ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
Best for Hereditary and Congenital Conditions
If your pet’s breed is prone to serious and costly health problems like hip dysplasia, atopic dermatitis and cataracts, ASPCA Pet Insurance — one of Money’s best pet insurance companies — is our pick for the best insurer for hereditary and congenital conditions like those.
ASPCA has only a 14-day waiting period before pets are eligible for coverage for those ailments — a far shorter period than for most companies. And where some other insurers put an age cap on treating hereditary and congenital problems in new enrollees, ASPCA will cover these regardless of your pet’s age when you sign up.
- ASPCA Pet Insurance Pros and Cons
- ASPCA Plans
- ASPCA Costs
- Financial Stability
- Accessibility
- Customer Satisfaction
- How We Evaluated ASPCA Pet Insurance
- Summary of Money’s ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
ASPCA Pet Insurance Pros and Cons
- A standout for covering hereditary and congenital diseases
- Generous in covering curable pre-existing conditions
- Microchipping is included in plans
- No maximum age limit for enrollment
- Coverage for stem cell therapy
- 30-day processing time for claims
- Transaction fee if you pay monthly
- Website can be difficult to navigate
Pros Explained
A standout for hereditary and congenital diseases
Many pet insurance companies won’t cover common hereditary or congenital conditions, including cruciate ligament issues, or will only cover treatment if the pet is enrolled by a certain age. ASPCA Pet Insurance covers all such conditions as long as the pet isn’t diagnosed prior to enrollment or during the policy’s waiting period. And the waiting period is just 14 days, which is significantly shorter than other companies require for illnesses and knee or ligament conditions.
Generous in covering curable pre-existing conditions
If a condition that predates enrolment is curable, most companies cover treatment only if the pet has been symptom-free for at least a year. ASPCA does so if that period is just half that time — 180 days. (The exception is for knee and ligament conditions.)
Microchipping is included with plans
Pet insurance companies usually don’t cover microchipping your pet, unless it’s a benefit offered within a separate wellness policy. With ASPCA Pet Insurance, microchip implantations by veterinarians are covered under both its Complete Coverage and Accident-Only plans.
No maximum age limit for enrollment
It can be difficult to find an insurance company willing to insure older pets. With some companies, the maximum age limit can be as low as 10 years. But ASPCA Pet Insurance has no upper age limit, so you can get full accident and illness coverage for your senior pet.
Coverage for stem cell therapy
Stem cell therapy is increasingly used to treat issues like osteoarthritis and kidney disease. While many insurers still exclude stem cell therapies, it’s included as an eligible expense on both the Complete Coverage and Accident-Only plans.
Cons Explained
30-day processing time for claims
With treatments for some conditions running to thousands of dollars, quick reimbursement for claims is key. While some companies offer direct payment options or processing within a few days, ASPCA Pet Insurance says its typical processing time is about 30 days.
Transaction fee if you pay monthly
With ASPCA Pet Insurance, you can pay for your plan monthly or annually. If you opt for monthly payments, be aware that the company charges an added monthly transaction fee, which can vary by state.
The website can be difficult to navigate
The ASPCA Pet Insurance website can be challenging to navigate, and some information is difficult to find. For example, the company sells insurance for horses and wellness plans for dogs, but those policies aren’t listed on the homepage’s navigation bar.
ASPCA Plans
ASPCA Pet Insurance has multiple insurance plans:
Accident-Only Coverage for Dogs and Cats
Accident-only plans are less expensive than accident and illness plans. Designed to cover sudden and unexpected injuries, ASPCA Pet Insurance’s accident-only plan will cover the costs for diagnosing and treating injuries resulting from accidents, such as broken bones, tooth extractions or surgery. It has a 14-day waiting period before any injuries will be covered.
You can choose a deductible of $100 to $500, and a reimbursement level of 70%, 80% or 90%. Depending on your state, there may be a cap on annual benefits. In some states, you can choose a benefit limit between $3,000 or $10,000, but some states do offer an unlimited annual benefit option.
Complete Coverage for Dogs and Cats
The Complete Coverage plan will cover both accidents and illnesses. It provides coverage for injuries, cancer, chronic conditions and treatments for behavioral issues. Like the accident-only plan, the Complete Coverage plan has a 14-day waiting period.
You can choose a deductible of $100 to $500, and a reimbursement level of 70%, 80% or 90%. Some states are subject to annual benefit limits, while others have unlimited benefit options.
Preventative Care for Dogs and Cats
If you’d like to get insurance that includes preventative care, such as dental cleanings and vaccines, you can add a preventative care plan to your policy. There are two preventative care options: basic and prime. The plans differ from one another in terms of their annual maximums for different exams and procedures:
Annual maximums for exams, medications and procedures
| Basic | Prime | |
| Annual exam | $50.00 | $50.00 |
| Dental Cleaning or spay/neuter | $100.00 | $150.00 |
| Heartworm/flea preventative | $0.00 | $25.00 |
| Deworming | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| Health Certificate | $0.00 | $25.00 |
Annual maximums for tests
| Basic | Prime | |
| Canine Heartworm or Feline FELV | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| Urinalysis | $0.00 | $25.00 |
| Blood test | $0.00 | $25.00 |
| Fecal test | $20.00 | $25.00 |
Annual maximums for vaccinations/titers
| Basic | Prime | |
| Canine Bordetella or Feline FELV | $0.00 | $25.00 |
| Canine DHLPP or Feline FVRCP | $20.00 | $25.00 |
| Canine Rabies and/or Canine Lyme, or Feline FIP | $20.00 | $25.00 |
Horse Insurance
While ASPCA Pet Insurance does sell plans for horses, they’re only available in some states. There are two horse insurance options:
- Colic + Accidents: This plan covers colic — a potentially life-threatening issue — and injuries resulting from accidents, such as cuts or a hoof abscess.
