Best Dog Insurance

In recent years, costs for veterinary care have risen exponentially in the U.S. As a result, pet parents have started enrolling their furry children in pet healthcare policies at high rates. If, like these owners, you’re currently in search of the peace of mind that might come with having your dog insured, read on to find out which companies made our roster for best dog insurance providers.

Our pet insurance experts have been compiling data on providers across the U.S. for over six years to determine which offer the best pet insurance policies in the market. If our top dog insurance provider picks don’t cater to your pet’s needs, be sure to check out which were the best according to our colleagues’ pet insurance reviews as well as their in-depth guide.

Our Top Picks

• Pets Best - Best Dog Insurance for Early Coverage
• Figo - Best Dog Insurance for Cancer Treatment Coverage
• Embrace - Best Dog Insurance for Range of Annual Deductibles and Limits
• Lemonade - Best Dog Insurance for Streamlined Claims Processing
• Spot - Best Dog Insurance for Claim Flexibility

Best Dog Insurance Reviews

Why we chose Pets Best

We picked Pets Best as the best dog insurance for early coverage because of its starting enrollment age. Dogs as young as seven weeks old can be enrolled for an accident and illness policy, which is a month earlier than most pet insurance companies allow. Pets Best also offers low annual deductible options that start at $50 as well as maximum payout options that go up to unlimited.

Pets Best offers three accident and illness plans that are fully customizable, which means customers can choose the annual limits, deductibles, and reimbursement rates that work for them. Policyholders can submit claims through their mobile app or the online portal. The company has a three-day waiting period for accidents and a standard 14-day waiting period for illnesses. Pets Best’s wellness coverage includes teeth cleanings, heartworm prevention, spaying and neutering and more.

Why we chose Figo

We chose Figo because it offers coverage for innovative cancer treatments. Moreover, Figo’s base policy offers coverage for a myriad of rehabilitation services and treatments, including cryotherapy, underwater treadmill therapy, laser therapy and heat therapy, therapeutic swimming as well as alternative therapies.

Figo is also the only provider in our list that features a 100% coinsurance option. The company offers preset plans as well as a fully customizable one. The company also has one of the shortest waiting periods for accidents, with coverage starting one day after purchasing the policy. Unfortunately, Figo only covers vet exam fees as an add-on, but the base policy does cover diagnostic tests and imaging such as X-rays, CAT scans, blood tests and more.

Why we chose Embrace

Embrace provides pet parents with the opportunity to build their own pet insurance plan and choose from a wide range of annual deductibles and maximum payout limits. The company’s waiting period for accidents is two days. Base policies cover genetic, chronic and congenital conditions as well as cancer treatments, dental trauma and more.

Owners also enjoy access to a 24/7 veterinary helpline as well as a simple claims submittal process through the MyEmbrace platform. However, the company requires customers to purchase separate riders to cover prescription medications as well as veterinary exam fees.

Embrace’s wellness add-on covers preventative care as well as coverage for costs associated with training and grooming, and allows customers to choose the annual cap for this coverage.

Why We Chose Lemonade

Lemonade offers policyholders a streamlined claims process that is powered by AI technology. This allows for claims to be processed in minutes through the company’s mobile app. Lemonade’s base policy covers the procedures and medications required to treat a covered illness or accident, as well as the costs associated with diagnosis (ultrasounds, MRIs, blood tests, etc.) and can be customized as needed.

The company offers coverage for visit fees and physical therapy as separate add-ons, as well as preventive care packages for both adult dogs and puppies. Lemonade’s preventative packages include parasite and heartworm tests, vaccines, wellness exams and blood tests with additional coverage for microchipping, spaying and neutering and meds for fleas, ticks and heartworm in the case of puppies.

Lemonade is currently only available in 38 states. Moreover, the quote tool on the company website makes it a little difficult for owners to receive a quote as it requires them to input a lot of information regarding their pet’s profile and medical history, some of which may not be readily available to them.

Why We Chose Spot

Spot made our top picks, among other reasons, because of its flexibility when it comes to submitting claims. Policyholders have a window of 270 days (approximately eight months) to file a claim. Spot’s base accident and illness policy comes with a lot of perks, including coverage for microchip implantation, vet exam fees, alternative therapy, virtual vet visits, and more.

