Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance

MetLife beats Nationwide for pet insurance, offering lower rates for dogs and cats, better customer experience and shorter waiting period for accidents.

In this guide, I'll summarize Nationwide's and MetLife's overall performance across coverage, cost and service so you can decide which option is better for your pet's needs.

Compare pet insurance options like Nationwide and MetLife with MoneyGeek’s provider network, tailored to your pet’s needs.

Written by Ritchel Mendiola

Updated: July 20, 2026

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Is Nationwide or MetLife Pet Insurance Better?

Overall, MetLife is better for pet insurance than Nationwide, ranking seventh, whereas Nationwide falls behind in 14th place. MetLife costs substantially less than Nationwide for most dogs and cats by up to 43%, plus it offers smoother and more efficient processes for coverage purchase, account management and claim submission. However, the company may not be ideal for owners who want flexibility for customizing policies according to their pet's evolving health needs and their budget.

Meanwhile, Nationwide offers more coverage selection flexibility, with waivers for waiting periods, coverage for curable pre-existing conditions and higher wellness benefits. These advantages come at a higher cost, especially if you need hereditary and congenital coverage for a breed that's more likely to develop inherited conditions, such as hip dysplasia in Labrador Retrievers or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in Maine Coons.

To help you better make a quick decision:

Choose Nationwide if:
- You prioritize coverage over having the lowest premium
- You're willing to pay extra for hereditary and congenital coverage
- You value coverage features such as waiting period waivers and coverage for eligible curable pre-existing conditions
Choose MetLife if:
- You value a smooth experience when buying coverage, managing your policy and filing claims
- You want to minimize your monthly insurance costs by stacking multiple discounts
- You don't need extensive policy customization and are comfortable with more limited coverage options in exchange for lower premiums


Overall Score	3.73 out of 5	4.29 out of 5
Average Monthly Rate	Dogs: $99 Cats: $42	Dogs: $56 Cats: $34
Customer Experience Score	4.73 out of 5	4.89 out of 5
Coverage Score	4.04 out of 5	3.54 out of 5

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Coverage

Neither Nationwide nor MetLife offer top-tier pet insurance coverage, with Nationwide ranking eighth and MetLife falling behind at 14th place. Both companies offer limited coverage options, particularly for annual limits, which they similarly cap at $10,000. You’ll have fewer options to increase your coverage, making it more likely you’ll reach your annual limit sooner if your pet requires costly treatment during the policy year.

As for standard coverage, MetLife offers a broader base plan than Nationwide, as it covers hereditary conditions at no extra cost, while Nationwide requires an optional add-on. This gives pet owners of breeds prone to inherited conditions, such as hip dysplasia in Labrador Retrievers and polycystic kidney disease in Persian cats, more comprehensive financial protection from the start without needing to purchase additional coverage.

Where Nationwide pet insurance is better	Where MetLife pet insurance is better
Waiver for illness waiting period through a veterinary exam within 14 days of policy activation	Immediate coverage for accidents after policy effective date
Coverage for curable pre-existing conditions after 180 symptom-free days	Coverage for hereditary conditions and exam fees in the base plan
More policy selection flexibility	Coverage for pre-existing conditions if you switch to its group policy, subject to terms

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Coverage Terms

Nationwide and MetLife cover many common accidents and illnesses, but they differ in how they handle hereditary conditions, waiting periods and eligibility requirements that can affect your coverage over time.

Hereditary and congenital conditions: MetLife includes hereditary and congenital conditions in its base policy. Nationwide only covers these conditions if you purchase its optional add-on, so owners of breeds predisposed to inherited disorders won't be reimbursed for related treatment costs without the additional coverage.
Waiting period for accidents: MetLife provides immediate accident coverage once its policy takes effect. In contrast, Nationwide applies a 14-day waiting period, which can be a drawback if you have an active or curious pet that likes to play rough, chew things or go outside.
Waiting period for cruciate ligament issues: MetLife covers orthopedic conditions, including cruciate ligament injuries, after a 14-day waiting period. Meanwhile, Nationwide requires you to wait until you've maintained your policy for 12 months before you can enroll in optional cruciate ligament coverage, making it a less suitable choice for breeds with a higher risk of knee injuries, such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Rottweilers.
Pre-existing conditions: Nationwide may cover curable pre-existing conditions after they've been cured and symptom-free for six months, whereas MetLife's terms are much narrower, applying only when switching from another insurer to an eligible employer-sponsored group policy with continuous prior coverage, which limits opportunities for pets with previous medical conditions to regain coverage.
Enrollment restrictions: Unlike Nationwide, which doesn't allow cats enrolled at age 8 or older to purchase hereditary coverage, MetLife has no upper age limit for enrollment. This gives owners of older pets access to coverage, even though pre-existing conditions remain excluded.