- Colic + Accidents + Illness: Offering the same colic and accident protection as the above plan, this policy also provides coverage for illnesses, such as Cushing’s Disease or strangles.
The annual benefit limit ranges from $3,000 to $7,000 annual limit. You can choose a deductible between $100 and $500, and reimbursement levels range from 70% to 90%.
What’s Included
ASPCA Pet Insurance’s Complete Coverage plan covers unexpected injuries and illnesses. Besides the coverages listed above, eligible expenses also include:
- Tooth extractions to treat dental diseases and trauma
- Alternative therapies, including hydrotherapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture
- Surgery and hospitalization
- Prescription food to treat a covered condition
- Stem cell therapy
- Veterinary exams and laboratory tests
- Poison control consultation fees
- End of life expenses
What’s Excluded
Like other companies, ASPCA Pet Insurance doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures or breeding and whelping.
ASPCA Costs
ASPCA wasn’t part of our 2020 pet insurance costs survey, but we compared it to the companies listed in our survey and found that ASPCA’s prices were on the lower end of the plans we reviewed. In general, we found that its premiums for accident and wellness coverage were better than average.
To give you an idea of what to expect with its premiums, we gathered quotes for several breeds of dogs and cats at different ages.
The quotes below are for a pet owner in Orlando, FL for a Complete Coverage Plan. We selected an 80% reimbursement level, $5,000 annual benefit limit and a $500 deductible. Your quotes may differ based on your pet’s age, breed, species and your location.
Sample monthly pricing for dogs
| 1 year old | 5 years old | 10 years old | 15 years old | |
| Cocker Spaniel | $30.47 | $37.00 | $78.00 | $108.81 |
| Labrador Retriever | $30.47 | $37.00 | $78.34 | $108.81 |
| Pomeranian | $21.92 | $26.62 | $56.36 | $78.28 |
Sample monthly pricing for cats
| 1 year old | 5 years old | 10 years old | 15 years old | |
| Domestic Shorthair | $11.79 | $13.76 | $24.57 | $44.23 |
| Maine Coon | $17.53 | $20.45 | $36.51 | $65.72 |
| Russian Blue | $11.79 | $13.76 | $24.57 | $44.23 |
Discounts
Like most pet insurers, ASPCA Pet Insurance has a discount for policyholders that add multiple pets to their plan. However, the discount is more generous than many other companies offer; whereas a 5% discount is common, ASPCAPet Insurance offers a 10% multiple pet discount.
ASPCA Pet Insurance also works with some employers to offer pet insurance as a voluntary group benefit. If your employer works with ASPCA Pet Insurance, you can get up to 10% off your pet insurance policy. The discount can also be combined with the 10% multiple pet discount.
ASPCA Financial Stability
Despite its name, ASPCA Pet Insurance isn’t run or connected to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), a non-profit organization. Instead, policies are sold through Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, a for-profit company. Crum & Forster uses the ASPCA name to sell its policies through a licensing agreement.
However, Crum & Forster doesn’t actually underwrite the policies it sells. Instead, its policies are issued by a third-party insurer, the United States Fire Insurance Company. AM Best, a credit rating agency that evaluates insurance companies, issued The United States Fire Insurance Company an “A” (Excellent) Financial Strength Rating.
ASPCA Accessibility
Like most pet insurers, ASPCA has educational materials on its site, along with an online quote tool and downloadable sample policies. It also has a vet locator tool you can use to find a licensed veterinarian or veterinary specialist near you.
While some other companies offer 24/7 customer support, ASPCA Pet Insurance is more limited and only provides customer service during set business hours. And the company doesn’t offer online chat, a common feature that many other companies provide.
Availability
ASPCA is available to residents of all 50 states, but its plans’ annual benefit limits can vary based on your location. Horse insurance is more limited, and not available in every state.
Contact Information
Customer service is only available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. EST. You can reach customer support by email or phone:
- Phone: 866-204-6764
- Email: cservice@aspcapetinsurance.com
User Experience
Once you have purchased a policy, you can create an online account on the ASPCA Pet Insurance website. When you log onto your account, you can download forms, make payments, add pets and submit claims.
Limitations
ASPCA Pet Insurance only insures dogs, cats and horses. Exotic pets, such as birds or reptiles, are not eligible for its plans.
ASPCA Customer Satisfaction
In general, the customer reviews of ASPCA Pet Insurance are positive. The company has a 4.3 out of 5 TrustScore on TrustPilot based on over 2,800 reviews. Its rating is above the industry average and is in TrustPilot’s “excellent” category. It's also accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and has an A+ rating.
How We Evaluated ASPCA Pet Insurance
To review ASPCA Pet Insurance, we researched the following factors:
- Typical premiums
- Plan options
- Reimbursement amounts
- Annual benefit limits
- Policy exclusions and restrictions
- Available Wellness benefits
- Customer support
- Customer reviews
- Third-party ratings
Summary of Money’s ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
As a pet owner, you probably already know how expensive veterinary care can be, especially for serious injury or illness. While other companies do not cover all hereditary and congenital conditions, ASPCA Pet Insurance does so, even for senior pets.
ASPCA Pet Insurance does have some drawbacks. Its website isn’t intuitive, and not all of its policy information is easily available. However, ASPCA Pet Insurance is an overall excellent value, providing multiple coverage options and discounts.
Before enrolling your pet with ASPCA Pet Insurance or another company, review the policy documents and make sure you’re aware of what exclusions and restrictions apply.