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Dogs, like humans, are prone to unexpected accidents. While it’s tough to imagine, no one’s time is ever guaranteed. What if your dog were hit by a car and needed life-saving surgery that came with a hefty price tag? Would you be ready to move forward with treatment, or would you face the heartbreaking dilemma of choosing between their life and your financial stability? Unfortunately, this tragic choice, known as economic euthanasia, happens more often than we realize. Accident-only pet insurance offers an affordable way to prepare for the unexpected. By covering accident-related injuries without the cost of a full accident and illness plan, it ensures you can get the care your dog needs—so you can share many more happy years together, worry-free.
Best Accident-Only Pet Insurance Plans
Already familiar with accident-only pet insurance and ready to dive into the reviews? Check out my top recommendations below to find the best option for you and your pet. You can also jump down to my comparison table to start comparing providers and plan options.
| Best Overall | Most Affordable | Senior Pets | Most Customizations |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Read Review | Read Review | Read Review | Read Review |
Does Pet Insurance Cover Accidents?
Accidents are included in coverage for accident-only pet insurance policies as well as accident and illness policies. Wellness plans do not cover accident expenses. No company currently offers illness-only pet health insurance.
What Is Accident-Only Pet Insurance?
Accident-only pet insurance coverage is for injury-related vet visits, including broken bones, foreign body ingestion, lacerations, bite wounds, poisoning, sprains, torn ligaments, bee stings, and other related emergencies. An accident-only plan typically covers anything related to a sudden trauma or physical injury, including diagnostics and treatment for the accident (e.g., X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, prescription medications, IV fluids, surgery, etc.). This is truly emergency care pet insurance because these plans offer coverage for unforeseen causes beyond your control and outside of “normal” health concerns.
Dog accident insurance plans are generally less expensive than accident and illness pet insurance plans. This makes them a worthwhile option for pet parents on a tight budget or pets with pre-existing illnesses that can’t be covered through an accident and illness policy.
Accident-Only vs Accident & Illness Pet Insurance
Accident and illness pet insurance policies include coverage for accidents like those listed above and illness-related health conditions. These plans are the most common and extensive pet insurance plans available. Examples of illnesses included in accident and illness pet insurance policies include cancer, allergies, arthritis, urinary tract infections, ear infections, and more (assuming they were not pre-existing conditions prior to enrollment and waiting periods).
It’s best to sign up for an accident and illness pet insurance policy when your dog is young to reduce pre-existing condition exemptions. Neither accident-only nor accident and illness policies include coverage for preventive care (like vaccines, preventive medications, spay/neuter procedures, etc.).
Can I Get Pet Insurance After An Accident?
Yes, pet owners can get pet insurance after an accident. However, the recent accident that your dog was diagnosed with is excluded from coverage. This is because no pet insurance covers pre-existing conditions immediately after enrollment.
Most companies require 1-15 days before accidents are eligible for coverage. So if you purchase pet insurance after an accident, it won’t cover that specific accident, but it will offer coverage for future accidents after the waiting period has passed.
Accident-Only Pet Insurance Comparison
Only some of the companies in our best pet insurance companies reviews offer accident-only policies at the current time. But, the number of providers offering this type of plan is regularly increasing. So, we encourage you to check back to find what additional options may be available.
The nice thing about accident-only plans is that you can more easily change to another company if you become dissatisfied with your current policy for whatever reason (monthly premiums increase, coverage restrictions, etc.). However, keep in mind that no pet insurance company (besides AKC Pet Insurance) covers pre-existing conditions unless they have curable pre-existing conditions included in the coverage.
An accident could result in an ACL tear, but treatment may not be covered if your pet previously had ACL issues. However, it may be covered if the company offers coverage for curable pre-existing conditions. So be sure to read the fine print.
The table below compares the only major U.S. pet insurance companies currently offering accident-only pet insurance plans.
| | | |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Waiting Period* | 14 Days | 3 Days | 2 Days | 14 Days | 2 Days | 14 Days |
| Cruciate Ligament Waiting Period* | 14 Days | Not Covered | 6 Months | 14 Days | Not Covered | Not Covered |
| Exam Fees Covered |  | | | | Extra Fee | |
| Pre-Existing Conditions | Curable Only | Curable Only | Curable Only | Curable Only | After 1 Year | No |
| Enrollment Ages | 8 Weeks or Older | 7 Weeks or Older | 15 Years or Older | 8 Weeks or Older | 10-14 Years | 8 Weeks or Older |
| Annual Limit Options | $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, Unlimited | $20,000 | $2,500, $5,000 |
| Reimbursement Options | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% | 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | 90% | 50%, 70%, 80% |
| Annual Deductible Options | $100, $250, $500 | $250 | $100 | $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $100 | $250, $500, $1,000 |
*States are gradually adopting a Model Law for pet insurance, aiming to standardize regulations, including uniform waiting periods. In California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Washington, Rhode Island, and Maryland, waiting periods are:
- Accidents: 0 days
- Illnesses: 14 days
- Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 30 days
- Routine Care: 0 days
What’s The Best Accident-Only Pet Insurance?
