The Best Dog Insurance Plans for Your Pup
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As a pet mom to two sweet pups, I understand how quickly vet bills can add up even for regular checkups, but having a pet insurance policy in place can help keep some of the expected–and unexpected–costs under control. Dog insurance typically costs more per month than cat insurance, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association. Whereas cat owners pay an average of $32.25 per month, dog owners average a higher $53.33 per month for pet insurance costs.
Dog insurance has a wide range of pricing, coverage options, limitations, and more, so we set out to find the best dog insurance choices so you can find a plan that works for both you and your wallet.
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Overview of the best dog insurance providers
Provider | Best for |
Digital experience | |
Policy customization | |
Quick reimbursement | |
ASPCA | Immediate coverage |
No maximum payouts or caps | |
Direct pay to the Vet | |
Spot | No upper age limit |
Coverage for breed-specific issues |
- Sign up in seconds
- Get paid in minutes
- Get 5% Off for 2 or more pets
- Get 10% off when you bundle
- Get 5% off by paying annually
- Award-winning service
The best dog insurance providers
We researched multiple best pet insurance companies for dogs and found numerous options to choose from.
Lemonade
Lemonade pet insurance is an online-only option offering pet insurance coverage in 37 states (plus adding more). What stands out with Lemonade’s dog insurance is the depth of coverage.
Lemonade pet insurance cover includes diagnostics, procedures, medications, and hospitalizations related to new accidents and illnesses, including hereditary conditions, chronic conditions, infestations, and infections. Lemonade also has a preventative service add-on, so you can save on routine care such as wellness exams, vaccinations, and dental cleanings.
When you do have a claim, you simply submit it through the Lemonade app and you can receive a direct deposit, minus your co-insurance and deductibles. Lemonade does have a waiting period of up to six months for certain conditions, but you can see any licensed vet in the U.S.
Embrace
With Embrace pet insurance you’ll find a long list of coverage options, including accident coverage, illness plans, wellness plans, dental, and prescription coverage, making it one of the most comprehensive coverage available.
A standout feature of Embrace is how easy it is to customize the monthly coverage for your budget and pet needs, such as choosing from one of 10 deductible options. Embrace also offers an additional pet coverage discount, which can make coverage more affordable if you have more than one dog or another type of pet.
A plan with Embrace means you’ll have access to 24/7 pet telehealth services and you can change your pet’s coverage at any time. Another unique feature of Embrace is it only requires submitting 12 months worth of medical history for processing your pet’s claim, whereas some insurance providers require full medical records.
Figo
As pet owners, we are always concerned about the coverage of pre-existing conditions. If your dog has a curable pre-existing condition then you may be relieved to know Figo pet insurance makes it possible to have coverage for your dog.
In addition to some pre-existing conditions getting coverage, dog owners can also receive coverage of common illnesses, emergencies, chronic conditions, hereditary conditions, and cancer. You can even add an optional wellness care benefit for covering vaccines, annual exams, and routine tests and may even receive dental illness and injury coverage, along with holistic treatments.
Other features worth mentioning with Figo include 24/7 live access to a veterinarian, 3-day claims closing, no per-incident caps, and a personalized pet tag. Figo doesn’t list its rates online or states where it offers coverage, but does offer one annual deductible in addition to optional 100 percent reimbursement.
ASPCA
ASPCA offers immediate coverage, which can be an extremely important factor when choosing dog insurance. It offers immediate availability for preventative coverage, which is rare among the pet insurance world, and a 14-day waiting period for accidental and illness coverage.
ASPCA has a comprehensive list of coverages in its standard plan, ranging from diagnostics, therapy, and treatment, to prescriptions, accidents, and hereditary conditions. You can also choose the optional preventative coverage plan, so you can get your dog coverage for routine tests, vaccines, and dental cleanings.
The dental coverage is worth it too, because the ASPCA includes tooth extractions due to illness and dental accidents. Although it doesn’t disclose how long a claim takes for reimbursement, it does offer an online portal or mobile app for easy claim submission. ASPCA pet insurance offers coverage plans providing 90 percent reimbursement rate for each covered claim.
Healthy Paws
If you’re looking for dog insurance coverage where there’s no maximum amount of payout over the lifetime of a policy or throughout the year, then you may want to look at Healthy Paws.
It includes no maximum payout, per-incident, or lifetime cap, which means you have a fully comprehensive pet insurance plan as long as you’re paying the pet insurance premiums. Healthy Paws uses a slightly different operating model by offering a flat-rate billing option, without any add-ons.
The flat-rate coverage includes accident, illness, hereditary and congenital conditions, and alternative pet care–but does not provide wellness coverage, or coverage for preventative, or dental treatments. With Healthy Paws you only have annual deductible and access to its lightning fast claims processing, where most claims get processed in two days.
