PHI Direct | Pet Insurance Review

4.5

out of 5

Number of reviews 28

PHI Direct is designed to put budget-friendly pet insurance in your hands for the ‘just in case.’ With PHI Direct’s new-condition coverage, policy premiums are, on average, 50.7% less for dogs and 46.3% less for cats than other Canadian providers* – so that way they can be there for you for the big financial hits of initial diagnosis and treatment. They provide up to $10,000 of coverage per year, 80% reimbursement on eligible vet bills, telehealth coverage included as-standard, and one low $200 annual deductible – so your vet bills are covered sooner. *Source: 2024 North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) Industry Data Report, Section 3: Average Premiums (Canada) / PHI Direct’s average premium for cats is $21.87/ month compared to the industry average of $40.73. PHI Direct’s average premium for dogs is $38.66/ month compared to the industry average of $78.41
1

out of 5

POSTED: | BY: Kelly Denton

WARNING - please don't go with PHI!!

I am devastated at my poorly made decision to switch to PHI Direct. I did not fully understand their policy (my own fault), and that decision has for sure shortened the life of my dog. Once they have a condition that needs to have a claim, they will only cover that until the next time the policy renews. If you have a breed that is likely to have an ongoing issue (such as a heart condition), sorry about your luck, they'll only cover it for the remainder of that policy year (if they cover it at all), then they consider it a "pre-existing condition". Crappy customer service, long wait times, no invoice. Just awful! Please please please understand this policy clearly before you consider signing up. The cheaper premiums are that cheap for a reason, and not worth losing your pet early because you suddenly can't afford to keep treating their condition. What is the point of having insurance if they stop covering you once you have a problem? Please take this warning and avoid this company if you want long term coverage.
5

out of 5

VETERINARIAN: Riverview Health Centre

POSTED: | BY: Andrea Robillard

Grateful for PHI Direct Pet Insurance

Customer Service awesome - Payment for coverage for TPLO was received within days of surgery. Process was painless and stress free. Communication via text and email was issued every step of the way. Would highly recommend this Pet Insurance. Rates are affordable. Five stars from this happy customer.
2

out of 5

POSTED: | BY: E Jia

Sneaky clauses

Apparently the policy excludes conditions that arose in a prior policy year, even if you were insured with PHI at the time. What a scam! I’ve never heard of any insurance working in this manner. Our dog developed a cyst in April but our policy renewed in May. By the time he was seen by a specialist, who is recommending surgery, we were into a new policy year and therefore this is considered a pre-existing condition so none of the specialist fees nor surgery will be covered even though we were insured the entire period. Make sure your pets’ illnesses occur in isolated years otherwise your claims won’t be paid! How ridiculous! I’m sure it’s clearly written in our policy (the lawyers would have made sure of that) but this is so contrary to how I’ve ever experienced insurance that I didn’t notice that restriction. It’s totally understandable if the condition arose before we got insurance but this is nonsense.
1

out of 5

POSTED: | BY: Tatyana Narchayeva

Total scam

I'm a Canadian customer, and I deeply regret I've been wasting my money on this mediocre insurance. It's a scam. Basically, I've been paying for nothing. My cat got serious issues and we had to see a vet multiple times. They denied all claims, finding a way to exclude them from coverage. I'm going to report them to the Ombudsman inspection, it's an unethical way to do business Don't let them take advantage of you!
5

out of 5

POSTED: | BY: Samantha

Quick and easy to process

My claim was quick and easy to process and really made the difference after an emergency vet visit!
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Monthly Cost

As low as $8.44 per month for cats and $11.20 per month for dogs with average premiums of $38.66/mo for dogs and $21.87/mo for cats.

Coverage

PHI Direct covers: Accidents, New Illnesses, Emergency Care, Sick Visit Exam Fees, Applicable Taxes, Referral and Specialist Fees, Alternative Therapies, Anesthesia & Surgery, Behavioural Therapy, Dental Tooth Fracture, Diagnostics, Euthanasia, Hospitalization, Imaging – CT Scans, MRI and X-Rays, Medical Devices, Medical Procedures, Prescription Medications, Parasites

Payout Limits

Two annual policy options: $5,000 or $10,000. 80% reimbursement on eligible vet bills. Your co-insurance share is 20%.

Deductible

$200 Annual Deductible

Age Limits

Pets must be at least 7 weeks or under 14 years of age at the time of enrollment. Once enrolled, coverage will continue for as long as the pet remains enrolled.

Waiting Period

For Accidents – 48 Hours  For Illnesses – 14 Days  For Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 60 Days

Exclusions

Understanding what is not eligible for coverage is as important as knowing what is covered. Like most pet insurance policies, PHI Direct does not cover pre-existing conditions. With ‘New-Condition Coverage,’ any condition experienced in one policy year will be considered pre-existing in future policy years, including any associated or bilateral conditions. For a full list of what is not covered, please see the PHI Direct Policy
PHI Direct Pet Insurance detail
PHI Direct is good basic coverage for your pet – without being weighed down by costly premiums. Urgent Care is why you need insurance most. So why overpay for long-term coverage that protects you for every possible outcome? With PHI Direct, each year you’re buying a year’s worth of pet health insurance coverage with enough of a payout to get you through a typical pet medical crisis. With PHI Direct, you get 80% reimbursement on eligible vet bills, two annual policy limit options of $5,000 or $10,000, and one low $200 annual deductible – so you start getting paid back sooner. PHI Direct’s ‘New-Condition Coverage’ approach provides protection with very reasonable premiums over the life of your pet – up to 50% less compared to other insurers* – and provides you with enough reimbursement benefits for the vast majority of incidents that impact most pets. PHI Direct might be a purr-fect choice for you, if: You’re on a tight budget and you want coverage for the ‘just in case’ Your pet already has been diagnosed with a pre-existing condition, but you want coverage just in case any new accident or illness might happen to them Your old insurer’s prices got too expensive, but you want protection just in case something new pops up PHI Direct isn’t for everyone. We hope to provide pet guardians with options when it comes to their pet’s well-being. PHI Direct might not be the right fit for you if you’re concerned about ongoing illnesses. Too many pets in Canada don’t have the protection of pet insurance. Our goal is to bring affordable pet insurance to more Canadians than ever before.  The PHI Direct new-condition coverage approach will help protect more Canadian pets. Explore whether a PHI Direct pet health insurance policy is right for you and your pet and learn why pet guardians choose PHI Direct. *Source: 2024 North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) Industry Data Report, Section 3: Average Premiums (Canada) / PHI Direct’s average premium for cats is $21.87/ month compared to the industry average of $40.73. PHI Direct’s average premium for dogs is $38.66/ month compared to the industry average of $78.41
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