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As your pet gets older, medical bills can add up quickly. Pet insurance gives you peace of mind knowing that when your dog or other pet needs emergency care, you'll be covered financially. This is especially important if you own a senior pet, which is more susceptible to illnesses. And yet, they're also the most difficult to insure.
Best Pet Insurance for Senior Dogs of 2024
Compare Senior Dog Pet Insurance
Finding pet insurance for a senior dog can be difficult, as many companies won't insure pets with pre-existing conditions and limit the age of the enrolled pet. Additionally, policies for senior dogs are often more expensive compared to policies for younger dogs and often have long waiting periods, up to 365 days.
However, there are still great options for senior pet insurance that can offer breed-specific coverage and end-of-life benefits without costing an exorbitant amount. Here are our picks for the best senior dog pet insurance in 2024.
Best Senior Dog Insurance Overall
Spot Pet Insurance
The first thing to love about Spot Pet Insurance: There's no upper age limit. That means you can get coverage for your cat or dog, no matter how old they are. You can expect your premiums to increase as your pet ages, but that's the case with any pet insurance. Spot doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, but there's a caveat. If your pet has a condition and recovers fully (for at least 180 days), Spot will cover future occurrences of that condition.
A sad but nice touch with Spot Pet Insurance is that if your animal dies from a covered condition, their end-of-life expenses including euthanasia, burial, or cremation are also covered. While no one wants to think about their beloved pet crossing the rainbow bridge, it's good to know that you won't need to worry about finances when the time comes.
Spot is a reimbursement system, the most common type of pet insurance. You can select a plan that reimburses up to 90% of expenses, with annual deductibles between $100 and $1,000. We love that Spot makes it easy to see a sample policy, so you can dig into the details.
Read our Spot pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance for Direct Pay
Trupanion Pet Insurance
Trupanion Pet Insurance has several unique features that makes it stand out. For one, it is one of the only pet insurance companies that pays vets directly. If your clinic or hospital is in Trupanion's system, you won't have to worry about filing a claim or paying up front. However, you'll still be able to get reimbursed through a traditional claim if your vet doesn't work with Trupanion.
Trupanion covers cats and dogs up to the age of 14. Like most plans, it doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, but Trupanion does cover breed-specific concerns, like hip dysplasia, as long as your pet has no existing symptoms. Another perk for owners of older pets: Trupanion has no payout limit, meaning that your plan will cover bills that can add up quickly with a senior pet.
All Trupanion plans cover 90% of the cost of care. Its deductible system is unique. While most insurers have an annual deductible, Trupanion has a deductible per condition over the policy's lifetime. So if you fulfill your deductible for a certain condition, you won't have to pay more than your 10% copay as long as your policy is active.
While Trupanion's offerings stand out from its competitors, unfortunately, so do its costs. Its premiums are relatively high compared to its competitors and coverage is especially expensive for senior dogs. Additionally, it doesn't offer discounts for multiple pets. That said, Trupanion guarantees that it will never raise prices according to your pet's age, though it may adjust premiums due to inflation or local vet costs.
Read our Trupanion pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance for Fast Reimbursement
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
If your pet insurance can't pay you directly, you'll want to know that reimbursement is prompt. At Healthy Paws, approved claims are reimbursed within 24 hours. It can still take up to 10 days for the check or direct deposit to reach you, but it's reassuring to know you'll have an answer quickly.
The maximum enrollment age for Healthy Paws is 14 years old for cats and dogs. Healthy Paws requires all pets to have had a vet exam in the year before applying for coverage; if your pet is six or older, you'll need to show an exam within the past 30 days. This is to identify any pre-existing conditions, which aren't covered. But, if your pet is healthy overall, it's a great way to demonstrate that to your insurer and possibly lower your premiums. Healthy Paws has a short waiting period of 15 days. That means that you can sign your senior pet up and have coverage start later that month.
Healthy Paws reimburses up to 90% of the cost of emergency care and offers an annual deductible.
Read our Healthy Paws pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance for Wide-Ranging Coverage
Pumpkin Pet Insurance
Pumpkin Pet Insurance sounds more like a pet treat than an insurance company. That fits, because its coverage is pretty sweet. Pumpkin covers care that many pet insurance companies don't, including behavioral interventions, acupuncture, and specialty foods. Your pet can even get dental care and physical therapy with a Pumpkin plan.
