There is no consumer product you can buy called Axis Pet Insurance. AXIS Insurance Company is a behind-the-scenes underwriter that provides the insurance capacity for Fetch Pet Insurance (the brand formerly known as Petplan). If you searched “Axis pet insurance,” the policy you can actually purchase is Fetch. AXIS Capital itself is a Bermuda-based specialty insurer traded on the NYSE as AXS, rated A (Excellent) by AM Best. Fetch coverage runs about $62 a month for dogs and $32 a month for cats on average, before discounts and deductibles.
Table of Contents
ToggleAxis Pet Insurance: Key Facts at a Glance
| Question | Short answer |
|---|---|
| Can you buy “Axis Pet Insurance” directly? | No. AXIS underwrites; you buy Fetch |
| What brand does AXIS back? | Fetch Pet Insurance, formerly Petplan |
| Who owns AXIS? | Public shareholders (NYSE: AXS), based in Bermuda |
| AXIS financial strength | A (Excellent) by AM Best; A+ (Strong) by S&P |
| Fetch reimbursement options | 70%, 80%, or 90% |
| Fetch waiting periods | 15 days for illness and accidents; 6 months for hip and knee |
| Average US pet insurance cost (2024) | About $62/mo for dogs, $32/mo for cats (NAPHIA) |
| US pets actually insured | About 3.9% of pets in 2024, not half (NAPHIA) |
Axis Pet Insurance is one of the most misunderstood searches in the pet insurance space. People type it expecting a company with a website, a quote button, and a customer service line. What they find is a specialty insurer that operates one level removed from the pet owner. This page explains what AXIS is, what you can actually buy, and how to tell it apart from the other “Axis” and “AXA” names that clutter the search results.
What Is Axis Pet Insurance, Really?
AXIS Insurance is the specialty insurance arm of AXIS Capital Holdings. In November 2021, its Accident and Health unit entered the North American pet market, not by launching its own brand, but by providing underwriting capacity to a managing general underwriter called Petplan. Petplan handled the customer-facing product; AXIS supplied the financial backing that pays claims.
In simple terms, an underwriter is the company that carries the risk and stands behind the payout. The brand you see, sign up with, and call is a separate business. So when the old draft of this article treated “Axis” as a pet insurance company you could join, that was the core mistake. You cannot buy an Axis-branded pet policy. You buy Fetch, and AXIS Insurance Company is one of the two carriers that may underwrite it, along with XL Specialty Insurance Company.
Petplan is now Fetch
In March 2022, Petplan rebranded to Fetch by The Dodo, later shortened to Fetch Pet Insurance. Same product lineage, new name. Fetch now covers roughly 500,000 cats and dogs across the US and Canada. If a page is selling you “Axis pet insurance” with a direct enrollment link, it is either confused or sending you to Fetch under a different label.
Who Owns AXIS and Where Is It Based?
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited is a publicly traded company. Its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AXS, so its owners are its shareholders, not a single parent company. It was founded in 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks, when the market needed fresh insurance capacity.
Its headquarters sit at AXIS House, 92 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke, Bermuda. The group runs offices across the United States, Canada, Europe, and Singapore, and it operates through two main segments: AXIS Insurance and AXIS Reinsurance. Pet coverage falls inside the Accident and Health part of AXIS Insurance. This is a business built for specialty and commercial risk, which is exactly why it works through a consumer brand like Fetch instead of selling to pet owners itself.
Is AXIS a Good Insurance Company?
For the part that matters to a claim getting paid, AXIS looks solid. AM Best affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) for the AXIS operating subsidiaries in August 2025, with a stable outlook. Standard and Poor’s rates the group A+ (Strong). Those are strong marks that speak to the company’s ability to pay what it owes.
One caveat on the “A++ rating” question people ask: A++ (Superior) is AM Best’s single highest tier, and AXIS is not there. It sits a step down at A (Excellent), which is still the second-highest of AM Best’s ratings and considered financially sound. A high rating tells you the money will be there. It does not tell you the customer service will be smooth, which is a separate question we cover below through Fetch, since Fetch is who you actually deal with.
