Spot Pet Insurance
Spot offers multiple pet insurance plans to keep your dog or cat protected while matching your budget needs. With nearly 8,000 ratings on Trustpilot (and 84% of those a full five-stars), a 24/7 pet telehealth helpline, and veterinarians available across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, Spot earns its position as one of the best pet insurance carriers on the market.
Coverage Options
Pricing
Claim Process
Customer Service
Why We Like Spot Pet Insurance
Spot stands out in the pet insurance market with its combination of flexible coverage options, reasonable pricing, and excellent customer service. They offer both accident-only and comprehensive accident & illness policies, with optional wellness plans to cover routine care.
What We Love
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No lifetime cap on coverage for your pet
Unlimited lifetime benefits available, providing peace of mind for chronic conditions
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Only a 14-day waiting period for knee and ligament injuries
Most competitors require 6 months or more for these conditions
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No upper age limit: insure any pet 8 weeks and older
Seniors pets can still get coverage when other insurers might turn them away
Nice to See
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24/7 telehealth helpline
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Two different wellness plan tiers
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Coverage for "cured" pre-existing conditions
What To Consider
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14-day waiting period for accidents
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Reimbursement model: you pay the vet first, and then get reimbursed by Spot
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Premiums go up as your pet ages
Spot Overview
Pets Covered
Dogs, Cats
Multi-Pet Discount?
Yes - 10% discount on additional pets
Deductibles
$100, $250, $500, $750, $1000
Reimbursement Rate
70%, 80%, 90%
Annual Limit
$2500, $3000, $4000, $5000, $7000, $10K, Unlimited
Waiting Period
14 days for diagnosis, treatment, or surgery related to accidents, illnesses, and ligament and knee conditions.
Next-day coverage for preventative care treatments with a wellness add-on
Age Requirements
Pets must be 8 weeks or older
No upper age limit
Lifetime Benefit Cap?
None
Good To Know:
A 14-day waiting period for illnesses is pretty standard for pet insurance companies, but it's (incredibly) short for ligament and knee conditions; most insurers wait at least six months after you start a policy before they start covering those.
On the other hand, 14-days is pretty long to start accident coverage. Make sure you pamper your pet (and avoid emergencies) until this waiting period is up.
What Does Spot Pet Insurance Cover?
Spot offers three pet insurance options for dogs and cats: an accident-only policy, an accident and illness policy, and optional wellness plan add-ons. Each provides different levels of coverage to meet your pet's needs and your budget.
Accident-Only Coverage
- ✓Accident Diagnostics and Treatment
- ✓Exam Fees
- ✓Veterinary exams and lab tests
- ✓IV Fluids and Medications
- ✓MRI and CT Scans
- ✓X-Rays
- ✓Surgery
- ✓Hospitalization
- ✓Prescription Medication
- ✓Tooth Extraction
- ✓Stem Cell Therapy
- ✓Alternative Therapies (acupuncture, e.g.)
Accident & Illness Coverage
Everything in Accident-Only plus:
- ✓Microchipping
- ✓Behavioral treatments
- Illnesses and Infections
- ✓Skin, Eye, and Ear Infections
- ✓Cancer and Growths
- ✓Digestive Illnesses
- Dental Illnesses
- ✓Broken, chipped, fractured teeth
- ✓Gingivitis
- ✓Periodontal Disease
- Orthopedic Conditions
- ✓Broken bones
- ✓Cruciate ligament tears
- ✓Hip dysplasia
Wellness Plans
Gold Tier
Up to $250 in total benefits per year
- ✓Wellness Exam
- ✓Dental Cleaning
- ✓DHLPP/FVRCP Vaccine/Titer
- ✓Heartworm or FeLV test
- ✓Rabies/Lyme FIP Vaccine/Titer
- ✓Deworming
- ✓Fecal Test
Platinum Tier
Up to $450 in total benefits per year
Includes everything in Gold Tier plus:
- ✓Dental Cleaning or Spay/Neuter
- ✓Urinalysis
- ✓Health Certificate
What About Pre-Existing Conditions?
Like most pet insurance companies, Spot Pet Insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. Pre-existing conditions are any accident or illness that occurs either before or during the 14-day waiting period.
Note: If your pet already has an issue that affects one side of their body (like cataracts, luxating patellas, dysplasia, and cruciate ligaments), it's highly likely that eventually both sides of their body will be affected. Spot considers bilateral conditions as pre-existing ones, and will not provide coverage for either side.
That said, Spot has a "cured condition" clause, where some pre-existing conditions may be considered "cured," meaning Spot would offer coverage for that condition in the future. To qualify:
- The condition has to be considered "curable." Think one-time ear infection rather than chronic arthritis.