Pumpkin has no upper age limit, and a short waiting period of just 14 days. That means you can get your senior pet covered quickly. Like most insurers, Pumpkin doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, but it will cover most ailments that are cured for at least 180 days before reoccurring.
Pumpkin plans reimburse 90% of the cost of care for covered procedures. Pumpkin plans have an annual deductible that can range from $100-$1,000.
Read our Pumpkin pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions
AKC Pet Insurance
The American Kennel Club is known for looking after dogs and dog enthusiasts, but don't worry: Its pet insurance plan covers cats too. It's a standout for senior pets because this is the only pet insurance we could find that covers both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions.
Before you celebrate, there are some details to consider. AKC Pet Insurance will cover pre-existing conditions after 365 days, so you won't get immediate coverage. Still, if your pet is living with a chronic condition like allergies, gastrointestinal issues, or ear infections that require ongoing care, AKC is a great option. Unfortunately, this coverage for pre-existing conditions isn't available in all states.
AKC has no age limit for accident coverage. But, your pet must be younger than 9 in order to enroll in illness coverage. If they are already enrolled continuously, they will be covered for illnesses even when they're older than nine.
AKC plans cover between 70-90% of the cost of care, deductibles range from $100-$1,000, and annual limits that range from $2,500 to $10,000
Read our AKC pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance for 100% Reimbursement
Figo Pet Insurance
Sometimes, you just want coverage quickly. With Figo, your pet's coverage starts the day after you enroll. That means you can sign your senior pet up today and have them covered tomorrow. Claims are processed quickly too, in less than three days on average.
Figo doesn't have any upper age limits. Its policies don't cover pre-existing conditions, with some exceptions for conditions that have been cured for more than a year. Like other insurers, Figo will raise your premium rates as your pet gets older, but never in response to you filing a claim.
Figo makes it easy to add a wellness plan to your insurance. This can help cover the cost of preventive health care, which is important for all pets, but especially seniors. As a Figo member you also have access to call or chat with a vet 24/7, a great resource for times when you're on the fence about whether your pet needs to be seen.
Figo stands out because it offers the option to cover 100% of qualified expenses, something most other insurers don't have. You can also choose less coverage (and therefore a lower deductible), with plans starting at 70% coverage. Deductibles range from $100-750.
Read our Figo pet insurance review.
Best Senior Dog Insurance on a Budget
Lemonade Pet Insurance
Lemonade Pet Insurance is available for pets up to 14 years old. It offers accident and illness with additional wellness benefits.
Lemonade is one of the cheapest pet insurance companies mainly because it offers many of the benefits normally found in a pet insurance policy as add-ons to a very bare bones policy. This means that pet owners can add the additional benefits they want without having to pay for benefits they won't use. It also offers several discount opportunities, including a 10% discount for bundling with Lemonade's other insurance plans, 5% discount for enrolling multiple pets, and a 5% discount for paying annually.
Lemonade also has a wide range of coverage levels, from $5,000 to $100,000, deductibles from $100 to $750, and reimbursements from 70% to 90%.
Read our Lemonade pet insurance review.
Choosing the Right Insurance for Your Senior Dog
Shopping for pet insurance for a senior dog brings some additional considerations compared to finding pet insurance for a puppy.
Assessing Your Dog's Needs
Many pet insurance companies have high premiums for older pets and exclude animals that have pre-existing conditions. That can make pet insurance difficult to find right when you need it most. That said, it's still worth getting a pet insurance policy in case they develop additional conditions, especially since treatment will likely be more expensive as your dog gets older.
Comparing Plans and Providers
The best pet insurance for senior dogs offers affordable rates, short waiting periods before coverage starts, and some coverage for pre-existing conditions.
When you're shopping for the best insurance for older pets, first check if a provider has an age limit for the pet they'll insure. Then, see how long you have to wait before coverage starts, and whether the insurer will cover any pre-existing conditions your pet has. Choosing a provider can be overwhelming, but this breakdown can help.
Cost and Value Analysis of Senior Dog Insurance
Premium and Deductibles for Senior Dogs
The premium on your senior dog's health insurance is directly tied to the deductible you choose. The higher the deductible, the lower your premiums. Much like purchasing insurance, this balance between deductibles and premiums is as much about risk management as it is a cost and value analysis.
You can opt for a lower premium and higher deductible, but you'll pay more for your pet's healthcare if your pet requires treatment. On the other hand, a lower deductible will mean you'll pay less for your pet's medical bill, but you'll pay a higher premium every billing period.
