Nationwide Pet Insurance

Eventually Fynn's premiums will run higher than mine — they bump pets up as they age — but the peace of mind is worth the insanity.

Here's why I'm a believer: my soul pup Quinn. I insured her on a whim in 2008, and for years it felt like money down the drain. Then in 2021 we found a small mass in her lung, and suddenly all those unused premiums were the smartest thing I'd ever done — two years of every kind of care, and I never once had to think about cost. Because she'd been with the same company (ASPCA) since she was 12 weeks old, nothing counted as "preexisting."

Fynn's on Nationwide Pet. We hit the deductible every year on vaccines alone; after that, all meds, dental, torn dewclaws — and heaven forbid anything bigger — covered at 90%, no limit.

The catch: you have to commit to one company to dodge the preexisting-condition games. Which is why I don't chase the cheaper new options I'm not sure will still be around when Fynn turns 100. (She's making it to 100.)

If you can swing it this is a worthwhile spend: 18 years, two dogs, and it's paid off both ways — financially and in peace of mind.