin conditions)
- Exams, lab tests, and x-rays
- Prescriptions
- Hereditary conditions
- Dental diseases (eg. gingivitis)
It also covers a few costs typically only covered by wellness plans, such as:
- Holistic and alternative care (eg. acupuncture, chiropractic, and laser therapy)
- Behavioral exams and therapies
- Nutritional products prescribed by your vet
The Whole Pet plan does not cover:
- Pre-existing conditions
- Grooming
- Vaccinations
- Flea/heartworm prevention
- Experimental treatment
- The cost to spay or neuter your pet
- Dental cleaning
- Cruciate ligament problems within the first 12 months of coverage
The Whole Pet plan is available for both cats and dogs, however, dogs must be between 1 and 10 years old to qualify.
Major Medical Plan
Nationwide’s Major Medical plan covers costs related to more serious medical care, such as:
- Procedures and hospitalization related to an injury or illness that are included in your benefit schedule
- Some hereditary conditions, but only after your policy has been in effect for at least one year
- Some dental conditions, but not gingivitis
- Exams, lab tests, and x-rays
- Prescriptions
- Holistic and alternative care
Nationwide’s Major Medical plan does not cover:
- Pre-existing conditions
- Some hereditary conditions
- Some dental conditions
- Behavioral therapy
- Parasite treatment
- Prescription foods or nutritional supplements
- Age-related issues to a pet’s eyes or ears
- Costs related to breeding or pregnancy
The Major Medical plan is available to pets under age 10.
Pet Wellness Plan
The Pet Wellness plan covers costs such as:
- Physical exams (2 per policy term)
- Vaccinations
- Behavioral exams and therapies
- Fecal testing
- Deworming
- Nail trimming
- Microchipping
- Flea/heartworm-related prevention and care
The Pet Wellness plan is available to pets under age 10. Like other Nationwide policies, it does not cover pre-existing conditions.
What to Consider When Choosing a Nationwide Pet Insurance Plan
When selecting a Nationwide pet insurance plan, consider its availability in your area. While their Whole Pet and Major Medical plans can be used at any vet in any state, their Wellness plan is not available in all states.
Likewise, you’ll need to consider the age restrictions of Nationwide’s coverage. Unlike some of their competitors, Nationwide requires pets to be under 10 years old to qualify. For their Whole Pet plan, they require pets to be at least 1 year old as well.
You should also consider the level of coverage you desire. Nationwide’s pet insurance plans are designed to provide comprehensive coverage, but you can only stack them in certain ways. Your options would be as follows:
- Just the Whole Pet Plan
- Just the Major Medical Plan
- Just the Pet Wellness Plan
- The Major Medical Plan + Pet Wellness Plan
Their à la carte offering allows you to select the coverage that’s right for you. This is especially helpful when owning a breed that is predisposed to certain medical conditions that may require greater care.
What Isn’t Covered With Nationwide Pet Insurance?
Like other pet insurance companies, Nationwide does not cover pre-existing conditions under any of their plans. They also don’t cover:
- Cruciate ligament or meniscus damage that occurs within the first 12 months of the policy
- Boarding and transportation
- Fees or expenses not directly related to vet services
Coverage Levels and Reimbursement Options
When you purchase a Nationwide pet insurance policy, it’ll come with a specific reimbursement type — either a percentage of invoice or a benefit schedule.
Whole Pet Plan
Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan operates on a reimbursement-basis, giving you back a certain percentage of each invoice. With a Nationwide Whole Pet plan, you can choose either a 50% or 70% reimbursement amount.
For example, let’s say your cat makes a jump from their cat tree and breaks a leg on the landing. If you get hit with a $3,000 vet bill for surgery, here’s how your share of the bill would be calculated if you had a 70% reimbursement level and hadn’t used up any of your $250 deductible amount:
$3,000 bill – $250 deductible = $2,750
$2,750 * 70% reimbursement = $1,925
In this scenario, Nationwide would cover $1,925, and you’d owe $1,075 total (your $250 deductible, plus $825 to cover the remainder of the bill).
Major Medical Plan
Their Major Medical plan operates on a benefit schedule, which is a document that outlines the applicable fees for potential medical costs you may incur. The document will show you which medical costs are eligible for coverage and which aren’t, so you’ll need to understand the benefit schedule well.
Your benefit schedule will give you an annual maximum reimbursement amount per condition, regardless of the cost of treatment. This means that you’ll need to foot the bill on any costs that go over your benefit schedule’s maximum for any given condition.
For example, let’s say you have a $3,000 annual limit and your pet is diagnosed with a dental disease covered under their Major Medical plan. Between x-rays, lab tests, prescriptions, and a bit of holistic care, you’ve racked up around $3,600 in vet bills to take care of their condition. In this case, Nationwide would reimburse you $3,000, and you’d be responsible for the remaining $600.
Nationwide’s Deductible Options
If you purchase a Nationwide policy online, you’ll be given an annual deductible of $250. If you’d like a different deductible amount, you’ll need to call the company to purchase a policy over the phone.
How Much Does Nationwide Pet Insurance Cost?
