Pet insurance will not cover incurable pre-existing conditions, so if your dog already has diabetes, no insurance will cover anything related to diabetes care. If you get pet insurance and later discover they have diabetes, it will be covered. However, even with diabetes as a pre-existing condition, you can still get coverage for accidents, and/or wellness care, which can save you money or help you budget for necessary preventative healthcare for your dog.
Focusing on key factors makes the process of choosing the right insurance easier.
How to Choose Pet Insurance
The first thing to consider is the type of coverage you need. You want a plan covering accidents and emergency care not related to diabetes. Plans that offer wellness options can make routine check-ups and dental care more affordable.
Next, pay attention to the percentage of your vet bills the insurance will cover, the deductibles, and the payout limits. Most plans will pay between 70% and 90% with deductibles ranging from $100 to $750. The payout limits range from $5000 to as much as $100,000. Veterinary bills can add up fast, so understanding what part of the expenses will be your responsibility is important.
The third consideration is the time you need to wait between purchasing the insurance and when you can start using it. Accident coverage usually begins within 2 to 5 days. Illness coverage usually begins after 14 to 30 days. Orthopedic conditions like hip dysplasia can have waiting periods of 6 months to a year. Wellness plans often have no waiting period. Knowing these can help you plan better and avoid any surprises when you need coverage the most.
Make sure to read the fine print to know what’s not covered. As I mentioned, pet policies exclude pre-existing conditions and some impose age-related restrictions. This can be crucial information, especially if you have a 13-year-old, diabetic dog like Brady. Currently, we live in Thailand, where pet care is more affordable. When we return to the US, I do not think we will be able to get pet insurance for Brady. However, any dog we have in the future will be insured. I think it is a wise investment. It would make emergencies a bit less stressful, and allow us to focus on what is best for our dog without worrying about the bill as much.
When Brady first got sick with pancreatitis we were living in Ukraine. He was well cared for there, and, luckily for us, the cost was extremely affordable. I don’t know how we would have recovered financially from the cost of Brady’s week in the veterinary hospital with 24-hour care if we’d been in the US.
Lastly, watch out for geographic restrictions. Some policies don’t cover certain states. You want to be sure the state you live in is covered as well as the places you are likely to travel with your dog.
Taking the time to analyze these factors will help you make an informed choice, and ensure you get the right protection.
Top Dog Insurance Plans for 2024
Lemonade is popular because of its affordable premiums and an app that’s easy to navigate. Something unique to their policy is that they offer end-of-life coverage.
However, be sure to check the geographical restrictions because Lemonade is not available in some states. They also enforce upper age limits that vary by breed.
They offer
- a basic accident and illness plan (no accident-only plan)
This covers imaging, tests, hospitalization, surgery, and medications associated with the accident or emergency illness (not related to any pre-existing conditions.)
- 2 levels of preventative care
The basic level covers wellness check-ups, parasite and heartworm tests, and annual blood tests are reimbursed up to set limits. Extended preventative care adds flea, tick, and heartworm prevention medication as well as a higher annual benefit.
- puppy plans
Puppy plans add spay/neuter and microchips to what is covered in the regular preventative care plans.
There are optional add-ons for vet visit fees, physical therapy, behavioral issues, dental care, and end-of-life coverage.
Figo is good for tech-savvy pet owners. Their app makes it easy to communicate with vets and access telehealth services. Also, Figo is available nationwide and there are no upper age limits. One thing that makes Figo stand out is that they offer coverage up to 100% when you choose a deductible over $500. They also offer unlimited payout limits.
They offer
- 3 levels of accident and illness plans.
These plans cover diagnostic testing, surgeries and procedures, hospitalization, prescription medications, emergency care, prosthetics, and rehabilitation. They also have a customizable plan where you pick and choose what you need.
- 2 levels of wellness care as an add-on
Wellness plans cover a capped amount for each service and an overall cap per year depending on the level you choose. This covers wellness exams, vaccines, spay/neuter, tests, microchips, and deworming.
They also offer an additional add-on to cover vet visit fees up to a set limit.
Embrace stands out for its dental coverage. This is important to consider if your dog’s breed is prone to dental issues, such as dachshunds, Yorkshire terriers, shitzus, or Maltese. Miniature poodles don’t make the top ten, but Brady has had a couple of teeth removed. Once we added a yearly cleaning to his routine he stopped losing teeth. Susceptible or not, a yearly cleaning is a good idea for all dogs. Embrace will cover up to $650 annually without the cost of an additional rider, which is pretty rare to find in pet insurance. Another cost-effective feature is the decreasing deductible over time if you don’t file a claim.
They offer
- an accident and illness policy
This base policy covers veterinary exams, diagnostics and treatments related to pet accidents, injuries, chronic diseases (not pre-existing), genetic conditions and acute illnesses.
- accident-only coverage
A bare-bones policy for veterinary expenses resulting from pet-related accidents but not illnesses.
- 3 levels of the wellness rewards program as an add-on
The wellness program provides set benefits for preventive and routine care services including dental care and grooming. This program operates more like a flexible-spending account that you contribute to each month. You choose the level you want to fund, and pay each month to cover it. Then you can use the full amount at any point during the year.
These plans have the right balance between affordability and comprehensive coverage, with enough flexibility to meet various needs. Whether you’re looking for basic accident and illness coverage or something more holistic, one of these plans is likely to work for you. It may seem like overkill to have insurance on a pet, but the reality is that veterinary care is expensive, and having pet insurance gives peace of mind that allows you to give your dog the best care.
Please leave your comments or questions below. Do you have pet insurance? What has your experience been with it?