Healthy Paws vs. Embrace: Which Is the Best for Your Pet? (2025)
Embrace offers multiple plan types, including an optional wellness add-on, making it a better pick than Healthy Paws.
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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Edited byBecky Helzer
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Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
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Table of contents
Table of contents
Healthy Paws and Embrace offer pet insurance for dogs and cats in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Embrace stands out for its variety of plans, offering a Wellness Rewards plan and other customization options. But pets 15 years and older are eligible only for the accident-only plan. In contrast, Healthy Paws offers only one plan, but coverage has no annual or lifetime maximums. Healthy Paws also has direct vet pay with prior approval, a benefit Embrace doesn’t offer.
When shopping for pet insurance, it’s important to compare customer service, discounts, plans, and rates to make the best choice.[1]
Quick Facts
Embrace covers curable pre-existing conditions, but Healthy Paws doesn’t.
Both insurers have online and mobile claims reporting, but Healthy Paws has a faster processing time.
Unlike Embrace, a Healthy Paws pet insurance plan doesn’t include access to a 24/7 vet helpline.
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace: The verdict
In most categories, Embrace beats out Healthy Paws.
Embrace lets you choose from multiple plans: accident only, accident and illness, and wellness.[2] By comparison, Healthy Paws offers only an accident and illness plan.[3] Embrace will give you a 10% premium discount if you insure multiple pets. Healthy Paws doesn’t advertise any discounts on its website.
One notable benefit of Healthy Paws is that its pet insurance plan doesn’t have an annual maximum benefit cap. This is ideal for pets with congenital or chronic conditions requiring frequent or expensive veterinary care.
With Embrace, you choose your annual maximum benefit. Neither company imposes a lifetime maximum, though.
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace
 |  |
|---|---|
Reimbursement % The percentage of costs your provider will pay for a covered event, after you’ve paid your deductible. 50%–90% | Reimbursement % The percentage of costs your provider will pay for a covered event, after you’ve paid your deductible. 70%–90% |
Payout limits The maximum amount your provider will pay for covered events. Unlimited | Payout limits The maximum amount your provider will pay for covered events. $5,000–$30,000 |
Deductibles The amount you must pay towards a covered event before your coverage kicks in. $250–$1,000 | Deductibles The amount you must pay towards a covered event before your coverage kicks in. $100–$1,000 |
Curable pre-existing conditions Not coveredPre-existing conditions refer to conditions your pet has shown documented symptoms of before your policy’s waiting period is over. Some companies still cover these conditions if they’re deemed “curable” and haven’t shown symptoms for a specified period of time that varies by insurer. | Curable pre-existing conditions CoveredPre-existing conditions refer to conditions your pet has shown documented symptoms of before your policy’s waiting period is over. Some companies still cover these conditions if they’re deemed “curable” and haven’t shown symptoms for a specified period of time that varies by insurer. |
Data in this table has been sourced from Insurify users who received a pet insurance quote from our partner Fletch.
Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws
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Chubb, one of the largest underwriters of commercial and property and casualty insurance in the U.S., owns Healthy Paws.
Pros
Unlimited annual coverage with no caps
Flexible reimbursement rates and deductibles
Quick claims processing
Cons
Premiums can be higher, especially for senior dogs
Limited coverage for certain conditions
No wellness or preventive care options
Embrace
Embrace
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With plans underwritten by American Modern Insurance Group, Embrace insures more than 500,000 dogs and cats in the U.S.
Pros
Customizable coverage options to fit various budgets
10% multi-pet discount available
Free 24/7 pet health helpline
Cons
Limited coverage for senior pets aged 15 or older
Doesn’t cover prescription food or supplements
Mixed customer reviews regarding claims processing times
How Healthy Paws and Embrace compare
Healthy Paws and Embrace can both be great options for pet parents, but each company has advantages and drawbacks. See how each insurer fares in terms of cost, coverage options, and claims.
Cost of pet insurance
Healthy Paws pet insurance costs an average of $44 per month for dogs and $21 per month for cats, based on Insurify data. Embrace’s average pet insurance premium is about $39 per month for dogs and $27 per month for cats.
While Healthy Paws’ average premiums tend to be slightly lower than Embrace’s, your pet insurance cost depends on various factors. For example, your pet’s breed, age, and gender, as well as your location, coverage limits, and deductible options, all affect your rate.[4]
Coverages and plan features
Embrace offers three plans: accident only, accident and illness, and a wellness plan add-on that covers preventative care and vet exam fees. The Wellness Rewards plan has no deductible and lets you select your annual benefit amount ($300, $500, or $700). Since Healthy Paws offers only accident and illness coverage, there’s no option for coverage customization.
