Best Pet Insurance for Labradors (2023)
If you’re a Labrador Retriever owner, you know your dog is the best – and that’s not just because Labs are the most popular dog breed in the United States. With their white, chocolate, or black coats and their lovable, outgoing personalities, it’s no wonder Labradors are so popular.
Like all breeds, the Labrador Retriever is prone to various health issues that incur high vet bills. Many pet owners are turning to Labrador pet insurance to ensure their furry family members get the best medical treatment possible.
With pet insurance, you’ll pay a predictable monthly fee for reimbursement of surprise veterinary expenses.
In this article, we’ll discuss the following topics to help you find the best pet insurance for Labradors:
- Top Labrador Retriever pet insurance providers
- Common health problems for Labradors
- Monthly and annual costs of Labrador insurance
- The benefits of dog insurance for your Lab
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Our Top 3 Picks for Labrador Pet Insurance
Spot |
Lemonade |
Embrace |
|
Quote |
|||
Our Score |
4.9/5 |
4.8/5 |
4.7/5 |
Deductible |
$100 to $1,000 |
$100 to $500 |
$200 to $1,000 |
Average Monthly Cost for Labradors* |
$60 |
$20 |
$65 |
Multi-pet Discount |
10% |
5% |
10% |
Wellness Add-on |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
BBB Rating |
A |
F |
A+ |
*For these rates, we selected pet insurance plans with $10,000 annual limits, $500 annual deductibles, and 80% reimbursement rates for a 2-year-old Labrador.
Why Is Pet Insurance for Labradors Important?
Labradors are predisposed to several serious health conditions that need prompt medical attention. The most common diseases in Labs are obesity, musculoskeletal disorders, and cancer.
They’re also genetically at-risk for these health problems:
- Patellar luxation
- Canine hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Cancer
- Distichiasis
- Exercise-induced collapse
- Diabetes
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Arthritis and joint problems
- Gastric dilatation volvulus
- Laryngeal paralysis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Hypothyroidism
- Hot spots
Pet insurance for your Labrador is crucial because it gives you a financial cushion in the event one of these disorders develops in your pup.
You buy pet insurance with the hope you’ll never have to use it, but you can rest assured you’ll have the coverage you need should an emergency occur.
Here are some average costs associated with common injuries and illnesses in Labrador Retrievers.
Injury/Illness |
Estimated Expense |
Hip dysplasia |
|
Allergies |
|
Cataracts |
|
Gastric dilatation volvulus (Bloat) |
|
Foreign body ingestion |
|
Cancer |
|
Diabetes |
|
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost for Labradors?
On average, pet insurance plans for Labradors cost $50-$60 per month. This price range best represents a traditional accident/illness plan for a 1- to 3-year-old dog. Your monthly cost will increase if your Lab is older or if you live in a high-cost area.
State |
Estimated Cost |
$50-$70 |
|
$30-$50 |
|
$40-$65 |
|
$60-$90 |
Best Pet Insurance for Labradors
In the next section, we’ll review top providers to help you compare pet insurance policies.
Each of these providers will cover your dog’s unexpected accidents and illnesses. We’ll dive deeper into each company’s plan to determine which Labrador Retriever health concerns are eligible for reimbursement.
These companies also allow you to customize your annual payout limits, deductibles, and reimbursement rates for a plan that fits your needs. To learn more about plan customization, you can visit our provider review article or retrieve a free quote using these links:
While you’re reading, keep an eye out for exclusions and age limits that could bar your buddy from important insurance coverage.
Spot for Labradors
Spot offers an accident/illness plan, an accident-only plan, and two optional add-on packages for your Labrador’s preventive care.
With the accident/illness plan, you’ll get coverage for chemotherapy, hospitalization, surgery, and exam fees.
You’ll also get coverage for the following health problems that might affect your Lab:
- Hypothyroidism
- Arthritis
- Digestive problems
- Chronic conditions
- Foreign object ingestion
- Hip dysplasia
- Behavioral issues
Spot won’t cover your Lab’s pre-existing conditions, breeding costs, cosmetic procedures, or incidents that occur during waiting periods.
