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- Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.
- The insurance advice, products, and links below are intended for and only available in the states where Rover Pet Insurance Services, LLC is licensed as an insurance producer.Full Disclosure
Pet emergencies can crop up at any time, with no regard for your convenience or your bank account. Adding to the stress of having a sick pet is the sick feeling you may get over how you’re going to pay for your pet’s vet visits and treatment.
This is where pet insurance comes in—having an affordable pet insurance plan that covers urgent care can help ease the strain on your budget and your shoulders. While pet parents should note that pet insurance will not cover pre-existing conditions or any emergencies that occurred before you bought a policy, you’ll typically be able to use it for many different emergencies and eligible conditions once your policy starts and your waiting period has passed.
Whether you’re looking for minimal emergency-only coverage through an accident-only plan or a more comprehensive plan that will provide coverage for many different treatment options and situations, there’s a provider on this list for nearly all pet parents looking to have coverage in place in case of an emergency.
Our picks
Best for Accidents & Injuries: Lemonade
Most Customizable: Lemonade
Lemonade has some of the lightest waiting periods around, which makes it an easy top choice for us.
Many pet insurance providers have waiting periods of several days or more after your policy starts, which could be the difference between breaking the bank or having your bills covered.
With a Lemonade pet insurance plan, depending on where you live, policyholders might have a 2-day waiting period or no waiting period at all for injuries or accidents—their pet could get into a bad accident right away and Lemonade would provide reimbursement if it’s eligible (and the deductible has been met). Lemonade’s other waiting periods aren’t too lengthy either; it has a 14-day window for illnesses and a 30-day waiting period for orthopedic conditions, or a 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament events, depending on where you live.
Lemonade also uses AI technology for a faster claims process; many customers praise their quick turnaround times, which have led to reimbursed funds in their bank accounts much sooner. Ideal when your budget has been hit with an emergency vet expense!
Worth watching: Lemonade is best for pet parents who would like to mix and match coverage through customizable add-ons. Those interested in one streamlined, comprehensive insurance plan may want to research other providers.
Best for Options: Spot
Best for Senior Pets: Spot
It offers coverage for many different services and has no upper age limits, which may be a great option for pet parents with senior dogs and cats.
Pet parents looking for flexibility in their pet insurance coverage may want to consider Spot. Not only does Spot have standard accident and illness plans with a variety of options for your deductible, reimbursement amount, and annual coverage limit, it also has a catastrophic, accident-only plan for those looking for true emergency-only coverage.
Spot’s more affordable accident-only plan provides coverage in case of an accident or injury, and covers items and services such as:
- Surgeries
- MRI, CT, and X-ray scans
- IV fluids and medications
- Tooth extractions
- Exam fees related to the accident
For its standard plan, Spot’s deductible options vary from $100-$1000 with reimbursement amounts offered in 70, 80, and 90 %. Annual coverage limits run the gamut as well, suitable for pet parents of all budget limitations, starting at $2500 and running up to unlimited.
Worth watching: Spot’s waiting period for accidents is longer than many other competitors—it requires a 14-day window, while others may only be a couple of days.
Best for Direct Vet Pay: Pets Best
Most Comprehensive: Fetch Pet Insurance
Pets Best offers direct vet pay, which can be helpful for pet parents who don’t have immediate access to cash to pay for care.
Most pet insurance providers work as a reimbursement model only—meaning, the pet parent pays their vet bill upfront, submits a claim to their provider for all eligible expenses, and receives reimbursement for the bill after their claim has been approved.
However, a few select companies—including Pets Best—offer direct vet pay. With this system, the insurance provider pays the vet directly (assuming the vet accepts direct vet pay) so that pet parents don’t have to front the money first.
For this reason, Pets Best may be one of the best options for pet parents who don’t feel like they can go without pet insurance coverage, but are concerned about tight budget allocations for vet bills.
In addition to its standard plan offerings, Pet’s Best also offers a catastrophic, accident-only plan for those truly seeking bare bones coverage on a strict budget without a lot of wiggle room.
Worth watching: Pets Best doesn’t offer much coverage for holistic treatments or alternative therapies—with a few exceptions, like acupuncture and chiropractic care—so if you’re a pet parent who likes the option of having those for your pet to help treat any issues or accidents, you may want to look elsewhere.
Best for Comprehensive Coverage: Fetch Pet Insurance
Best for Comprehensive Emergency Coverage: Fetch Pet Insurance
Pet parents searching for comprehensive care in the case of an accident, illness, or emergency may want to look into Fetch.
Their plans exclude very few items and services, and include services that other pet providers do not, such as extensive alternative and holistic care, as well as treatments for dental issues in every tooth (not just the canines). Coverage includes, but isn’t limited to the following:
- Emergency vet visits
- Virtual, in-home and office visits
- Lab tests and ultrasounds
- Swallowed objects and toxins
- Acupuncture and chiropractic care
- Cancer treatment
- Surgeries
- Aromatherapy
- Homeopathic therapy
- Vet-recommended behavioral therapy
- Vomiting and diarrhea
Fetch also provides up to $1,000 a year in remote vet visits, which could help pet parents save on emergency room costs.
