Ben Madilynn
Our Take on Spot Pet Insurance
Spot is one of the top pet insurers nationwide, coming in at No. 6 on our list of the 10 best pet insurance companies of 2024 and earning the superlative of most customizable coverage. Spot is available in all 50 U.S. states plus Washington, D.C. Based on sample quotes we gathered, we found the average Spot customer can expect to pay $51 per month or $612 annually for pet insurance. Comparatively, the national average cost of pet insurance is $46 per month or $552 annually.
While Spot is more expensive than the national average, it offers a 10% multi-pet discount that can make coverage more affordable if you have more than one pet. With almost half of our 2024 pet insurance survey respondents spending between $300 to $999 on their pet’s routine vet care within the last year, a Spot pet insurance plan could have saved them money on their dog or cat’s care.
Spot has multiple strengths as a pet insurance provider, including coverage for behavioral issues and alternative treatments such as acupuncture. However, the company does have some limitations. For instance, customer service is only available on weekdays. Still, Spot remains a top choice, especially for pet owners who value customizable coverage or have older pets, as there is no upper age limit for enrollment.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Five choices of annual deductible, more than competitors
Offers low-cost accident-only coverage ideal for older or unhealthy breeds
More annual limit coverage choices than other companies we’ve reviewed, including an unlimited option
No upper age limit for coverage or enrollment
Base plans cover end-of-life expenses if a pet passes away due to a covered condition
Cons
No website chat feature, unlike some competitors
Fewer years of experience in the industry having been established in 2019
14-day waiting period for accidents is longer than some competitors
Spot Pet Insurance Review: Our Ratings
When rating it against our comprehensive pet insurance methodology, Spot scored 4.4 out of 5 stars in our provider review. The company earned the most points in our rating methodology for coverage, covered treatments and availability but lost points for cost.
You can find more detailed information about how Spot Pet Insurance performed in our 2024 pet insurance study in the table below. You’ll also find industry averages from all providers in our study as points of comparison.
Compare Spot to Other Pet Insurance Companies
Use the table below to compare Spot’s waiting periods and prices to other top competing pet insurance providers:
*Lemonade may offer shorter waiting periods depending on where you live.
How Much Does Spot Pet Insurance Cost?
The average cost of a Spot pet insurance policy is $51 a month, which is an 11% increase over the average overall cost of pet insurance. However, Spot’s flexible customization options can result in a wide range of premium costs, making it possible to obtain more affordable coverage. For example, selecting a higher coverage limit or deductible can help lower your premium — and with Spot earning our superlative of the most customizable coverage, you can alter your pet’s plan to suit your budget.
According to our latest survey, a quarter of respondents with a Spot pet insurance policy spent between $51 to $60 per month. To give you an idea of what your monthly premium with Spot could amount to, we gathered sample quotes for Spot’s accident-only coverage, accident and illness policies, and preventative care add-ons.
| Plan | Accident-Only | Accident and Illness | Gold or Platinum Preventative Care |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat insurance | $9 | $30 | $10–$25 |
| Dog insurance | $13 | $68 | $10–$25 |
| Average cost | $11 | $51 | $10–$25 |
| Coverage summary | A basic plan that covers treatment and services related to accidents. | A more comprehensive plan that covers illnesses, accidents and injuries. | A coverage add-on that offers reimbursement for a range of preventive services, like wellness exams and vaccines. |
Spot also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, refunding your initial premium as long as you did not file any claims in that period.
Cost by Breed
Spot pet insurance costs vary by breed due to predisposed health issues, breed size and more. To gauge the cost differences by breed, our team collected a policy quotes for a 1-year-old dog for the top ten most popular breeds:
| Breed | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Golden Retriever | $19.57 |
| Labrador Retriever | $19.57 |
| French Bulldog | $28.23 |
| Chihuahua | $9.29 |
| German Shepherd | $16.61 |
| Yorkshire Terrier | $11.30 |
| Shuh Tzu | $10.01 |
| Goldendoodle | $13.44 |
| Pit Bull | $20.94 |
| Maltese | $11.30 |
Cost by Age
Similar to other pet insurance companies, Spot policy prices get more expensive as the pet ages. We collected quotes for a medium mixed-breed male dog from 8 months old to 15 years old.
| Age | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| 8 months old | $13.44 |
| 1 year old | $13.44 |
| 3 years old | $13.44 |
| 5 years old | $17.74 |
| 7 years old | $25.09 |
| 9 years old | $37.80 |
| 11 years old | $51.01 |
| 13 years old | $63.82 |
| 15 years old | $70.95 |
Average Cost of Spot vs. Competitors
You can use the table below to compare Spot’s average policy cost to top competitors.