Pet parents looking to save money on routine veterinary care can purchase Spot’s Gold or Platinum Preventive Care packages. These optional wellness plans reimburse $250-$450 for items such as vaccinations, dental cleanings, parasite testing, routine checkups, and more.
Pros:
- Highly customizable plans
- Exam fee coverage
- No upper age limits
- Unlimited annual coverage option
Cons:
- 14-day accident waiting period
- Higher monthly premiums
For more information, check out our Spot pet insurance review.
Lemonade for Labradors
Lemonade provides accident/illness coverage at competitive prices. It also offers preventive packages to keep your pet updated on routine vet care.
With Lemonade’s pet health insurance, you’ll be eligible for reimbursements for your Labrador’s prescription medications, hospitalization, surgery, and diagnostic testing.
The provider also covers essential items like:
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Cancer
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Skin conditions
- Elbow and hip dysplasia
Lemonade doesn’t cover issues that develop during waiting periods, dental illnesses, pre-existing conditions, or spay/neuter procedures for dogs over 2 years old.
Lemonade’s Preventative and Preventative+ packages can help you save money on your Lab’s routine care needs. Depending on the reimbursement rate of your Lemonade pet insurance plan, you’ll get that same rate back on wellness items like vaccinations, fecal tests, blood work, and more.
Lemonade also offers a Preventative Care plan for Labrador puppies, so you can save while getting your fur baby off to a healthy start.
Pros:
- Affordable monthly rates
- Low deductible options
- Easy-to-use mobile app
- Can bundle insurance services
Cons:
- No dental illness coverage
- Low BBB rating
Read more in our Lemonade pet insurance review.
ASPCA for Labradors
ASPCA pet health insurance has customizable plan options for Labs of all ages. The provider offers low deductible options to help your coverage kick in sooner. You can also choose from accident/illness policies, accident-only policies, and two wellness plan add-ons.
ASPCA’s accident/illness coverage includes items your Lab might need, such as chemotherapy, examinations, and behavioral therapy.
The provider will also reimburse you for costs associated with:
- Microchip implantation
- Hypothyroidism
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- Digestive problems
- Hip dysplasia
- Heart disease
- Ingested foreign objects
ASPCA will never compensate you for costs related to pre-existing conditions, breeding, elective procedures, or issues that develop during waiting periods.
ASPCA offers two add-on wellness plans that will reimburse you $250-$450 per year. The Basic plan covers dental cleanings, wellness exams, deworming, vaccinations, and parasite tests. Those items are also covered in the Prime package, along with parasite prevention, health certificates, blood tests, urinalysis, and additional vaccines.
Pros:
- Microchip coverage with all plans
- Partner of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- Low deductible options
- No upper age limits
Cons:
- $10,000 annual coverage cap
- Poor customer ratings
Read more in our ASPCA pet insurance review.
Embrace for Labradors
Embrace is a solid choice for Labrador owners seeking customizable accident/illness coverage. The provider offers Wellness Rewards packages to help you budget your pet’s routine care costs.
Embrace covers conditions your Labrador is predisposed to, such as allergies, cancer, hip dysplasia, and other congenital conditions.
It also covers the following services for diagnostics and treatment:
- Exam fees
- Chemotherapy
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Lab tests and biopsies
- CT scans, X-rays, and MRIs
Embrace won’t cover your dog’s pre-existing conditions, breeding costs, elective procedures, or accidents and illnesses that occur during waiting periods.
Embrace’s pre-existing condition policy is more flexible than most others on the market.
The provider will evaluate and consider covering your Lab’s pre-existing condition if it has been asymptomatic and untreated for at least 12 months before your policy start date.
You can choose one of Embrace’s Wellness Rewards packages for help budgeting your buddy’s wellness care costs. These plans will only save you around $25 per year but will reimburse you for more items like grooming, training, nail trimming, and health accessories.
Pros:
- Customizable plans
- Healthy Pet Deductible program
- Wellness Rewards add-on for routine care
- Flexible pre-existing condition policy
Cons:
- $30,000 annual coverage cap
- Higher monthly premiums
Check out our Embrace pet insurance review for more information.