What You Actually Buy: Fetch Pet Insurance
Since Fetch is the real product behind the “Axis pet insurance” search, here is what a Fetch policy covers. It is an accident and illness plan with no network restrictions, so you can use any licensed vet in the US or Canada.
Fetch includes some items other insurers charge extra for or leave out. Dental illness treatment, vet exam fees, behavioral therapy, and acupuncture or chiropractic care are built in. It also pays up to $1,000 a year for virtual vet visits, up to $1,000 in boarding fees if you are hospitalized for four days or more, and even advertising and reward costs if your pet goes missing. There is no upper age limit to enroll, which helps owners of older pets.
What Fetch does not cover
Every honest review has to name the gaps. Fetch does not cover pre-existing conditions, though a curable condition can become eligible after 12 months with no signs or treatment. It excludes anything during the waiting period, prescription pet food, cosmetic procedures, and routine wellness care unless you add the separate Fetch Wellness endorsement. Claims filed more than 90 days after treatment are denied. There is also no accident-only plan, so you cannot buy a cheaper injury-only version.
Fetch Plans, Pricing, and Reimbursement
Fetch keeps the plan structure simple, with three levers you set at enrollment: your reimbursement rate, your deductible, and your annual limit.
| Feature | Options |
|---|---|
| Reimbursement rate | 70%, 80%, or 90% |
| Annual deductible | $250 to $700 standard, up to $2,500 by phone |
| Annual coverage limit | $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, or unlimited |
| Plan type | Accident and illness only (no accident-only tier) |
| Wellness care | Optional add-on (Fetch Wellness) |
| Multi-pet discount | Not offered |
Pricing depends on your pet’s species, breed, age, and location. As a benchmark, NAPHIA reported the 2024 US average accident and illness premium at about $749 a year for dogs and $386 a year for cats, which works out to roughly $62 and $32 a month. Fetch tends to land on the higher-cost side of the market, so budget above the average rather than at it, especially for dogs.
Fetch Waiting Periods and Claims
The old draft floated several numbers about “Axis” claims. Here are the real Fetch terms. The waiting period is up to 15 days for both illnesses and accidents from normal activity, with no wait for injuries from a sudden unexpected event. Hip and knee conditions, including cruciate ligament and patella problems, carry a longer six-month waiting period, which Fetch can waive for the knee if a vet examines your pet within the first 30 days.
Filing is done through the app or website. You need to see a vet within 48 hours of noticing signs, and submit the claim within 90 days of treatment. Fetch generally reimburses within about 10 to 14 days, and in clean cases sometimes within a couple of days. Reviewers rate the claims experience reasonably well, though as with any insurer, missing documents slow things down.
The Honest Read: Where Fetch Falls Short
Fetch earns respectable scores from some reviewers, around 4.1 out of 5 at NerdWallet, and its coverage breadth is a real strength. Other evaluations are harsher, landing near 1.4 out of 5, and the reason is almost always the same: price. Fetch is one of the more expensive options in the market, and that cost is the single biggest knock against it.
The complaint that shows up most in consumer reviews is premium increases at renewal. Owners report their rates climbing and their terms shifting year over year, which is common across pet insurance but stings more at Fetch’s price point. The lack of a multi-pet discount hurts households with several animals, and the absence of an accident-only plan removes the cheapest entry point. None of this makes Fetch a bad product. It makes it a full-coverage product priced like one, best suited to owners who want broad protection and can absorb the premium.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost, and Is It Worth It?
Pet insurance is not a discount plan; it is protection against a rare, large bill. The math is worth walking through so the number makes sense.
Say your dog has an $800 emergency vet visit. With a $300 deductible and an 80% reimbursement rate, you pay the first $300, then get back 80% of the remaining $500, which is $400. You are out $400 on an $800 bill. On a routine visit, insurance may return little after the deductible. But on a $6,000 surgery or a cancer course that runs into five figures, the same policy shifts thousands of dollars off your shoulders. That is the case for buying it: not the small bills, but the catastrophic ones.