- Your pet has to be cured and free from treatment and symptoms for 180 days straight.
- It can't be a ligament or a knee condition.
If your pet currently has a respiratory infection or an injury, it's worth reaching out to Spot to ask whether it would be considered a curable condition in the future.
What's Not Covered
Even on Spot's most decked-out plan, there are a few services where you'd still have to pay entirely out-of-pocket. The ones we think you're most likely to run into include these:
- Breeding, pregnancy, whelping, or nursing
- Boarding fees
- Cosmetic and elective procedures, including declawing and ear cropping
- Grooming and grooming supplies
- House call fees, or time and travel expenses to/from the veterinarian's office
Some Gray Areas
Taking care of our pets can get complicated. These are a few services that Spot does cover, but only in specific circumstances or for specific purposes.
| Service | Yes, it's covered: | No, it's not covered: |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Cleaning | On an illness plan, only covered when being used to treat a covered illness. On a wellness add-on, dental cleanings are covered at the Gold and Platinum tiers. | Generally not covered. |
| Dental Treatments | Tooth Extractions | Aesthetic, cosmetic, endodontic, or orthodontia services, like caps, crowns, and root canals |
| Anal Sac (gland) Expression, Treatment, and/or Resection | If there is an infection present, yes. | If there is no infection present, no. |
| End-of-Life | Euthanasia | Burial Cremation Memorial items Urns Caskets Burial plots/fees |
| Prescription Pet Food | Only covered when prescribed by a veterinarian to treat a covered condition | Not covered for general health maintenance or prevention, or for use beyond the resolution of symptoms. |
| Supplements | Only covered when prescribed by a veterinarian to treat a covered condition | Not covered for general health maintenance or prevention, or for use beyond the resolution of symptoms. |
How Much Does Spot Pet Insurance Cost?
Spot pet insurance allows you to custom-tailor your policy (and thus your monthly premium or fee) based on three factors: the deductible, the reimbursement rate, and the annual limit. Depending on which options you choose, you'll either have a higher premium or a lower one.
Deductibles
$100, $250, $500, $750, $1000
Lower deductibles mean higher premiums.
Reimbursement Rate
70%, 80%, 90%
Higher reimbursement rates mean higher premiums.
Annual Limit
$2500, $3000, $4000, $5000, $7000, $10K, Unlimited
Higher annual limits mean higher premiums.
Other factors that impact your premium cost:
- What plan you choose: more coverage means a higher premium.
- Where you live: living in a place with higher veterinary costs versus lower veterinary costs (compared to the national average) affects your premium.
- Your pet: pets need more veterinary help as they get older, and depending on their breed, they might be more likely to need specialized care.
These are pretty standard for pet insurance companies. It's why when you search for policy quotes, they ask questions about your location and your pet.
Good to know: Spot doesn't offer lock-in pricing. Expect your pet's premium to increase as they get older to account for their age, inflation, and rising veterinarian costs.
Discounts
In addition to Spot's 10% multi-pet discount, Spot partners with multiple pet brands to offer their members discounts. A few of their different discounts include:
- Bark-Box: one month free with any subscription
- DogTV - 35% off an annual subscription
- Ancestry- $20 off an Ancestry Dog DNA Test Kit
- Rover: $20 off your first booking
- Meowtel: $25 off cat sitting
- Basepaws: $20 off cat DNA test kit
- Petlibro: 40% off Petlibro Space feeder
How Does Spot Pet Insurance Work?
Spot works on a reimbursement model. Once you've signed up for pet insurance and made it through the 14-day waiting period (less if you're getting something done through your wellness plan), here's the process:
- 1
Visit any licensed veterinarian
You can visit any licensed vet in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, or Guam.
You'll need to cover the full cost of treatment upfront.
- 3
Send Spot the bill
Submit your claim through the website, Spot's mobile app, or via fax machine. You have 270 days to do this!
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Get reimbursed
Spot will pay you back its portion of the vet bill either by direct deposit or check.
Spot says that they aim to have reimbursements delivered to you within two days, but other sources suggest it can take 10-14 business days.
How to Contact Spot Pet Insurance
Phone
1-800-905-1595
Help Center Q&A
help.spotpet.com/enComplaint Form
spotpet.com/complaints-and-feedbackHow To Renew
Policy renewal happens automatically, unless:
- You notify Spot that you want to cancel (by email, telephone, fax, or mail), or
- Spot decides to not renew your coverage.
If Spot decides to not renew your coverage, you will receive written notice sent to you at your address.
Ready to Protect Your Pet?
Spot offers flexible, customizable pet insurance plans that can help protect your pet from unexpected illnesses and accidents.