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Pet insurance appeal timelines
Carrier appeal windows vary materially. Embrace gives you 14 days; Pets Best gives you 60. Knowing your specific carrier's window is the first step before drafting an appeal — miss the window and your only remaining lever is the state DOI complaint.
Carrier-by-carrier appeal windows
| Carrier | Appeal window | Carrier response | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embrace Pet Insurance | 14 days | ~28 days | |
| Pets Best | 60 days | pending | |
| Figo Pet Insurance | 90 days | ~30 days | |
| Trupanion | 180 days | ~21 days | Email / portal / phone |
| Lemonade Pet | pending | ~10 days | Email / portal / phone |
| Healthy Paws | pending | ~30 days | Email / portal / phone |
| Fetch (formerly Petplan US) | pending | ~30 days | Email / portal / phone |
| Spot Pet Insurance | pending | ~30 days | Email / portal / phone |
| ManyPets US (in wind-down — transferring to Odie) | pending | pending | |
| Prudent Pet | pending | pending | Email / portal / phone |
When to escalate
- 1
Day of denial
Read the denial letter end-to-end. Identify the cited exclusion and the policy section. Note the date — your appeal window starts running.
- 2
Within 7 days
Pull the relevant vet records. Identify the date of first symptoms. Get a vet's clarifying note if needed (especially for pre-existing or treatment-vs-prevention disputes).
- 3
Within your carrier's window
Submit the appeal letter. Most carriers respond in 15–30 business days, though response times vary.
- 4
If first appeal denied
Escalate within carrier (Embrace second appeal, Pets Best second-level external review, Trupanion ITPV) — these have their own deadlines (typically 30 days from first appeal).
- 5
If carrier-side exhausted
File a complaint with your state insurance commissioner. Most states respond within 30–45 days. Find your state.