Embrace and Healthy Paws are both well-regarded providers, but they take different approaches to deductibles, coverage limits, and what’s included beyond accidents and illness. Embrace’s diminishing deductible and Wellness Rewards add-on appeal to owners who want their plan to reward healthy years and help with routine costs, while Healthy Paws focuses on simplicity and unlimited payouts. Here’s how they compare for 2026.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Embrace | Healthy Paws |
|---|---|---|
| Reimbursement rate | Choice of 70%–90% | Choice of 50%–90% |
| Annual limit | Up to $30,000 | Unlimited |
| Deductible feature | Diminishing deductible (-$50/claim-free year) | Fixed annual deductible |
| Exam fee coverage | Included on base plan | Not covered |
| Dental illness coverage | Included on base plan | Not covered |
| Wellness add-on | Yes, Wellness Rewards ($15–$30/mo) | Not offered |
| Multi-pet discount | ~10% | None |
| Max enrollment age | ~14 years | Under 14 years |
| Starting price (sample dog) | ~$34/mo | ~$30/mo |
Sample prices for a young, mixed-breed dog in a mid-sized U.S. city. Your actual quote will depend on your pet’s age, breed, location, and the deductible/reimbursement combination you choose.
How We Compared These Plans
This comparison is based on the publicly available plan documents, sample policies, and rate information published by Embrace and Healthy Paws on their official websites, with attention to deductible structure, base plan inclusions (exam fees, dental), wellness options, and annual limits.
Where Embrace Wins
Falling deductible. With Embrace, your deductible falls by $50 each year that you don’t make a claim on your policy, potentially saving money over the long run with a healthy pet – something Healthy Paws does not offer.
Better basic plan coverage. Embrace covers examination fees, dental illnesses, and orthopedics on its basic plan while excluding those from the Healthy Paws plan.
Wellness Rewards add-on. Embrace offers an add-on wellness rider that reimburses 100% of preventative care like vaccines, microchips, and teeth cleaning up to your designated annual benefit limit – while Healthy Paws does not have one.
Multiple pet discount. Embrace provides an approximate 10% multiple pet discount, whereas Healthy Paws offers none.
Where Healthy Paws Wins
No limits on annual or lifetime payout. The Healthy Paws plan offers unlimited benefits without any annual or lifetime payout limitations at all. By contrast, Embrace only allows $30,000 of benefits each year before it caps out.
Less expensive upfront. Compared to Embrace, Healthy Paws tends to be slightly less expensive when purchasing insurance for a young, healthy dog or cat.
Quick claims process. Healthy Paws processes claims through their mobile app and takes around two days on average.
Coverage and Exclusions
Both providers exclude pre-existing conditions and apply standard 14-day illness waiting periods. The clearest distinction is breadth vs. ceiling: Embrace covers more types of costs on its base plan (exam fees, dental illness, optional wellness), while Healthy Paws offers a higher ceiling on what it will pay out for the things it does cover (unlimited vs. $30,000 annual cap).
For a pet that’s likely to need a mix of routine and unexpected care — exam fees, occasional dental issues, vaccines — Embrace’s broader inclusions and wellness add-on may provide more day-to-day value. For a pet where the bigger concern is a catastrophic, expensive diagnosis down the road, Healthy Paws’ unlimited payouts remove the $30,000 ceiling that Embrace imposes.
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose Embrace if: you want exam fees and dental illness covered on the base plan, you’re interested in a wellness add-on for routine care, you have multiple pets, or you like the idea of a deductible that decreases over time.
- Choose Healthy Paws if: you want the highest possible payout ceiling (unlimited), a lower starting price, and don’t need dental, exam fee, or wellness coverage.
Both are well-reviewed, reputable providers. Get a personalized quote from each based on your pet’s age, breed, and location.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Embrace’s diminishing deductible?
For every year you don’t file a claim, Embrace reduces your deductible by $50 (up to a plan-specific maximum reduction), rewarding pets that stay healthy with lower out-of-pocket costs over time.
Does Healthy Paws cover exam fees?
No. Healthy Paws does not cover exam fees related to an illness or injury. Embrace includes exam fee coverage on its base plan.
Which has a higher annual limit?
Healthy Paws offers unlimited annual and lifetime payouts on its single plan. Embrace’s annual limits cap out at $30,000 — there’s no unlimited option.
Does either plan cover dental cleanings?
Embrace covers dental illness on its base plan and offers dental cleaning reimbursement through its Wellness Rewards add-on. Healthy Paws does not cover dental at all.
Our Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, veterinary, or insurance advice. We are not a licensed insurance agency, and nothing on this page should be taken as a guarantee of coverage, pricing, or claim outcomes. Pet insurance pricing, reimbursement rates, coverage limits, and exclusions vary by state, by pet, and change frequently — always review the official policy documents and get a personalized quote directly from the provider before purchasing a plan. We may earn a commission if you sign up for a plan through links on this page, at no additional cost to you. This does not influence our rankings or opinions, which are based on our independent research of publicly available plan information.
Last updated: June 2026.