The Protector Plan: Pet Insurance Meets Virtual Vet Care

In the past few years, there has been a boom in pet adoption interest across the globe, with a record number of cats and dogs leaving shelters to join their forever homes.¹ As the relationship between humans and their pets continues to evolve, an increasing number of people are beginning to truly see their pet as a part of their family.²

This growing sentiment has led pet owners to look for new avenues to improve their pet’s quality of life, from litter robots for cats to probiotic chews for dogs. It has also propelled the enthusiasm for pet insurance and veterinary telemedicine. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, at the end of 2021, 3.9 million pets in the United States were insured, a 28 percent increase from 2020.³ 

With Dutch’s Protector plan, you can reap the benefits of both pet insurance and veterinary telemedicine. As the first offering of its kind, Dutch combines unlimited virtual care for everyday issues with an accident insurance plan that provides $10,000 a year for emergency vet visits. Want to learn more about pet insurance? Keep reading as we take a deep dive into its costs and advantages, ending with a comprehensive look at how pet insurance works at Dutch.

• What Is Pet Insurance?
• Benefits Of Pet Insurance
• Benefits Of Virtual Vet Care
• What Type Of Pet Insurance Does Dutch Offer?
• How Does Pet Insurance Work At Dutch?
• How Much Does Dutch’s Pet Insurance Cost?
• Why Choose Dutch’s Protector Plan?

What Is Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance is an insurance policy that reimburses you for eligible costs on your veterinary bill. It helps you prepare for the unexpected and provides a safety net for both your pet’s health and your finances. With pet insurance, you no longer need to worry about finding a veterinarian within your budget or the costs for a major life-saving surgery. Instead, you can focus solely on getting the best care for your pet and making sure they feel their best.  

Here are some health insurance terms you should know in order to better understand pet insurance:

Benefits Of Pet Insurance

Now that you have an idea of what pet insurance is and its associated costs, let’s take a look at some of the benefits of pet insurance.

Safeguards the health and wellbeing of your pet

As pet parents, we want the best for our pets and would do anything to help them live long and healthy lives. With pet insurance, there is already a plan in place in case anything happens to your cat or dog. Because of your investment in their health, they are able to get prompt, high-quality care and work on recovering as soon as possible.

Increases treatment options

Pet insurance puts choice back in your hands. Without worrying about whether you can pay the bills, you now have the opportunity to choose from a variety of care options and work with any vet you want. Costly but potentially life-saving surgeries are no longer out of the picture.

Provides peace of mind

Having a sick or injured pet can take a toll on your mental health. Pet insurance saves you time and gives you peace of mind to never have to worry about the “what ifs.” You can rest assured that your pet will get the help they need as soon as they need it. 

Helps you save money and budget

Pet insurance eliminates the possibility of having to choose between your pet and your wallet. After your annual deductible, it makes veterinary care significantly less expensive. With a number of payment options, you can steadily contribute to your pet’s healthcare, rather than having to come up with a large chunk of money at a moment’s notice. Saving your pet’s life shouldn’t have to break the bank.

Benefits Of Virtual Vet Care

At Dutch, pet insurance goes hand in hand with virtual vet care. With a team of licensed veterinarians armed with the industry’s latest information and technology,  we provide customized treatment plans for your pet’s everyday health needs. Some benefits of virtual vet care at Dutch include:

Get care when you need it

Dutch’s vets work outside of traditional clinic hours to provide your pet the best care possible. Rather than waiting for weeks for a local vet’s packed schedule to free up, Dutch has short wait times that allow for easy, accessible, and prompt care.

Unlimited care and follow-ups

Dutch’s veterinary telemedicine plans go beyond short-term symptom relief. Your vet is happy to answer any questions you have, adjust treatment plans according to your pet’s progress, and work with you to manage chronic conditions. 

Care from the comfort of your home

Virtual vet care allows your pet to get the help they need from the comfort of their own home. For everyday issues, telemedicine can be especially beneficial to pets that get anxious traveling by car or have trouble staying still in waiting rooms. 