The best pet accident insurance is based on your dog’s specific needs. We cover the highlights for our top picks below.
Best Overall: ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
ASPCA Pet Insurance has several customization options for its accident-only plans, many of which other providers don’t offer. This allows you to find a plan that more easily fits your needs and budget. And with a 14-day waiting period for torn ligaments, this is one of the shortest in the industry.
Learn More In Our Complete ASPCA Review
Most Affordable: Pets Best Review
If you’re looking for an extremely affordable option, Pets Best is your best bet. Its accident-only plan has a flat rate of $9 per month for dogs ($6 per month for cats). It covers many of the same items as other providers except for torn ligaments, so if this is a concern for your dog’s breed, you may want to consider other options.
Pets Best was one of the first companies to offer an accident-only plan to pet parents, so it’s been around for a while and had time to offer a stable product. It also allows enrollment for pets at the youngest age, starting at just seven weeks old.
Learn More In Our Complete Pets Best Review
Best For Senior Pets: Embrace Review
The biggest thing to be aware of with Embrace’s accident-only plan is that it’s only available for older pets enrolled after their 15th birthday. So, if your pet is younger than 15, you’ll need to consider another company for coverage.
It also has the longest waiting period for torn ligaments at six months, so if you have a breed predisposed to cranial cruciate tears, you may want to consider other options. However, it has the shortest waiting period for accidents, only two days, so if you’re looking for quick coverage, then Embrace may be an excellent choice for your 15+ year-old dog.
Learn More In Our Complete Embrace Review
Most Customizations: Spot Review
Spot offers the most plan customizations compared to other providers listed here, so if you’re looking for specific policy options, this is an excellent pick. It also provides a short waiting period for torn ligaments at just 14 days. Its accident waiting period is the same at 14 days, but if you’re okay with waiting two weeks for coverage to kick in, this may be a good fit for your dog.
Learn More In Our Complete Spot Review
Pet Insurance Could Extend Your Dog’s Life
Having access to accident-only pet insurance policies can be lifesaving for some pets and provide peace of mind to you. Many dog insurance providers have age restrictions on their illness and accident policies, restricting access to dogs outside those age limits. Signing your dog up for at least accident coverage could extend your dog’s life if they get into a serious accident, and you can focus on their health care versus the expensive veterinarians bills.
If you’re interested in learning more about accident and illness pet insurance policies, we recommend reading our is pet insurance worth it article. Then, if you’d like to compare top providers, read our pet insurance comparison.
Methodology
My team and I conduct extensive research on the most reputable pet insurance companies, analyzing customer feedback, policy changes, and industry trends. Our licensed insurance agent fact-checks everything, and we update our reviews year-round as insurers adjust premiums, coverage, exclusions, and customer service.
We rank each U.S. pet insurance provider using a 100-point scale, ensuring an unbiased breakdown of how companies perform in real-world claims.
Our Ranking Criteria
- Coverage & Exclusions (30%) – We analyze policies, exclusions, and age restrictions, rewarding companies with fewer coverage limitations.
- Pricing (15%) – We run thousands of sample quotes and factor in extra fees, discounts, and add-ons.
- Customer Service & Reputation (12%) – We review hundreds of customer experiences, assess the sign-up process, and evaluate claim support.
- Financial Strength (10%) – We examine A.M. Best & Demotech ratings to ensure companies can pay claims reliably.
- Customization Options (10%) – Providers with more deductible, reimbursement, and payout flexibility rank higher.
- Waiting Periods (5%) – Shorter illness & accident waiting periods result in a better score.
- Claim Processing (5%) – Companies offering fast reimbursements and direct vet pay score higher.
- Innovation (3%) – We recognize unique offerings and advanced technology in the industry.
Unbiased Pet Insurance Rankings: Putting Pets First
Unlike many review sites, we don’t sell rankings—every provider earns its spot based on real performance. Our in-depth comparisons help pet parents make informed decisions, while insurers use our reviews to improve their policies. We only recommend the best because that’s what our readers deserve.
Why Trust Canine Journal?
Canine Journal has been covering the topic of pet insurance since 2012, well before other conglomerates discovered the rising popularity of health care for our pets. Many of our authors have personal experience with pet insurance, including Kimberly Alt, who has been Canine Journal’s go-to author for pet insurance for over a decade, having written about nearly every possible facet related to pet insurance. Kimberly knows the subject so well that she can answer a breadth and depth of pet insurance questions immediately. And on the rare occasion she doesn’t know the answer off the top of her head, she can find it within minutes due to her extensive list of resources.
Kimberly also consulted with Michelle Schenker, Canine Journal’s in-house licensed insurance agent, for additional expertise, to ensure accuracy, and give Canine Journal the authority to write about and assist readers in purchasing policies that are accurately represented.
