ASPCA Pet Health Insurance at a Glance
You’ve probably seen ASPCA pet insurance pop up in your search results more than a few times. Before you pull the trigger on a policy, let’s dig into what this coverage actually offers and whether it’s worth your money.
In our review of 20 pet insurance companies, ASPCA achieved a score of 9/10, earning it a spot among our best pet insurance picks. Here’s everything you need to know to decide if it’s the right fit for your furry friend.
Key Strengths
- The base plan includes dental illness, cancer treatment, hereditary conditions, and alternative therapies.
- No age ceiling for enrollment, making it a go-to for senior pet owners
- Orthopedic conditions only require a 14-day waiting period (competitors often impose 6 to 12 months)
- Round-the-clock vet helpline comes standard with every policy
- Stack a 10% discount for each additional pet you insure
Key Weaknesses
- Reimbursements can drag out to 30 days (other insurers wrap things up in a week or less)
- Want unlimited annual coverage? You’ll need to call since there’s no online option.n
- The mobile app sits at a disappointing 2.9 stars on Google Play
- The ASPCA nonprofit doesn’t see a dime of your premium beyond a licensing fee
Who Is ASPCA Pet Insurance Best For?
Pet owners who want robust coverage with plenty of flexibility will find a lot to like here. The base plan bundles in perks like behavioral treatment, alternative medicine, and prescription diet coverage that other companies charge extra for. Got a whole crew of pets? That 10% multi-pet discount adds up fast. And if your furry friend is getting up there in years, the lack of an age cap is a genuine advantage since plenty of competitors show older pets the door. Oh, and if you’ve got a horse, ASPCA is one of the handful of insurers that’ll write you a policy.
ASPCA Pet Insurance
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance stands out for its genuinely comprehensive base plan and its inclusive policy on senior pets. Unlike many competitors that charge extra, ASPCA's Complete Coverage plan automatically includes important treatments like dental disease, hereditary conditions, alternative therapies (such as acupuncture and hydrotherapy), and behavioral treatments. This broad inclusion simplifies the coverage and ensures that pet parents are protected against a wider range of unexpected health issues from the start. Crucially, there is no upper age limit for enrollment, making it one of the best options on the market for senior pets whose financial safety net is often restricted elsewhere.
The policy terms also present favorable aspects for pet owners. The multi-pet discount, offering 10% off each additional pet, stacks nicely for larger "fur families" and can lead to significant annual savings. For breeds prone to common joint issues, the waiting period for orthopedic issues is only 14 days, which is much shorter than the typical six to twelve months required by many other insurers. Furthermore, a curable pre-existing condition that remains symptom-free and treatment-free for 180 days can become eligible for coverage again, offering a valuable path back to protection for many pets (with the exception of knee and ligament issues).
Finally, the insurer offers reassuring company stability and valuable special features. The policies are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, which holds an A (Excellent) financial strength rating from A.M. Best. This financial muscle, combined with a low complaint index of just 0.3 (well below the industry average of 1.0), suggests high reliability for claim payouts. Every policy also includes 24/7 access to The Vet Connection telehealth service, allowing pet parents to get expert advice from real vets and vet nurses around the clock, which can be an immense source of peace of mind during a stressful emergency.
- No Age Limit: Senior pets are welcome. Enrollment has no upper age cap.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Dental, behavioral, and alternative therapies are included in the base plan.
- 10% Multi-Pet Discount: Perfect for households with more than one fur baby.
- 24/7 Vet Helpline: Peace of mind with round-the-clock access to real vet professionals.
- Fast Ortho Coverage: Only a 14-day waiting period for orthopedic conditions.
ASPCA Pet Insurance Overview
PTZ Insurance Agency, Ltd. runs the show behind ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. They’ve been at this since 1997, which puts them among the earliest players in the American pet insurance market.
The familiar ASPCA branding entered the picture in 2006 when PTZ partnered with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Here’s the catch, though: the beloved animal welfare organization doesn’t actually operate this insurance company. Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, a for-profit outfit, handles everything and simply pays the ASPCA for the right to use its name. Your monthly payments aren’t funding rescue missions or shelter operations.
Key Company Details:
- Headquarters: Akron, Ohio
- Track record: More than 600,000 pets protected and 2.2 million claims handled over two decades
- Where you can buy: Dogs and cats are covered across all 50 states, Washington D.C., U.S. territories, and Canada. Horse policies are limited to 12 states.
- Animals covered: Dogs, cats, and horses
- Underwriters: United States Fire Insurance Company or Independence American Insurance Company
ASPCA Pet Insurance Reliability
Nobody wants to pay premiums for years only to discover their insurer can’t cough up the cash when it counts.
United States Fire Insurance Company, the main underwriter behind these policies, carries an A.M. Best rating of A (Excellent). In plain terms, they’ve got the financial horsepower to honor claims without batting an eye.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners tracks complaint data across the industry, and United States Fire Insurance Company scores impressively low at 0.3 against an industry baseline of 1.0. Fewer complaints generally means fewer headaches for policyholders.
Behind the scenes, Crum & Forster operates under Fairfax Financial Holdings, a heavyweight in the global insurance world. Your coverage has serious institutional backing.
