AKC Dog Insurance Review

One of the best ways you can prepare for the cost of caring for your pet is by having the right pet insurance. It not only frees you from having to make decisions based solely on the financial impact, but it also allows you to confidently accept a pet in your home knowing it won’t break your budget.

The AKC is one of the most recognizable animal groups in the country, and they offer insurance as a perk for both their groups and anyone who needs it. It’s underwritten by a trustworthy group and could help you cover the cost of your precious new family member. Let’s take a look at the details to see if this plan is the right one for you.

AKC Pet Insurance Overview

The AKC registers full-blooded breeds of dogs and helps keep breeders on the up and up. They’ve been registering dogs for generations and offer their pet insurance as a 30-day certificate to any owner of a new puppy registered with the AKC.

They’ve been providing pet insurance since 2002 and offer plans within all 50 states. AKC insurance is administered by PetPartners, a larger insurance subsidiary, and is the only provider of insurance registered with the American Kennel Club.

PetPartners started in Great Britain in the 1980s and was one of the first to provide comprehensive pet insurance. They crossed the ocean in the early 2000s to offer coverage for those in the United States and are now part of IHC.

The company is the exclusive provider of insurance to the AKC and AKC pets come registered with this perk. It can help you offset the cost of your new AKC registered puppy with help with any unexpected bills that arise.

2024 AKC Pet Insurance Review

Customers tend to like that this comes as a perk of investing in a purebred AKC registered puppy, but there are other perks. AKC doesn’t cover some congenital and hereditary the way other comprehensive plans do, but there are still plenty of optional add-ons to get you the coverage you need.

Pros:

• 30 days free owners of new AKC registered puppies
• Add-ons help you pay for exactly what you need
• The only official partner of the AKC

Cons:

• Coverage only for cats and dogs
• Doesn’t cover hereditary conditions without a plan add-on
• Somewhat expensive for basic coverage

What do customers like about AKC Pet Insurance?

“I have been with AKC Pet Insurance since 2008- they have insured many of my dogs for years. I would never consider changing to another carrier. They always have my pet’s best interest at heart. They really hire the best people.” Joan

“I’ve known about AKC for years. My experience with them has been great. I had gotten like a free 30-day and it had lapsed and thankfully, I was still in the grace period. I didn’t realize that, but my mom had died and other things had been on my mind. AKC was very kind and let me go ahead and get my policy backdated with no lapse. I was impressed with the understanding and support.“ M. of Ohio

“Each occasion for having to submit a claim, I wanted to ensure I submitted correctly. If I had any questions they were answered with thoroughness and were very helpful. Stellar customer service.” Pamela

What do customers dislike about AKC Pet Insurance?

“Everything’s been going good with AKC so far. I’m a little disappointed in part because of the reimbursements that I’ve been receiving. I have a top-of-the-notch insurance. I can’t pay any more. I have five pets, and I just don’t seem to be getting reimbursed like I used to when I had two Australian Shepherds. Now, I have three little Shelties and I’m not really pleased. “Joyce

“I highly highly do not recommend this insurance. We purchased this insurance the day after we purchased our puppy and thought we were in the clear when he experienced health problems, however just like most insurance companies they always find a way to get out of paying your claim.” Vinh

How Does AKC Pet Insurance Work?

The company offers pet insurance plans to dogs and cats with a variety of choices to help balance your monthly budget with your pet’s coverage needs. Here’s what you need to know about applying for the plan and what to expect.

Dog Insurance Details

The plan offers several options for your dog’s care, but the starting point is comprehensive care. This plan covers emergencies with injuries and illnesses. The copay is 20% after your deductible is met, and you have a choice of annual deductibles between $100 and $1000.

The plan has annual payout limits between $3000 and $16,000 based on your choice, but there are also per-incident payout caps between $1500 and $8000. You must balance your needs for your budget, but be sure you allow room between the annual and per-incident budget to reimburse what you need.

