Spot Pet Insurance Review
Spot Pet Insurance, a relatively recent entrant to the pet insurance market, has quickly become a favorite, offering comprehensive and flexible pet insurance plans. With no upper age limit for enrollment and a strong wellness plan, Spot provides pet owners with peace of mind and a range of coverage options. This review will delve into Spot’s plans, costs, and how it compares to other leading pet insurance providers.
Spot Pet Insurance began offering its services in 2019. The company has garnered attention for its lack of an upper age limit, welcoming older pets, and its wellness plan.
Spot offers accident-only and accident-and-illness plans. The company also provides two wellness add-ons that complement its accident-and-illness plans.
Spot Pet Insurance Policy Highlights
- Age limits: No upper age limit
- Coverage limit: $2,500 to unlimited
- Annual deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000
- Reimbursement rate: 70%, 80%, or 90%
- Waiting period: 14 days for accidents and injuries
- Discounts: 10% multi-pet discount
- Direct vet pay: No
Pros and Cons
Pros
- No upper age limit for enrollment
- Covers exam fees
- 10% discounts for additional pets
- Offers coverage for curable pre-existing conditions
Cons
- 14-day waiting period for accidents
- $2 per month processing fee for monthly payments
- No direct vet payment option
- 30-day money-back guarantee not available in New York or Maine
- Average rate for cats is higher than competition
Spot Pet Insurance Plans
Spot provides a variety of plan options to accommodate diverse pet needs. The accident-only, accident-and-illness, and wellness add-ons offer a balance of coverage and cost.
Accident-Only
This plan is budget-friendly and targets expenses from emergencies, such as broken bones, swallowed objects, snakebites, and traumatic dental fractures. It does not include medical issues like parasites, cancer, or cruciate ligament injuries. However, Spot’s accident-only plans can cover alternative therapies for injury treatment.
Accident and Illness
This comprehensive policy incorporates accident-only benefits with additional coverage for:
- Emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery
- Veterinary exams (for most plans)
- Prescription medication
- Chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes, and arthritis
- Hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia and glaucoma
- Diagnostic procedures, including bloodwork, MRIs, and CAT scans
- Behavioral conditions
- Dental coverage
- Microchipping
- Euthanasia
Wellness
These plans are available as add-ons to accident-and-illness plans.
- Gold Plan: Offers annual wellness exams, vaccinations, flea and heartworm prevention, deworming, and dental cleaning. The annual benefit limit is $250.
- Platinum Plan: Includes all the benefits of the Gold plan plus spaying/neutering, urinalysis, and blood testing, along with a $25 health certificate. The annual benefit limit is $450.
Cost
To illustrate costs, consider the example of a 1-year-old domestic shorthair cat and a 1-year-old, 55-pound mixed-breed male dog, both with a $500 deductible, 90% reimbursement, and a $5,000 annual coverage limit.
- Accident and Illness: The quoted monthly premium was $56 for the dog and $26 for the cat. The rate for the dog is close to the average rate cited by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association in 2023. The rate for the cat is significantly cheaper than the national average.
- Wellness: The Gold plan costs $9.95 per month, and the Platinum plan costs $24.95 per month.
- Discounts: Spot provides a 10% discount for the second pet.
- Processing Fees: A $2 surcharge applies for monthly payments. Paying annually avoids this fee.
Coverage Options
Spot pet insurance is operational in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, though coverage and waiting periods may vary by location.
- Annual coverage limits: Options include $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited coverage.
- Reimbursement rate: 70%, 80%, or 90%
- Deductible: $100 to $1,000
- Age limits: Pets must be at least eight weeks old, with no upper age limit.
- Waiting periods: These vary by state but are generally as follows:
- Accident coverage: 14 days
- Illness coverage: 14 days
- Orthopedic conditions: 14 days
- Wellness plans: One day after enrollment
How Spot Compares
Spot’s offerings are competitive, but it is helpful to compare its features and costs to those of other pet insurance providers.
Spot vs. Pets Best
Spot and Pets Best share some similarities, like offering unlimited coverage and coverage for prescriptions, treatments for behavioral issues, and alternative therapies. Both companies have no upper age limit. Spot covers prescription food and supplements, whereas Pets Best does not. Spot provides a 10% discount for multiple pets; Pets Best provides a 5% discount.
Based on quotes obtained, Pets Best tends to have lower rates than Spot. The waiting period for Pets Best for accident coverage is significantly less than Spot’s.
Spot vs. Pumpkin
Both Pumpkin and Spot cover exam fees. Pumpkin provides higher coverage limits and offers $10,000 and $20,000 cap options.
Spot shines in regards to routine care with wellness benefits. Both companies cover wellness exams, vaccinations and blood tests, but Spot covers flea and heartworm prevention, urine testing, deworming, spaying/neutering, and health certificates. Pumpkin monthly premiums for dogs are slightly less than Spot.
How to Get Spot Pet Insurance
You can obtain a quote and purchase a policy through the Spot website. Based on your location, pet breed, age, and weight, you can then select the coverage limit, deductible, and reimbursement rate. After rate approval, you can set up the payment method.
Customer Service
Spot generally has a positive customer satisfaction record, with an A- rating from the Better Business Bureau and numerous positive reviews. You can submit claims on the mobile app.
Is Spot Right for You?
Spot is a good option if you own an older dog or cat because of the lack of an age limit. The comprehensive plans and features, such as exam fee coverage and prescription medications, are also suitable if your pet requires specialized care. However, it may not be the most cost-effective option.