What Does Spot Pet Insurance Cover?
Spot offers accident-only and accident and illness plans, with Gold and Platinum wellness add-ons that can provide wellness coverage. You’ll find coverage for alternative therapies, behavioral issues, hereditary conditions and more on the accident and illness plan — some of which aren’t covered by Spot’s competitors. For example, pet insurance providers such as Lemonade provide alternative therapy and behavioral coverage as add-ons for an extra cost, whereas Spot includes them as standard illness coverage.
Enrolling in a Spot policy is straightforward, and we found it offers a user-friendly website where you can get pricing and coverage specifics based on various customizable factors. Additionally, Spot provides a sample policy for you to read before signing up to see what is and is not covered.
Spot earned a perfect rating in the customization portion of our pet insurance methodology. It provides five deductible options, three reimbursement rates and seven annual limits, which allow you to customize your Spot plan to suit your pet’s needs and your budget.
Spot’s Plan Offerings
Spot customers can choose either an accident and illness or an accident-only plan, which has lower premiums and more limited coverage. Here is a breakdown of what each plan covers:
| Condition or Treatment | Accident and Illness | Accident-Only |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced care | ✓ | |
| Alternative therapies (acupuncture, etc.) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Behavioral issues | ✓ | |
| Cancer and growths | ✓ | |
| Dental illnesses | ✓ | |
| Diagnostics and treatments | ✓ | |
| Digestive illnesses | ✓ | |
| Emergencies and hospitalizations | ✓ | |
| Hereditary conditions | ✓ | |
| Hip dysplasia | ✓ | |
| Infectious diseases | ✓ | |
| Medical supplies (bandages and more) | ✓ | ✓ |
| MRI, CT scans or X-rays | ✓ | |
| Poison control consultation fees | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skin, eye and ear Infections | ✓ | |
| Swallowed objects and toxins | ||
| Vet exam fees | ✓ | |
| X-rays and testing |
Generally, Spot excludes coverage for the following services:
- Cosmetic procedures
- Boarding costs
- Pre-existing conditions
- Costs associated with breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing
- Organ or heart valve transplants
For a full list of covered conditions, exclusions and policy limitations, review Spot’s sample pet insurance policy.
Preventative Care Plans
Spot offers two wellness care packages you can add to your base plan to help cover certain vaccines, annual exams and more. Our third annual pet insurance survey found that 70% of participants spent the most on vet expenses related to routine and preventative care within the past year.
The Gold Plan costs $10 extra per month and includes $250 in annual benefits. The Platinum Plan costs an additional $25 a month with up to $450 in annual benefits. Each covered service has an individual limit that collectively counts toward your plan’s total annual benefit, as outlined in the chart below.
| Service Covered | Gold Wellness Plan ($10 per month) | Platinum Wellness Plan ($25 per month) |
|---|---|---|
| Dental cleaning* | $100 | $150 |
| Wellness exam | $50 | $50 |
| Flea and heartworm prevention | Not covered | $25 |
| Deworming | $20 | $25 |
| Spay or neuter procedure* | Not covered | $150 |
| Vaccines (such as rabies, dog Lyme disease or feline infectious peritonitis) | $20 | $25 |
| Urinalysis | Not covered | $25 |
| Blood test | Not covered | $25 |
Spot’s Customizable Coverage Levels
Based on the dozens of pet insurance providers we’ve reviewed, Spot is our pick for the most customizable plan options. In addition to its two standard plan options, it offers several choices for customizing your coverage.
To help you see how customizing your coverage can influence premiums, we requested a sample quote for a 2-year-old golden retriever in North Carolina. Based on our quote, an accident and illness plan with a Platinum preventive care add-on, a $500 deductible, a 70% reimbursement rate, and a $2,500 annual coverage limit would cost $53 per month. We break down differences in pricing based on the customization options below.
