Key takeaways
- ASPCA and Spot have the best pet insurance for senior dogs, according to our analysis of 16 pet insurers.
- Pet insurance for senior dogs averages more than twice the cost for younger dogs.
- Consider coverage and benefits when evaluating the policies for an older dog.
Senior dogs aren’t all that different from aging humans in terms of needing more medical attention as they get older. Pet insurance can help offset potentially costly veterinary care associated with age-related illnesses and injuries. We looked at coverage details, price-shock protection from claims and more to find the best pet insurance for senior dogs.
Best pet insurance for senior dogs
How to find the best pet insurance for senior dogs
Consider these factors when shopping for the best pet insurance for older dogs.
1. Understand policy exclusions
If you’re enrolling an older dog in a new pet insurance policy, pre-existing conditions—or any issues that begin during the pet insurance waiting period—will be excluded from coverage. If you have an older dog with multiple chronic conditions, this will greatly reduce what’s covered. There are some exceptions:
- Pet insurers like ASPCA, Pumpkin and Spot will cover curable pre-existing conditions, such as an ear infection, after 180 days without symptoms or treatment.
- AKC is the only pet insurance company that will cover all pre-existing conditions after a year of continuous coverage, making it worth consideration if you have a dog with a chronic condition.
2. Focus on policies with alternative and rehabilitative coverage
Senior dogs are more prone to orthopedic conditions, arthritis and joint pain. Pet insurance that covers alternative therapies and physical rehabilitation, such as hydrotherapy, can be helpful for managing an aging dog’s pain and mobility.
ASPCA, Figo, MetLife, Pumpkin and Spot cover alternative therapies in their base policies, though exact coverage details vary.
3. Be aware of rules around senior-wellness testing
If you’re buying or renewing a policy for a dog age 8 or older, insurers such as Fetch, Figo and Prudent Pet explicitly require that you follow your veterinarian’s advice regarding “senior-wellness testing”—or claims could be denied.
4. Check whether end-of-life expenses are covered
Although you won’t want to base your buying decision on coverage for end-of-life expenses, getting a pet insurance plan that pays certain costs can provide a cushion during a trying time.
For example, Spot, Pumpkin and ASPCA include end-of-life expenses (euthanasia, burial and cremation) in their core benefits. MetLife pays up to $500 for cremation or burial expenses (or a combination of the two) and also offers grief counseling.
5. Find out if making claims will increase your rates
You’re more likely to file claims for senior dogs compared to younger ones, so it can be important to buy pet insurance from a company that won’t raise your rate because you made claims. None of the top-scoring insurers in our analysis raise rates because you make claims, though you might see higher pet insurance costs for other reasons, such as inflation or age-based rate increases.
6. Check how claims payments are calculated
Some pet insurance companies calculate claims payments by first subtracting the deductible and then applying the reimbursement percentage. This leads to higher claim payments to pet owners in the long run compared to pet insurers that apply the reimbursement first and then the deductible. ASPCA, MetLife, Pumpkin and Spot are examples of insurers that use this method.
Cost of senior-dog pet insurance
We found that the average cost of senior-dog pet insurance with $5,000 in annual coverage ranges from $57 to $93 a month among the companies we evaluated. For unlimited coverage, the average cost ranges from $70 to $245 a month for senior dogs.
Cost for $5,000 in coverage
Cost for unlimited annual coverage
What’s the cheapest pet insurance for old dogs?
Figo has the cheapest pet insurance policy for senior dogs among the top companies in our analysis, with rates that average $73 a month for $5,000 in annual coverage. Among all the companies we analyzed, Lemonade has the cheapest coverage for older dogs, averaging $57 a month for $5,000 in coverage. Embrace and Pets Best also have average rates under $60 a month.
Figo is also the cheapest option for unlimited annual coverage among the top-scoring insurers in our evaluation. Its average rate for senior dogs with this amount of coverage is $112 a month. Pets Best has the lowest average overall at $70 a month for an unlimited plan.
Cost of pet insurance for senior dogs vs. younger dogs
The average cost of pet insurance for senior dogs is about double the cost for younger dogs.
For senior dogs, pet insurance averages $73 a month for a $5,000 policy. The average for puppies is $36 a month.
Policies with unlimited annual coverage average $121 a month for senior dogs compared to $53 a month for puppies.
Cost for $5,000 and unlimited annual coverage
Is insurance for older dogs worth it?
Whether pet insurance is worth it for a senior dog depends on how well you could absorb the cost of an expensive pet illness or injury.
Consider the following:
- Likely veterinary costs. Consider your pet’s breed, age, health history and likelihood of needing expensive care. But also keep in mind that pre-existing conditions are generally excluded from coverage.
- Your budget. Compare the premiums with what you could comfortably set aside for an unexpected large vet bill.
- Coverage details. Look at annual limits, deductibles and reimbursement levels to understand how much you could actually receive from a claim.
- Waiting periods. Check how long you’d have to wait before coverage begins for different conditions.
- Exclusions and caps. Review policy exclusions and per-condition caps that will affect claim payouts.
Methodology
We evaluated 16 pet insurance policies based on:
- Base-plan generosity (50%). The most important factor in a pet insurance policy is how much coverage you’re getting for your money. For this category, we looked at coverage included without add-ons, such as alternative therapies, vet-exam fees, dental illness, burial and cremation, and more. We also factored in whether curable pre-existing conditions are covered after a certain period.
- Cost (20%). We factored in average costs for plans with $5,000 and unlimited annual coverage for dogs at age 8.
- Price-shock protection for claims (15%). No one wants an unpleasant surprise with a claim. For this category, we analyzed how claims payments are calculated, low-deductible options and whether there are condition-specific payment caps and direct-vet-payment systems.
- Premium stability (10%). When you find good pet insurance, you want to avoid being priced out of it in the future. We looked at the current cost spread between puppies and older dogs and whether making a claim can lead to a rate increase.
- Customization power (5%). It’s valuable to have some control over your monthly premium. We looked at the range of annual coverage, reimbursement and deductible options available from each pet insurance company.
