Pet Insurance Reimbursement Percentage Explained

Your pet insurance reimbursement percentage is the portion of an eligible vet bill the insurer pays back after you meet your deductible — most commonly 70%, 80%, or 90%. The rest, known as your coinsurance, is what you pay. A higher reimbursement percentage returns more money on every claim but costs more in monthly premium.

How reimbursement percentage works

After you meet your annual deductible, the insurer reimburses the chosen percentage of remaining eligible costs, up to your annual limit. You typically pay the vet in full at the time of service, then submit a claim and receive your reimbursement afterward. A few insurers can pay the vet directly, but pay-and-reimburse is still the norm.

The percentage is sometimes called your coinsurance split. An 80% plan means an 80/20 split: the insurer covers 80% of the eligible amount and you cover the remaining 20%. That 20% is on top of your deductible, so both come out of your pocket before the insurer's share applies.

70% vs. 80% vs. 90%: a real example

Imagine a $4,000 emergency surgery, a $250 deductible already met, and no annual-limit issues. Here is what you would get back at each level:

• 90% reimbursement — insurer pays $3,375; you pay $625 ($250 deductible + $375 coinsurance).
• 80% reimbursement — insurer pays $3,000; you pay $1,000.
• 70% reimbursement — insurer pays $2,625; you pay $1,375.

Why a higher percentage is not always the best buy

A 90% plan feels reassuring, but the premium difference can outweigh the benefit if your pet rarely needs major care. The math favors a higher reimbursement percentage when you expect large or frequent claims, and a lower one when you mainly want catastrophic protection and prefer to keep premiums down.

1. Choose 90% for older pets, breeds prone to expensive conditions, or owners who want maximum predictability.
2. Choose 80% as the popular middle ground that balances premium and payout.
3. Choose 70% if you want the lowest premium and can comfortably cover a larger share of any bill.

How reimbursement interacts with deductibles and limits

Reimbursement percentage never works alone. Your real out-of-pocket cost is shaped by three settings together: the deductible you meet first, the reimbursement percentage applied to what is left, and the annual limit that caps total payouts. Raising your reimbursement to 90% while keeping a low deductible maximizes coverage but also maximizes premium, so tune all three to your budget at once.

Also watch for plans that reimburse based on a benefit schedule rather than your actual vet bill. Schedule-based plans cap payouts per condition, so even a 90% rate can leave you with a large gap. Percentage-of-actual-cost plans are generally more transparent, because the reimbursement applies to what you really paid the vet rather than a fixed table the insurer sets in advance.

Can you change your reimbursement percentage later?

Most insurers let you adjust your reimbursement percentage at renewal, which is useful as your pet ages and is more likely to need costly care. Bumping up from 70% to 90% before a senior pet's high-claim years can pay off, though it raises your premium and any condition diagnosed before the change is still treated under its original terms. Review your settings annually rather than setting and forgetting them.

Compare reimbursement levels in one place with Truvo

Because every carrier prices 70%, 80%, and 90% differently, the only way to know which is the smartest buy is to compare them together. Truvo is an AI-native insurance broker that pulls pet quotes from several carriers and shows how each reimbursement tier changes your premium and your expected payout, all on one screen. Licensed advisors are there if you want guidance, and you will not be buried in follow-up spam calls.