Metlife
Pet App
Role: Designer
Creative direction: Brad Blondes
Design: Shawn Dossantos
Systems Design, UI
Designing an intuitive experience to help a trusted insurance brand expand into pet wellness, connecting with new users while staying true to its legacy of care and protection.
How might we create a unified digital experience that consolidates all pet care management, from health records to expert advice, into one intuitive platform that gives pet parents complete visibility and control over their pet's wellbeing?
In early 2020, MetLife deepened its commitment to pet wellness by acquiring PetFirst, a leading provider of pet health insurance. This strategic move positioned MetLife to meet the demands of a rapidly growing market with 23% year-over-year growth driven largely by millennials and Gen Z pet parents who view their pets as family members deserving comprehensive care.
Today's pet owners expect the same level of ease and support from their insurance provider that they get from their favorite consumer apps. However, our research revealed they were juggling multiple platforms, insurance portals, vet apps, reminder tools, and educational resources just to manage their pet's health. This fragmentation often led to delayed care decisions, missed preventive treatments, and unnecessary stress during emergencies.
User feedback pointed to some core needs: clarity around complex insurance details, ease of sharing information, and intuitive ease of use, especially during high-stress moments and traveling periods.
Our strategy focused on progressive information disclosure to avoid cognitive overload, contextual user flows tailored to each pet's life stage, and a consistent, human-centered design system that builds trust at every touchpoint.
We based our design on three insights:
The MetLife Pet App transforms pet care management by consolidating insurance, health records, and veterinary support into one comprehensive platform. Users can securely view policies, submit and track claims with photo uploads, and access live customer service chat. The app serves as a complete wellness hub with 24/7 veterinary chat for non-emergency questions, centralized health record management, and automated reminders for vaccinations and checkups.
AI-powered personalization delivers tailored articles and care tips based on each pet's breed, age, and health profile, while location-based services help discover nearby grooming and training providers. A built-in rewards program offers discounts on pet products and services, creating an integrated ecosystem that supports pet parents from routine care to emergency situations.
Streamlining the claims process was central to the user experience. We simplified the submission flow, allowing users to capture and upload vet invoices directly from their mobile devices. With most claims processed in 10 days or less, real-time tracking and smart alerts provide transparency throughout the process.
The MetLife Pet App design system remains rooted in the core MetLife brand, preserving its established structure, typography, and overall visual identity. To better connect with pet parents, the team introduced new illustrations, icons, and gradients that bring warmth, approachability, and a touch of playfulness while still aligning with the brand’s trusted look and feel.
These new visual elements not only enhanced the in-app experience but were also extended across social media, creating a cohesive and recognizable presence wherever pet parents engage with the brand. By carrying these updates through to external channels, MetLife ensured a consistent, friendly, and engaging experience both inside and outside the app.
Within just six months of launching the redesigned MetLife Pet App, user engagement and satisfaction saw a significant boost. Digital claims submissions rose by 45%, indicating that users found the process simpler and more convenient. Over 70% of pet parents actively used the app’s reminder and health tracking features, showing strong adoption of tools designed to support everyday care. The 24/7 vet chat feature also proved valuable, with more than 60% of users turning to it for expert guidance at least once. These strong engagement numbers were reflected in the app’s impressive 4.8 out of 5 user rating across app stores, highlighting a successful and meaningful connection with the pet parent community.