What are the Pros and Cons of Spot Pet Insurance?
How Spot Scored in Our Methodology
Spot scored 4.5 out of 5 stars in our analysis for its wide variety of coverage options, competitive cost, and easy-to-navigate website and mobile app. Though the company has more limited customer service hours than some competitors, Spot’s accident and illness plans stand out for its comprehensive coverage and no upper limit based on your pet’s age.
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Spot Pet Insurance Rating
Compare Spot Pet Insurance To The Competition
Use the table below to compare Spot’s waiting periods and prices to other top competing pet insurance providers:
How Much Does Spot Pet Insurance Cost?
The average cost of Spot pet insurance is $54 a month, slightly above average compared to competitors. However, Spot’s flexible customization options can result in a wide range of premium costs, making it possible to obtain more affordable coverage. For example, selecting a higher coverage limit or deductible can help lower your premium.
To give you an idea of Spot’s monthly premiums, we gathered sample quotes in each of the 50 states for four pet types:
| Plan | Accident-Only | Accident and Illness | Gold or Platinum Preventive Care |
| Cat insurance | $9 | $34 | $10–$25 |
| Dog insurance | $13 | $75 | $10–$25 |
| Average Cost | $11 | $54 | $10–$25 |
| Coverage summary | A basic plan that covers treatment and services related to accidents. | A more comprehensive plan that covers illnesses, accidents and injuries. | A coverage add-on that offers reimbursement for a range of preventive services, like wellness exams and vaccines. |
Spot also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, refunding your initial premium as long as you did not file any claims in that period.
Use the table below to compare Spot’s average policy cost to top competitors:
What Does Spot Pet Insurance Cover?
Enrolling in Spot pet insurance is fairly straightforward. The first step is requesting a quote online or over the phone at 1-800-905-1595. From there, Spot offers a user-friendly website where you can get pricing and coverage specifics based on a variety of customizable factors.
Additionally, Spot enables you to look at a sample policy before signing up to see what is and is not covered.
You can customize your Spot plan to suit your pet’s needs and your budget. Spot provides two coverage options: an accident and illness plan and an accident-only plan. Additionally, you can add the Gold or Platinum wellness plan to cover a range of preventive services, like exam fees.
Spot's Plan Offerings
Spot customers can choose either an accident and illness or an accident-only plan, which has lower premiums and more limited coverage. Here is a breakdown of some major services each plan covers:
| Condition or Treatment | Accident and Illness | Accident-Only |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced care | ✓ | |
| Alternative therapies (e.g. Acupuncture) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Behavioral issues | ✓ | |
| Cancer and growths | ✓ | |
| Dental illnesses | ✓ | |
| Diagnostics and treatments | ✓ | |
| Digestive illnesses | ✓ | |
| Emergencies and hospitalizations | ✓ | |
| Hereditary conditions | ✓ | |
| Hip dysplasia | ✓ | |
| Infectious diseases | ✓ | |
| IV fluids | ✓ | ✓ |
| Medical supplies (e.g. bandages and more) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Microchip implantation | ✓ | ✓ |
| MRI or CT Scans & X-rays | ✓ | |
| Orthopedic | ✓ | |
| Poison control consultation fees | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prescription medications | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skin, eye, and ear Infections | ✓ | |
| Surgery & specialized care | ✓ | ✓ |
| Swallowed objects & toxins | ||
| Tooth extractions | ✓ | |
| Vet exam fees | ✓ | |
| Virtual vet visits | ||
| X-rays and testing |
Generally, Spot excludes coverage for the following services:
- Cosmetic procedures
- Boarding costs
- Pre-existing conditions
- Costs associated with breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing
- Organ or heart valve transplants
For a full list of covered conditions, exclusions and policy limitations, review Spot’s sample pet insurance policy.
Preventative Care Plans
Spot offers two wellness care packages you can add to your base pet insurance plan to help cover certain vaccines, annual exams and more. The Gold Plan costs $10 extra per month and includes $250 in annual benefits. The Platinum Plan costs an additional $25 a month to receive up to $450 in annual benefits. Each covered service has an individual limit that collectively counts toward your plan’s total annual benefit.