Deductible Options
Before receiving insurance benefits, you must first meet an annual deductible in an amount of your choice. Your premium will vary based on the deductible you choose. Here are the premium costs based on the quote we requested for all available deductible levels with Spot:
- $1,000 deductible: $43
- $750 deductible: $48
- $500 deductible: $52
- $250 deductible: $60
- $100 deductible: $67
Reimbursement Rates
Spot offers three options for a reimbursement rate, which is the percentage of your vet bills the company will cover. For our same initial quote for the 2-year-old female golden retriever, here are the premium costs for different reimbursement rates:
- 70% reimbursement: $51
- 80% reimbursement: $57
- 90% reimbursement: $69
Annual Limit Options
Spot offers seven options for an annual coverage limit, which is the maximum it will pay per year once you’ve met your annual deductible. Here are the quotes we received for our sample pet based on Spot’s range of coverage limit options:
- $2,500 annual limit: $51
- $3,000 annual limit: $54
- $4,000 annual limit: $57
- $5,000 annual limit: $58
- $7,000 annual limit: $69
- $10,000 annual limit: $72
- Unlimited coverage: $93
Our Experience With Spot Pet Insurance
To fully understand the customer experience with pet insurance providers such as Spot, our team decided to purchase a pet insurance plan from the company. We purchased an accident and illness policy through Spot with a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement rate and $5,000 annual limit for Oliver, a 4-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, in June 2024. Oliver is a dog that belongs to one of our team members, who volunteered to sign up for coverage as part of our research process.
It took our team members less than two minutes to sign up, noting that Spot doesn’t ask for much information. When asked what they liked most about the buying process, they said the following:
“I love that Spot made it extremely easy and simple to sign up for a plan. There isn’t a ton of information required to start insuring your pet, and because of that, I was able to get the coverage that best fits my pet’s needs in the least amount of steps. The clear instructions and limited options combined with transparent pricing for both annual and monthly costs ensured a smooth and efficient registration process.”
When asked if anything was confusing or difficult during the sign-up process, our team members noted they did not feel the policy’s waiting period was outright explained, and the explanation of coverage restrictions was slightly confusing. We reached out to Spot for comment on its explanation of coverage but did not receive a response.
I would rate the overall buying experience about 3.8 out of 5 stars. I love the idea of knowing that for $33 a month, a four-legged piece of my heart will be fully covered if anything were to happen to him.
—MarketWatch Guides team member
Sign-Up, Claims Filing and Payout Processes
Spot makes the process of requesting a quote and signing up fairly straightforward for pet parents. Here is a general overview of the enrollment process.
Signing Up For Spot Pet Insurance:
1. Request a quote: The first step is requesting a free quote online or over the phone. To start, head to the Spot website and hit the “Click For Price” button or call 1-800-905-1595. When you request a quote online, the company will direct you to a page where you enter your pet’s information and your personal contact information.
2. Select your coverage: Spot offers enrollment for a variety of coverage options, including standard pet insurance plans and Gold and Platinum wellness care add-ons.
How To File a Claim with Spot
Spot gives detailed instructions on how to file a claim for your pet. First, log in to your Member Center Portal in your mobile app or web browser. Next, on your home page or the “Claims” tab, click “Start New Claim.”
You will then select the pet you’re filing a claim for and fill out all relevant details, including the treatment and condition and the name of your vet clinic. Uploaded itemized invoice outlining the services rendered and associated costs. Though uploading an invoice is optional, it can accelerate the processing of your claim.
On average, Spot says it can take five to seven business days to process accident and illness claims, while preventive claims take two business days. However, 45% of our latest survey respondents with a Spot policy reported the provider taking three to four weeks to reimburse them for a claim. The Spot Member Center portal allows you to track your claims and access other resources such as frequently asked questions (FAQ) and a 24/7 pet telehealth helpline provided by VetAccess.
Third-party customer reviews from Trustpilot indicate the quality of Spot’s claims process may vary. Several customers were happy with how quickly and easily they were able to file claims using Spot’s tech-forward app. Many customers also cited the friendliness and helpfulness of Spot’s phone representatives.
However, other customers complained about Spot’s lack of weekend hours, especially those whose busy work schedules limited their time to address pet claims during the week. We reached out to Spot for comment on its negative customer reviews but did not receive a response.
Does Spot Have Waiting Periods?
Yes, Spot Pet Insurance does have waiting periods. It is 14 days for accidents, illnesses and cruciate ligament events. The waiting period for a preventive care add-on is 24 hours.
Spot Waiting Periods vs. Competitors
Age Restrictions
Spot does not enforce an upper age limit for enrolling your pet, offering coverage whether it’s 3 years old or 17 years old. However, your pet must be at least 8 weeks old to qualify for coverage with Spot.
Spot Pet Insurance Customer Reviews
We researched third-party customer review platforms, including Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see what customers have to say about Spot. While many customers have reported positive experiences with Spot’s customer service and overall benefits, some seem frustrated by denied claims and ineffective customer service.
