Hannah Pet Hospital vs. Pet Insurance.
They sound similar — both promise to take the financial stress out of vet care. But Hannah Membership and pet insurance work in fundamentally different ways, and the differences matter when your Pet actually needs care.
The short version
Pet insurance is a reimbursement product — you pay the vet first, file a claim, and (eventually) get partially refunded, minus a deductible, co-pay, and annual cap. Pre-existing conditions are excluded. Waiting periods apply.
Hannah Pet Hospital is a Membership — one predictable monthly fee covers care directly, delivered at Hannah hospitals. No claims, no reimbursements, no deductibles, no co-pays, no annual maximums. Most pre-existing conditions welcome. Coverage starts immediately.
Side-by-side comparison
| Hannah Membership | Typical Pet Insurance | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | One predictable monthly fee. Care delivered directly at Hannah hospitals. No bills, no claims, no reimbursements. | Reimbursement model. Pay the vet up front, file a claim, wait days or weeks for partial reimbursement. |
| Deductibles | $0 — no deductibles. | Typically $100–$1,000+ per year, or per incident. |
| Co-pays | None. | Typically 10–30% co-insurance after deductible. |
| Annual maximum | No cap on covered care. | Typically $5,000–$15,000/year, or "unlimited" plans at higher premiums. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Most welcome. Some severe cases excluded; see Membership Agreement. | Categorically excluded in nearly every policy. |
| Waiting periods | None — coverage starts at enrollment. | 14–30 days for illness; 6+ months for orthopedic in many policies. |
| Routine / preventive care | Included — wellness exams, vaccines, parasite prevention. | Usually requires a separate "wellness" add-on at extra cost. |
| Dental care | Included — cleanings, exams, most extractions. | Frequently excluded or limited to injury-only. |
| Behavior & training | Included — unlimited B.E.S.T. team support. | Typically excluded. |
| Emergency care | Included at our Tigard hospital, 24/7. | Reimbursed after deductible / co-pay / caps. |
| Where you can use it | Hannah hospitals only (Portland & Tigard). | Any licensed vet, but you pay first. |
| Claims to file | Zero. | Every visit, for every covered expense. |
| Predictability | Same monthly fee. No surprise bills for covered care. | Monthly premium + unknown out-of-pocket per visit. |
Why the model matters
Insurance reimburses you. Hannah delivers care directly.
This is the single biggest practical difference. With pet insurance, you walk into the vet, pay the bill in full, file a claim, and wait for reimbursement — minus your deductible, minus your co-pay, capped at your annual limit. Some Pet Parents put major surgeries on credit cards waiting for reimbursement.
Hannah is a Membership. You pay your monthly fee. When your Pet needs care, you bring them to a Hannah hospital and they get treated. There's no bill at the end. There's no claim to file. There's no reimbursement to wait for. The Membership is the payment.
Pre-existing conditions: the silent dealbreaker for insurance.
Virtually every pet insurance policy excludes pre-existing conditions — anything your Pet was diagnosed with (or showed symptoms of) before the policy started. For older Pets, this can mean the most likely-to-need-care issues are categorically uncovered.
Hannah Membership accepts most pre-existing conditions. Some severe or aggressive cases are excluded; the Membership Agreement spells out the full details. But the default is "welcome," not "excluded."
No claims means no claim denials.
A common Pet Parent frustration with pet insurance: the bill arrives, the claim is filed, and weeks later the reimbursement is lower than expected — or denied. Pre-existing condition exclusions, "bilateral condition" rules, breed-specific limits, and reasonable-and-customary caps all create the gap between what you paid and what you get back.
Hannah has no claims, so there are no claim denials. Covered care is covered, full stop. (Coverage exclusions exist — implants, organ transplants, neuro/spinal surgery, and outside-referral services are not covered — but they're stated up front in the Membership Agreement, not buried in a post-visit reimbursement letter.)
The "where" trade-off.
Pet insurance lets you use any licensed vet. That flexibility comes with the reimbursement model and all the friction above.
Hannah is location-bound to our hospitals in Portland and Tigard. That's the trade-off that makes the predictable monthly fee possible — by integrating the care and the payment, Hannah eliminates the billing layer entirely. If you live in the Portland metro and want predictable vet costs without insurance friction, Hannah works. If you travel frequently or move out of the area, the local model is the constraint to think about.
What's not covered (be honest).
Hannah Membership covers the vast majority of what your Pet will ever need. But it doesn't cover everything. Not covered: implants and implant surgery, organ transplants, cosmetic and experimental surgery, neuro / spinal / brain surgery, hospice and in-home care, physical or laser therapy, services at outside referral facilities, and emergency services at non-Hannah providers. Full details in the Membership Agreement.
Pet insurance can sometimes cover specialty care Hannah doesn't (some plans). For Pet Parents who need that coverage, a hybrid approach is possible — but for the 90%+ of veterinary care a typical Pet needs across a lifetime, Hannah is designed to be the single answer.
Common questions
Is Hannah Pet Hospital pet insurance?
No. Hannah is not pet insurance. Pet insurance is a reimbursement product — you pay the vet out of pocket, then file a claim and (eventually) get partially refunded. Hannah Pet Hospital is a Membership model: one predictable monthly fee covers the care directly, delivered at Hannah locations, with no claims to file and no reimbursements to wait for.
Does Hannah Pet Hospital cover pre-existing conditions?
Yes — Hannah Membership accepts most pre-existing conditions. Pet insurance categorically excludes them in nearly every policy. Some severe or aggressive cases may be excluded; see the Membership Agreement for full details.
Does Hannah Membership have deductibles or co-pays?
No. Hannah Membership has no deductibles, no co-pays, and no annual maximums. Pet insurance typically has all three.
Are there waiting periods with Hannah Pet Hospital?
No waiting periods. Coverage begins on enrollment. Pet insurance typically imposes 14- to 30-day waiting periods for illness, and 6+ months for orthopedic conditions.
Can I use any veterinarian with Hannah Pet Hospital?
No — covered care is delivered at Hannah hospitals (Portland and Tigard). Pet insurance generally lets you use any licensed vet, but you pay the vet first and wait for reimbursement. Hannah's integrated-hospital model is what allows the predictable monthly fee.
How much does Hannah Pet Hospital cost compared to pet insurance?
Hannah adult dog plans start at $89/month and adult cat plans at $109/month. Pet insurance premiums vary widely (typically $30–$80/month), but the meaningful cost difference is what you actually pay out-of-pocket: insurance reimburses 70-90% of bills you pay first, after deductibles, with annual maximums. Hannah covers care directly with no additional bills for covered services.
Is emergency care covered by Hannah Membership?
Yes — 24/7 emergency care at our Tigard hospital is included in Membership. Pet insurance typically reimburses emergency care after you pay out of pocket, subject to deductibles, co-pays, and policy limits.
See what Hannah costs for your Pet.
Get a custom monthly quote in under two minutes — no commitment, no credit card. Or call 503.905.5200 to talk to a Membership Coordinator.
Get My Quote