Here is an overview of some of the covered services and per-service coverage limits included with each plan:
| Service Covered | Gold Wellness Plan($10 per month) | Platinum Wellness Plan ($25 per month) |
| Dental cleaning* | $100 | $150 |
| Wellness exam | $50 | $50 |
| Flea and heartworm prevention | Not covered | $25 |
| Deworming | $20 | $25 |
| Spay or neuter procedure* | Not covered | $150 |
| Vaccines (such as rabies, dog Lyme disease or feline infectious peritonitis) | $20 | $25 |
| Urinalysis | Not covered | $25 |
| Blood test | Not covered | $25 |
Customizable Coverage Levels
Based on the dozens of pet insurance providers we’ve reviewed, Spot is our pick for the most customizable plan options. In addition to its two standard plan options, it offers several choices for customizing your coverage.
To help you see how customizing your coverage can influence premiums, we requested a sample quote for a 2-year-old golden retriever in North Carolina. Based on our quote, an accident and illness plan with a Platinum preventive care add-on, a $500 deductible, a 70% reimbursement rate, and a $2,500 annual coverage limit would cost $53 per month. We break down differences in pricing based on the customization options below.
Deductible Options
Before receiving insurance benefits, you must first meet an annual deductible in an amount of your choice. Your premium will vary based on the deductible you choose. Here are the premium costs based on the quote we requested for all available deductible levels with Spot:
- $1,000 deductible: $43
- $750 deductible: $48
- $500 deductible: $52
- $250 deductible: $60
- $100 deductible: $67
Reimbursement Rates
Spot offers three options for a reimbursement rate, which is the percentage of your vet bills the company will cover. For our same initial quote for the 2-year-old female golden retriever, here are the premium costs for different reimbursement rates:
- 70% reimbursement: $51
- 80% reimbursement: $57
- 90% reimbursement: $69
Annual Limit Options
Spot offers seven options for an annual coverage limit, which is the maximum it will pay per year once you’ve met your annual deductible. Here are the quotes we received for our sample pet based on Spot’s range of coverage limit options:
- $2,500 annual limit: $51
- $3,000 annual limit: $54
- $4,000 annual limit: $57
- $5,000 annual limit: $58
- $7,000 annual limit: $69
- $10,000 annual limit: $72
- Unlimited coverage: $93
Sign-Up, Claims Filing, and Payout Processes
Spot makes the process of requesting a quote and signing up fairly straightforward for pet parents.
Signing Up For Spot Pet Insurance
Here is a general overview of the enrollment process:
- Request a quote: The first step is requesting a free quote online or over the phone. To start, head to the Spot website and hit the “Click For Price” button or call 1-800-905-1595. When you request a quote online, the company will direct you to a page where you enter your pet’s information and your personal contact information.
- Select your coverage: Spot offers enrollment for a variety of coverage options, including standard pet insurance plans and Gold and Platinum wellness care add-ons.
How To File a Claim with Spot
Spot gives detailed instructions on how to file a claim for your pet:
- First, log in to your Member Center Portal in your mobile app or web browser.
- Next, on your home page or the “Claims” tab, click “Start New Claim.”
- You will then select the pet you’re filing a claim for and fill out all relevant details, including the treatment and condition and the name of your vet clinic.
- Uploaded itemized invoice outlining the services rendered and associated costs.
Though uploading an invoice is optional, it can accelerate the processing of your claim.
On average, Spot says standard claims take five to seven business days to process accident and illness claims, while preventive claims take two business days. The Spot Member Center portal allows you to track your claims and access other resources like frequently asked policyholder questions and a 24/7 Pet Telehealth Helpline provided by VetAccess™ Additionally, Spot has a convenient FAQ section that addresses common issues for policyholders.
Third-party customer reviews from Trustpilot indicate the quality of Spot’s claims process may vary depending on when you make your request. Several customers were happy with how quickly and easily they were able to file claims using Spot’s tech-forward app. Many customers also cited the friendliness and helpfulness of Spot’s phone representatives.
However, other customers complained about Spot’s lack of weekend hours, especially those whose busy work schedules limited their time to address pet claims during the week. We reached out to Spot for comment on its negative customer reviews but did not receive a response.
Spot's Waiting Periods and Age Restrictions
Like its competitors, Spot does not cover pre-existing conditions that your pet shows symptoms of before enrolling in coverage or during a policy’s waiting period.
The company enforces the following waiting periods for its accident and illness plan:
- Accidents: 14 days
- Illnesses: 14 days
- Cruciate ligament events: 14 days
- Preventive care add-ons: 24 hours
Spot does not enforce an upper age limit for enrolling your pet, offering coverage whether it’s 3 years old or 17 years old. However, your pet must be at least 8 weeks old to qualify for coverage with Spot.
