Odie Pet Insurance Review 2022 – Investopedia

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Investopedia / Design by Amelia Manley
Our Take
Odie Pet Insurance offers accident and illness policies with customizable options at affordable rates. 
Cheaper-than-average premiums
No age or breed limits
Multiple policy options
Wide range of deductible amounts
Reimbursements sent through postal mail
Teeth cleanings and examinations required to get dental coverage in some cases
Maximum reimbursement level of 90%
Not available in Alaska
Investopedia / Design by Amelia Manley
Odie Pet Insurance is a new pet insurer offering accident and illness plans at lower-than-average rates. You can customize your policy with optional coverage to ensure your pet gets the care it needs.
Launched in 2020, Odie is a newcomer to the pet insurance industry. It’s headquartered in Agoura Hills, California. 
It sells its policies directly to consumers through its website, though it also provides customer service by phone and email. Odie works with employee benefits providers so major employers can offer pet insurance as a benefit to their workers. 
Odie offers accident and illness plans, along with wellness plans, for dogs and cats in 49 states and the District of Columbia; the only state it’s not available in is Alaska.
Odie offers three accident and illness plan for dogs and cats which defined by their annual benefit limit. The plans aren’t quite as comprehensive as those offered by some other insurers. You’ll have to pay for one or both of the riders to get coverage for treatments that often come standard with other plans, like certain medications and rehabilitation. 
Here’s a snapshot of the main treatments covered by the basic accident/illness plan and the two wellness plans, Routine Care and Routine Care Plus.
Exams, rehabilitation, and wellness care aren’t covered under Odie’s accident and illness policies. However, you can get some coverage by adding the following options to your policy: 
Like all other pet insurance companies, Odie has waiting periods for accidents and illnesses. 
For illnesses, the waiting period is 14 days, while the waiting period for injuries is just three days. 
There is an exception for cruciate ligament events—cruciate ligament conditions have a six-month waiting period. 
After purchasing an Odie pet insurance policy, you have 30 days from the policy effective date to change your mind. Odie will issue you a full refund of all premiums paid as long as you cancel within 30 days. 
After that, you can cancel at any time by sending a written notification via email, but you won't get a refund of premiums for the time you were insured.
Odie doesn’t cover pre-existing or bilateral conditions, meaning if your pet had a pre-existing condition affecting a limb, Odie won’t cover any future conditions affecting the limb on the other side of the body. 
Although Odie’s extra coverage plan does cover prescription medications, it only reimburses you for medications that are on its formulary. Other medications are not covered. Also, you must buy the Extra Care package to get take-home medication covered. Prescription diets and treatment for behavioral issues aren’t covered either.
Odie identifies pre-existing conditions by looking at medical records for your pet from 18 months prior to the policy effective date. Conditions evident during that period—and any that appear during the policy waiting periods—are considered pre-existing, and any treatments for those conditions will not be covered. 
Be sure to carefully read the policy’s terms and conditions and exclusions before purchasing a policy, especially if you own a breed of pet susceptible to chronic diseases. 
When choosing a plan from Odie, you have three tiers to choose from with varying annual limits:
For all three plans, reimbursement percentages range from 70% to 90%, and deductibles range from $50 to $1,000. 
According to Odie, its plans are 15% to 30% cheaper than those offered by other companies providing the same or similar coverage. We found Odie’s premiums to be better than the industry average, with an average monthly premium of $36.68 for its accident and illness policies (using an average of prices for three pet personas—two dogs and a cat). But be aware that premium costs can vary widely based on the age and breed of your pet, along with your location.
You have the option of adding wellness plans and extra coverage to your policy. Routine Care plans start at $14 per month, while Routine Care Plus plans start at $23 per month. 
Odie has a multi-pet discount: When you enroll more than one pet, you’ll get 5% off your premiums. 
Odie allows you to get quotes and purchase coverage entirely online.
When it comes to pet insurance premiums, companies determine your rates based on several factors, including: 
Members have 180 days from the treatment date to submit a claim. You can submit your claim through the member portal, by emailing [email protected], or by faxing the claims form to 530-285-4258. 
For your initial claim, you will have to submit the last 18 months of your pet’s medical records, as well as your veterinarian’s invoice and receipt. 
According to Odie, it aims to process claims within five business days. Reimbursement is issued in the form of a check sent through the mail, which you can expect in one to two weeks. 
Odie’s customer support is provided via email, phone, or chat. Its customer service team is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. CST. To contact customer support, email [email protected] or call (877) 327-0471. 
Current policyholders can use the customer portal to make changes to their policies and to access the 24/7 televet service to chat with a licensed veterinarian and ask questions about their pet’s health. 
Odie is a pet insurance program, but it doesn’t underwrite the insurance policies it sells. Instead, its program is administered by Norse Specialty Insurance Services, and its policies are underwritten by Clear Blue Insurance Group. 
Clear Blue Insurance Group is a relatively young company that was launched in 2015. It offers property and casualty insurance, and partners with companies like Odie to underwrite various insurance products. 
Clear Blue Insurance Group has an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, a credit rating agency that evaluates insurance companies. This rating shows that AM Best believes the company has an excellent ability to meet its ongoing insurance obligations. 
Odie has zero complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. It has only a handful of reviews on Trustpilot, but comments are generally positive. One customer wrote: 
“This is my first time with insurance. Odie has been very good, very helpful, sincere, and caring about animals. I would recommend 100% to anyone with pets.”
Pets are considered property under the law, so pet insurance policies are underwritten by property and casualty insurance companies.
Choosing the right pet insurance company can be overwhelming. As you evaluate your options, make sure you consider the following variables: 
Explore your pet insurance options in a variety of categories with our picks for the best pet insurance companies and plans available today.
For dog and cat owners looking for basic coverage against accidents and illnesses, Odie provides affordable coverage. Those that want coverage for routine care, rehabilitation, office exams, and other services will have to purchase routine care or extra coverage riders, which can add to your monthly cost. And the lack of direct deposit for reimbursements may be a significant drawback for some.
Investopedia is dedicated to providing consumers with unbiased, comprehensive reviews of pet insurance companies. We rated 25 providers and collected over 2,000 data points, including information about plan options, company features, and fees and limits, to ensure that our reviews help users make informed decisions for their pet insurance needs.
Our full pet insurance methodology, including our data collection process and weighted data points, is available for review.
Odie. "Meet Odie, Pet Insurance for Everyone Who Cares About Pet Wellness." 
AM Best. "Clear Blue Insurance Company." 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Complaints Database." 
Trustpilot. "Odie Pet Insurance." 
National Association of Insurance Commisioners. "A Regulator's Guide to Pet Insurance," Page 10. 

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