Worth watching: Fetch offers no catastrophic plans for insurance coverage, only the standard accident and illness plan. If you’re looking for a policy that will only cover accidents, you’ll need to look to other pet insurance providers.
Best for Emergency Situations: Prudent Pet
Best for Emergency Situations: Prudent Pet
Prudent Pet offers a 24/7 telehealth line for pet parents who need answers to their pet’s problems and conditions ASAP.
Pet emergencies can be scary, and you never know when they might pop up. They can be especially tricky if you live in an area without an emergency vet close by or in a town with limited access to veterinary resources.
This is where coverage with providers like Prudent Pet can come in. Prudent Pet, like a few other pet insurance companies, offers a 24/7 telehealth line for pet parents who need answers to their pet’s problems and conditions ASAP. In many cases with virtual telehealth, you can receive a diagnosis for your pet, treatment plan, and even issue prescriptions.
This feature of Prudent Pet’s may provide some much needed peace of mind to both new pet parents and those who are concerned about their level of access to a veterinarian day or night.
Worth watching: Prudent Pet offers coverage for vet exams related to an accident or illness, but only in a separate add-on, which may run between $5 and $12 a month. Most other providers offer this coverage built-in to a standard accident and illness plan.
Best for Alternative Treatments: Pumpkin
Best for Alternative Treatments: Pumpkin
Pumpkin plans can offer coverage for holistic and alternative treatments when administered by a veterinarian.
In addition to standard treatments to take care of accidents and medical conditions, some pet parents may prefer to utilize holistic and alternative treatments for their pets. Pumpkin plans offer coverage for these therapies as part of its standard plan, as long as they’re administered by a veterinarian or at a facility with a supervising veterinarian.
Pumpkin plans don’t give a specific list of therapy treatments that can be covered, but rather defines alternative therapy as “treatment that doesn’t generally fall within the realm of conventional veterinary medicine as used by the American Association of Rehabilitation Veterinarians (AARV).”
Common alternative therapy treatments that can be covered include hydrotherapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care.
Worth watching: Unlike most other pet insurance providers, Pumpkin plans only offer one reimbursement rate instead of the standard three. Pumpkin believes that 90% is the best reimbursement option for its customers, but this means that pet parents won’t be able to choose a lower reimbursement rate to help potentially lower their premiums.
Best for Prescription Medications: Nationwide
Best for Prescription Medications: Nationwide
Nationwide has particularly has strong coverage for prescriptions, which tend to be prescribed to treat health conditions and injuries that pop up.
Medications are often prescribed for pets to treat health conditions and injuries that pop up. Nearly all pet insurance providers offer some type of reimbursement coverage for prescriptions, but Nationwide in particular has strong coverage in this area.
Through its PetRxExpress partnership with Walmart and Sam’s Club, Nationwide customers can receive preferred pricing and fast service, at no extra cost. Customers simply need to download a digital pet insurance card, drop off their prescription to any Walmart or Sam’s Club pharmacy (or have the vet call it in), show the pet insurance card and checkout, and then pay for the prescription.
The pharmacy will then submit a claim to Nationwide on the customer’s behalf before they are reimbursed for any eligible expenses.
Worth watching: Nationwide’s maximum coverage limit is $10,000, so if you’ve got a pet with a lot of health issues and are interested in unlimited coverage, you may want to look elsewhere.
Methodology
The above pet insurance providers were highlighted from the options available through our partner Fletch based on the effectiveness and affordability of their accident and illness plans, especially with regard to breadth of coverage, customizability, pricing, waiting periods, age restrictions, and the efficacy of add-ons.
This guide was prepared as of June 5, 2023, and may not include all relevant changes since that date.
Further Reading
- Is Pet Insurance Worth It? How To Know If It’s a Good Deal for Your Pet
- What Does Pet Insurance Cover, and How Does It Work? A Beginner’s Guide
- How Does a Pre-Existing Condition Affect Pet Insurance Coverage?
- The Best Pet Insurance Wellness Plans: How Preventive Care Add-Ons Work
- How To Choose the Right Insurance for Your Pet
- How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?
- What To Know About Waiting Periods and Pet Insurance
- What Are Pet Insurance Deductibles, and How Do You Pick One?
- When Should You Get Pet Insurance?
- Savings Account Versus Pet Insurance: Which Is Better?
Insurance advice, products, and links contained in this article are currently intended for and only available in the states where Rover Pet Insurance Services, LLC is currently licensed as an insurance producer. As we expand our licensing to other states we will update our websites and links.
If you are located in a state in which we are not currently licensed, but would like to learn more about pet insurance products available in your state, you may contact a licensed insurance agent or broker in your state.
The information provided is offered for educational and informational purposes only. If you have questions regarding particular plans, you should reach out to your insurance company for more information.