Trupanion
One of the obstacles with having dog insurance is still having to front the money at the vet’s office and wait on reimbursement. Trupanion alleviates this obstacle by offering direct pay to the vet.
You load the information into the app while you’re at the vet’s office and Trupanion pays the vet upfront while you’re there, helping you keep the money in your pocket. Similar to Healthy Paws, Trupanion only offers one plan which covers accidents and illnesses. It does not include any wellness, preventative, or dental services.
Trupanion has a few other notable features, including coverage for life and allowing pets up to 14 years old to enroll in coverage. You may also take comfort in the feature allowing unlimited payouts no matter how often you file a claim or use coverage.
Spot
Getting coverage for a senior dog can be especially challenging, but Spot pet insurance makes it possible because it’s one of the only insurance options available with no upper age limit. It includes a wide range of coverages under accident and illness, or you can choose an accident only plan.
It also includes vet exam fees with accident and illness, which can be tough to find among dog insurance plans. While it doesn’t have optional dental insurance, it does cover some tooth extractions depending on the cause.
Fetch
If your dog is prone to certain conditions due to its breed, such as eye problems or hip dysplasia, then Fetch may offer coverage where other dog insurance plans leave off, including hereditary issues.
Fetch advertises a surprisingly long list of what it covers, including covering every tooth with its dental plan covers (whereas some dental plans only cover the canine teeth). One of the most unexpected benefits is up to $1,000 in boarding fees for dogs too.
The coverage kicks in after a 15-day waiting period. When you do start making claims, Fetch makes submitting it super simple, you just upload the receipt and receive about 90 percent reimbursement within two days.
- Sign up in seconds
- Get paid in minutes
- Get 5% Off for 2 or more pets
- Get 10% off when you bundle
- Get 5% off by paying annually
- Award-winning service
The best dog insurance summary
Provider | Types of coverage available | Waiting period | Available in all states | Can use any vet |
Lemonade | Accidental and wellness | 2 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, up to 6 months for ligament events | No, only 37 | Yes, in the U.S. |
Embrace | Accidental, wellness, dental, prescription | Up to six months | 49 states and Washington D.C. | Yes |
Figo | Accidental, wellness, possible chronic conditions | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Yes |
ASPCA | Accidental, wellness, chronic, and behavioral issues, dental | Right away for preventative, 14 days for accident and illness | Not disclosed | Yes, in U.S. and Canada |
Healthy Paws | Accidental and illness | Depends on state | Yes | Yes |
Trupanion | Accident and illness | 5 days for injuries, 30 days for illness | Yes | Yes, in U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico |
Spot | Accident, illness, preventative care | 14 days | Yes | Yes, in U.S. and Canada |
Fetch | Accident and illness | 15 days | Yes | Yes, in U.S. and Canada |
FAQs
What impacts the cost of dog insurance?
Several factors impact the average cost of dog insurance, including the pet’s breed, gender, pet’s age, where you live, and other factors which can vary from one provider to the next. Other factors, such as the level of coverage you choose, deductible amount, and reimbursement level also makes a difference.
Is it worth having pet insurance for a dog?
If you can afford to cover most vet bills out of pocket, instead of reaching for your credit card, then you may not need a pet insurance plan. However, if the thought of an unexpected vet bill or rising vet costs puts too much strain on your budget, then you may want to consider a comprehensive dog insurance plan.
How can I save money on dog insurance?
One of the best ways to save is shopping around and comparing multiple plans, so you can ensure you find the right coverage level for your budget–it may surprise you what some plans automatically include in the price. Be sure to check out the various coverage levels of each plan and then consider the pet insurance cost for you.
- Sign up in seconds
- Get paid in minutes
- Get 5% Off for 2 or more pets
- Get 10% off when you bundle
- Get 5% off by paying annually
- Award-winning service
The bottom line
As pet parents, we vowed to take care of our pets no matter what. Getting a comprehensive pet insurance plan such as the ones mentioned above can ensure we get the level of care our pets need in all health conditions, with peace of mind. However, it is important to consider your needs and then choose an insurance company and the plan they offer. After all, we only want the best healthcare and treatment for our furry friends at all times!
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Writer
Sara Coleman is a former corporate gal turned creative entrepreneur. She began writing professionally several years ago and now contributes to multiple websites, blogs, and magazines. She’s also an avid reader and can’t resist a great historical fiction novel. Sara holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia and can be found supporting her Bulldogs every chance she has. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wonderfully supportive husband and three children. When she’s not ushering her kids to sports and dance lessons, she can be found creating content for her own website, TheProperPen.com.
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