This content was reviewed by our licensed insurance agent, Michelle Schenker.
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Most pet insurance policies protect dogs and cats, but more families are adopting reptiles, birds, rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and other exotic pets and are looking for insurance options to cover their new family members. Exotic pet insurance (which isn’t easy to find) covers these animals.
Currently, only one big name U.S. company offers pet insurance for rabbits, reptiles, birds, and more. Read further to learn what exotic pet health insurance is and where you can get it.
What Is Exotic Pet Insurance & What Does It Cover?
Exotic pet insurance is similar to regular pet insurance (check out our experts’ 101 pet insurance guide for the nitty gritty) in that it covers unexpected visits to the vet (subject to the insurance carrier and plan you choose). These policies may include the loss of your exotic pet due to escape or theft, the death of your pet, illnesses, injuries, and more.
Exotic pets require special care that not all standard vets can offer. Your exotic pet may need a vet with specialized knowledge, which may cost more for vet visits and care. Exotic pet insurance gives you the peace of mind that if something terrible happens to your pet, you won’t face a massive vet bill during an already difficult time. Exotic pet insurance lets you make tough decisions without a second thought because your pet is covered.
Which Pet Insurance Companies Are The Best For Covering Exotic Pets?
Not all pet insurance companies offer exotic pet insurance. In fact, only Nationwide offers exotic pet insurance in the U.S. at the moment.
Below is a table of the 13 major pet insurance companies according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association and the types of pet insurance offered by each.
| Rabbits | Birds | Reptiles | Others | Dogs | Cats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crum & Forster |  | | ||||
| Embrace Pet Insurance | | | ||||
| Figo Pet Insurance | | | ||||
| Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation | | | ||||
| MetLife Pet Insurance | | | ||||
| Nationwide Pet Insurance | | | Chameleons, Geckos, Iguanas, Lizards, Snakes, Tortoises, Turtles | Amphibians, Chinchillas, Ferrets, Gerbils, Goats, Guinea pigs, Hamsters, Hedgehogs, Mice, Opossums, Potbellied pigs, Rats, Sugar gliders | | |
| PetHealth Inc. | | | ||||
| Petline Insurance | | | ||||
| PetPartners | | | ||||
| Fetch | | | ||||
| Pets Best Insurance | | | ||||
| Pets Plus Us | | | ||||
| Trupanion | | |
*Companies:
- Crum & Forster includes: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Hartville Pet Insurance, PetPremium Pet Health Insurance, Prudent Pet, Spot Pet Insurance, Liberty Mutual Pet Insurance
- Embrace Pet Insurance includes: Embrace, USAA, Geico, AllState, Bolt Agency, American Family, American Modern, Nationstar Mortgage, SWBC, Armed Forces, Leasing Desk
- PetHealth Inc. includes: 24PetWatch, Ontario SPCA Pet Insurance Programs, Petango, Petcare, PTZ Insurance Services Ltd.
- Petline Insurance includes: Petsecure, Desjardins, HBC, CAA, The Personal, OVMA Pet Health Insurance, Peppermint
- PetPartners includes: PetPartners, AKC Pet Insurance and CFA Pet Insurance
- Pets Best Insurance includes: Pets Best Insurance, Farmers Insurance, Progressive Insurance, BB&T Insurance Services
Exotic Pet Insurance vs Dog/Cat Insurance
Most pet insurance plans (including avian (bird), exotic, rabbit, canine (dog), and feline (cat)) from Nationwide have per-incident benefit schedules. Most cat and dog insurance from other pet insurance companies reimburse a percentage of eligible vet expenses as the primary payback method. No pet insurance company covers pre-existing conditions, regardless of the type of animal.
How Much Does Exotic Pet Insurance Cost?
Nationwide has more than 600,000 pets insured in the United States. Avian and exotic pet insurance plans through Nationwide average $9 per month. However, this price can vary based on your pet and its specific health needs and is subject to change over time.
What Types Of Claims Are Most Commonly Filed For Exotic Pets?
Exotic pets experience different issues compared to cats and dogs. Avian, exotic, and reptile pet parents commonly submit claims for feather issues and skin/shell disorders. In contrast, cat and dog owners commonly file claims for dental disease, skin allergies, and ear infections.
Horse Insurance
If you have a horse and seek health insurance for them, you will not find it listed under covered exotic animals. Instead, you will want to search for equine insurance, which has a wide range of areas to protect from health and injury to liability and death insurance. Horses are much more expensive animals to buy and keep (compared to cats, rabbits, gerbils, etc.). Owners may also use them in sporting events linked to someone(s) employment or financial gain (e.g., Kentucky Derby racehorses). These are among the reasons equine insurance is more complicated and costly compared to other pet insurances.
Learn more about horse insurance
The Future Of This Article
With all this said, we recommend looking further into Nationwide if you want avian insurance, guinea pig insurance, parrot insurance, rabbit insurance, reptile insurance, or another bird or exotic pet insurance. In the future, we hope to have more information about Nationwide’s exotic pet insurance offerings so you are well informed about your options.
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