Like most pet insurance plans, Embrace and Healthy Paws have waiting periods. Embrace plans require a 14-day waiting period before illness coverage starts, but accident coverage begins on the policy’s effective date. In contrast, Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period before accident and illness coverage starts.
Embrace lets you choose a reimbursement percentage of 70%, 80%, or 90%. Healthy Paws will reimburse up to 90% of your vet bills.
The table below shows how Healthy Paws and Embrace compare in terms of other plan features.
Feature | Healthy Paws | Embrace |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile claims filing | Yes | Yes |
| Direct vet pay | Yes (with prior approval) | No |
| 24/7 pet helpline | No | Yes |
| Online policy management | Yes | Yes |
| Live customer support | No | No (live chat is available for the vet helpline) |
Policy exclusions
Embrace and Healthy Paws both have upper age limits. With Embrace, the accident-only plan is the only option for dogs and cats older than 15. Healthy Paws enrolls pets up to age 14, although in New York, 5 years is the maximum enrollment age.
While Embrace covers behavioral treatment when a licensed veterinarian administers it, Healthy Paws excludes behavior therapy coverage.
Additionally, Embrace covers curable pre-existing conditions once your pet has been symptom-free and treatment-free for at least 12 months. Healthy Paws doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions under any circumstances.
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Learn More: What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Claims process
Both Embrace and Healthy Paws offer online and mobile claims reporting, but processing time for Embrace is much faster. Healthy Paws says it processes most claims within two days. On the other hand, once it has all the required information, Embrace takes 10 to 15 business days to process claims.
In terms of payment options, Healthy Paws offers direct vet pay, and Embrace doesn’t. To use this benefit, you need to request vet direct payment from Healthy Paws before your pet receives treatment, and your vet must agree to accept direct payments from insurers.
Something else to know about vet direct pay through Healthy Paws: Prior authorization doesn’t guarantee a claim will be covered. If Healthy Paws approves the direct payment but not the claim, you’ll have to pay the full amount out of pocket.
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Customer reviews
Embrace has a Trustpilot rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars compared to Healthy Paws’ 3.7 out of 5 stars.
On Trustpilot, Embrace has mostly positive reviews, with customers praising the company’s customer service, friendly agents, and efficient claims-handling process. But Trustpilot reviews for Healthy Paws are mixed. Some customers mention denied claims and consistent rate increases that make the coverage unaffordable.
Although both companies have A+ ratings from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), customer reviews are overwhelmingly negative.
Embrace’s BBB reviews mostly cite denied claims. Several reviewers report that the company refused to reimburse for vet bills, claiming the pet’s condition was pre-existing. For Healthy Paws, complaints to the BBB about the company raising rates were numerous — especially for older pets.
Healthy Paws vs. Embrace FAQs
If you’re considering Healthy Paws versus Embrace for pet insurance, see the answers to frequently asked questions below to help you decide.
Is Healthy Paws better than Embrace pet insurance?
No. Healthy Paws isn’t a better pet insurance company than Embrace. In most categories, like policy options and customer reviews, Embrace stands out as the better insurer. But Healthy Paws has several advantages over Embrace, like direct vet pay and faster claims processing.
What are the main differences between Healthy Paws and Embrace?
One of the main differences between Healthy Paws and Embrace is coverage options. Embrace offers three plans, and Healthy Paws offers only one. Embrace’s pet insurance plans include free access to a 24/7 vet helpline, something Healthy Paws doesn’t offer. When it comes to claim handling, Healthy Paws offers direct vet pay with prior approval. Embrace doesn’t.
What does Healthy Paws cover?
Healthy Paws covers accidents and illnesses. In addition to cancer coverage, its pet insurance plan covers surgery, emergency care, chronic conditions, rehabilitation, alternative therapies, and hereditary conditions.
What is the average monthly cost of Healthy Paws?
Healthy Paws’ average monthly pet insurance premium is $44 for dogs and $21 for cats. Remember that your pet insurance cost depends on factors like your pet’s age and breed, where you live, your coverage limits, and your chosen deductible.
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Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts about pet insurance."
- Embrace. "Full coverage pet insurance."
- Healthy Paws. "Pet Insurance Plans to Protect your Pet, and your Finances."
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Pet Insurance."
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Elizabeth has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Becky Helzer is an editor at Insurify. She loves helping writers express their ideas clearly and authentically. With a diverse background in editing everything from curriculum and books to magazine articles and blog posts, she’s worked on topics ranging from home finance, insurance, and cloud computing to the best tools for home improvement.
A proud graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in technical journalism, Becky lives in Fort Collins, CO, with her husband and their two spoiled rescue dogs.
