Spot pet insurance review 2023
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BLUEPRINT
Updated 3:08 p.m. UTC June 23, 2023
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Spot
Pros
- Range of annual coverage limits and deductible options. With Spot, annual coverage limit options include: $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000 and unlimited. You can also choose a deductible price that ranges from $100 to $1,000.
- No upper age limit. While some companies exclude enrollment for senior pets, Spot doesn’t have a maximum age limit, so you can insure your older dogs and cats.
- Short waiting periods. Spot’s policies have a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and accidents, including ligament issues.
- 24/7 vet helpline. As a Spot customer, you have access to a 24/7 veterinarian helpline to get advice for any issues that arise.
- Additional coverage. Spot offers preventative care plans that can reimburse you for routine care.
Cons
- Higher premiums. We found that Spot’s premiums were more expensive than average compared to other companies in our analysis.
- Processing fees. If you decide to pay your premiums monthly, quarterly or semi-annually, Spot adds a processing fee to your charge. The only way to avoid the fee is to pay your premiums for the year up front.
- Limited customer support hours. Unlike other companies that provide customer support seven days a week, Spot’s customer service department is only available Monday through Friday.
Why trust our insurance experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 2,295 rates reviewed.
- 360 coverage details evaluated.
- 5 levels of fact-checking.
About Spot pet insurance
Florida-based Spot offers multiple pet insurance options for dogs and cats. The company aims to differentiate itself with a “digital-first” approach that makes everything from choosing coverage to filing claims painless and paperless.
Spot pet insurance plans available
Spot offers an accident-only pet insurance plan and a more comprehensive accident and illness plan. If you want to cover general wellness with your Spot policy, you can add supplementary coverage to your accident and illness plan.
Spot accident-only pet insurance
Accident-only pet insurance does not include coverage for your pet’s illnesses. This type of plan is cheaper than comprehensive pet insurance, which covers both accidents and illnesses.
Spot accident-only pet insurance will cover your pet’s injuries, such as broken bones, lacerations, insect stings, accidental poisoning and foreign body ingestion.
Veterinary expenses Spot will cover related to accidents include:
- Alternative therapy, like acupuncture, physiotherapy and laser therapy.
- IV medications and fluids.
- MRI, CT scans and X-rays.
- Medical supplies.
- Poison control consultation fees.
- Stem cell therapy.
- Surgery.
- Prescription medication.
- Hospitalization.
- Tooth extractions related to injuries.
- Laboratory testing and consultation.
Spot accident and illness plan
The most common and broad coverage plan Spot offers is its accident and illness plan. This covers everything the accident-only policy does plus illness-related expenses, such as those for cancer and diabetes.
In addition to the coverages listed above, the Spot accident and illness pet insurance will cover:
- Chemotherapy.
- Radiation.
- Behavioral issue treatment.
- Microchip implantation.
- Chronic conditions.
- Hereditary conditions.
Spot wellness plans
Spot offers gold and platinum add-on wellness plans with monthly premiums of $9.95 and $24.95 and maximum annual coverage of $250 and $450, respectively.
What spot insurance doesn’t cover
All pet insurance policies have conditions or situations that aren’t included in your coverage. Here are some exclusions listed in a Spot pet insurance sample policy:
- Aesthetic, cosmetic, endodontic, or orthodontic dental services.
- Anal sac (gland) expression, treatment, and/or resection when no infection is present.
- Boarding.
- Breeding, pregnancy, whelping, or nursing.
- Cosmetic and elective prostheses or procedures.
- Dental cleanings unless used to treat a covered illness.
- Experimental or investigational treatment or medication (including clinical trials).
- Funeral services, memorial items, urns, caskets, or burial plots/fees.
- Grooming or grooming supplies.
- Herbal and herbal-like products (including Cannabis or CBD).
- House call fees.
- Illness or injury that results from intentional, malicious, or grossly negligent activities.
- Non-medical supplies (such as toys).
- Non-veterinary services (like administrative fees).
- Organ or heart valve transplants.
- Pre-existing conditions occurring prior to or during policy waiting period.
- Prescription pet food.
- Preventive care.
- Supplements and vitamins.
- Training or training devices.
Spot pet insurance rates
Spot pet insurance costs an average of $45 per month for $5,000 in annual coverage for a dog, or $59 a month for an unlimited annual limit.
How much you pay for Spot pet insurance will depend on the annual limit, deductible and reimbursement percentage you choose.
Spot pet insurance options
Your pet’s age and breed will determine how much you pay for pet insurance. To show you what your Spot pet insurance costs could be, we compared rates for 9 dog breeds at three different ages.
How Spot compares to other pet insurance companies
Here’s how Spot compares to companies in our best pet insurance rating.
Spot customer service
Besides logging into your online account or using the Spot mobile app, you can reach customer service by phone from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET from Monday to Friday.
As a Spot customer, you also have access to its 24/7 VetAccess helpline through the online portal, by phone, chat or messenger. There is also a dedicated telehealth app you can use to ask health and behavior questions day or night.
Methodology
To find the best pet insurance, we analyzed 18 pet insurance companies using data provided by PetInsurer.com.
Each pet insurance company was eligible for up to 100 points, based on its performance in the following key categories:
Cost: 50 points. We calculated average rates for accident and illness pet insurance plans for dogs with unlimited annual reimbursement (or the highest level offered by that pet insurance company), a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement percentage. Average rates were based on quotes for 10 dog breeds, three age groups and multiple ZIP codes. The lower the average rate, the higher the number of points
Annual coverage limits: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an annual reimbursement level of $100,000, or unlimited annual coverage scored in this category.
24/7 vet line: 10 points. Insurance companies that offer access to a 24/7 vet line earned points. Being able to call for medical advice might save you money on vet visits.
Routine wellness plan: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an optional wellness plan add-on scored points. Wells plans can reimburse you for preventative care for your pet.
Pays vet exam fees: 10 points. If a pet insurance plan includes pet exam fees, the insurer received 10 points. If this is offered as a coverage add on, the insurer received 5 points.
Behavioral therapy: 5 points. If a pet insurance company covers behavior therapy in its pet insurance plans, it scored points.
Euthanasia or end of life expenses included: 5 points. If euthanasia or other end of life expenses are covered in pet insurance plans, a pet insurance company scored in this category.
Why some pet insurance companies didn’t make the cut
Of the 18 pet insurance companies we evaluated, nine made our rating of the best pet insurance companies. Companies with higher-than-average rates for accident and illness pet insurance plans, or those with less coverage for comparable cost, did not make the cut.
Spot’s basic pet insurance doesn’t cover neutering or spaying your dog or cat. However, you could add its platinum-level add-on for preventive care, which covers neutering or spaying, with a maximum annual benefit of $150.
The maximum coverage limit for Spot pet insurance is the unlimited option. This means that there is no cap to the vet expenses Spot will cover, as long as it’s not an excluded condition.
Once you meet your deductible, Spot will reimburse you based on the percentage you choose — 70%, 80%, or 90% of covered veterinary costs.
Yes, Spot pet insurance offers two options for a wellness plan. Its gold preventive care plan costs $9.95 per month with up to $250 in annual benefits. Spot’s platinum preventive care plan costs $24.95 each month and covers up to $450 annually.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
