Fetch vs Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws scores 9.3 against Fetch at 7.6 for dogs and offers an unlimited annual limit. Its accident cover waits 15 days in most states. Fetch's case is specific and real: it genuinely covers dental disease and behavioral care in the base policy. Healthy Paws covers traumatic dental injury and says dental illness may also be eligible if there were no signs before enrollment or during the waiting period. For a young healthy dog, Healthy Paws is the stronger buy. For an older dog where dental disease is the claim you expect, Fetch is the clearer base-policy answer.
Side by side
| Fetch | Healthy Paws | |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial score (dogs) | 7.6/10 | 9.3/10 |
| Annual limit | $15k | Unlimited |
| Deductible | $250 to $2,500 (three recommended amounts shown at signup; other amounts available by contacting Fetch) | One annual deductible, chosen at enrollment: $100, $250, $500 or $1,000 |
| Reimbursement options | 70%, 80% or 90% | 70%, 80% or 90% |
| Accident wait | No waiting period from the policy effective date | 15 days after the policy effective date in most states. 0 days in CA, DE, FL, HI, LA, MD, ME, MS, MT, NE, NH, OH, PA, RI, VT, WA for accident-related conditions (those states still apply a 15-day wait to illness, injury and orthopedic conditions not from an accident) |
| Illness wait | Up to 15 days | 15 days after the policy effective date |
| Orthopedic / cruciate wait | None listed | Hip dysplasia waits 12 months in most states for pets enrolled at age 5 or below, or 30 days in CA, DE, FL, HI, LA, MD, ME, MS, MT, NE, NH, OH, PA, RI, VT and WA (depends on state). Pets enrolled at 6 or older are not covered for hip dysplasia at all |
| Wellness add-on | Available | Not offered |
| Direct vet pay | No, reimbursement only | Yes (VetDirect Pay) |
Compare current quotes for the same pet and ZIP code, using the same deductible, reimbursement rate, annual limit, and add-ons. Older catalog price examples do not establish which insurer costs less today.
Pre-existing conditions
Fetch: Not covered, standard exclusion for signs shown before enrollment or during the waiting period.
Healthy Paws: Not covered. A condition counts as pre-existing if it showed any sign, even undiagnosed, before your policy started or during the 15-day waiting period. If one knee's cruciate ligament was hurt before enrollment or during the wait, the other knee's cruciate is excluded too.
Choose Fetch if
Dental disease or behavioral care is the claim you actually expect. Fetch covers both, which most insurers exclude, and it has no accident waiting period from the effective date. The limits are the weak spot: $15,000 is the top listed annual tier (higher only by request), so check that cap against the care you may need.
Choose Healthy Paws if
You want maximum core protection. Healthy Paws pays out with no annual limit and scores 9.3/10 in our rankings. Accident cover waits 15 days in most states. The exclusions to know: no wellness add-on at any tier, premiums climb steeply after age eight, and no hip dysplasia coverage for dogs enrolled at 6 or older. Traumatic dental injury is covered; dental illness may be eligible if no signs appeared before enrollment or during the waiting period.
The exclusions cheat sheet
A plain-English guide to waiting periods and key exclusions across eight insurers, with links to the full reviews.
Questions
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Written by the WhichPetPlan editorial team. Scores are our own editorial ratings, not an industry standard. See our methodology for how scores are set.