For a Nationwide Whole Pet policy, here are a few sample monthly rates for male pets with a $250 annual deductible and a 50% reimbursement level in Dallas, Texas.
| Type of Pet | Age of Pet | Cost for a Whole Pet Plan |
| Labrador Retriever | 5-year-old | $73.36 |
| French Bulldog | 5-year-old | $106.57 |
| Golden Retriever | 5-year-old | $76.50 |
| German Shepherd | 5-year-old | $69.73 |
| Poodle | 5-year-old | $71.09 |
| Exotic Shorthair Cat | 5-year-old | $44.39 |
| Exotic Shorthair Cat | Senior | $68.38 |
For Nationwide Major Medical and Major Medical + Wellness plans, here are a few sample monthly rates for a pet insurance policy with a $4,000 annual limit, 80% reimbursement, and a $250 deductible for a male pet in Dallas, Texas.
| Type of Pet | Age of Pet | Cost for a Major Medical Plan | Cost for a Major Medical + Wellness Plan |
| Labrador Retriever | 8-week old puppy | $33.59 | $54.54 |
| 5-year-old | $53.74 | $74.69 | |
| Senior | $97.41 | $118.36 | |
| French Bulldog | 8-week old puppy | $48.75 | $69.70 |
| 5-year-old | $78.00 | $98.95 | |
| Senior | $114.08 | $135.03 | |
| Golden Retriever | 8-week old puppy | $35.90 | $56.85 |
| 5-year-old | $57.45 | $78.40 | |
| Senior | $104.12 | $125.07 | |
| German Shepherd | 8-week old puppy | $29.69 | $50.64 |
| 5-year-old | $47.50 | $68.45 | |
| Senior | $69.47 | $90.42 | |
| Poodle | 8-week old puppy | $23.50 | $44.45 |
| 5-year-old | $37.60 | $58.55 | |
| Senior | $68.16 | $89.11 | |
| Exotic Shorthair Cats | 8-week-old kitten | $16.46 | $37.41 |
| 5-year-old | $21.24 | $42.19 | |
| Senior | $46.09 | $67.04 |
Nationwide offers a 5% discount when you insure multiple pets. They also offer a 5% discount for existing Nationwide customers, and a discount for Nationwide employees.
What Are The Waiting Periods For Coverage?
After purchasing a policy from Nationwide, you’ll have a waiting period before your coverage is active. For Nationwide, the waiting periods are as follows:
- Whole Pet plan: 14 days
- Major Medical plan: 14 days
- Pet Wellness plan (by itself): 24 hours
If purchasing a Pet Wellness plan as an add-on to a Major Medical plan, you’ll be subject to the 14-day waiting period of the Major Medical plan, not the 24 hour waiting period of the Pet Wellness plan when purchased alone.
Nationwide also has a 12-month waiting period for cruciate ligament events, which is quite a bit longer than some of its competitors.
FAQs About Nationwide Pet Insurance
The following are some of the most common questions about Nationwide pet insurance.
Does Nationwide Offer A Wellness Plan?
Nationwide’s Whole Pet plan provides some wellness coverage. In addition, they offer a complete Pet Wellness plan that covers everything a standard wellness plan would.
Does Nationwide Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
No. Like many pet insurers, Nationwide does not cover pre-existing conditions.
Does Nationwide Cover Dental Cleaning?
No. Nationwide’s pet insurance plans do not cover dental cleaning.
Does Nationwide Cover Spaying Or Neutering?
No. Nationwide’s pet insurance plans do not cover the cost to spay or neuter your pet.
Does Nationwide Cover Hip Dysplasia?
Nationwide covers hip dysplasia completely under their Whole Pet policy. Only some cases are covered with a Major Medical plan, and it is not covered with just a Wellness plan.
Does Nationwide Cover Euthanasia?
Yes. Nationwide will cover euthanasia, but only if medically necessary.
Does Nationwide Have Any Coverage Limits?
Nationwide covers up to 70% of eligible expenses for Whole Pet plans. Coverage limits will differ for those on the Major Medical plan based on their benefit schedule.
Is Nationwide Accepted By Every Vet?
Nationwide pet insurance can be used at any vet office in any of the 50 U.S. states. However, their Pet Wellness plan is not available to policyholders in all states.
Does Nationwide Pay The Vet Directly?
No. With Nationwide, you are expected to pay the entire vet bill upfront then submit a claim for reimbursement.
How Do I File A Claim With Nationwide?
To file a claim with Nationwide, you’ll need to log in to your Nationwide Pet Access Account and complete the claim form. Make sure to take photos of any applicable invoices on your mobile device, and upload them through the online portal.
You can also submit a claim via fax, email, or mail by printing a blank claim form online, filling it out, and sending it to the appropriate address.
How Long Does It Nationwide Take To Pay Out?
According to Nationwide’s website, claims are typically completed within 5 days of receiving the necessary information. You may experience delays if your claim form is incomplete or if you’re missing an itemized receipt from the services you’re seeking reimbursement for.
How Do I Cancel A Policy From Nationwide?
You can cancel your Nationwide policy at any time by notifying the company either in writing or online through your Nationwide Pet Access Account.
