Best Pet Insurance Plans For Older Dogs

Pet insurance for senior dogs: Our top 3 picks

During our research, three companies stood out from the rest when it came to caring for senior dogs.

Pets Best is our top choice because there is no upper age limit to enroll your dog and they will cover most curable pre-existing conditions once your pet has been symptom free for 180 days. While pet insurance plans for older dogs will always be more expensive than for puppies, Pets Best prices were lower than average for this age group. Read our full review of Pets Best Insurance.

Spot Pet Insurance ranked highly on our list because they have the shortest waiting period for orthopedic coverage, only 14 days. Your dog can’t have any pre-existing orthopedic conditions for coverage to apply, but it’s a great option if you’re worried they may develop one. Spot’s coverage is outstanding, and includes things many others don’t like prescription food, microchipping, and exam fees. Plus, there is no upper age limit to enroll. Read our full review of Spot Pet Insurance.

MetLife is our favorite insurance provider for families with multiple pets. Whether you have more than one senior dog, dogs of varying ages, or a mix of dogs and cats, MetLife allows you to put up to three pets on their family plan. You pay one monthly premium and only have to cover the yearly deductible once, but the benefits can be shared by all three pets.

If you want to compare more pet insurance options for your senior dog, fill out our quote form to see pricing and coverage from multiple providers.

Dog insurance with no upper age limit

Outside of our top three picks, we found three other pet insurance providers with no age limit on enrollment. Compare all six below to see which one might be a good fit for you.

What to look for in an insurance policy for older dogs

Apart from aiming for affordability, it’s important to remember that older dogs carry increased risk for certain illnesses, so you should look for plans to cover these scenarios.

Here is our list of the most important coverage to consider when buying pet insurance for older dogs:

Enrollment age limit

Many pet insurance companies have age limits for enrolling senior pets. This is because senior animals are more likely to have health issues and providers aim to reduce their risks. You’ll want to look for insurance that can still accept your dog at its current age.

Here is a list of age limits for several major providers.

• No age limit: Careplus by Chewy, Fetch, Figo, MetLife, Odie, Pets Best, Pumpkin, Spot
• 14 year-old limit: Embrace, Healthy Paws, Lemonade, Paw Protect
• 15 year-old limit: Animalia

Pre-existing conditions coverage

Many pet insurance companies refuse to cover the cost of treating pre-existing conditions such as dog cataract surgery. This is especially important to consider when insuring an older pet as older pets are more likely to have pre-existing conditions.

With this in mind, there are a few plans that will cover pre-existing conditions in dogs. Often, the conditions must be curable and your dog will have to have been “cured” or symptom free for a certain period of time prior to buying your plan. You can read more in our guide to pet insurance that covers pre-existing conditions.

Lastly, if your pet has many pre-existing conditions, you can consider opting for an accident-only pet plan that can cover injuries related to accidents like broken legs, being run over, etc. You won’t be covered for things like cancer or other illnesses, but it may be better than nothing.

Cancer coverage

According to statistics from the Veterinary Cancer Society, canine cancer is the leading cause of death for senior dogs. Studies estimate that around 50% of all dogs over the age of 10 will develop cancer. For this reason, it’s important to consider a provider that has cancer treatment included as part of its coverage for older dogs.

Coverage for end-of-life care

Death is an eventual reality we all must face with older dogs, and end-of-life care is an expense you should anticipate when your dog finally passes on. Several pet insurance policies can cover expenses related to end-of-life care such as paying for putting a dog down, cremation, burial, etc. Since you are likely to have to pay for this eventually, consider looking for a pet insurance policy that includes this coverage.

Physical therapy coverage

Older dogs are prone to ligament and joint issues which can worsen with age. According to Brian C. Hurley, DVM, national medical director at AmeriVet Veterinary Partners, nearly 80% of dogs over 8 years of age will experience joint pain. According to Dr. Hurley, larger dogs are at greater risk for joint issues. In serious cases, you may need to operate on your animal, and this is where physical therapy coverage can come in handy. Not all plans cover physical therapy, so it’s worth considering this before buying you pet insurance.

When is a dog considered a senior?

According to the American Animal Hospital Association, a dog achieves senior status when it reaches the last quarter of the dog breed’s expected lifespan. Smaller dogs live longer than large dogs, and therefore, take longer to be considered senior animals. In general dogs reach their senior years as follows:

• Small dogs: 11-12 years
• Medium dogs: 10 years
• Larger dogs: 8 years
• Massive dogs: 7 years

Take a look at our list of the most common dog breeds and when they reach senior status to see where you stand with your pet:

Can you get pet insurance for a senior dog?

