Banfield Pet Insurance Review

Banfield Pet Hospital is a network of pet clinics in the U.S. that offers full coverage for basic wellness services for a set monthly price. Because it’s not pet insurance, Banfield’s plans require no deductibles or co-payments and accept animals of any age, even those with pre-existing or hereditary conditions.

Banfield offers simply-priced plans for adult and juvenile dogs and cats regardless of breed or health. You can also get between a 5% to 20% discount on additional pet products and services and extend your coverage with additional paid dental, parasite, spay/neuter, and genetic testing add-ons.      

Here, we cover how Banfield’s plans work, what coverage it offers, additional services, pricing, and more to help you decide if its plans are right for you

Company Overview: Simple Subscription-Based Pet Care

Originally founded as a veterinary practice in Oregon in 1955, Banfield Pet Hospital expanded its services to educate pet owners about preventive health care during the late 1980s. In 1994, the company established a partnership with PetSmart to offer on-site wellness services at pet stores across the country. Today, Banfield operates 975 locations in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Instead of offering pet insurance with deductibles, reimbursement amounts, and annual coverage limits, Banfield offers full coverage for a list of common routine pet care services for a fixed monthly fee plus discounts on additional pet products and services.

Unlike pet insurance, Banfield offers no coverage for services due to accidents and illnesses. However, it does cover dogs and cats of any age and health, even if they have pre-existing or hereditary conditions.

Banfield gets average reviews on Yelp and below-average reviews from Trustpilot. While some Yelp reviewers praise the fast and easy service at some locations, others cite difficulty and inconsistent service at other locations. Complaints on Trustpilot typically involve misdiagnosed conditions and poor veterinary service.   

Because it is not an insurance provider, Banfield is not rated by AM Best or similar agencies. However, the company has earned an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).       

Services Available: Wellness Plans

Banfield offers a variety of simple wellness plans that cover the cost of the following preventive and routine care services through Banfield’s network of clinics:  

• Unlimited office visits
• Routine vaccinations
• Comprehensive physical exams
• Diagnostic testing
• Product and service discounts
• Online access to your pet’s records
• 24/7 pet care advice

Although you get unlimited office visits, unless your visit falls under one of the services below, you will need to pay for it out of pocket using the discount offered by your plan. Your discount also applies to these extra services:

• Parasite preventives when purchased outside your plan
• Prescriptions and medications (except custom compounded medications)
• Shampoo, conditioners, and lotions
• Medical tests or services 

Adult Wellness Plans 

Banfield’s three adult wellness plans cover cats and dogs six months and older for the following services. Numbers in parentheses indicate how many times that service is covered in one year.

* Cats only

† Dogs only

Juvenile Wellness Plans 

Banfield’s two juvenile wellness plans apply to cats and dogs under six months of and cover the following services. Numbers in parentheses indicate how many times that service is covered per year.

* Dogs only

Other Add-ons: Dental Care, Chronic Care and More 

Banfield also lets you add certain coverage to any plan that doesn’t already include those services. For instance, spaying and neutering are only offered for juvenile pets but can be added to an adult wellness plan. Prices vary depending on age and species, and you will need to request a quote online to get a price estimate.      

Additional Dental 

Because some dog breeds are more prone to dental issues, Banfield offers the option to pay for additional dental cleanings in its Active Prevention Care and Special Care Plans. 

Parasite Control 

This includes coverage for a variety of flea and heartworm medications, including Simparica, FirstShield, Interceptor Plus, Tri-Heart Plus, and Trifexis.

Spay/Neuter 

This routine surgical procedure includes coverage for pre-anesthetic blood testing, monitoring throughout the procedure and recovery, and pain medication before and directly after.

WISDOM PANEL Health 

Using a small blood sample, Banfield can screen for over 200 genetic disease mutations in over 350 breeds, types, and varieties of cats and dogs.

Chronic Care 

You can add coverage to help your pet with some of the following chronic conditions by working with your Banfield vet first:

• Renal (for dogs with chronic kidney disease or kidney failure)
• Diabetes (for dogs with diabetes mellitus)
• Otitis (for dogs with mild to severe ear infections)

Plan Exclusions: Wellness Coverage Only  

Because Banfield’s wellness plans aren’t health insurance, pre-existing conditions are included in your plan coverage. Outside of the services that are covered by your plan, you can also get discounts on other Banfield products and services. You will need to contact your local Banfield pet hospital to get a list of services it offers.     

Cost: Fixed Adult and Juvenile Pet Plans 

Banfield offers fixed monthly pricing for adult (over six months old) and juvenile (under six months old) dogs and cats regardless of breed.    

In addition to your monthly fee, Banfield charges a one-time setup fee of $49.95 which is due with your first payment. You can pay monthly or annually, and you can take $15 off of your membership fee if you have multiple pets.   

Customer Service: Phone, Email, Chat and 24/7 Vet Consultation

Banfield offers membership and enrollment support by phone and email during standard business hours, which are unspecified. You can also contact your local Banfield hospital directly during normal business hours which vary by location.  

As a Banfield member, you also get access to Vet Chat which lets you text online or through the Banfield app with a licensed vet about general pet health issues any time of day or night. 

Competition: Banfield vs. Pet Assure 

We compared Banfield to Pet Assure which offers discounts on routine pet care through participating veterinary practices in the U.S.

The main difference between the two is that Pet Assure is a discount program rather than a network of physical pet clinics. As a result, it offers a blanket 25% discount for any veterinary service rather than 100% coverage for specific wellness services. Pet Assure also works with over 5,000 participating pets in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada while Banfield currently has fewer than 1,000 locations in the U.S and Puerto Rico.        

In short, Pet Assure will save you money on fees at a handful of vets in your area, making it a good option if you want to save on vet visits due to accidents and illnesses. With Banfield, however, you get 100% coverage for common routine care services which is good like to be proactive with your pet’s health.

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