The comprehensive plan covers illness and emergency care. Accidents and sudden (non-pre-existing) illnesses can take up quite a bit of your revenue, so this plan is intended to help offset the cost of your nonroutine care.

Wellness and Other Additions

If you’d like to cover routine care, you have the option of adding on different portions to your existing insurance policy to offset those costs. Wellness has two different options. You can choose a base plan that offers coverage for routine care. Wellness Plus adds on routine dental care and spay/neuter services.

You can add coverage for congenital and hereditary conditions such as hip dysplasia and heart disease. Cancer coverage is included in the standard plan, but other hereditary diseases aren’t. This allows you to be reimbursed for the diagnosis and care of those hereditary conditions.

If you’d also like to cover funeral and euthanasia expenses someday, Final Respects care helps with that. It allows you to give your dog the end of life care that it deserves. All these additions are reimbursed at set amounts and fall outside your deductible and other standard plan terms.

Reimbursement

The plan uses a reimbursement style that allows you to continue using your own veterinarian. You receive care and pay your bill as usual. Submit your claim and any needed paperwork to receive money back based on the terms of your plan.

It’s easy to use and simple to file a claim. The company also has customer service representatives that can help you figure out what you need to do. It’s a simple, straightforward process.

Cat Insurance

Cats are also covered under the AKC plans. You choose care for your cat very similar to the way you select plans for your dog. You have the choice of deductibles and both yearly and per incident caps. You submit a claim and receive reimbursements back.

You can also add on wellness care, end of life care, and hereditary care to handle reimbursements for other types of events in your cat’s life. It’s easy to balance your budget with your coverage needs and customer service can help you choose the right plan for your cat.

Altering Plans

Keep in mind that if you decide to change the details of your plan later, you’ll be writing a new policy. This could mean that some conditions covered now become pre-existing conditions later. You should think about the needs your pet has over its lifetime.

One possible solution is to get the most coverage you can afford now so that if your needs change later, you’re still covered. You can also upgrade while your dog is still young before any conditions have the chance to be present.

AKC Pricing Details

Here’s what to expect about the cost of AKC insurance and what to expect each month. Fortunately, the plans still have a few choices you can make to manage your expenses.

How much does it cost per month for their best plan?

The best plan with the best terms and all the additions could easily cost you over $100 per month, depending on your dog and your location. Choosing the lowest deductibles and the highest annual and per-incident reimbursement cap adds quite a bit to your monthly cost.

Are there any coupons, deals, or incentives to sign up?

The AKC does offer a 30-day certificate of health insurance to all owners of puppies registered with the AKC. They also provide multi-pet discounts but check in your area for special incentives or deals when you register your plan.

What’s the deductible? Is it annual or per visit?

The group does an annual deductible with several different options for amount. The higher your deductible, the more affordable your monthly premium will be.

Do you have to pay a copay, or are claims covered 100%?

You have a 20% copay after your deductible is met. The company will reimburse 80% of the cost of your procedure, provided the deductible portion has been satisfied.

Will the rates go up over time?

If you enroll a senior pet, you could that your premiums are more expensive. However, as your dog’s health changes, and as the company changes over time, you may see an increase in overall premiums. You should always be notified of any changes.

AKC Pet Insurance Coverage Details

The plan has quite a few options, but here’s what to expect for your coverage and what to know about the process of signing up.

Does it cover regular vet office visits and routine checkups or only unexpected emergencies?

The basic plan covers only accidents and nonroutine illnesses. If you want routine checkup care, you have the option of two different wellness riders to include those services.

Does it cover dental and teeth cleaning?

Accident and Illness covers emergencies with your pet’s teeth. The Wellness plus option provides routine dental care coverage.

Does it cover hip dysplasia?

Unlike most comprehensive plans, the AKC plan doesn’t cover hereditary and chronic illnesses and conditions other than cancer. You have the option of adding on hereditary care, and then you’ll be reimbursed for things like hip dysplasia (provided it isn’t a pre-existing condition).

Does it cover spaying and neutering?

