AKC pet insurance review 2025
AKC pet insurance rating: 1.7 out of 5 stars
AKC pet insurance can be an attractive option if your pet has preexisting conditions: After 365 days of continuous coverage with AKC, the preexisting conditions can be covered. With other pet insurance companies, preexisting conditions are permanently excluded.
But AKC's rating in our evaluation was hampered by a lack of robust coverage in the base policy – you have to buy a number of add-ons if you want to build generous coverage. In fact, AKC pet insurance was the only policy in our evaluation that does not cover hereditary and congenital conditions in the base policy – that requires a rider for extra cost.
And average costs were high for the base plan without even factoring in extra costs for riders.
Learn more: How does pet insurance work? A complete guide.
Pros
Wide range of deductible choices from $100 to $1,000
Covers alternative therapies such as acupuncture and chiropractic care
Breeding coverage available
Covers emergency ground pet ambulance transportation in emergencies
Cons
High average cost
Highest annual coverage choice of $10,000 unless you choose the Basic plan with a $500 lifetime limit
Add-ons required if you want coverage for vet exam fees, hereditary and congenital conditions, behavioral therapy, and more
AKC pet insurance basics
Annual maximum limit choices: $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 for a custom plan; unlimited option available with a limit of $500 per injury or illness over the lifetime of the pet
Deductible choices: $100-$1,000 in increments
Reimbursement choices: 70%, 80%, 90%
AKC waiting periods
For accident coverage: 2 days
For illness coverage: 14 days
Special waiting period: 180 days for cruciate ligament issues
AKC age restrictions for buying a new policy
Minimum pet age: None (in most states)
Maximum pet age: None
AKC offers an accident and illness policy, an accident-only policy, and a pet wellness plan.
AKC's accident and illness base policy includes coverage for:
X-rays, ultrasounds, and other diagnostics
Surgery and hospitalization
Dental accidents
Chemotherapy, hydrotherapy, and physical therapy
Alternative therapies
Prescription drugs
Pet ambulance transportation
Prescription pet food if it is the sole treatment for a condition
Euthanasia
Learn more: Your guide to what pet insurance covers
Add-ons to AKC's accident and illness policy
Expect to pay more if you want this extra coverage:
ExamPlus to cover vet exam fees
HereditaryPlus to cover hereditary and congenital conditions and chronic conditions like arthritis, and diabetes
SupportPlus for certain end-of-life expenses
BreedingCoverage for medical expenses related to breeding, pregnancy and whelping, nursing, and emergency c-sections
The accident-only plan from AKC covers X-rays, lab tests, medication, surgery, hospitalization, and more when there's an accidental injury. This includes problems such as a broken bone, bite wound, cut, or bee sting.
AKC offers two wellness plan options: Defender and DefenderPlus. Both cover routine care costs, with the more expensive DefenderPlus option providing higher reimbursement levels for treatments.
Defender: Coverage for up to $305 of wellness benefits costs $17/month, $204/year
DefenderPlus: Coverage for up to $535 of wellness benefits costs $29/month, $348/year
The Defender and DefenderPlus plans will reimburse you up to specified limits for the following:
Wellness exam
Vaccinations and titer testing
Rabies
Flea and tick prevention
Heartworm prevention
Screening for heartworm and feline leukemia
Blood, fecal, parasite exam
Deworming
Urinalysis or ERD
Microchipping
DefenderPlus also covers spaying, neutering, and dental cleaning.
Learn more: Does pet insurance cover vaccines?
Yes, AKC will cover preexisting conditions after 365 days of continuous coverage. A preexisting condition is defined as an illness or injury that occurred, reoccurred, existed, or showed symptoms prior to the start date of coverage or during the waiting period.
Learn more: Pet insurance that covers preexisting conditions
Yes, AKC provides access to a 24/7 vet helpline. The service's licensed veterinarians can answer general questions and offer advice on when to seek medical care for your pet, but they can't diagnose or provide treatment.
