50
No. Of states available in
2019
Year established
4.7
Trustpilot score
Spot Pet Insurance plans help provide coverage for accidents and illness to both dogs and cats. The coverage allows policy holders to visit any vet in the US or Canada, and can provide up to 90% cashback on eligible bills for animal treatment or care.
Like most insurance policies, how much you pay will depend on where you live, and the age and breed of your pet. Pet parents can choose the amount of deductible, coverage limits and reimbursement percentage when they sign up with Spot Pet Insurance.
What does Spot Pet Insurance cover?
Spot Pet Insurance offers three main types of coverage: Accident & Illness, Accident Only and, as an add-on expanded option, Preventative Care.
Cancer
Treatment for all types of canine and feline cancer can be covered by Spot, as well as related MRI scans and X-rays.
Behavioral issues
Costs may be covered for pet behaviors relating to anxiety or compulsive behavior, particularly if it’s becoming problematic and resulting in damage to your property or to your pet or other pets.
Vet exam fees
Spot covers exam fees for expenses related to covered accidents or illnesses. Some pet insurers either don’t provide coverage for vet exam fees or only as an add-on.
Swallowed objects and toxins
Costs are covered for accidents involving your pet ingesting a toxin or foreign object, including emergency treatment if required.
Alternative therapies
Also known as complementary treatment, Spot provides coverage for expenses related to acupuncture, hydrotherapy and chiropractic treatments if performed by a licensed vet.
Dental illnesses
Expenses related to emergency treatment to fix accidental damage sustained to teeth is covered. Spot also provides coverage for dental illnesses, including periodontal disease and gingivitis.
Additional pet insurance coverage from Spot Pet Insurance
Spot Pet Insurance also offers additional coverage as an extra on top of its base coverage. Reimbursement is based on a schedule
Preventative care
This additional plan focuses on regular check-ups and routine care, covering services such as dental cleaning and vaccinations, to ensure pets remain in the best possible health.
Wellness exams
The cost of routine wellness exams, including vaccinations and check-ups, is covered by Spot’s Preventative Care add-on coverage.
Spaying and neutering
The company’s Platinum Preventative Care reimburses a portion of the cost of spaying or neutering your pet with no deductible.
Are curable pre-existing conditions covered?
Pre-existing conditions refer to a condition, illness or injury that’s present before the date the insurance coverage begins, or during the waiting period.
Under a Spot plan, it doesn’t matter if the condition has been diagnosed by a vet — it’s classed as pre-existing if symptoms began before the insurance cover began.
This does not mean that a curable condition cannot be covered in the future. If 180 days pass without your dog or cat showing symptoms of the condition, and the pet has had no treatment during that time, it could be considered for coverage after that period depending on the condition.
Curable
Spot Pet Insurance does cover some curable conditions. If the pet hasn’t suffered any symptoms for 180 continuous days, and has received no treatment, it’s classed as a new condition, so it may potentially be covered by the plan. This does not apply to knee or ligament conditions.
Incurable
Many pre-existing conditions are classed as incurable conditions, and therefore won’t be covered by Spot — or most other pet insurers. Incurable pre-existing conditions are typically chronic, lifelong conditions including arthritis, diabetes and cancer.
Does Spot Pet Insurance cover cancer?
Cancer is a serious condition and, unfortunately, all too commonly seen in pets — and particularly in pets of a senior age. This can inevitably lead to expensive and long-lasting treatment for pets.
Spot policyholders will be glad to know that expenses related to several types of canine and feline cancer are eligible for coverage, including lymphoma, melanoma, hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma. Pets with a pre-existing cancer condition won’t be covered, however.
Costs for cancer treatments may include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy related to the cancer and immunotherapy to boost the dog or cat’s immune system.
What about hereditary and genetic breed-specific conditions?
Spot Pet Insurance provides coverage for expenses incurred for the treatment of inherited conditions and birth defects that you aren’t aware of that may show up later in your pet’s life. Certain breeds of dog and cat are genetically predisposed to health conditions. It’s thought that purebred canines and felines are most affected, though mixed breeds can also have hereditary conditions.
Notable hereditary and genetic conditions include types of heart disease — such as Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM — eye disorders, hip dysplasia and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).
Do Spot Pet Insurance plans include alternative therapies?
Alternative therapy, or complementary therapy, is a term that covers several different types of treatment that aren’t classed as conventional veterinary treatment. With a vet referral, or performed by a licensed vet, Spot plans may provide coverage for expenses related to alternative therapies for health conditions covered by a policy.
Alternative therapies typically include acupuncture, physiotherapy — which can be especially beneficial during rehabilitation from injuries — hydrotherapy, massage and laser treatment. Chiropractic care can help with muscular and skeletal issues in dogs and cats.
24/7 pet telehealth
Once you become a Spot policyholder, you will have access to a 24/7 helpline, called VetAccess. There is no waiting period for this service — users can access it as soon as their policy is live and they have received the portal login details.
The helpline provides access to veterinary experts who can answer questions regarding pet health and wellbeing, injuries or behavior issues, and offers advice on what steps to take. The service is available via phone or chat.
Are vet exam fees covered?
Not all pet insurers provide coverage for vet exam fees. Spot Pet Insurance can cover vet exam fees for all covered accidents or illnesses, so if your dog has been diagnosed with a cruciate ligament rupture, you can file a claim for the expenses involved in that consultation and diagnosis, as well as the treatment (providing the ligament issue isn’t a pre-existing condition). Exams fees at specialist and emergency clinics may also be covered.
Pet parents can also add on Preventative Care coverage, which will then help cover exam fees incurred during regular ‘check-up’ visits to the veterinarian. This is at an additional cost.
Spot Pet Insurance plan coverage levels
The level of coverage Spot Pet Insurance offer annual limit ranges from $2,500 to unlimited.
The annual deductible amount is listed on the declarations page and applies during each policy period. Deductible amounts vary from $100 to $1,000. The company then subtracts that deductible from covered expenses before the reimbursement percentage is applied, which you can choose to be between 70%-90%.
Spot Pet Insurance waiting periods
The company specifies that its waiting period is 14 days. This is the amount of time that has to pass after the date of taking out the insurance before policyholders can make a claim for their pet.
This means that valid claims for your pet can only be assessed after this 14-day period, otherwise it’s classed as a pre-existing condition. Waiting periods can vary by state, please review a sample policy in your state for full details.
What does Spot Pet Insurance not cover?
Like all major pet insurers, there are some health conditions and pet-related expenses that Spot Pet Insurance won’t cover. These exclusions will be listed in full in your policy documents, so check your policy carefully, but do include costs associated with:
- Pre-Existing Conditions
- Grooming or grooming supplies
- Boarding
- Breeding, pregnancy and whelping
- Cosmetic procedures — including tail docking and ear cropping
- Cosmetic dental treatment
- Funeral expenses
- Illness and injury as a result of gross negligence, intentional or malicious activity by a pet parent or household member
- Organ or heart valve transplan