Costs are rising, which changes the calculation. The AVMA reported the average cost of a vet visit climbed to about $200 in 2025 from $147 in 2024, and Fetch claims data put the average emergency visit for a cat at $1,217. Enrolling a young, healthy pet locks in coverage before conditions become pre-existing, which is the main reason to buy early rather than wait.
Axis vs AXA vs USAA vs Axis Health: Clearing Up the Confusion
Search autocomplete mixes several unrelated names, so here is the untangling.
AXA is a different company entirely, a French multinational insurer often confused with AXIS because the names look alike. They are not the same business. USAA offers pet insurance to its members, but through a partner rather than as its own underwriter, so a “USAA pet insurance” quote is really a partner product. And the “Axis health insurance” results, including provider portal, login, and phone number searches, point to unrelated health-plan and provider-network entities, not AXIS Capital’s pet underwriting. If you landed here looking for a health insurance login, you are on the wrong Axis. AXIS Capital does also write travel and accident coverage through its Accident and Health unit, but its pet role stays limited to underwriting Fetch.
A Simple Way to Decide
You can settle the “Axis pet insurance” question in three steps.
Step one: accept that you cannot buy an Axis-branded pet policy, so stop looking for one. Step two: if you want the coverage that AXIS backs, look at Fetch directly, then compare its price and terms against two or three other insurers, because Fetch’s coverage is strong but its price is high. Step three: if all you cared about was whether AXIS is financially sound enough to pay a claim, the answer is yes, based on its A (Excellent) AM Best rating. Those three steps replace an hour of confused searching with a clear plan.
Which Pet Insurer Denies the Most Claims?
People want a single villain here, and it is the wrong question. No pet insurer is fairly labeled “the one that denies most claims,” because denial counts track company size and policy wording more than bad faith. Most denials come down to pre-existing conditions, waiting periods, or excluded care, which every insurer applies. For an objective read on how a company treats customers, check the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index, which weighs complaints against market share, plus independent reviews and your state Department of Insurance. Those beat any “most denied” ranking.
Conclusion
The honest bottom line on Axis Pet Insurance is that the name sends shoppers chasing a product that does not exist in the form they expect. AXIS Insurance is a strong, A-rated underwriter, but it works behind Fetch, and Fetch is what you can actually buy. Fetch offers broad coverage with some genuinely useful extras, held back mainly by a high price and no multi-pet discount. If the coverage fits your budget, it is a legitimate choice. If price is your main concern, compare it against cheaper competitors before you sign. Either way, buy while your pet is young and healthy, read the waiting periods, and confirm current terms directly with the insurer.
FAQs
Is Axis a good insurance company?
For financial strength, yes. AM Best affirmed AXIS operating subsidiaries at A (Excellent) with a stable outlook in August 2025, and S&P rates the group A+ (Strong). That means AXIS is well positioned to pay claims. Your day-to-day service experience, though, comes from Fetch, the brand AXIS underwrites, not from AXIS directly.
What is the #1 pet insurance?
There is no single number one, and any site that crowns one is guessing. The best insurer depends on your pet’s age, breed, and your budget. Compare reimbursement rates, waiting periods, exclusions, and price across a few named companies, and check third-party reviews rather than trusting a ranking.
Who owns AXIS insurance?
AXIS Capital Holdings is publicly traded, so it is owned by its shareholders rather than a parent company. Its stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker AXS. The company is incorporated and headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.
What insurance is Axis?
AXIS is a specialty insurer and reinsurer, not a retail brand. It writes commercial and specialty lines and, through its Accident and Health unit, provides underwriting capacity for pet coverage sold under the Fetch brand. You do not buy directly from AXIS as a pet owner.
Where is AXIS insurance headquarters?
AXIS Capital is headquartered at AXIS House, 92 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke, Bermuda. It also operates offices in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Singapore. The pet underwriting for US Fetch policies runs through AXIS Insurance Company, an Illinois corporation.
What is Axis life insurance?
AXIS is mainly a specialty insurer and reinsurer, not a consumer life insurance brand, and it does write accident and health and life-related reinsurance lines. If you searched for a retail life insurance policy from “Axis,” you may be thinking of a different company with a similar name, since Axis is a common brand word across finance.
