CarePlus by Chewy Pet Insurance Review

As a devoted pet owner, you know the importance of ensuring your furry friends are well taken care of, and that includes their health. Pet insurance is a beneficial coverage that helps pet owners pay for unexpected veterinary expenses like accidents, illnesses, and injuries. The financial protection offers peace of mind knowing you can afford your pet’s care without worrying about the cost. 

Read on to find out more about CarePlus by Chewy. Our review team will provide you with a closer look at the insurance details, its benefits, pricing, availability, and more. Whether you’re a new pet owner or a long-time owner, this information will help you decide about your pet’s healthcare needs.  

About Chewy pet insurance

Chewy is already a well-known online destination for all things pets. The company offers medicine, apparel, toys, healthy snacks and meals, and interactive games. In 2022, the one-stop pet health and wellness shop launched CarePlus by Chewy. The service includes in-depth insurance plans to help pet parents afford high-quality care without impacting their budget. 

Chewy was founded in 2011 as an online pet food and supply store. By 2017, Chewy controlled about 51 percent of all online pet food sales in the United States. Within the same year, PetSmart acquired Chewy, for a then record-breaking sale of an e-commerce business, for $3.35 billion. 

Today, the pet supply company still sells quality supplies but has also expanded to include pharmaceuticals, subscription goody boxes, virtual vet consultations, and most recently, CarePlus by Chewy, a type of pet insurance policy. 

CarePlus by Chewy is available in every state except Alaska, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Vermont, and Washington.

To offer this comprehensive coverage, Chewy partners with an industry leader in pet medical insurance, Trupanion.

CarePlus by Chewy coverage options and costs

CarePlus is the latest addition to Chewy’s extensive pet wellness and health services portfolio. The new coverage is helpful to pet owners for covering costs caused by preventative care, pest medications, accidents, and illnesses. 

Wellness plan information

Customers can choose a base wellness package or a comprehensive plan for even more coverage. An advantage of both types of insurance is there are no waiting periods before coverage begins.

Here is how the two packages compare and what you can expect to pay for coverage:

With each plan, customers are not required to pay a deductible when filing a claim. However, CarePlus by Chewy limits its annual payout responsibility to $290 for the wellness plan and $455 under the comprehensive plan. Customers must pay additional costs if their vet visit exceeds these limits over the year or during one visit.

CarePlus by Chewy insurance options

Customers can choose from four insurance plans from CarePlus by Chewy. The various packages range from simple protection caused by accidents to total care that offers impressive payout amounts. Check out a breakdown to find out which package works best for you.

*Prices will vary

Under the Accident Only package, your dog or cat is protected from ailments like broken bones, foreign body ingestion, and poisonings. Illnesses include common sicknesses, dental disease, age-related conditions, skin issues, and acute emergencies. CarePlus by Chewy insurance plans have no payout limits. With most plans, your pet receives unlimited lifetime insurance coverage without annual caps. 

Chewy provided the prices to insure a two-year-old neutered Shih Tzu with no pre-existing conditions. We were offered a 10% multi-pet discount if we signed up for two or more pets. Quotes may differ depending on the size and age of your pet, breeds, previous health records, and location. You can ask CarePlus by Chewy for your customized quote via its website. 

What’s covered in CarePlus?

The policies offered by CarePlus cover nearly every accident or illness as long as they are not considered pre-existing conditions. For instance, symptoms caused by dental illnesses like gum disease and tooth extractions qualify. When your cat or dog requires prescription medicine, the costs are covered 100% when you purchase them on Chewy.com.

Pet parents can also file claims for age-related issues like arthritis, heart disease, or surgeries. The insurance is efficient for unexpected problems too. The Complete Accidents and Illnesses coverage includes vomiting or diarrhea, allergies, and even mobility devices if your pet suffers an amputation. 

