Why is Shelterluv offering pet insurance and why MetLife (PetFirst)?
Announcement video from Greg, the founder of Shelterluv:
How does pet insurance help pets?
(Link to download MetLife pamphlets at bottom of article)
- Insured pets are 40% less likely to be returned to the shelter or rescue
- Insured pets see the vet and follow vet's recommendations more often since cost is less of a barrier
- Nearly 1/4 of pet parents have credit or personal loan debt to cover pet health and vet costs. Pet insurance helps adopters prepare for unexpected vet expenses down the road. In fact, 70% of Shelterluv adopters are interested in pet insurance and request a quote in checkout!
What benefits does MetLife Pet Insurance have over other providers?
(Link to download MetLife pamphlets at bottom of article)
- The PetFirst team, now MetLife, has been committed to shelter pets since the beginning. In fact, they were founded by a former shelter director! Because of this, they have the most shelter-pet friendly plans.
- Short or waived waiting periods -- policies activate at midnight the day after adoption
- Cover incubating and undetected illness like kennel cough
- No age limit or breed restrictions, cover mixed breed animals
- Don't require vet exams to sign up
- No lifetime limits
- Dedicated team of pet owners to assist policyholders
- Find coverage and policy details on their FAQ page
Who will be offered MetLife Pet Insurance?
- Adopters who pay using the text-to-checkout feature will have the option to get an instant quote and purchase pet insurance within the checkout flow
- Note the offer will only be shown for single dog or cat adoptions
- Offer is currently available to adopters in all 50 US states and Washington, DC EXCEPT HI. We plan to roll out the remaining state in the near future.
How does this change my adoption process?
- It doesn't! The only change from your current process is that adopters will see an extra screen during mobile checkout with the offer of pet insurance (#1 below). If they choose to request a quote (over 75% of adopters do!), they will see screens #2-3 for their instant quote and policy details. (Link to download image at bottom of article)
- All questions and communication will be handled by MetLife -- in fact, if you don’t have a property insurance license, you are not allowed to answer any questions about pet insurance. All questions should be directed to MetLife's Shelterluv-dedicated toll free number 855-693-1497 or pet_info@metlife.com.
Who should adopters contact if they have a question about pet insurance?
(Link to download MetLife pamphlets at bottom of article)
- Please direct all questions to MetLife's Shelterluv-dedicated toll free number 855-693-1497 or pet_info@metlife.com
- You may also direct them to MetLife's FAQ page for coverage and policy details
- Note: if you don’t have a property insurance license, you are not allowed to answer any questions about pet insurance
Will every adopter's contact information be shared with MetLife?
- No! Unlike traditional shelter partner programs, adopter information is shared with MetLife only when a quote is requested by the adopter. The requested information is needed by MetLife to send back an accurate quote (adopter zip code, animal breed and age).
For adopters who would like pet insurance, how does payment work?
- If an adopter adds a policy to their cart, the first month's premium will be charged at the time of adoption using the same credit or debit card as the rest of the transaction. This will appear as a separate charge on their statement, directly from MetLife. All future premiums will be charged directly by MetLife. The policy will be active at midnight that night.
Is there a discount for our staff and volunteers if they'd like to sign up for MetLife (PetFirst) pet insurance?
- Yes! Your staff and volunteers are eligible for a 10% animal welfare discount. Please have the employee or volunteer call the Shelterluv-dedicated toll free number at 855-693-1497 to sign up for a policy and let them know that they work for an organization that uses Shelterluv.