AKC pet insurance does not cover expenses such as:
Anal gland expression
Boarding and transportation (including non-emergency ambulance)
Conditions due to racing, organized fighting, and security/law enforcement training
Congenital and inherited conditions (unless you purchase add-on coverage)
Cremation and burial (unless you purchase add-on coverage)
Dental care (unless you purchase add-on coverage)
Elective cosmetic procedures
Experimental treatments
Grooming
Illness or injury from intentional acts
Illness or injury from war, riots, pandemics and avian or swine flu
More than one injury from repetitive behavior, such as swallowing objects
Pet food
Preventive care (unless you purchase add-on coverage)
Weight and obesity treatment, if not due to a medical condition
AKC does not specify whether you can increase or decrease your coverage. You must contact the company if you want to make a change to your coverage. Changes are subject to underwriting and AKC's approval. Some changes might result in new enrollment, which would reset your waiting period and the 365-day waiting period for treatment of preexisting conditions.
AKC pet insurance costs were very high compared to many competitors in our evaluation.
The cost of AKC pet insurance was 22% higher than the over all average in our analysis of policies with a $5,000 annual limit.
Yes, AKC offers a 5% discount if you insure more than one pet. However, the multi-pet discount isn't available in all states. Most pet insurance companies' multi-pet discounts are 5% or 10%.
No, you must pay your vet and file a claim to be reimbursed. However, if you expect a large bill, contact AKC ahead of time to ask if it will make a special arrangement to pay your vet directly.
Learn more: Pet insurance that pays the vet directly
Here's what to know about filing claims with AKC:
To file a claim: Submit an AKC reimbursement claim form and an itemized invoice from your vet through the online customer portal or by email, mail, or fax.
To submit claims quickly: Use the online customer portal to submit documents electronically.
To receive reimbursements faster: Opt to have reimbursements directly deposited into your checking or savings account.
If a claim is denied: You have the right to appeal.
You must file claims within 180 days of the date of treatment or receipt of an invoice.
If you submit a claim by email or through your online account, you should receive an immediate notification that your claim was received, according to AKC. You'll receive a notification within one business day after a mailed or faxed claim is received.
Once claims are received, they are assigned to a claims agent within two business days, then payment is typically made within one day if all required documents have been submitted. Payment for claims requiring additional documentation can take up to 30 days.
AKC uses the Pet Cloud app, which is also shared by Figo pet insurance and others. The app allows you to quickly submit claims, store your policy documents and pet's medical records, and get 24/7 access to a vet to ask questions. It can also send you reminders about vet appointments, help you connect with pet owners in your area, and find pet-friendly places and services.
AKC mobile app ratings:
App store: 4.8 out of 5 stars
Google Play store: 3.8 out of 5 stars
Learn more: The best pet insurance companies
AKC pet insurance is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
AKC doesn't specify whether it requires an exam for coverage.
You can contact AKC by phone, email, fax or mail:
Contact AKC at 866-725-2747 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday
The email address is help@akcpetinsurance.com
The fax number is 919-859-8193
The mailing address is AKC Pet Insurance c/o PetPartners, P.O. Box 2150, Buffalo, NY 14240-2150
You can cancel a policy at any time by calling 866-725-2747. You can receive a full refund of your premium if you cancel within 30 days and haven't filed any claims. If you cancel after 30 days, the amount of your refund will be calculated on a daily pro rata basis.
Tim Manni edited this article.
We researched the coverage details and prices for 15 pet insurance plans. We then weighted categories, and each pet insurer was scored relative to the others to find the best pet insurance companies. Here are the factors we incorporated.
Coverage types: 40% of score. We examined the coverage provided by the base policy without the extra cost of add-ons. This encompassed coverage for alternative therapy, behavioral therapy, dental illness, euthanasia or end-of-life expenses, exotic pets, hereditary and congenital conditions, preexisting conditions, prescription food and supplements, veterinary exam fees, and advertising/reward for lost/stolen pets.
Average cost: 30% of score. We evaluated costs in five states for $5,000 and unlimited coverage for a mixed-breed dog (age 1), a French bulldog (age 5), and a Labrador retriever (age 8).
Unlimited coverage option: 10% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered an unlimited annual limit (or a $100,000 limit), which gives pet owners the most robust financial protection possible in the event of a catastrophic pet medical issue.
Direct payments to the veterinarian: 5% of score. We gave points to pet insurers that state on their websites that they accommodate direct vet payments.
No special waiting periods for special conditions: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers have no waiting periods for special conditions, such as cruciate ligament conditions.
Routine wellness plan: 5% of score. Companies that offer a routine wellness plan in addition to pet insurance received points.
Multi-pet discount: 5% of score. We gave points when pet insurers offered a discount for insuring multiple pets.
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