What insurance companies have an A++ rating?
A++ (Superior) is AM Best’s single highest financial strength tier, held by a small group of large, established insurers. AXIS is not A++; it is rated one step down at A (Excellent), which is still strong. A top rating measures financial strength, not customer service or claim friendliness.
Which insurance company denies the most claims?
No company fairly wears that label, since denial counts reflect size and policy terms more than bad faith. Most pet claim denials come from pre-existing conditions, waiting periods, or excluded care. For an objective measure, use the NAIC complaint index and your state Department of Insurance rather than any single ranking.
Which insurance company has the most customer complaints?
Raw complaint totals favor larger insurers simply because they have more customers, so the useful tool is the NAIC complaint index, which adjusts complaints for market share. A company scoring above 1.0 draws more complaints than its size predicts. Check that index for the specific insurer you are considering.
Who is the most trustworthy insurance company?
Trust is best measured, not declared. Look at the AM Best financial strength rating, the NAIC complaint index, and independent review scores together, rather than any one badge. A company with a high rating and a low complaint index is a reasonable starting point for your own comparison.
Does AXA do pet insurance?
AXA is a separate French multinational insurer, not the same company as AXIS, and the two are often confused because the names look alike. AXA offers pet insurance in some markets outside the US. In the United States, the pet coverage tied to the AXIS name is sold under the Fetch brand.
How do I file an Axis pet insurance claim?
You file it through Fetch, since Fetch handles the customer side of the coverage AXIS underwrites. Submit the claim in the Fetch app or website within 90 days of treatment, and see a vet within 48 hours of noticing symptoms. Fetch usually reimburses within about 10 to 14 days.
What is the Axis health insurance provider portal or phone number?
Those searches point to unrelated health-plan and provider-network companies, not AXIS Capital’s pet underwriting. AXIS Capital does not run a consumer health insurance portal under this name. If you need a health plan login or member phone number, check the exact plan documents from your own health insurer.
Is Fetch pet insurance worth it?
It depends on your budget and risk tolerance. Fetch offers broad coverage with useful extras like dental illness, behavioral therapy, and virtual vet visits, but it is one of the pricier options and has no multi-pet discount. It fits owners who want full protection against catastrophic bills and can absorb the premium.
How much does pet insurance cost per month?
On average in 2024, US accident and illness plans ran about $62 a month for dogs and $32 a month for cats, according to NAPHIA. Your actual price depends on breed, age, location, and the reimbursement rate, deductible, and limit you choose. Fetch typically prices above the market average.
About the Editorial Team
The InsuranceGuidances Editorial Team researches insurance and out-of-pocket healthcare costs for US readers, drawing on primary sources such as regulator filings, rating agencies, and industry associations. This review used AXIS Capital investor materials, AM Best rating actions, NAPHIA industry data, and Fetch policy documents. Reviewed July 2026.
Related Reading
- How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in 2026?
- Is Pet Insurance Worth It? An Honest Breakdown
- Fetch Pet Insurance Review: Coverage, Price, and Claims
- How to Compare Pet Insurance Plans
- Acorn Insurance Reviews
Sources
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), complaint index and consumer tools (content.naic.org)
AXIS Capital Holdings, “AXIS Insurance Enters Pet Insurance Market With Petplan” investor release (investor.axiscapital.com)
Insurance Business America, “AXIS Insurance enters pet insurance market through partnership with Petplan” (insurancebusinessmag.com)
Insurance Business, “Petplan rebrands to Fetch by The Dodo” (insurancebusinessmag.com)
Fetch Pet Insurance official site and policy FAQs (fetchpet.com)
AM Best, “AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of AXIS Capital Holdings Limited,” August 28, 2025 (news.ambest.com)
AXIS Capital financial strength and ratings page (axiscapital.com)
NAPHIA, 2025 State of the Industry Report (naphia.org)
AVMA, “US pet insurance industry surpasses $4.7B in 2024” (avma.org)
Insurance Information Institute, “Facts + Statistics: Pet Ownership and Insurance” (iii.org)
U.S. News, “Fetch Pet Insurance Review for 2026” (usnews.com)