Pet insurance is one of the fastest-growing voluntary benefits on the market. And if you’re a broker or HR leader, chances are you’re seeing more carriers, more plan designs, and more “must-have” claims than ever before.

On the surface, many of these offerings look similar: Accident and illness coverage. Wellness add-ons. Promises of easy claims and affordable rates.

The reality is that not all pet insurance providers are built for the workplace. Some are consumer plans repackaged for employers. Others lack the administrative support, flexibility, or employee experience needed to succeed as a voluntary benefit.

So how do you tell the difference?

Why Pet Insurance Now Belongs in Benefits Conversations

Pet ownership in the U.S. has reached record levels, with the majority of households now caring for at least one pet. At the same time, the cost of veterinary care continues to rise, driven by advances in diagnostics, specialty care, and longer pet lifespans.

For employees, that combination creates real financial pressure. Routine care, emergency visits, medications, and chronic condition management add up quickly and often unexpectedly.

That’s why pet insurance has moved from a “nice-to-have” perk to a benefit employees actively ask about. It reflects how people live today. For many workers, pets are family, companions, and a major source of emotional support.

For employers, offering pet insurance as a voluntary benefit is a way to meet those real-life needs without adding to core benefit costs – but only if the provider is set up to work in a group benefits environment.

Start here: Does the Provider Support Diverse Pet Families?

A strong pet insurance provider should offer options that work for a wide range of pet families, not just young, healthy dogs. That typically means offering a mix of:

• Traditional pet insurance for accident and illness
• Pet wellness plans that help cover routine care
• Pet discount plans that reduce everyday pet expenses beyond vet visits

Why is this important?

Because employees’ needs vary widely. Some have new puppies or kittens and want help with vaccinations, spay/neuter procedures, and early wellness visits. Others have older pets that require ongoing care and face higher insurance premiums. Some employees own exotic pets that aren’t covered by traditional policies at all. Others have multiple pets and need affordable options that scale.

If a provider only offers one type of plan, you’re likely leaving a large portion of your workforce out.

One standout option is Pet Benefit Solutions’ new Wishbone Advantage pet insurance plan. This flexible, budget-friendly plan combines a traditional pet insurance structure with instant savings on vet visits, helping offset costs not typically covered by insurance alone. Pet parents can visit any vet in the U.S., and receive an additional 10% reimbursement and an instant 25% discount at veterinarians in Wishbone’s national veterinary network. 

Essential Product Questions

When evaluating providers, ask:

• Are there options for younger and older pets?
• Are exotic pets supported?
• Are there multi-pet solutions?
• Can employees choose coverage based on budget and care priorities?

Choice is what makes a voluntary benefit valuable. Without it, enrollment and satisfaction tend to stall.

Is the Provider Built for Voluntary Benefits… or Just Selling Insurance?

This is one of the most important distinctions to make.

Some companies specialize in consumer pet insurance and later decide to “add” a workplace offering. Others are built specifically for the voluntary benefits space, with systems, support, and experience designed for brokers, HR teams, and group rollouts.

A provider with true voluntary benefits experience understands things like:

• Group enrollment cycles
• Payroll deduction requirements
• Broker relationships
• Employer communication needs
• Compliance considerations across states

They also understand that success goes beyond selling a policy. It means driving adoption, minimizing administrative burden, and supporting employees over time.

When reviewing providers, look beyond the product itself and ask:

• How long has this company worked in the voluntary benefits space?
• Do they support brokers and HR teams directly?
• Is their model designed for groups, not just individuals?

Pet insurance may be the product, but execution is what determines whether it works as a benefit.

What Will the Employee Experience Really Look Like?

Employees pay out of pocket for pet care first, then rely on reimbursement. If the process is slow, confusing, or opaque, frustration builds fast. Even a well-priced plan can lose value if it’s hard to use.

A strong provider prioritizes simplicity and transparency. That includes:

• Clear, easy-to-understand plan details
• Straightforward enrollment
• Intuitive member portals
• Fast and predictable claims processing
• Responsive customer support

It’s also worth asking whether the provider offers features employees increasingly expect, such as veterinary telehealth, care guidance, or support services that help them decide when and how to seek treatment.

When evaluating employee experience, ask:

• How long do claims typically take to process?
• Can employees track claims easily?
• Is customer support trained in voluntary benefits?
• Are educational materials written in plain language?

If employees can’t understand or use the benefit confidently, they won’t stay enrolled.

How Easy is This for HR to Administer?

Voluntary benefits are meant to expand offerings without expanding workload. A pet insurance provider should help make that possible instead of adding complexity.

Key things to look for include:

• Integration with benefits administration platforms
• Clear payroll deduction setup
• Turnkey implementation support
• Ongoing administrative tools and reporting
• Broker and HR support throughout the lifecycle

Some providers offer flat-rate plans that simplify administration, but it’s still important to understand how those plans affect employees in terms of affordability and coverage.

Be sure to ask:

• Will this integrate with existing ben admin systems?
• What does implementation actually require from HR?
• Is ongoing support included?
• Who handles employee education and communications?

A provider that understands the realities of HR workloads will have answers ready and processes designed to minimize friction.

Are the Plans Affordable and Sustainable for Employees?

Employees look at the full picture: premiums, deductibles, reimbursement rates, exclusions, and what’s actually covered. A plan with low premiums but high out-of-pocket costs may end up being more expensive in practice.

It’s also important to understand how pricing scales over time, especially for aging pets or employees with multiple animals.

When reviewing affordability, consider:

• How premiums change as pets age
• Whether deductibles are annual or per incident
• What reimbursement percentages look like in real scenarios
• Whether wellness or discount options help offset routine costs

Sustainable plans are those employees can afford to keep year after year, not just during open enrollment.

Choosing a Partner, Not Just a Plan

Evaluating pet insurance providers doesn’t mean you need to find a single “best” plan. All you need to do is choose a partner that understands both sides of the equation: pet care and workplace benefits.

The right provider will:

• Support diverse pet families
• Offer multiple benefit types
• Deliver a strong employee experience
• Minimize administrative burden
• Bring proven voluntary benefits expertise

That combination is what turns pet insurance from a cookie cutter benefit into a valued part of your overall offering.

Pet Benefits Built for Your Team

At Pet Benefit Solutions, our all-inclusive pet plans were designed specifically for the voluntary benefits space. With experience supporting brokers, HR teams, and employers nationwide, PBS understands what it takes to successfully implement pet benefits at scale.

By offering a full suite of pet benefit options – including traditional pet insurance, wellness plans, and pet discount plans – PBS helps employers meet employees where they are, without adding unnecessary complexity.

With easy implementation, administrative support, and employee-friendly experiences, PBS makes it possible to offer pet benefits that employees actually use and appreciate.

To learn more about implementing pet benefits in your organization, visit https://www.petbenefits.com/.