It can be more difficult to get pet insurance for older dogs than it is to insure younger pets, but it’s certainly not impossible. Not all companies choose to insure older pets. Those that do often put an age cutoff into place – refusing to insure dogs over the age of 14, for example.

You may find that some pet insurance providers will insure all dogs, regardless of age, under an accident-only policy. That means your older pet would be covered if it was injured as the result of an accident but not if it contracted a disease or needed treatment for issues commonly associated with old age.

Keep in mind that, in most cases, insurance for senior dogs won’t offer plans that cover pre-existing conditions, and all costs (premiums, deductibles, etc.) will be higher compared to similar pet insurance policies for younger dogs.

How much does pet insurance for senior dogs cost?

To better understand the cost of pet insurance for senior dogs, we’ve compared policies and average pricing for a 10-year-old Golden Retriever across three providers:

It’s important to remember that all insurance estimates are relative as the price you pay depends on a variety of considerations, including where you live, what type of pet you have and how much coverage you’re interested in.

Factors that affect your pet insurance premium

• Pet’s age:
  Age is a huge factor that contributes to higher costs when insuring older pets. As your pet’s age increases, so does the cost of insuring it. Older pets are more likely to get sick, which presents a greater financial risk for insurance companies. They mitigate these risks in the form of higher premiums and deductibles for you.
• Type of insurance policy:
  Most providers offer multiple pet insurance policies with varying levels of coverage. The more comprehensive the coverage you choose, the higher your premiums will likely be. Basic accident-only plans tend to be the most affordable, but you’ll pay more out of pocket if your pet becomes ill or needs costly regular checkups and medications that aren’t covered. Accident-only plans may be the only option for some older pets that have many pre-existing conditions.
• Pet’s Breed:
  Some breeds are more predisposed to congenital illness and disease than others. For example, flat-faced breeds such as English bulldogs and Frenchies are far more likely to suffer from Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS). Insurance companies know this and adjust premiums accordingly.
• Your geographic location:
  In the same way that cost of living and car insurance prices vary from city to city, so does the cost of pet insurance. Premiums are often highest in metropolitan areas and lowest in urban areas, but you won’t know for sure until you get a personalized quote based on your zip code.

How to reduce the cost of insurance for a senior dog

If you’re eager to insure your pet but find yourself concerned about the cost, there are a few ways you can find inexpensive pet insurance:

Is pet insurance for senior dogs worth it?

Pet insurance is worth the expense in most cases as long as you are able to use it and take full advantage of all of the coverage it offers. With the case of older dogs, there are several factors (pre-existing conditions) that can lead to exclusions in the coverage or overall high-priced premiums (age) which may make having pet insurance not worth it. However, this ultimately depends on the age and health of your individual dog, so the decision is yours.

If you can take full advantage of your policy and afford the premiums, pet insurance is worth it, especially as you are more likely to use the policy with an older animal. If you cannot take full advantage of the illness portion of a policy due to pre-existing conditions, it may be worth opting for an accident-only plan in case unexpected severe injuries happen to your pet.

If you are wondering whether you’re better off just saving up for vet bills, here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help determine if pet insurance is right for you.

1. Does your pet have too many excluded pre-existing conditions that makes buying pet coverage not worth it?
2. Is your dog so old that the coverage becomes prohibitively expensive and not worth the expense?
3. Are the insurance premiums too high for you to pay on a regular basis?
4. Do you have the funds to pay a vet bill out of pocket and therefore may not have a dire need of pet insurance?
5. Can you afford to pay an unexpected catastrophic vet bill, such as with cancer?

If you answered ‘yes’ to one or more of the questions above, you may want to consider an alternative to pet insurance. If you answered ‘no’, then you may want to consider an insurance policy.

Alternatives to pet insurance for senior dogs

According to the APPA, nearly 40% of vet bills in America are paid using a credit card, which is the most common method. A good credit card with low interest and benefits for paying at the vet can be a good alternative for many people forgoing pet insurance.

Alternatively setting up a pet savings account is another great way to pay for unexpected vet bills. There are many savings accounts that offer around 5% interest which can help your deposits grow as they sit in the account. Best of all, most savings accounts these days allow you access to withdraw your funds whenever you need them. Here are a few that our banking team recommends:

Many vet’s also are willing to negotiate and help you set up a payment plan to pay off large bills bit-by-bit. This can also be an option for financing the vet in the later stages of your dog’s life.

Lastly, consider combining any or all three of these options for a solid payment strategy