Top Pet Insurance Providers

Visits: 2

Want to safeguard yourself from high veterinary costs in the event that your pet is harmed or ill?

The top seven pet insurance solutions are shown below after our experts’ reviews of several pet insurance providers. Based on their competitive monthly costs, unique policy features, coverage options, and superior customer service than other industry players, we selected these pet insurance products.

Overall, Pumpkin Pet Insurance is the best.

Our pick for the finest pet insurance overall is Pumpkin Pet Insurance. Without charging exorbitant add-on costs, Pumpkin provides both accident and illness coverage and wellness coverage. There are no yearly caps or condition-specific deductibles with this insurance, which covers your pet in the event of an accident or illness. Additionally, there are no waiting periods of six months or a year for hip dysplasia or knee problems. The Preventative Essentials Pack assists with routine care by providing complete coverage for yearly physicals, important vaccinations, and lab tests. If you cover more than one pet, you can receive discounts.

With Pumpkin, you’ll also receive the best coverage for older pets because it has no upper age limits or breed exclusions. No matter how old your pet is, you can get approved with Pumpkin. Its policies let you choose your own vet and includes 90% reimbursement for all covered procedures and treatments, even as your pet ages.

Best for Multiple Pets: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance provides the finest protection for households with multiple pets. It offers a 10% discount for each additional pet for each pet that you insure. To discover coverage that matches your budget, combine that discount with the flexibility to change your yearly limit, deductible, and reimbursement percentage. There are some policies that cover accidents exclusively.

The ASPCA provides optional preventative care such as routine health checkups and vaccines along with illness and accident insurance. Additionally, you can pick any veterinarian you like. The ASPCA’s Complete Coverage Plan, in contrast to some other pet insurance policies, includes coverage for exam costs, complementary therapies, behavioral problems, and microchipping.

Best for Accident & Illness Only: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Healthy Paws is our pick for the best accident and illness coverage. Instead of being limited to in-network veterinarians, you are free to select any veterinarian or emergency room that you desire. There are no claim caps, yearly, lifetime, or per-incident compensation ceilings. Additionally, it provides speedy payment for vet expenditures, paying out 99% of claims in just two days.

Healthy Paws policies cover accidents, illnesses, cancer, emergency care, genetic condition, and alternative care. Policies start at $15 per month for cats and $20 per month for dogs. This low price does mean that its policies do not cover preventative care, vaccinations, or dental exams. Additionally, age restrictions do apply for pets older than 8 years old and pets 6 years and older must have a physical exam prior to approval. For every pet insurance quote, Healthy Paws makes a donation to a homeless pet’s medical care.

Pumpkin

• Pumpkin covers annual wellness exams, screenings, and vaccines
• No upper age limits or breed exclusions
• 90% reimbursement at your choice of vet

ASPCA

• Customizable plans to meet your needs and budget
• Visit any vet in the U.S. or Canada and receive up to 90% reimbursement
• 30-day money-back guarantee

Healthy Paws

• Most claims are processed within 2 days
• No per-incident, annual, or lifetime caps on claim payouts
• Use any U.S. licensed vet or emergency clinic

Spot

• Comprehensive coverage for your pet
• Plans offering thousands in coverage with options starting at less than a cup of coffee per day
• Discounts available to reduce the cost of insurance

What is pet insurance?

Because they bring happiness and friendship, pets are adored by their owners. The cost of treating a sick or injured pet, though, might be prohibitive. Buying pet insurance is one of the ways individuals try to lower the price of large vet bills.

Typically, pet insurance covers both severe costs for sickness and injuries as well as routine care costs like immunizations and wellness checks. What is covered by your policy depends on the insurer, the kind of coverage you buy, and the options you choose.

Why is purchasing pet insurance important?

Purchasing pet insurance is important for people who are worried about unexpected veterinary bills. While most pet owners are capable of covering typical vet expenses, like wellness visits and vaccinations, the big bills when something goes wrong can quickly overwhelm their finances. Buying a pet insurance policy eliminates that worry because most policies cover 90% or more of covered exams, treatments, and procedures.

When should you buy pet insurance?

When you attempt to purchase coverage following an injury or illness, it may be quite expensive, similar to the majority of insurance policies. Most of the time, your application won’t be accepted, and the illness or injury you’re wanting to have covered won’t be covered. It is essential to purchase pet insurance as soon as possible because of this. In the event of an emergency or illness, this will provide peace of mind and financial security for a set cost.

Additionally, after a pet reaches a particular age, some policies stop covering them. The likelihood that your pet’s insurance application will be approved will therefore be higher if you purchase pet insurance when they are young.