Below, I've broken down Nationwide's and MetLife's coverage terms and options:


Deductibles	$250, $500, $1,000	$50, $100, $250, $500
Annual limits	$2,500 or $5,000 for accidents $5,000 or $10,000 for illnesses	$2,000, $5,000, $10,000
Reimbursement rates	50%, 70%, 80%	70%, 80%, 90%
Waiting periods	14 days for accidents and illnesses, 12 months for cruciate ligament conditions	0 day for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and orthopedic conditions
Enrollment restrictions	Cats aged 8 years old and above are not eligible for hereditary coverage	No upper age limit
Pre-existing conditions	Curable pre-existing conditions may be eligible if cured and symptom-free for six months	Only covers pre-existing conditions when you switch from another provider to MetLife's group policy and the conditions must be covered by the previous insurer
Diagnostics	✓	✓
Procedures	✓	✓
Prescription medications	✓	✓
Fractures and broken bones	✓	✓
Foreign body ingestion	✓	✓
Lacerations and bite wounds	✓	✓
Parasite treatment	Only covers prevention through optional add-on	✓
Cancer treatment	✓	✓
Digestive illnesses	✓	✓
Hereditary and congenital conditions	Through optional add-on	✓
Chronic conditions	✓	✓
Hip dysplasia	Through optional add-on	✓
Non-routine dental treatment	✓	✓
Behavioral conditions	✓	✓
Physical therapy	✓	✓
Alternative therapy	✓	✓

Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Always review your specific policy documents to understand exact coverage terms, exclusions and limitations.

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Coverage Add-Ons

Nationwide has two optional add-ons compared to MetLife's one, but one of its add-ons is for hereditary and congenital conditions, which come standard in MetLife's base coverage. As a result, buyers may not gain additional value from Nationwide's extra add-on unless they specifically need hereditary coverage.

For wellness coverage, however, Nationwide has more generous annual benefits, since its add-on offers reimbursement limits of $450 and $800, while MetLife's provides $365 and $575. This makes Nationwide the stronger choice for pet owners who expect to use preventive services such as routine exams, vaccinations and dental cleanings regularly.

Preventive care: Nationwide covers routine and preventive care expenses that aren’t included in its standard policy, such as vaccinations and annual exams. You can choose between $450 and $800 in annual benefits, with the higher-tier option adding coverage for advanced preventive diagnostics and spay/neuter or dental procedures. Note that coverage for spay/neuter or dental procedures begins 90 days after the original policy effective date.


Physical exams (up to 2 per term)	$80	$80
Vaccinations or titers	$80	$80
Heartworm or FeLV/FIV test	$35	$35
Fecal test	$30	$30
Deworming	$25	$25
Microchip	$50	$50
Health certificate	$50	$50
Flea control or heartworm prevention	$100	$100
Additional diagnostic test (blood test, radiograph or ECG)	X	$100
Spay/neuter or dental procedure	X	$250

Hereditary and congenital conditions: This add-on extends coverage to hereditary and congenital conditions, like hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, collapsed trachea, Wobblers syndrome and more. However, cats enrolled at age 8 or older aren't eligible to purchase this add-on, limiting its availability for senior feline pets.

Preventive care: MetLife's optional add-on focuses on preventive care, which comes in Preventive 365 and Preventive 575 tiers. The add-on provides up to $365 or $575 per year for services such as exams, vaccinations, parasite prevention, bloodwork, microchipping, spay/neuter and teeth cleaning.


Vet exam	$50	$75
Parasite prevention and vaccinations	$75	$100
Spay/neuter or teeth cleaning	$100	$150
Health screens	$65	$100
Microchipping, health certificate or behavior training	$60	$120
Deworming	$15	$30

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Affordability

My pet insurance cost analysis found that MetLife is cheaper than Nationwide for most age groups, ranking sixth overall, while Nationwide places 15th out of 18. MetLife’s pricing advantage over Nationwide ranges from 6% to 43%, depending on your pet’s species and age. Nationwide is only more affordable than MetLife for young cats by 7%.