What Customers Think About Spot Pet Insurance
We researched third-party customer review platforms, including Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see what customers have to say about Spot. While many customers have reported positive experiences with Spot’s customer service and overall benefits, some seem frustrated by denied claims and ineffective customer service.
What Customers Like
Some of the features that reviewers consistently mentioned include:
- Customer service: Several policyholders said customer service representatives were helpful, friendly and fast in processing claims.
- Coverage for major health events: A few customers, including this one, were happy with Spot’s coverage for major health events like cancer and hospitalizations.
- Quick reimbursement: A number of customers were happy with the fast turnaround for reimbursement of their claims.
- Easy claims process: Some customers praised Spot’s mobile app, saying it made submitting claims quick and simple.
- Coverage for end-of-life expenses: Some policyholders, such as this one, felt peace of mind during a difficult time when Spot provided coverage for their pet’s euthanasia and cremation expenses.
What Customers Don’t Like
Though reviews for Spot are generally positive, a pattern of negative trends emerged among customers not satisfied with their coverage. We reached out to Spot for comment on its negative customer reviews but did not receive a response.
- Denied claims: Based on our review, the most common complaint against Spot is its claims denials. Customers such as this one claimed that Spot regularly used its pre-existing conditions exclusions to deny reimbursement for claims.
- Requires too much information to file a claim: Multiple customers claimed they were forced to submit meticulous records to get a claim approved.
- Limited customer service hours: Though a significant number of policyholders gave positive reviews for Spot’s customer service, some customers, such as this one, complained about the inconvenience of not having weekend customer service hours.
- Preventative care benefits: Some customers said they weren’t happy with Spot reimbursement for routine checkups, dental cleanings and microchip implantation compared to the cost of their premiums.
Spot vs. Top Pet Insurance Competitors
Spot vs. Trupanion
Trupanion was launched in Canada in 2000 and expanded to the U.S. in 2008. Like Spot, It offers customizable deductibles, but the two differ in other ways.
Unlike Spot, Trupanion offers unlimited annual limits on all its plans, and its reimbursement percentage is always 90%. But if affordability is important to you, consider Spot pet insurance first. Trupanion’s average cost for dogs is about $88, more than 70% higher than Spot’s average premium.
| Spot | Trupanion | |
| Reimbursements | 70%–90% | 90% |
| Deductibles | $100–$1,000 | $0–$1,000 (offered in $5 increments) |
| Annual limits | $2,500–unlimited | No annual limit |
| Average cost for dogs | $52 | $88 |
| Average cost for cats | $23 | $37 |
To learn more, read our full review of Trupanion pet insurance.
Spot vs. Healthy Paws
Spot and Healthy Paws offer similar plan customizations for deductibles, with both providers having options ranging from $100 to $1,000. For reimbursements, Healthy Paws only allows 80% reimbursement rates if your pet is under 6 years old. If your pet is 6 or 7 years old, you can choose a 70% reimbursement rate. If your pet is 8 years or older, then your reimbursement rate will be 50%.
When it comes to cost, Spot and Healthy Paws have similar average premiums for both dogs and cats, with Healthy Paws being a bit more affordable.
| Spot | Healthy Paws | |
| Reimbursements | 70%–90% | 50%–80% (enforces restrictions based on pet age) |
| Deductibles | $100–$1,000 | $100–$1,000 |
| Annual limits | $2,500–unlimited | Unlimited |
| Average cost for dogs | $52 | $48 |
| Average cost for cats | $23 | $18 |
To learn more, read our full review of Embrace pet insurance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Spot Pet Insurance
Yes, Spot pet insurance plans give you the freedom to visit any licensed vet in North America. When your pet is insured by Spot, you pay for vet services at the time of treatment and then file reimbursement claims for covered services directly with Spot.
While Spot and ASPCA Pet Health Insurance are both underwritten by the United States Fire Insurance Company and Independence American Insurance Company, the two providers are not the same. Spot Pet Insurance offers plans with different deductibles and coverage amounts than ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. The two providers also vary based on covered services and treatments.
Spot pet insurance plans cover diagnostic tests, including MRIS and ultrasounds, if needed to diagnose a range of covered medical conditions. The exact level of coverage depends on your specific plan. We recommend reaching out to the provider to learn more about specific coverage.
Spot pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, elective or cosmetic procedures, grooming and hygiene, boarding and pet sitting.
Methodology: Our System for Rating Pet Insurance Companies
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