Balancing Cost and Coverage
Similarly, you'll want to assess the value of the coverage you receive on your own terms and see if it's one-to-one with the price your insurance provider is charging. If you're unhappy with that cost, you may consider switching providers or switching from an accident and illness policy to accident-only.
Managing Your Senior Dog's Insurance Policy
Enrollment and Claims Process
When you enroll your senior dog in pet insurance, you should take inventory of the coverage that you want. You should also be mindful of insurance waiting periods and how an insurance company handles pre-existing conditions and bilateral conditions, which are conditions that affect both sides of a dog. If a dog has a condition on one side of its body, an insurer may refuse to cover medical care for that condition if it appears on the unaffected side.
When you file a pet insurance claim, you should keep all documents throughout your dog's treatment, including vet invoices, SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, and plan) notes, and medical records. You'll have to pay your vet bills before filing anything with your insurer. After filing a pet insurance claim, be sure to follow up with your provider.
Policy Adjustments As Your Dog Ages
Unfortunately, as your pet ages, it becomes more susceptible to illness and injury. As a result, your insurance premiums may increase. As you select a pet insurance company, you should factor how your pet's age affects its coverage and premiums. For example, Trupanion does not increase premiums due to age, though it may increase premiums due to inflation.
Special Considerations for Senior Dog Insurance
Age-Related Health Issues
As your beloved dog gets older, more health issues may crop up. These could include arthritis, vision and hearing loss, and other chronic illness and age-related conditions. The specific health issues your senior dog faces could also depend on their particular breed — for instance, larger dogs often develop hip joint issues.
Policy Restrictions and Exclusions
Most pet insurance policies don't offer coverage for pre-existing conditions, which is why it's recommended to get pet insurance when your dog is younger. If you don't have insurance yet and your dog has a pre-existing condition, you can still find coverage, but your options may just be more limited, and your policy typically won't cover treatment related to that pre-existing condition.
Best Senior Dog Insurance FAQs
Most policies do not cover pre-existing conditions, like allergies or cancer. However, you can get congenital and hereditary conditions covered with certain plans.
Some pet insurance companies have upper age limit restrictions set at 10-12 years old, but some companies, like Spot and ASPCA Pet Insurance, have no age limit. However, keep in mind the longer you wait to get insurance for your pet, the harder it may be to find a policy because companies won't offer coverage for pre-exi siting conditions, which are more likely to crop up the older your dog gets.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed Pet Insurance for Senior Dogs
To choose the best pet insurance for senior dogs, we compared more than 14 pet insurance companies and followed our rating methodology.
Eligibility: We looked at whether a policy had age limits and when coverage cut off. Pet insurance companies with no age limits or high age limits were rated higher than those with lower limits.
Price: We looked at the price of coverage by gathering quotes for senior dogs, since they're more expensive to cover than younger dogs. We also considered how a pet insurance increases premiums each year, as some consider your dog's age and some do not. Those that do not were rated higher in our guide.
Coverage: We looked at the quality and variety of coverage options, including waiting periods and how pets with pre-existing conditions are covered.
Customer service: We also considered customer reviews when assessing these companies, assessing claims processes, whether the plan reimburses you or pays vets directly, and representative responsiveness.
Our Expert Panel on Choosing The Best Pet Insurance for Seniors
To put together this list of the best pet insurance for seniors, we interviewed the following experts:
- Vanessa Selger, an emergency veterinarian in Virginia Beach.
- Kari Steere, a licensed insurance agent and producer at Pawlicy Advisor, which allows people to compare different pet insurance prices.
When you're choosing pet insurance for senior animals, there are three main factors: the cost, your pet's age, and their health.
“Some key qualities to look for in an insurance policy for senior pets are price, the lack of an upper age limit, and coverages for chronic conditions as well as hereditary and congenital condition coverages,” Steere says.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does your pet qualify for the age limits of this provider?
- Are common conditions for their breed covered?
- Is there any coverage for pre-existing conditions?
- How long is the waiting period before coverage begins?
- Do the premiums fit your budget?
- What deductible will you be able to afford?
- How long do reimbursements typically take? Or, is the company able to pay the vet directly?
Remember that in almost all cases, you'll need to pay upfront for your pet's care, veterinarian Vanessa Selger says. Because of that, it's important for pet owners to have access to savings or credit that they can utilize in emergencies before pet insurance reimburses them.
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