MetLife offers the cheapest pet insurance for Bloodhounds and Abyssinians, providing savings between 26% and 34% against the national breed averages. On the other hand, Nationwide ranks 13th and 15th in affordability for most cat breeds and dog breeds, respectively, with costs reaching up to 111% higher than the national averages, depending on breed.


Kittens (Under 1)	$31	$29	MetLife	6%
Puppies (Under 1)	$80	$51	MetLife	36%
Young Cats (1-2 years)	$27	$29	Nationwide	7%
Young Dogs (1-2 years)	$69	$50	MetLife	28%
Middle-Aged Cats (3-6 years)	$42	$34	MetLife	19%
Middle-Aged Dogs (3-6 years)	$99	$56	MetLife	43%

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance Discounts

MetLife offers nine pet insurance discounts, compared to Nationwide's three, giving more pet owners ways to reduce their premiums. Both providers allow you to save on costs by up to 10%, though Nationwide concentrates on multi-pet households, existing customers and employees joining eligible group plans, whereas MetLife also rewards veterinary and health care workers, as well as military members, veterans and first responders.


Multiple pets	Get 5% off when you insure two or more pets.	Provides savings when you enroll multiple pets under separate policies.
Existing customer	Existing Nationwide insurance customers receive a 5% discount when buying a new pet policy.	None.
Employer group plan	Save 10% automatically when you join a participating employer's group plan.	Get 10% off for joining a participating employer's group plan.
Veterinary staff	None.	Owners, staff members or volunteer workers in the animal care industry receive a 10% discount.
Military, veteran and first responder	None.	First responders or active/former members of the Armed Forces or National Guard/Reservists save 10% on pet insurance.
Federal employee	None.	Get a discount for federal employees of the U.S. government.
Health care worker	None.	Save 10% if you work in the health care industry.
Association	None.	Members of participating organizations receive 5% off on pet insurance.
Internet purchase	None.	Lowers base premium by $1 when you purchase pet insurance online.
Deductible	None.	Reduces deductible by $50 for the next policy year if you didn't file a claim within the year.

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Customer Experience

Both Nationwide and MetLife offer excellent customer service, although MetLife ranks higher at second place compared to Nationwide’s fifth spot. MetLife outperforms Nationwide across every stage of the policyholder experience, from buying coverage to submitting claims and managing policies. It particularly excels in providing customers an easier time selecting the right policy, claim outcomes that match their coverage expectations and a mobile app experience that allows them to accomplish routine tasks efficiently.

As for Nationwide, it can still be a strong option for pet owners who value straightforward policy administration after enrollment. Its strengths lie in helping policyholders handle routine account changes, access support when questions arise and complete everyday tasks without much friction. However, there may be occasional issues about unexpected premium increases at renewal and longer turnaround times for claims that require additional medical records or underwriting review.


Overall customer experience score	4.73 out of 5	4.89 out of 5
Buying experience score	4.71 out of 5	4.88 out of 5
Policy management experience score	4.67 out of 5	4.78 out of 5
Claims experience score	4.72 out of 5	4.92 out of 5
Customer experience strengths	Makes policy management straightforward through responsive account servicing, helpful administrative support for routine policy updates and a user-friendly mobile app that lets policyholders manage their coverage and submit claims without frequently contacting customer support	Delivers a strong buying and claims experience through knowledgeable sales support that helps customers choose the right coverage, consistently fair claim decisions that align with policy terms and the highest-rated mobile app for managing policies, billing and claims
Customer experience weaknesses	Premium increases at renewal aren't always communicated clearly, and more complex claims that require additional medical records or underwriting review can delay or extend the process	Appeals can require extensive documentation to overturn claim decisions, while first-time claims may take longer to process because additional veterinary records are often needed before reimbursement decisions are made

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Bottom Line

MetLife offers better pet insurance than Nationwide overall, combining lower premiums with stronger customer experience. Meanwhile, Nationwide offers better coverage as long as you're willing to pay more and purchase an optional add-on for hereditary conditions.

Before deciding on a pet insurance provider, ask yourself:

Is the monthly premium sustainable as my pet ages?
Do the policy terms cover the conditions my pet is most likely to develop?
Will the annual limit provide enough financial protection if my pet needs expensive treatment?
How important are fast, fair claims and easy policy management if I need to use my coverage?