Rx shipped to your door

Dutch provides medical solutions. We are able to diagnose and prescribe medication for your pet just like any in-person vet. There’s no need to go to a pharmacy either. Dutch delivers prescriptions straight to your door for free. 

Virtual vet care does not seek to replace in-person care. Rather, it hopes to compliment it and bridge gaps in care, especially when local veterinarians are not available. 

What Type Of Pet Insurance Does Dutch Offer?

In terms of insurance, Dutch offers an accident-only plan through Pets Best, the first collaboration between an online vet company and a highly rated insurance agency. While Dutch’s veterinary telemedicine supports your pet through everyday physical and behavioral issues such as food allergies and destructive behavior, the accident coverage plan provides help during emergency situations, from animal bites to car accidents. Dutch’s Protector plan gives your pet the best of both worlds, making sure they are protected when it matters the most.

What’s covered in the accident plan?

Instead of covering pre-existing injuries, cruciate ligament injuries, or any illnesses or diseases, Dutch’s pet insurance focuses on the in-person treatment of accidents. 

The accident plan covers:

• Trauma
• Poisoning
• Animal bites
• Injuries caused by car accidents
• Foreign body ingestion
• Bone fracture
• Laceration, cut, abrasion
• Wound
• Torn nail
• Any medical problems that can be directly attributed to an accident

Some examples of what’s not covered include:

• Bacterial or viral disease
• Parasitic infection
• Metabolic disease
• Preventive care

However, with the Protector plan, your pet is eligible for veterinary care from Dutch with unlimited visits and follow-ups for any of the above medical issues. 

How Does Pet Insurance Work At Dutch?

Pet insurance at Dutch works on a reimbursement basis. For the covered pet, Dutch offers  $10,000 insurance each year that can be used for multiple accidents until it is depleted. Dutch’s insurance process follows three simple steps:

1. Visit any veterinarian after an accident

While an accident happening to your pet can be distressing and worrisome, with Dutch’s pet insurance, you can visit any veterinarian in the United States to get your pet immediate help. There is no need to speak with a Dutch vet or contact Pets Best first — just go to the vet and pay as usual.

2. Submit your insurance claim

Submitting an insurance claim is easy with our partner Pets Best. Not only can you submit claims through Pets Best’s easy-to-use online portal accessible on both desktop and mobile, but other options like email, fax, and standard mail are also available. To make sure your claim gets processed as quickly as possible, remember to submit your original paid invoices and a signed claim form.  

3. Reimbursement 

Once your claim has been reviewed and approved, you will be reimbursed using the method you selected, whether that’s direct deposit to your bank account, a check mailed to your address, or through Vet Direct Pay. 

How Much Does Dutch’s Pet Insurance Cost?

Dutch’s Protector plan combines always-available, high-quality virtual vet care with affordable pet insurance from just $21 a month. We also offer different payment plans if you prefer to pay quarterly or yearly. Save money with an annual bill of $252 for cats and $288 for dogs, or use Afterpay for 4 easy payments of $63 for cats and $72 for dogs. 

The Protector plan offers unlimited virtual vet care and follow-ups for everyday physical and behavioral issues. In terms of pet insurance, after a deductible of $250, you will only need to pay a 10% coinsurance of all covered treatment before the $10,000/year coverage kicks in. This insurance can be used for multiple accidents for the covered pet within a year of the policy starting. 

Why Choose Dutch’s Protector Plan?

Protect your pets’ health and save money with Dutch’s Protector plan. Get the best of virtual vet care and pet insurance from just $21 a month. 

Dutch’s virtual vet care is available 24/7 and provides as much help as your pets need from the comfort of your home. Dutch’s pet insurance offers an accident coverage plan, making sure your pets can get the prompt in-person care they need in case of an emergency. The Protector plan offers accident insurance for the first pet that you sign up, but provides virtual vet care for up to 5 pets in your household. 

Get started with Dutch today and take advantage of your plan to ensure your pets are happy and healthy. Curious about how much Dutch can help you save? Check out our pet cost calculator.