What Customers Like About Spot
Some of the features that reviewers consistently mentioned include:
- Customer service: Several policyholders said customer service representatives were helpful, friendly and fast in processing claims.
- Coverage for major health events: A few customers, including this one, were happy with Spot’s coverage for major health events like cancer and hospitalizations.
- Quick reimbursement: A number of customers were happy with the fast turnaround for reimbursement of their claims.
- Easy claims process: Some customers praised Spot’s mobile app, saying it made submitting claims quick and simple.
- Coverage for end-of-life expenses: Some policyholders, such as this one, felt peace of mind during a difficult time when Spot provided coverage for their pet’s euthanasia and cremation expenses.
What Customers Don’t Like About Spot
Though reviews for Spot are generally positive, a pattern of negative trends emerged among customers not satisfied with their coverage. We reached out to Spot for comment on its negative customer reviews but did not receive a response.
- Denied claims: Based on our review, the most common complaint against Spot is its claims denials. Customers such as this one claimed that Spot regularly used its pre-existing conditions exclusions to deny reimbursement for claims.
- Requires too much information to file a claim: Multiple customers claimed they were forced to submit meticulous records to get a claim approved.
- Limited customer service hours: Though a significant number of policyholders gave positive reviews for Spot’s customer service, some customers, such as this one, complained about the inconvenience of not having weekend customer service hours.
- Preventative care benefits: Some customers said they weren’t happy with Spot reimbursement for routine checkups, dental cleanings and microchip implantation compared to the cost of their premiums.
Spot vs. Top Pet Insurance Competitors
In the sections below, we’ve outlined the differences between Spot and two of its top competitors — Trupanion and Healthy Paws — to help you decide on coverage for your needs.
Spot vs. Trupanion
Trupanion was launched in Canada in 2000 and expanded to the U.S. in 2008. Like Spot, It offers customizable deductibles, but the two differ in other ways.
Unlike Spot, Trupanion offers unlimited annual limits on all its plans, and its reimbursement percentage is always 90%. But if affordability is important to you, consider Spot pet insurance first. Trupanion’s average cost for dogs is about $88, more than 70% higher than Spot’s average premium.
To learn more, read our full review of Trupanion pet insurance.
Spot vs. Healthy Paws
Spot and Healthy Paws offer similar plan customizations for deductibles, with both providers having options ranging from $100 to $1,000. For reimbursements, Healthy Paws only allows 80% reimbursement rates if your pet is under 6 years old. If your pet is 6 or 7 years old, you can choose a 70% reimbursement rate. If your pet is 8 years or older, then your reimbursement rate will be 50%.
When it comes to cost, Spot and Healthy Paws have similar average premiums for both dogs and cat insurance, with Healthy Paws being a bit more affordable.
To learn more, read our full review of Healthy Paws pet insurance.
How To Choose a Pet Insurance Company
To better understand what factors help pet owners choose an insurer, we asked participants in our April 2024 pet insurance survey why they decided on their pet insurance provider.
Is Spot Pet Insurance Worth It?
Only you can decide if purchasing a pet insurance policy from Spot is worth it. Considering your pet’s age, medical history, breed and pre-existing conditions can help you make an informed decision that fits your pet’s needs, as each animal is different.
Dr. Sarah Proctor, a veterinarian and clinical associate professor at the University of New Hampshire, helped shed some light on the types of pet owners that would benefit most from a pet insurance policy.
“Catastrophic [pet insurance] coverage is best for someone who can budget for the insurance premium but would not have money to pay an unexpected emergency [vet] bill,” Proctor said. “If someone has a healthy pet and does regular routine preventive care, and they have enough savings to cover the one-time unexpected cost, perhaps they can do without insurance. However, a $10,000 bill is not easy to cover for most people! I’d say if you can’t afford $10,000 out of pocket tomorrow, you should get insurance.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Spot
Yes, Spot plans give you the freedom to visit any licensed vet in North America. When your pet is insured by Spot, you pay for vet services at the time of treatment and then file reimbursement claims for covered services directly with Spot.
While Spot and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance are both underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company and Independence American Insurance Company, the two providers are not the same. Spot offers plans with different deductibles and coverage amounts than ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. The two providers also vary based on covered services and treatments.
Spot pet insurance plans cover diagnostic tests, including MRIs and ultrasounds, if needed, to diagnose a range of covered medical conditions. The exact level of coverage depends on your specific plan. We recommend reaching out to the provider to learn more about specific coverage.
Spot pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, elective or cosmetic procedures, grooming and hygiene, boarding and pet sitting.