The advantages of pet insurance

Pet insurance offers advantages that go beyond protecting your pet’s health. Numerous advantages of pet insurance deal with how unforeseen illnesses and accidents can influence your money. The goal of insurance is to transform an unforeseen, perhaps crippling expense into a more manageable monthly payment.

Listed below are a few advantages pet insurance can give you and your pet:

• Wellness visits and vaccinations covered
• Protection in case of accident or illness
• Converts an unknown expense into a fixed monthly cost
• Allows you to focus on your pet’s health, not what the procedure will cost
• Increases treatment options for your pet that are normally cost-prohibitive
• Saves money on expensive treatments and follow-up care
• Peace of mind knowing that a financial risk is covered
• Helps you budget for the care of your pet
• Keeps you from using savings or going into debt in case of emergency

The pet insurance process and timeline

Most businesses offer immediate rates online for pet insurance after customers answer a few questions. You’ll accept the quote and submit payment to buy the policy once you’ve determined which options and policy are best for you.

You must wait for the coverage to start after your application is accepted and money is received. The waiting period for illnesses and accidents varies by provider, but generally speaking, you must wait 14 days before your coverage starts. You might need to wait 180 days after the last treatment or symptom if your pet has an eligible pre-existing condition before coverage for that condition kicks in.

Visit your qualified veterinarian to obtain care when your pet needs it. You may typically pick the veterinarian of your choice. You’ll need to pay the veterinary bill, then submit your receipts for reimbursement, as the majority of pet insurance plans reimburse you for qualified procedures. Following the processing of your claim, the insurance provider will give you a cheque for the covered services for your pet or make an electronic deposit into your bank.

How to evaluate pet insurance companies

Don’t just look for the company with the cheapest insurance premium when comparing pet insurance providers. In addition to cost, other important considerations include coverages, waiting periods, exclusions, deductibles, and more. Many of the inquiries you need to make when contrasting various pet insurance alternatives are included below:

• What are the annual/monthly premiums?
• What discounts are available?
• Are there different plans available?
• Which optional add-ons are available?
• Can I visit any vet or do I have to stay within a network?
• Are wellness visits covered?
• Is preventative care included?
• Are annual screenings and vaccinations covered?
• Is there a deductible?
• What is the reimbursement percentage on approved claims?
• Are claims reimbursed or paid directly to the vet?
• Is there a waiting period for illness or injury?
• Are pre-existing conditions covered?
• If so, what is the waiting period?
• Is there an age limit on new policies or renewals?
• Are all breeds accepted for coverage?
• Do you offer a money-back guarantee? If so, for how long?

How much does pet insurance cost?

Pet insurance premiums vary depending on the coverage that you purchase and the benefits of the policy. Typically, the higher the premiums paid, the more expansive your coverage is. An emergency-only policy is just $24 per month with Pawp, while more robust policies start at just $1 per day with GEICO Pet Insurance. As with other types of insurance, when you increase the deductible or qualify for discounts, your premiums can be reduced.

Types of pet insurance

When comparing pet insurance options, there are three categories of policies – accident only, accident & illness, and comprehensive coverage.

• Accident only. Covers your pet for harm or injuries due to accidents.
• Accident & illness. Includes accidents plus illness caused by sickness or disease.
• Comprehensive coverage. Covers accidents, illness, and routine care, which usually includes vaccinations, worming treatments, de-sexing, microchipping, and dental.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it to get pet insurance?

For most pet owners, it is worth it to buy pet insurance. The insurance policy protects them against major vet bills and, if they buy a comprehensive policy, it also covers routine wellness visits, exams, and vaccinations in one easy monthly payment.

What is the cheapest pet insurance alternative?

The lowest-priced pet insurance alternative that we found was $24 per month from Pawp. This plan offers unlimited video chats with a veterinarian and includes a $3,000 emergency protection fund for your pet.

What are the best pet insurance plans?

The best pet insurance plan is one that offers the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Our choice for the best pet insurance plan is Pumpkin Pet Insurance because it covers all breeds 8 weeks and up with no upper age limits. It includes discounts for multiple pets and offers optional preventative care for comprehensive coverage. You can choose your own vet and receive up to 90% reimbursement on covered vet bills without sneaky add-on fees, per-condition deductibles, or confusing annual limits.

Does pet insurance cover routine vet visits?

Yes, depending upon the type of policy and options that you choose, your routine vet visits for checkups, vaccinations, and more are covered. This coverage is commonly referred to as a comprehensive pet insurance policy.

What is not covered by pet insurance?

While pet insurance typically covers injuries, illness, and wellness visits, it does not cover every vet bill. If your pet has a pre-existing condition, most pet insurance policies will not cover those bills. Additionally, cosmetic procedures (e.g. cropping ears or docking tails), grooming, and other elective procedures are typically not covered. Congenital or hereditary disorders may be excluded as well, depending upon the insurer.