Protect Your Pet

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Compare Pet Insurance

Pet insurance can help cover the unexpected medical expenses that sometimes come with owning a pet.

PROS

✓ Covers things some insurers don’t, such as prescription food and behavioral modification.
✓ Covers some pre-existing conditions if they have been cured and treatment-free for 180 days.
✓ Unlimited annual coverage option available.

CONS

- Doesn't offer the option to pay your vet directly.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Spot stands out for its comprehensive accident and illness plans, which cover things like alternative medicine, behavioral treatments, prescription food and microchip implantation. Spot also offers two preventive care plans to add to your pet’s policy. These plans reimburse you for wellness exams, dental cleanings and other routine expenses, up to your coverage limit. Spot has no upper age limit for pets, and customers can opt for unlimited annual payouts. And, there’s an accident-only plan available.

PROS

✓ Covers horses in addition to cats and dogs.
✓ Standard plans cover alternative therapies, behavioral issues and congenital conditions.
✓ Shorter waiting period than most plans for cruciate injuries (14 days).

CONS

- You must call rather than getting an online quote if you’re interested in unlimited annual coverage.

THE BOTTOM LINE

You name it, and ASPCA pet insurance probably covers it — including dental illnesses, behavioral issues, alternative treatments, prescription food and even microchipping. Unlike some other pet insurers, it also includes coverage for accident or illness exam fees. If you want less coverage and a lower rate, you can opt for an accident-only policy. If you want even more coverage, you can add a preventive care plan to pay for services like dental cleaning, heartworm tests and vaccinations. The company offers pet insurance not only for dogs and cats but also for horses.

PROS

✓ 10% discount for each additional pet you insure.
✓ No maximum age limit for enrollment.
✓ 14-day waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries and hip dysplasia, which is shorter than many other plans.

CONS

- No coverage for herbal supplements.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Pumpkin offers one comprehensive accident and illness plan that includes coverage for dental illnesses and some pre-existing conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Like human health insurance, pet insurance covers the cost of medical care. Pet insurance is designed to cover unexpected costs, so it may not pay for routine care or conditions your pet had before you bought the policy.

There are three main types of pet insurance plans:

Accident and illness: The most common type of pet insurance, these plans cover treatment for illnesses and accidental injuries.

Accident-only: These plans tend to be more affordable. They’ll pay if your pet swallows a toy or is hit by a car, but not for any illnesses such as diabetes or arthritis.

Wellness or preventive care: This type of coverage is usually an add-on to one of the policies above. It’ll pay for well visits, vaccines and other routine care.

The average cost of an accident and illness policy in the U.S. is $640 per year for dogs and $387 for cats, according to 2022 data from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. That translates to about $53 a month for dogs and $32 a month for cats.

For an accident-only policy, the average cost is $201 per year for dogs (about $17 per month) and $122 per year for cats (about $10 per month).