Spaying and neutering are routine practices, so the standard plan doesn’t reimburse for this. Wellness Plus will reimburse for spay and neutering. The basic wellness plan doesn’t.

Does it cover pre-existing conditions?

Pet insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions ever. You must have a vet check and wait through a period of time to be sure symptoms aren’t present before your plan starts.

If you have to change your plan, current conditions may also become pre-existing. Changing plans requires a new plan altogether, and that will make currently covered conditions exempt from coverage in the new plan. Be careful changing plan terms.

Does it cover cancer?

If your dog or cat’s cancer diagnosis isn’t considered pre-existing, it will cover care for cancer. Cancer coverage is part of the general comprehensive plan and doesn’t require an extra rider.

Does it cover prescription medications?

The plan will cover prescriptions for nonroutine emergencies and illnesses. If you get the hereditary rider, prescriptions for chronic illnesses will be covered. Wellness riders will provide coverage for routine medications such as flea and tick treatments.

What else does it cover?

It covers a range of accidental emergencies and non-routine care.

• Accidents
• Illness
• Diagnostics
• UTIs
• Cancer
• Toxic substance ingestion
• Allergies
• Physical therapy
• Surgery

What else does it NOT cover?

The basic insurance plans have quite a few things they don’t cover, but you do have add-ons for additional reimbursements.

• Routine care (without wellness rider)
• Hereditary conditions (without hereditary coverage)
• End of life care (without Final Respects)
• Pregnancy
• Breeding
• Whelping
• Elective procedures

Are there any restrictions on breed-specific conditions or age?

There are no upper age limits for pets, but puppies must be at least eight weeks to sign up initially. There are plenty of coverage options for senior pets.

Is there a waiting period? How soon can I start using the insurance after I sign up?

When you sign up for the plan, you must have a vet check for your dog to determine any excluded pre-existing conditions. Once you handle that, you have a five day waiting period before you can submit accident claims and 14 days for illness claims.

The AKC offers 30 days of insurance for free for new owners of AKC puppies. If you wish to extend that coverage, discuss your options with your customer service representative.

Is it easy to cancel if I change my mind?

You have the option to end your coverage within 30 days if you decide you don’t want the coverage. If you’ve already submitted a claim, this could change based on where you are in the submission process.

How does AKC Pet Insurance compare to other pet insurance companies?

It offers comprehensive coverage for dogs and cats and plenty of chances to add on other reimbursements. It doesn’t provide coverage for hereditary conditions with the basic insurance plans, but you will have the option to add it on.

Would you recommend this pet insurance company for dogs?

If you already have an AKC registered puppy, it would be easy to consider continuing it. If you’re starting later or you don’t have an AKC puppy, you may want to look at comprehensive insurance that covers more conditions within the basic plan. However, it does offer a variety of coverage.

What about coverage for other animals?

There isn’t an option for other types of animals, so you’ll have to expand your look elsewhere for that coverage. The AKC doesn’t yet have capabilities for that.

Do they offer coverage for cats?

It might be an AKC offered plan, but they do have options for cat owners. The insurance works very similarly to dog insurance with plenty of choices to help you balance your budgetary needs each month with your desired coverage.

Cats can be prone to accidents, and cats also have hereditary illnesses. Choosing the right insurance for your cat can help you care for your furry friend well into the future without having to sacrifice care because of finances. Make sure you have all the information you need to make the right decision. 

Do they offer coverage for horses, birds, reptiles, and other exotic animals?

The company doesn’t offer coverage for any animals other than dogs or cats. Make sure you do your research if you have other animals because there are a few companies out there with options for you.

Choosing the right pet insurance is a large part of what makes caring for your pet easier and more fulfilling. Finances can be a huge determiner of your pet’s care, but if you know you’ll get some of your payments back, you can make decisions without thinking so much about the financial impact.

Your pets are part of your family, and they deserve the best care you can give them. The AKC plans can provide you with the funds you need to care for your pet long term. It can be challenging to decide what type of insurance to get for your pet, but once you have all the details, it could be a good move.