ASPCA Pet Insurance Coverage Options
Plan Types Offered
Complete Coverage (Accident & Illness): The heavy hitter in their lineup. This plan tackles accidents, illnesses, inherited conditions, alternative treatments, behavioral problems, and beyond. If something goes wrong with your pet’s health, odds are good this plan addresses it.
Accident-Only: Stripped down for pet parents watching their budget. You’re protected against injuries with coverage for diagnostics, treatment, surgery, and hospital stays, but don’t expect help with illnesses.
Preventive Care Add-Ons: Routine care like shots, dental cleanings, and parasite prevention isn’t included by default, but you can tack on Basic or Prime wellness packages for an additional monthly fee.
What’s Covered
The Complete Coverage plan casts a wide net. Vet visits, lab work, imaging, surgical procedures, overnight stays, prescriptions, and holistic treatments like acupuncture and water therapy all qualify for reimbursement.
Some coverage details stand out from the pack: microchip implantation, poison control consultations, medically necessary special diets, and compassionate end-of-life care, including euthanasia and aftercare expenses.
What’s NOT Covered
Pre-existing conditions won’t fly, with one notable exception: if a curable condition clears up completely and stays gone for 180 days, it may become eligible again. Knee and ligament problems, however, remain permanently excluded once they’re on record.
Standard exclusions apply to government-declared disease outbreaks, vanity procedures, breeding expenses, and elective surgeries. Routine wellness care stays out of bounds unless you spring for the add-on coverage.
Policy Terms
Waiting Periods: Fourteen days before accident and illness coverage activates. Wellness benefits start right away. Pro tip: get your vet to complete a Health Assessment Exam within a week of your start date, and you might convince ASPCA to waive the waiting period entirely.
Age Restrictions: Puppies and kittens need to hit 8 weeks before they’re eligible. On the other end, there’s no cutoff, so your 15-year-old tabby can still get covered.
Second Chances on Pre-Existing Conditions: Curable health issues that vanish for 180 days straight can graduate out of pre-existing status. The lone exception? Anything involving knees or ligaments stays blacklisted forever.
Choose Your Own Vet: Any licensed veterinarian, specialist, or emergency hospital in the U.S. or Canada works. Zero network hassles.
Special Features
Every policyholder gets complimentary access to The Vet Connection’s telehealth service, staffed by licensed veterinary professionals around the clock. When your dog eats something suspicious at midnight, you’ve got someone to call.
Coverage extends to end-of-life decisions, too, helping offset the cost of humane euthanasia and memorial services when the time comes.
ASPCA Pet Insurance Affordability
Ballpark figures put average monthly costs for ASPCA around $77 for dogs and $39 for cats. Those numbers assume a middle-of-the-road setup: mixed-breed pets aged 2 to 6, $250 deductible, 90% reimbursement, and moderate coverage limits.
Young, healthy cats can snag policies starting around $16 monthly. Meanwhile, an older French Bulldog with comprehensive coverage might run north of $350 per month, depending on where you live.
Across the board, expect roughly $48 monthly for dog coverage and $30 for cats as a national average.
Pricing Factors
Geography plays a bigger role than you might expect. Identical coverage for the same pet costs roughly $10 more per month on the East Coast compared to out West.
Breed makes a difference, too. A tiny mixed breed might only set you back $20 monthly, while insuring a Bullmastiff could hit $94.
Customization Options
- Annual Deductible: Pick from $100, $250, or $500
- Reimbursement Rate: Options at 70%, 80%, 90%, or the full 100%
- Annual Coverage Cap: Online quotes max out at $10,000, but unlimited coverage is available if you call
Discounts Available
- Multi-pet savings: Knock 10% off for each additional pet on your account
- Vet industry perk: Veterinary staff score 10% off base premiums
- Service member appreciation: Military and first responder discounts typically land between 5% and 10%
- Pay-in-full bonus: Annual payment saves a few percentage points versus monthly billing
Value Assessment
When it comes to dog insurance affordability, ASPCA ranks near the top nationally. Cat coverage lands somewhere in the middle of the pack. Given everything bundled into the base plan, the pricing holds up reasonably well, particularly for dog owners and households with multiple pets.
ASPCA Pet Insurance Claims Process
Take your pick: online Member Center, mobile app, email, fax, or old-fashioned mail. The app actually lets you kick off a claim while you’re still sitting in the vet’s waiting room by photographing your invoice.
Average Reimbursement Timeframe
Here’s where patience becomes a virtue. ASPCA targets completing claims within 30 days, though some policyholders report getting paid in under two weeks. Compare that to competitors who routinely finish processing within a week, and the gap becomes noticeable when you’re watching your bank account.
Reimbursement Process
Standard reimbursement model here: you cover the vet bill upfront, then file for your money back. Opt for direct deposit to speed things along, or request paper checks if that’s your preference. File as many claims as you need, just keep them within 270 days of service.
Digital Claims Tracking
The app provides step-by-step visibility into where your claim stands and displays estimated processing timelines. Handy feature, even if the app itself occasionally frustrates users.
