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The American Kennel Club (AKC) is well-known in the pet world for its expertise in breed, health and training for dogs. It started offering pet insurance in 2003, but did it spread itself too thin by offering less coverage at a higher price? That’s precisely what we’ll dive into here.
Visit AKC Pet Insurance Website
Article Overview
AKC Pet Insurance
Pros
- No vet records or exam required to enroll
- Option to add on a wellness plan, exam fee, euthanasia and hereditary condition coverages
- BBB rating: A+ through PetPartners, Inc. (AKC’s other name)
- Your pet is covered when they travel with you in the United States or Canada
- 5% multi-pet discount
Cons
- No illness coverage for dogs enrolled after age 9
- 14-day waiting period for illness, 2 days for accidents
- Coverage for inherited/congenital conditions must be purchased additionally
- Hip dysplasia and congenital and hereditary conditions are only available for coverage if you enroll your dog at 2-years-old or younger
- Limits per incident reimbursements over the lifetime of the pet
- $4 transaction fee, highest in this comparison
- 6-month waiting period for CCL injuries
Key Features
- Underwriter: American Pet Insurance Company (same as Pets Best & Trupanion)
- A.M. Best rating: Unrated
- This pet insurance policy is also commonly sold under the brand name PetPartners
- No exam required
- Pre-existing conditions defined by AKC:
- any Illness or injury which occurred, reoccurred, existed or showed Symptoms, whether or not diagnosed by a Veterinarian, prior to the Pet Original Start Date, Coverage Period or during the Waiting Period.
- Bilateral exclusions include cruciate ligament, lameness and other conditions or diseases that affect both sides of the body
- AKC tries to pay claims within 14 days
- Must submit claims within 180 days via email, fax, mail or the online customer portal
- 30-day “Free Look” period (similar to a money back guarantee)
- Customer service hours:
- Phone, live chat and email: Monday – Friday: 8:30am-8pm (EST) and Saturday: 10am-3pm (EST)
What Does AKC Cover?
| Covered by AKC | Not Covered by AKC |
|---|---|
| Accidents | Pre-existing conditions |
| Illnesses | Breeding and whelping costs |
| Cancer | |
| Allergies | |
| Behavioral therapies | |
| Alternative treatment | |
| Wellness and routine care (Optional DefenderPlus Coverage) | |
| Vaccinations, titer test, flea control, heartworm medication, de-worming (Optional DefenderPlus Coverage) | |
| Spay/neuter procedures (Optional DefenderPlus Coverage) | |
| Exam fees (Optional ExamPlus Coverage) | |
| Hereditary and congenital conditions (Optional HereditaryPlus Coverage) | |
| Diabetes (Optional HereditaryPlus Coverage) | |
| Arthritis | |
| Final respects memorials and urns (Optional SupportPlus Coverage) |
Routine Care Coverage
AKC Pet Insurance offers 2 wellness care plans shown in the table below. Included are the maximum amounts that AKC Pet Insurance will pay for each specific routine care.
| Defender | DefenderPlus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price Per Month | $16 | $26 |
| Rabies | $15 | $15 |
| Flea/Tick Prevention | $50 | $65 |
| Heartworm Prevention | $30 | $30 |
| Vaccination/Titer | $30 | $40 |
| Wellness Exam | $50 | $50 |
| Heartworm Test of FELV Screen | $25 | $30 |
| Blood, Fecal, Parasite Exam | $50 | $70 |
| Microchip | $20 | $40 |
| Urinalysis or ERD | $15 | $25 |
| Deworming | $20 | $20 |
| Spay/Neuter - Teeth Cleaning | $0 | $150 |
| Total Annual Benefits | $305 | $535 |
Other Add-On Packages
Prices vary based on the pet insured.
- ExamPlus: Covers primary care vets, emergency hospitals and specialty clinics.
- HereditaryPlus: Covers heart disease, elbow dysplasia, arthritis, hip dysplasia, diabetes, luxating patella, spondylosis, eye disorders and more.
- SupportPlus: Covers cremation, burial, urns and memorials.
Is Hip Dysplasia Covered?