Exclusions

CarePlus by Chewy exempts pre-existing conditions from your pet’s coverage. The company deems the term as an issue that your pet had before you enrolled in a health insurance plan or during the waiting period. Chewy works with Trupanion as its actual insurance provider. The team will analyze your pet’s medical history to determine if an injury or ailment qualifies as a pre-existing condition. For the most effective care for your pet, Chewy suggests signing your beloved pal up for a policy when they are young and healthy. 

The other significant exclusion found in CarePlus by Chewy policies is if an illness or injury occurs during a waiting period before the coverage is valid. For accidents, Chewy enforces a five-day waiting period for all of its available insurance options. Illnesses are covered after 14 days, and cruciate knee injury issues are also 14 days, except under the Accident Only plan. Customers of this policy must wait 30 days before filing a claim for this specific injury.

How to file a claim

Through CarePlus by Chewy’s partnership with Trupanion Pet Insurance, claims are streamlined as many veterinarians accept payments directly through Trupanion. If your preferred vet is signed up with the pet insurance provider, customers only pay their portion, and the rest is settled. Otherwise, you must pay the invoice in total and send an itemized receipt before being reimbursed.

To file a claim, policyholders must:

1. Visit their Member Portal with any smart device and use their Chewy account to log in. 
2. Select the reason for your claim and add as many details as you would like.
3. Upload a copy of your invoice. 

Generally, reimbursements are made between one to three days. However, your wait may be longer if more information is needed, or if it’s your first claim. 

Customer service and support

Chewy is often praised for its 24/7 chat so that policyholders can contact a customer service representative anytime. In addition to this excellent support, you can also call the CarePlus insurance team at 800-672-4399. The phone line is also open 24/7 for general questions or emergency inquiries. 

CarePlus by Chewy Customer Testimonials

While there are plenty of positive and critical reviews of the Chewy brand as a whole, its new CarePlus service has limited feedback. So you can get a better understanding of what to expect from the healthcare policies, we’ll show you a few examples from the actual insurance provider Trupanion. On Trustpilot, over 4,700 pet owners have given the company a four-star rating, with 81 percent of the reviews being five-out-of-five stars.

Look at what actual customers say about their experiences with Trupanion. 

“Without a doubt, Trupanion has the best customer support of any company. Having Trupanion insurance for our two boys has made providing the best possible care for them possible. Keep up the great work.” —Stuart P. 04/2023, 5-Stars.

“We have used Trupanion for nearly four to five years for both of our Pomeranians. We have been extremely thankful for the services and received very quick reimbursement funds after unexpected health issues. Everyone is healthy and happy.” —Cassandra, 04/2023, 5-Stars.

The Bottom Line

CarePlus by Chewy is an exceptional pet insurance coverage backed by experts in the industry, Trupanion. If you’re looking for financial assistance with essential preventative healthcare treatments, one of the wellness plans offers peace of mind. For more expensive issues or potentially life-threatening emergencies, insurance for accidents and illnesses can protect your budget without compromising the care your beloved cat or dog receives. 

The only disadvantage we found is in CarePlus by Chewy’s cancellation policy. If your cat or dog develops an illness or crippling injury while you’re under the policy, canceling will mean the ailment may be considered a pre-existing condition if you choose to resign a contract. This is standard throughout the pet insurance industry and shows the importance of ensuring your pet is covered at the earliest age possible.

With a CarePlus policy, pet parents can access dedicated 24/7 customer support, easy claim submissions, quick reimbursement, and free vet advice. Customers also enjoy the thorough insurance protection provided by the long-standing industry expert Trupanion. Chewy states it chose to work with the provider due to its clarity on costs and coverage, 20+ years of insurance experience, and the team’s dedication to putting pets and their people first. 

Signing up for pet insurance is a responsible and caring decision for your furry friend. It provides financial protection, peace of mind, more comprehensive options, and most importantly, better health care for your four-legged family members. Find out how CarePlus by Chewy can help ensure your pet’s health is top-notch and affordable by requesting your free, customized quote today.