MetLife Pet Insurance Review 2023

MetLife’s pet insurance covers cats and dogs of all ages and breeds, plus alternative therapies.
Katia Iervasi
By Katia Iervasi 
Edited by Caitlin Constantine

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MetLife

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.
Compare My Rates
on Money.com

Pay vet directly

No

Scope of coverage

Excellent

Ability to customize plan

Excellent
insurance-product-card-logo
Compare My Rates
on Money.com

MetLife

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.

Pay vet directly

No

Scope of coverage

Excellent

Ability to customize plan

Excellent

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines that ensure fairness and accuracy to help you choose the financial products that work best for you. In our pet insurance reviews, our editorial team considers the customer and the insurer. These are some of the factors we take into account:

Plans offered. Pet insurance companies generally offer the following three types of plans:

  • Accident and illness policies reimburse you for medical treatment if your pet gets sick or injured.

  • Accident-only policies pay expenses if your pet is injured.

  • Wellness plans help you budget for preventive care costs.

Scope of coverage. We looked for plans that cover a wide range of potential expenses.

Ability to customize plan. This category looks at how many ways you can customize what you pay for your plan and how you’re reimbursed.

Can pay your vet directly. This indicates whether an insurer can pay your vet directly for medical expenses. With this service, you don’t have to pay the money yourself upfront and then wait for reimbursement.

Dive deeper with our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.

Formerly known as PetFirst, MetLife Pet Insurance offers a solid accident and illness plan that you can customize with various deductible, reimbursement and coverage amounts. You can also add wellness coverage.

Note: Coverage options and availability may vary depending on where you live and the age and breed of your pet.

MetLife pet insurance

4.5

NerdWallet rating 

MetLife earned 4.5 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, coverage options and financial strength ratings.

Based on this rating, MetLife is on NerdWallet's list of the Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2023.

State availability

MetLife sells pet insurance in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Availability may change at any time. Coverage may not be available to all pets in a given state.

MetLife pet insurance plans

MetLife offers a comprehensive accident and illness policy, which covers costs associated with injuries, incidents and health conditions, as well as alternative and holistic therapies.

The insurer also has an optional preventive care package. This add-on is designed to lower the costs of routine care, such as spaying or neutering, vaccinations and wellness exams.

What MetLife pet insurance covers

MetLife’s accident and illness policy covers:

  • Vet exam fees.

  • Telemedicine visits.

  • Hospitalizations, surgeries and emergency care.

  • Diagnostic tests, including X-rays and ultrasounds.

  • Prescription medications.

  • Prescription food (on some plans).

  • Cruciate repairs.

  • Bilateral conditions.

  • Hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions.

  • Skin conditions.

  • Aging pet ear and eye conditions.

  • Periodontal disease.

  • Diseases that could be prevented by vaccines.

  • Holistic and alternative therapies.

  • Cremation costs.

  • Injuries caused by housemates.

MetLife’s preventive care coverage may help to cover these costs:

  • Flea, tick or heartworm medication.

  • Spaying or neutering.

  • Vaccinations.

  • Dental cleaning.

  • Nail trimming.

  • Certain procedures such as dew claw removal and gastropexy (which helps prevent bloat).

  • Supplements and vitamins.

  • Anal gland expression.

What’s not covered

MetLife’s plans typically don’t cover:

  • Most pre-existing conditions. If you buy a MetLife policy through your employer, you may have coverage for conditions covered by another company under a previous pet insurance plan. Certain curable pre-existing conditions may also be covered if they recur and don’t appear to be a sign of a chronic condition.

  • Elective procedures.

  • Grooming and bathing costs, including medicated baths.

  • Breeding costs.

  • Organ transplants.

  • Any injuries or illnesses related to racing, coursing, commercial guarding or organized fighting.

MetLife coverage options

Deductibles: $0 to $2,500 per year.

Reimbursement options: 50% to 100%, depending on the policy.

Coverage limits: $500 to $25,000, depending on the policy. An unlimited option may also be available in some states.

Restrictions and waiting periods

Age restrictions: None.

Waiting periods: A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage starts. With MetLife, pets are covered for accidents and wellness costs on the day the policy goes into effect. Illness coverage kicks in after 14 days.

Discounts

MetLife offers these discounts to eligible policyholders:

  • Employer benefit discount for people who buy a policy through their workplace (not available in Tennessee).

  • Internet purchase discount, which applies to the first year of premiums.

  • Active or retired military, veteran and first responder discount.

  • Active health care workers discount.

  • Discount for staff members and owners of animal care facilities (not available in New York).

Additionally, you might be able to lower your deductible by $25 to $50 each year you don’t submit a claim.

Consumer experience

Website: You can get quotes and buy a policy online. MetLife’s website is user-friendly, but its FAQ section is a bit limited in comparison to those of other pet insurers.

App: MetLife’s app is compatible with Apple and Android devices. You can use the app to view policy information, track the progress of claims, upload health records and chat with a vet.

Claims: You can file a claim online or through the MetLife app. Alternatively, you can download and fill out a form, then send it back by email, fax or mail. Most claims pay out within 10 business days.

Customer service: The fastest way to contact MetLife is through live chat, which you can access on the app or website. Otherwise, call 855-270-7387 or email [email protected] with questions. For policyholders, MetLife’s vet chat is available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Other pet insurance companies to consider

Current Product

MetLife Pet Insurance
Nationwide Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.5

/5
NerdWallet rating 

4.0

/5

Scope of coverage 

Excellent

Scope of coverage 

Excellent

Scope of coverage 

Poor

Ability to customize plan 

Excellent

Ability to customize plan 

Average

Ability to customize plan 

Excellent

Direct vet pay 

No

Direct vet pay 

No

Direct vet pay 

Yes

Bottom line 

Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.

Bottom line 

Can cover a wide range of accidents and illnesses, but some plan options are available only by phone.

Bottom line 

Offers a straightforward plan with no annual or lifetime payout limits, but has more exclusions than many other companies do.

Not ready to make a decision? You may be interested in these other pet insurance companies:

Methodology

NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, scope of coverage, the ability to customize your plan and more. Our “consumer experience” category looks at factors such as website transparency and mobile app ratings. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.

These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.

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