ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Review – Investopedia

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ASPCA Pet Insurance
Our Take
If you’re looking for a pet insurance policy with low monthly premiums, the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance program might have exactly what you need.
Covers cats, dogs, and horses
Use any veterinarian
Provider comparison tool
Options for accident, illness, and wellness coverage
Some preventative care not included with Complete Coverage
ASPCA Pet Insurance
Every pet insurer offers different benefits and terms designed to meet the vastly different needs of each pet. The ASPCA’s Pet Health Insurance plans provide a unique balance of full benefit options with lower policy limits that keep premiums affordable. These policies are ideal for pet owners who don’t need much coverage and don’t want to pay for services they won’t use.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance is provided by Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group. In 2006, as part of a strategic partnership with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), they introduced ASPCA Pet Health Insurance.
The ASPCA pet health insurance’s options for dogs and cats consist of one accident-only policy and one accident and illness policy. Its Accident-Only Coverage is exclusively for injuries that result from an accident, such as an animal bite or ingestion of a foreign object. Complete Coverage, the provider’s accident and illness option, covers everything included in the accident-only plan in addition to most illnesses that might commonly arise (unless related to a preexisting condition).
There are also two plans for horses. Colic + Accidents covers abdominal conditions and accident-related injuries. The higher-end plan, Colic + Accidents + Illnesses, adds treatments for diseases like cancer and hereditary conditions.
Dogs, cats, and horses are all eligible for the same optional wellness riders, which supplement any of the above plans with preventive care benefits. There are two choices that offer varying levels of coverage for specific wellness services.
The table below outlines the benefits included in ASPCA’s various policies for cats and dogs.
*Only covered when resulting from an accident.
**Only covers the annual/preventative exam.
Monthly premiums are affordable, making ASPCA Pet Health Insurance policies ideal for pet owners on a budget. Note that price varies by location, breed, age of your pet, co-pay, and other factors. Note that there might be limits, particularly if you call into the call center, but coverage does not max out at $10K.
All applicable treatments related to accidents and illnesses are covered after a 14-day waiting period. Anything that occurs within these first two weeks won’t be paid for by the policy benefits. Many other pet insurers impose waiting periods around two days for accidents, which is significantly shorter.
However, most competitors also typically extend waiting periods to six months to a year for certain conditions that affect joints and ligaments. The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance honors its 14-day waiting period for these conditions in all covered species.
There is no pre-existing condition coverage with the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, which is standard for pet insurers. Since any injury or illness that appears during a waiting period is considered a pre-existing condition, orthopedic issues are eligible for coverage through the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance months earlier than competing policies that extend waiting periods for those conditions. Any injury or illness that is cured and free of treatment and symptoms for 180 days is no longer regarded as a pre-existing condition (with the exception of knee and ligament conditions).
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers lower policy limits than average, which means premiums are also lower. Annual limits start at $3,000 for dogs and cats. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance also offers plans for horses, but besides sample plan documents for horses, the site does not include specific information on horse policy limits. Unlimited policies are available, but may not shown in the online quoting process. These policies can be found by calling.
The list of exclusions is fairly short for dog and cat policies. Treatments like organ transplants, cosmetic procedures, and non-veterinary services aren’t covered, all of which are commonly listed as ineligible under pet insurance policies.
There are a few additional exclusions for horses. Alternative and behavioral therapies, for example, are covered under dog and cat policies but excluded from equine benefits. Horse policies also won’t cover arthritis, hoof trimming, or farm visit fees.
The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers many convenient ways to file claims. Use any device to submit claims electronically, either with the free My Pet Insurance smartphone app or via the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance website. You also have the option of filling out a printer-friendly claim form and sending it in by email, fax, or postal mail.
Once a claim has been submitted electronically, you can track its status through the My Pet Insurance app or the account manager found on the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance website.
Use any device to submit claims electronically, either with the free My Pet Insurance smartphone app or via the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance website.
There are several ways to get in touch with the ASPCA Pet Health Insurance regarding your pet insurance policy. Traditional methods like phone and email are available, although phone staffing is limited to business hours. There’s also a contact form in the My Pet Insurance app for those who decide to install and use it.
Since the ASPCA isn’t an insurance company, its policies are administered by Crum & Forster and underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company.
The United States Fire Insurance Company receives an A financial stability rating from AM Best, the third-highest possible category. This rating has been held by the insurer since 2008.
The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance policies offered through Crum & Forster are ideal for animal owners seeking lower premiums. Annual limits run through the low to middle range compared to industry norms. The ASPCA Pet Health Insurance accident and illness premiums tend to run higher while preventive care is cheaper, so it’s important to compare quotes based on the specific type of coverage you need for your dog, cat, or horse.
We compare many different aspects of pet insurance to bring you the most accurate and unbiased reviews possible. Our methodology for reviewing pet insurance includes gathering quotes from insurers and comparing pricing and benefits. We also look at eligibility based on age, species, and pre-existing conditions. Finally, we consider any potential exclusions or limitations that are important for pet owners to know about before signing up.
AM Best. "AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited and Its Core Subsidiaries." Accessed August 26, 2021.

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