That being said, the company’s monthly premiums are the highest among our chosen carriers and its waiting periods are not as short as its competitors, starting at 14 days for both accidents and illnesses. Additionally, Spot charges transaction fees for all premium payments that are not made on an annual basis.

Other companies we considered

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Nationwide Pet Insurance

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Dog Insurance Guide

If you’re just starting to learn about dog insurance or if there are still concepts that are not yet clear to you, we hope our guide will help supplement any gaps in knowledge you may have so that you can make an informed decision when it comes down to choosing a provider and a policy.

What does dog insurance cover?

Dog insurance is supposed to cover the costs associated with diagnosing and treating an injured or sick dog. Although not all providers offer the same benefits, below we list what is usually covered by dog insurance and the most common exclusions in accident and illness policies.

Our article on what pet insurance covers provides a more detailed breakdown of covered treatments and services as well as conditions and types of injuries.

How does dog insurance work?

When you sign your dog up for a dog insurance policy, you agree to pay monthly premiums as well as an annual deductible (chosen by you) in order to be reimbursed for most or part of the expenses you incur at the vet as a result of an accident or the development of an illness. Coverage for illnesses usually has longer waiting periods than coverage for accidents, especially in the case of orthopedic conditions.

Our writers have crafted articles on how pet insurance deductibles work as well as how pet insurance waiting periods work in order to provide our readers with an in-depth understanding of pet insurance as a whole, so make sure you check those out.

Dog insurance cost

How much is pet insurance for a dog?

When it comes to pet insurance costs, the type of pet being enrolled heavily influences how much you’ll be paying for a policy. For example, policies for dogs are more expensive than those for cats.

Other factors your future provider will consider include your pet’s age and breed as well as where they reside. However, your selections for deductibles, maximum payouts and reimbursement rates are what will determine if you pay higher or lower monthly premiums. For a more detailed explanation of what goes into dog insurance costs, read our article on how much is pet insurance.

Average cost of dog insurance

By averaging pet insurance quotes we obtained from the companies listed above for a one-year-old French bulldog residing in Florida, we determined that monthly premiums for dog health insurance can range from approximately $24.74 to $150.35. Keep in mind that owners of purebred dogs like Frenchies may be more likely to pay more in premiums than owners of mixed breed dogs because of the likelihood they’ll develop a hereditary or congenital illness.

How We Chose the Best Dog Insurance

Determining our top picks for dog insurance involves diving into each company’s policies and zeroing in on the aspects that we believe owners will pay special attention to when deciding on a policy. Some of these aspects include:

• Enrollment requirements and limits: Most companies will set age limits for enrollment. Some companies will even set an age limit to enroll in order to be covered for certain illnesses.

• Exclusions: Most providers exclude things like routine and preventative care, spaying and neutering, breeding costs, pre-existing conditions and more from their basic coverage. We paid special attention to the companies that offer at least some of these services as additional riders.

• Reimbursement rates: Otherwise known as coinsurance, these range between 70% and 90%, although some carriers do offer a 100% reimbursement level.

• Annual limits: Coverage options from our top picks start at $2,500 and go up to unlimited.

• Deductibles: Some companies offer deductibles as low as $50, but they typically range between $100 and $1,000.

• Waiting periods: These typically range from a couple of days to six months for certain illnesses (such as orthopedic conditions). We favored the companies that offer shorter waiting periods.

• Claims processing: The best pet insurance companies offer a streamlined claims process. We settled on providers that at least allow policyholders to submit claims online and through mobile apps.

• Optional coverage: We made sure the additional coverage offered by our chosen providers supplements any gaps in their basic coverage. Some common add-ons include preventative care or wellness plans (vaccinations, wellness exams, etc.) spaying or neutering, routine care (dental cleanings, etc.) and more.

• Discounts: Some providers may offer discounts to policyholders who make annual payments, veterans and even therapy pet owners. Carriers like Embrace offer discounts to households with multiple pets.

Summary of Money’s Best Dog Insurance

• Pets Best - Best Dog Insurance for Early Coverage
• Figo - Best Dog Insurance for Cancer Treatment Coverage
• Embrace - Best Dog Insurance for Range of Annual Deductibles and Limits
• Lemonade - Best Dog Insurance for Streamlined Claims Processing
• Spot - Best Dog Insurance for Claim Flexibility