With pet health insurance becoming an increasingly important part of the pet industry, Waffle offers an all-in-one platform to take the hassle out of insurance and allow pet owners to choose the coverage that's right for them. But is Waffle Pet Insurance the best choice for your and your four-legged friend?
Here’s what you need to know about the company and the coverage they offer:
- Is Waffle Pet Insurance legit?
- Waffle Pet Insurance review
- What we like about this provider
- What could be improved
- Is Waffle Insurance worth it?
Is Waffle Pet Insurance legit?
If you have been wondering if Waffle insurance is real, the answer is yes. According to a recent press release, Waffle has partnered with Crum & Forester, one of the most experienced pet insurance underwriters in the industry to distribute pet insurance for dogs and cats. Plans are administered through ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, another reputable brand name, and are available in all 50 American states. By doing so, they add to their one-stop “virtual” shop for consumers that offer cyber, renters, and life insurance policies.
Find out more about other coverage options for pet owners such as pet travel insurance, life insurance for pets, and renters insurance for pet owners.
Waffle Insurance review
Available plans
Through ASPCA, Waffle offers two types of coverage: Accident and Illness coverage and Accident-Only Coverage.
The Accident and Illness plan offers robust coverage for illnesses, accidents, hereditary and congenital conditions, behavioral issues, alternative therapies, and more. The Accident-Only plan, on the other hand, is an excellent less expensive choice for pet owners who only want to cover their four-legged friends for accidents that happen inside the house or while playing outside.
Pet parents can also add preventative care coverage for an extra fee to cover things like vaccinations, dental cleanings, flea and tick medicine, and heartworm prevention. Wellness examinations and screenings are also covered up to a predetermined sum.
Waiting periods
ASPCA’s pet insurance policies have waiting periods of 14 days before you can make claims on any of your pet's diseases and conditions, including orthopedic and ligament conditions like knee issues and hip dysplasia.
Exclusions
Like most pet insurance providers, Waffle doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, i.e. those that develop before coverage begins or during a waiting period. However, a pre-existing injury or sickness may be covered in the future if it is treated, cured, and symptom-free for 180 days, with the exception of knee and ligament conditions.
Claims & processing times
All claims are processed by ASPCA Pet Insurance, usually within 30 days or less. The customer will receive email notifications as their claim is being processed, but you can also track it in the member center.
To submit a claim, click on Something Bad Happened on the Waffle home screen and then click through on Pet. You will be taken to ASPCA’s Pet Insurance member center where you can file your claim.
Discounts
Waffle offers a 10% multi-pet discount, which allows you to get 10% off on each additional pet you insure with them.
Customer service
Customers can get in touch with Waffle via the company’s email address contact@waffle-labs.com. The provider also offers a help center section on their website where customers can find the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
What we like about this provider
With Waffle’s pet insurance coverage, your pet is covered when they travel with you in the States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Canada.
The company offers a 10% discount for each additional pet, as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee. There are also no upper age limits, which means that senior pets are not excluded from coverage.
Unlike some pet insurance providers who exclude all pre-existing conditions, Waffle will cover conditions that are free of symptoms and treatment for 180 days.
What could be improved
The 14-day waiting period for accidents is somewhat longer than competitor companies. For comparison, Embrace and Lemonade have a 48-hour waiting period for accidents, whereas Pets Best requires customers to wait for three days before they can file claims for accidents.
The claim processing time is also longer. For instance, at Healthy Paws, the majority of the claims are processed within 10 days, while Trupanion processes about 60% of claims in only 24 hours.
Customers can’t change or add some items to their plan until the next 12-month period starts and there isn’t any unlimited payout option (the highest payout option is $10,000).
According to Waffle insurance reviews, the company’s customer service is somewhat hard-to-reach, which makes it less favorable when compared to other leading pet insurance providers like Healthy Paws and Lemonade which both feature live customer service chat.
Is Waffle Insurance worth it?
Waffle insurance offers relatively flexible plan choices, so customers might be able to find the right fit for their four-legged friend. This pet insurance is worth it for pet owners who want to make sure that their pets get the routine and preventive care they need without the cost being a concern.
However, compared to other top providers, Waffle has a smaller maximum yearly limit of $10,000 and longer waiting times. In addition, unlike other providers who offer various pet insurance discounts and saving options, Waffle only offers a 10% multi-pet discount.
If you feel like Waffle Pet Insurance doesn’t satisfy your requirements, check out our pet insurance advice blog to look at other options. Our pet insurance reviews highlight the pros and cons of each provider in easy-to-understand language to help you make an informed decision. In addition, you can use Pawlicy Advisor to view coverage details and policy terms and start your search for a free pet insurance quote.
