Meet Fetch, a New Breed of Pet Insurance
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At Fetch Pet Insurance headquarters, the sound of hard drives humming and the click-click of fingernails striking the keyboard are punctuated by the occasional yap and the quiet snores of sleeping pups. Paul Guyardo, CEO of the growing pet insurance company estimates that 95% of the company’s 225 employees are pet parents and many of them bring their furry kiddos to work every day. “We screen potential employees for their attitudes toward pets,” Guyardo reports. He himself is a parent to Huncho, a 4-year-old Shichon, the adorable result of crossbreeding the Shi Tzu and the Bichon Frise.
The Founding Principles Fetch Is Built On
Fetch Pet Insurance is a mission-driven company: at its core, Fetch is dedicated to providing pet parents a way to guarantee they’re able to give their four-legged companions the best veterinary care under a wide range of health circumstances. Fetch insurance makes it affordable to get your pets the care they need whether they’re suffering from an illness or have been in an accident. The company arms pet parents with the information they need to keep their pets in top physical condition day-to-day. One glance at the company’s comprehensive blog, The Dig, demonstrates its authority on all things pet-related, from common illnesses to medications to healthy diet and exercise tips. Kudos to the company for the clever blog name—it’s a great place to dig for information on a wide variety of pet-related topics.
Guyardo describes Fetch Pet Insurance as a 15-year-old startup company, still very much focused on innovation. The company was the first to cover virtual veterinary appointments in 2019, long before COVID-19 made virtual healthcare a norm. The company distinguishes itself through its depth of coverage, as well. Fetch policies will cover comprehensive dental coverage, for example. Policies cover a wide variety of holistic care, behavioral treatment that goes beyond the typical, chiropractic visits, and more. Fetch also covers sick visit exam fees, which are often one of the most expensive part of veterinary care. By covering exam fees, the company encourages vet visits even for minor conditions that some pet parents might ignore, hoping their pets will get better on their own and save money on veterinary costs (except wellness visits). With pet insurance from Fetch, you can bring your pet to the vet whenever necessary without breaking the bank — and get coverage that other carriers do not offer.
Fetch Forward® To More Insight
In keeping with its startup culture, in February of this year, Fetch Pet Insurance launched a program to help pet lovers anticipate the health problems their pets may experience in the future and predict what veterinary expenses they may encounter down the road. Fetch Forward (patent pending technology) uses artificial intelligence to inform policyholders about their pets’ health risks. The ground-breaking technology uses more than 150 million data points gleaned from 15 years of clinical health findings to come up with predictions pet parents can use to fine-tune their pets’ everyday pet wellness routines. The program gives pet parents access to insights they may never have had before and offers specific recommendations on how to keep their pets in tip-top shape. Certain feeding choices, supplements, exercise regimens, and more are proven to help prevent health problems in dogs and cats. Following Fetch Forward's advice for preventive healthcare can protect pets from chronic illnesses. The program also offers information on breed-specific conditions for purebred pet owners.
Choosing the Right Pet Insurance
Not surprisingly, Fetch Pet Insurance CEO Paul Guyardo has some opinions on what features make up the best pet insurance policies. When asked whether every pet parent needs pet insurance, he answered frankly, “No. If you can comfortably cover your pet’s veterinary care out-of-pocket, you may not need pet insurance. But most pet parents aren’t in the position to cover the costs of serious illness and accident care, which can run into thousands of dollars. And even wealthy pet owners can save by insuring their pets.”
Guyardo recommends that pet parents insure their pets when they are young—ideally from puppyhood or kittenhood. He advises pet owners to read each policy they’re considering carefully and to be on the lookout for specific exclusions, such as the ones most policies have for expensive dental care (which most carriers do not offer). “The veterinary field makes progress all the time, so make sure your policy covers the most innovative treatments available.” Often, the latest treatments are the best treatments. But some pet insurance policies only cover routine treatment of pet health problems.
More About Fetch
Fetch Pet Insurance offers an easy, online enrollment process. Answer a few quick questions and you’ll be provided with an instant quote. You can file claims online or through the Fetch Pet Insurance mobile app, for convenience on the go. The mobile app allows you to scan your vet bills for submission, track your claims history, chat with Fetch, and more. You can also get your reimbursements through direct deposit.
The Fetch Challenge
There are more than 63 million dog parents and 42 million cat parents in the US today. And yet only 3.3% of canine and feline companions are covered by pet insurance. Fetch aims to change all that. By partnering with the Dodo, the world’s largest online pet community, through its wide-ranging media outreach program, and through technological innovations like Fetch Forward, Fetch is bringing more pet health and wellness knowledge to the table. Help yourself! Your pet will be better off and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re giving Fido and Fluffy the healthiest, happy life you can offer them.