You must purchase the HereditaryPlus Plan for hip dysplasia coverage, and your dog must be enrolled before they’re 2 years old. There’s an additional 30-day waiting period, as long as your dog doesn’t have any symptoms or signs of pre-existing hip dysplasia.
We’re disappointed that AKC requires you to purchase an add-on plan to obtain hip dysplasia coverage. Most companies cover hip dysplasia in the standard accident and illness plan offered.
Pricing Quotes
We’ve gathered some sample prices from AKC Insurance for its accident and illness coverage plan.
You can choose from a wide range of deductibles starting at $100 and going up to $1,000. You can select your reimbursement level as well: 80% or 90%. For annual coverage limit, you can choose anywhere from $2,500 up to unlimited.
Some quotes we ran also include an incident limit (which we aren’t fans of because you never know how costly an incident may be). These incident limits are over the lifetime of the pet, not annual. Incident limits included: $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000, $5,000 and $8,000.
Below are the prices for random breeds in various locations with different limitations. Quotes are from December 2018.
| Breed | Labrador Retriever | English Cocker Spaniel | German Shepherd | Mixed Breed Cat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age | 2 years | 8 years | 4 years | 2 years |
| Location | Florida (zip code: 33601) | Illinois (zip code: 60290) | California (zip code: 90001) | Washington D.C. (zip code: 20001) |
| Reimbursement Level | 80% | 80% | 90% | 80% |
| Annual Deductible | $200 | $500 | $500 | $250 |
| Incident Limit | $2,500 | $8,000 | $5,000 | N/A |
| Annual Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Price Per Month | $35.75 | $81.33 | $61.17 | $20.57 |
You can get personalized price quotes for your pet(s) from reputable companies when you fill out just 1 short form. You can also visit our Pet Insurance Quotes page to see how the cost of AKC Pet Insurance stacks up against the competition.
Coupon Code
There are not any active AKC Pet Insurance coupon codes at this time.
Waiting Periods
- 14 days: Illness
- 2 days: Accidents
- 6 months: Cruciate ligament events
- 30 days: Hip dysplasia (only covered if you purchase the HereditaryPlus Plan)
AKC Pet Insurance Customer Reviews
Positive Reviews
When I registered my puppy through AKC, I saw an advertisement for their pet insurance and I got a policy from them. But after three months of having the policy, I had to cancel it because I couldn’t afford it, although I thought I could. When I contacted them to cancel my policy, my experience with the rep was pretty good. – Christopher, Consumer Affairs 7/10/2018
My 11 month old Yellow Lab was treated for a drug toxicity and I was so afraid the extensive vet bills would certain break me! I was so pleased and relieved when I received a substantial reimbursement on the claim! It was so fast and easy! I would recommend this insurance to anyone. It has already more than paid for itself! – Stacey, Trustpilot 7/10/2018
Negative Reviews
I have been an AKC Pet Insurance policyholder since 2015. They have a great reputation, especially for purebreds. The pet insurance is a great safety net to have for my dogs since they are a great investment, and having it is very valuable. It is no different than having insurance on your children. – David, Consumer Affairs 12/17/2018
I found that there was very little explanation of the plan I purchased and never having had pet insurance I didn’t know the right questions to ask. Not until I needed it to cover a surgical expense was I told the bottom line of the coverage and all the “uncovered” specifics. Also I was never told that the premiums would increase with the age of the pet. They have requested copies of my pets files from the vet and she’s has written numerous letters to obtain coverage of services or prescriptions. It very annoying and time consuming for the vet. The customer service people are always very nice but I would never again purchase an insurance plan from Pet Partners. It is the integrity of the corporation that I have a problem with. My advice for pet owners is to create a savings account for your pet by putting the amount of monthly premiums in that account for future use. – Claudia, Trustpilot 5/16/2018
AKC Competitors
Visit AKC Pet Insurance Website
AKC Pet Insurance has some great things going for it. With a big name backing this product, customers are instantly intrigued by its offerings. However, AKC requires additional fees for coverage we’ve come to expect in a standard pet insurance plan. Find out how AKC compares against other top pet insurance providers in our Pet Insurance Reviews article.
Are you considering AKC pet insurance?
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