ASPCA Pet Insurance Customer Service
Phone Support: Representatives staff the lines Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 8 PM Eastern. Sales questions go to 888-716-1203; existing customer issues route to 866-204-6764.
After-Hours Coverage Help: Got an emergency at 3 AM and need to know if a procedure qualifies for reimbursement? Someone’s available 24/7 to answer coverage questions and estimate what you’ll get back.
Digital Experience
Mobile App: Handles claims, payments, account management, vet searches, and direct deposit enrollment all in one place. The downside? Buggy performance has earned it lukewarm reviews and a 2.9-star rating.
Website: The Member Center covers quotes, policy management, and claims filing without any bells and whistles.
Customer Satisfaction Metrics
- BBB Rating: A+ (top marks)
- Trustpilot Score: 3.7 out of 5, with nearly three-quarters of reviewers giving five stars
- NAIC Complaint Index: 0.3, significantly below the 1.0 industry average
ASPCA Pet Insurance Customer Highlights
What Fans Say:
“Covering my cats through ASPCA turned out to be one of my better adulting decisions. Claims went smoothly, money showed up without drama, and I never felt like I was fighting fine print.”
“When my senior dog needed emergency care that ran into the thousands, I filed the paperwork and had a check within a week. After years of paying premiums, it felt good to see the system actually work.”
Repeat customers tend to highlight the thoroughness of coverage, relatively painless claims experience, and general reliability over time.
What Critics Say:
“Waited forever for my reimbursement despite all their promises about quick turnaround. Then they rejected my claim because it supposedly fell within the waiting period, which I’m pretty sure it didn’t.”
Recurring frustrations center on slower-than-expected payments, murky pre-existing condition rulings, and an app that doesn’t always cooperate.
Pros and Cons of ASPCA Pet Insurance
Pros
- Loaded Base Coverage: Dental disease treatment, behavioral therapy, and alternative medicine come standard. Competitors frequently charge extra for these perks.
- Senior Pets Welcome: No age restrictions mean your 16-year-old golden retriever still qualifies for coverage.
- Quick Orthopedic Eligibility: Cruciate ligament injuries and hip problems only face a 14-day waiting period. Many insurers make you wait the better part of a year.
- Pre-Existing Condition Do-Overs: Conditions that fully resolve and stay dormant for 180 days can become coverable again, with knees and ligaments being the permanent exception.
Cons
- Sluggish Reimbursements: Waiting up to a month for your money stings, especially when you just dropped a few grand at the emergency vet.
- Phone-Only Unlimited Coverage: Wanting the highest coverage tier means making a phone call. Feels like a relic from another era.
- Glitchy App: Technical issues have left the mobile experience with underwhelming ratings and frustrated users.
- Brand Name Confusion: The ASPCA nonprofit collects a licensing fee but doesn’t run the insurance operation. Your premiums support a for-profit company, not animal shelters.
Our Verdict & Score for ASPCA Pet Insurance
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance makes sense for pet parents who value thorough coverage and customization flexibility. Multi-pet households, senior pet owners, and anyone with breeds susceptible to hereditary issues will find a lot to appreciate. Just set your expectations accordingly on reimbursement speed.
Recommended for:
- Households with multiple pets that can maximize stacking discounts
- Owners of older animals seeking coverage without age barriers
- Breeds with known hereditary or joint vulnerabilities
- Anyone wanting holistic and behavioral coverage baked into the base plan
Not ideal for:
- People who need their money back yesterday (Consider Prudent Pet Insurance)
- Users expecting a seamless mobile app experience (Consider Lemonade Pet Insurance)
- Cat owners on tight budgets who might find cheaper alternatives (Consider Pets Best)
Methodology
Our evaluation weighted five categories based on their importance to the average pet insurance buyer:
Affordability (30%): We compared pet insurance costs across multiple pet profiles, factoring in available discounts and fee structures. Pets Best’s industry-low prices drove their strong score here.
Claims Process (20%): We evaluated submission options, processing times, reimbursement speed, and the availability of direct vet payment. Multiple submission methods and reasonably fast processing earned a solid score, though customer friction reports prevented a higher rating.
Customer Service (20%): We assessed accessibility, digital tools, and customer satisfaction metrics from Trustpilot, BBB, and Reddit. The BBB complaint situation and app issues significantly impacted this score.
Stability (20%): We examined A.M. Best ratings, years in business, corporate backing, and regulatory standing. Strong financial backing offset by mixed underwriter ratings resulted in an above-average score.
Coverage Options (10%): We reviewed plan variety, what’s covered and excluded, waiting periods, and special features. Comprehensive offerings with genuine customization options earned a high score, with waiting periods being the main drawback.
Our review methodology weighs five key factors to generate overall scores. We analyzed 20 pet insurance providers across identical criteria, then applied a curve based on the top performer to ensure fair comparisons.
ASPCA Category Scores
- Financial Strength: 9/10
- Coverage Options: 8/10
- Affordability: 7/10
- Claims Experience: 6/10
- Customer Experience: 7/10
- Total weighted and curved score: 9.0/10
Check out our complete methodology and see how every provider stacked up in our Pet Insurance Reviews.