Answering these questions will help you identify the insurer that best aligns with your pet's health needs and your budget, not just between Nationwide and MetLife, but across any provider you're considering.

Compare Nationwide and MetLife with other major pet insurance companies to determine the best choice for your pet:

Nationwide vs. MetLife Pet Insurance: Our Process

To build our Nationwide and MetLife rankings, my team and I analyzed more than 67,000 pet profiles across breeds, ages and states, collecting quotes, testing the buying and claims experience firsthand and reviewing policy documents line by line. Our national scores are based on a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, each with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.

For a full breakdown of how we score each category, visit our methodology page.

Vet bills are unpredictable, and a policy only reduces that financial risk if the premium is one you can sustain long-term. Affordability carries the most weight in our scoring for that reason.

To measure it, my team and I gathered quotes directly from Nationwide and MetLife and used AI assistance to extrapolate across all possible pet profile combinations, examining three variables that affect pricing differences across providers.

Breed: Rates vary by breed, with dogs having more pricing variation than cats due to known health risks associated with specific breeds. We studied hundreds of breeds across both species to capture how Nationwide and MetLife price across the full range of animals people own.

State: Where you live affects what insurers charge. We gathered data across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to show where Nationwide and MetLife are competitively priced and where it isn't.

Pet age: Premiums climb as pets get older, and the rate of increase varies by provider. We studied age profiles from under one year through age 20 to show how Nationwide's and MetLife's pricing holds up across a pet's full life.
We evaluated the full policyholder journey using verified reviews from Trustpilot, Reddit and the Better Business Bureau, supplemented by our own firsthand testing of the buying and claims process. The experience was broken into three stages, each weighted to reflect how much it affects long-term satisfaction.

Buying experience (20% of CX score): We assessed how easy it is to get an accurate quote, understand what you're purchasing and get clear answers before committing. This stage matters most for first-time buyers but carries the least weight because a smooth purchase doesn't guarantee a smooth claim.

Policy management (30% of CX score): This is the day-to-day experience of holding a policy with Nationwide and MetLife, from updating coverage and managing payments to accessing documents and getting help when something changes. We evaluated digital tools, billing reliability and how well Nationwide and MetLife support policyholders between claims.

Claims (50% of CX score): This is where a policy either earns its cost or doesn't. We examined how easy it is to file, how quickly claims are processed, how fairly outcomes are decided and how disputes are handled. Claims carries the most weight because it's the only category that tests whether the coverage works when it needs to.
A policy's real value isn't always visible until a claim is denied. We reviewed Nationwide's and MetLife's policy documents in detail to identify the terms that matter most at claim time and give pet owners a complete picture before they buy. Our coverage evaluation focused on four areas:

Core coverage: What conditions and treatments the base plan covers and what it excludes.

Flexibility: How much control policyholders have over their deductible, annual limit, reimbursement rate and optional add-ons, and how those choices affect out-of-pocket costs over time.

Policy terms and conditions: Waiting periods, pre-existing condition rules and any clauses that could affect whether a claim gets paid, all of which are details most policyholders don't read until it's too late.

Add-ons and eligibility: What optional coverage is available, how useful it is in practice and which pets qualify for coverage under Nationwide's and MetLife's underwriting guidelines.

About Ritchel Mendiola

Ritchel Mendiola is a Pet Insurance Content Writer at MoneyGeek. She produces coverage guides, provider comparisons and cost analyses so pet owners can understand their options and avoid overpaying.

Ritchel spent over four years as a News and Feature Writer at Asian Journal Publications, where she reported for the Asian Journal newspaper and Balikbayan Magazine, conducted interviews and covered media events. At MoneyGeek, she covers policy terms, exclusions, waiting periods and reimbursement structures the way she treated news facts. They're sourced, verified and reported accurately rather than summarized from marketing copy.

She joined MoneyGeek in late 2021 in the loans vertical and moved to pet insurance content, which she now leads. Her published work includes provider comparisons, breed-specific cost guides, age-specific coverage analyses and state-level pricing studies, all from the vertical's 5 million pet insurance profiles across 18 major providers and all U.S. states.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rianmendi/

Contact Email: ritchel.mendiola@moneygeek.com

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