Prudent Pet Insurance Review 2025
Prudent Pet insurance offers a variety of coverage options for pets, with the notable advantage of having no upper age restrictions. This review provides an in-depth look at what Prudent Pet offers, helping potential customers determine if it’s the right choice for their furry friends.
Overview
Prudent Pet earns a NerdWallet rating of 4.5 stars. The company is praised for its broad range of coverage catering to pets of all ages. While it provides a live chat option for customer support, it lacks other features such as vet direct pay and a mobile app, which are available from some competitors.
Pros & Cons
Here’s a quick look at the key advantages and disadvantages:
Pros:
- No upper age limits for pets.
- Unlimited annual coverage is available.
- Live customer support via chat and a 24/7 vet helpline.
- A 30-day money-back guarantee for new policies.
Cons:
- No option to pay your vet directly.
- No mobile app.
Choose Prudent Pet insurance if…
You are looking for solid coverage with fast claims processing. Claims are processed, in most cases, within 24 hours.
About Prudent Pet Insurance
Prudent Pet insurance earned 4.5 out of 5 stars for its overall performance. The plan covers congenital and hereditary conditions, behavioral treatments, alternative therapies, dental illnesses, and certain prescription foods. Another benefit is its quick claims processing time, as well as a waived six-month waiting period for knee injury coverage with a vet exam.
Prudent Pet offers a $100 deductible option for some pets and a 30-day money-back guarantee for new policyholders. Both cats and dogs that are at least 8 weeks old are eligible for enrollment. Customers must purchase an add-on plan to cover sick exam fees. Policy management is done through the company’s website, as there is no existing mobile app.
Prudent Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage
Prudent Pet provides several plans and optional add-ons to choose from, including:
- Essential Plan: This plan covers accidents and illnesses up to $10,000 per year and includes:
- Treatment, surgery, and hospitalization for covered illnesses or injuries, including cancer.
- Alternative therapies if prescribed by a vet.
- Dental injuries or illnesses.
- Hereditary conditions and congenital birth defects.
- Hip dysplasia.
- Prescription medications. Diagnostic testing.
- Complications from breeding, pregnancy, or whelping if the breeding date is after the waiting period.
- Up to $250 per policy year for behavioral disorders.
- Ultimate Plan: This is the most comprehensive option, with no annual coverage limit. It covers all the items in the Essential plan, plus:
- Up to $1,000 per policy year for behavioral disorders.
- Up to $500 for lost pet advertising and rewards.
- Up to $500 for medically necessary boarding at a kennel or cattery.
- Up to $500 if your pet is stolen or lost.
- Up to $1,000 for end-of-life expenses.
- Up to $1,000 if your vacation plans are disrupted because your pet needs life-saving care.
- Accident-Only Plan: This plan doesn’t cover illnesses but does pay for:
- Treatment, surgery, and hospitalization for injuries caused by a covered accident, including bite wounds and broken bones.
- Alternative therapy if prescribed by a vet.
- IV fluids and medications. MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays.
- Prescription medications. Stem cell therapy. Tooth extractions.
- Wellness Coverage Add-on: Prudent Pet offers three wellness plan options: Low, Medium, and High. These may cover:
- Wellness exams. Vaccinations. Heartworm tests or FeLV screens. Fecal exams.
- Wellness blood screening (High plan only). Health certificates. Microchipping.
- Deworming. Dental cleaning or spay and neuter surgery (Medium and High plans only).
- Veterinary Exam Fee Add-on: This add-on helps cover veterinary exam fees for illnesses or accidents. If you add this to your base Prudent Pet plan, you won’t have to pay for exam fees yourself.
Note: Coverage options and availability may vary based on your location, as well as your pet’s breed and age.
What’s Not Covered
Prudent Pet’s insurance plans typically exclude the following:
- Pre-existing conditions unless they’ve been cured and symptom-free for at least 365 days.
- Exam fees, unless you’ve purchased an add-on for this coverage.
- Costs related to routine care like grooming, training, or flea and tick preventives.
- Elective procedures like spaying, neutering, routine anal gland expression, or tail docking.
- Experimental treatments. Routine breeding, whelping, or pregnancy.
- Intentional injuries or those resulting from abuse, racing, or occupational activities.
- Most prescription food.
- Conditions related to war, nuclear incidents, or public health events. Repetitive poisoning or ingestions.
- Intervertebral disc disease if any disc in the same part of the spine showed pre-existing symptoms before the effective date of the policy.
Prudent Pet Plan Options
- Deductibles: Options typically include $100, $250, $500, or $1,000 per year. Wellness plans have no deductible.
- Reimbursement Amounts: After meeting the deductible, Prudent Pet reimburses a percentage of your covered vet bills, up to your policy limit. Reimbursement percentages typically range from 70%, 80%, or 90%. Reimbursement percentages do not apply to wellness plans.
- Coverage Limits: Annual coverage limits may vary. In quotes, the Accident-Only plans showed a $10,000 limit, while Essential plans had limits of $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000. The Ultimate plan has no such limit.
Restrictions and Waiting Periods
- Age Restrictions: Pets must be at least 8 weeks old to enroll in a policy. There are no upper age limits.
- Waiting Periods: Waiting periods are five days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, and six months for knee issues. The six-month waiting period for knee injuries is waived if you take your pet in for an exam within the first thirty days of the policy, and your vet confirms no knee issues.
Prudent Pet Insurance Sample Rates
The cost of Prudent Pet insurance depends on where you live, as well as your pet’s age and breed. Below are sample monthly rates for common dog and cat breeds. These rates are based on coverage for accident and illness. Actual rates will vary for each pet owner.
Sample dog rates based on location in Katy, Texas, with a $250 deductible, $5,000 annual coverage limit, and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Sample monthly premiums for cats living in Katy, Texas, with the same coverage limits as above.
Prudent Pet offers a multipet discount when you insure two or more pets.
State Availability
Prudent Pet is licensed to sell policies in all 50 states, as well as Washington, D.C. However, availability can change, and coverage might not be accessible to all pets in a given state.
Consumer Experience
- Website: You’ll find a free quote tool, sample policies for each plan, and an FAQ section on Prudent Pet’s website. You can also file a claim and view policy information there.
- App: This insurance company doesn’t have a mobile app. You’ll need to manage your policy through its website.
- Claims: Claims can be filed through the client portal on the company’s website. The company states it pays most claims within 24 hours.
- Customer Service: You can live chat with customer service on the Prudent Pet website, email [email protected], or call 888-820-7739.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Prudent Pet cover neutering or spaying? Two of Prudent Pet’s wellness plans (with Medium and High options) will cover costs associated with spaying or neutering. The Low wellness plan doesn’t pay for spay or neuter surgery.
- Does Prudent Pet insurance cover hip dysplasia? Hip dysplasia coverage is available if you have an Essential or Ultimate plan and the required waiting period has ended. It’s not covered under the accident-only plan.
- How do I cancel Prudent Pet insurance? Policies may be canceled at any time by reaching out to customer service. You’ll receive a full refund if you cancel within the first 30 days and haven’t made any claims. If you cancel after 30 days, or have filed a claim, you’ll receive a prorated refund.