Healthy Paws for Labradors
Healthy Paws pet insurance provides coverage for your Labrador’s unexpected accidents and illnesses. This provider is an excellent choice for pet owners passionate about animal welfare; the Healthy Paws Foundation has donated nearly $2 million to animals in need.
Healthy Paws is also a top choice for Labrador parents seeking easy-to-understand pet insurance in a straightforward plan.
Healthy Paws’ accident/illness policy covers congenital, chronic, and hereditary conditions.
It also covers:
- Cancer treatment
- Diagnostic testing
- X-rays, ultrasounds, and CT scans
- Blood work
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Prescription medications
- Alternative therapies
Healthy Paws doesn’t offer any add-on packages, so you’ll just get coverage for unexpected vet visits. The provider won’t reimburse you for exam fees, preventive care services, spay/neuter procedures, pre-existing conditions, or accidents and illnesses that occur during waiting periods.
Pros:
- Unlimited per-item, annual, and lifetime payout on all plans
- Dedication to animal welfare charity
- Quick claims processing
Cons:
- No preventive care add-ons
- Plan customizability limited by age
Find out more in our Healthy Paws pet insurance review.
Is Pet Insurance for Labradors Worth it?
Pet insurance is definitely worth it for Labradors. These lovable dogs are quite curious, which can lead to medical mishaps.
Let’s say your Lab gets into your laundry and swallows a sock. You notice that he starts gagging and bloating, so you rush to the emergency vet clinic.
Foreign object ingestion treatments start at $1,500 and go up depending on the severity of the blockage. If your dog requires surgery to treat the issue, you could ring up a $7,000 vet bill.
With pet insurance, you’ll meet your deductible and then get reimbursement for 70-90% of the total expense. Even if you have to pay $50 per month in premiums, the peace of mind you’ll get from insurance is absolutely worth it.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article helps you find the best Labrador pet insurance for your beloved pal.
With the right pet insurance plan, you’ll never have to turn down top-notch veterinary care because of cost. You’ll be able to give your Lab the care and attention it deserves, and reimbursements will be headed your way in no time.
The companies we discussed provide excellent coverage for dogs of all shapes and sizes. If you’re still curious about any or all of them, check out our comparison of the best pet insurance companies to find out more.
Our Methodology
Here at 365 Pet Insurance, our research team looks to examine all pet insurance policies and comes up with reviews based on:
- Coverage
- Plan options
- Cost
- Reputation
- Customer service
- Species available
- Wellness benefits
We’ve created a 5-star rating system to score pet insurance brands based on a 100-point scale. To develop a list of the best pet insurance plans, we looked into plans, rating coverage, claims handling, reimbursements, deductibles, and limitations.
Each factor is weighted differently based on the following factors:
- Monthly Pricing (25 points): How each pet insurance company charges for their plans is a crucial part of the decision-making process of the customer. Affordable rates and comprehensive coverage are the defining characteristics of providing the best pet insurance.
- Coverage (20 points): We scored companies based on the treatments and procedures they cover. Providers offering broader coverage and more unique treatments received more points. Pet insurance policies are not offered by all companies for older pets. Providers who have an age limit on the pets they cover were deducted points.
- Plans (15 points): Pet insurance providers offer accident-and-illness plans, accident-only plans, wellness add-ons, and pet preventive care add-ons, so customers can choose the right plan for their pets. We also factored in costs to achieve the most comprehensible review for your pet’s needs.
- Customization Options (10 points): You can ensure your pet only gets what they need by customizing your policy. A higher score was earned by providers who offered a greater range of annual limits, deductibles, and reimbursement rates.
- Customer Service (10 points): We scored companies based on their website accessibility and usability, mobile apps, and grating points to companies with the most customer experience options.
- Industry Reputation (10 points): We assessed each company’s industry reputation by reviewing up-to-date BBB ratings and accreditation information, as well as their years of experience in the industry.
- Waiting Periods (10 points): Companies with shorter accident and illness waiting periods scored higher than companies with longer waiting periods.
Our team revisits each company’s information at the end of every month to make updates and ensure the information is as accurate as possible.