Things to Consider Before Choosing Pet Insurance in Missouri
- The type of coverage you need: Some pet insurance plans only cover accidental injuries, while others also cover illnesses. You will need to decide what type of coverage is right for you and your pet.
- The cost of the plan: Pet insurance can be expensive, so it is important to find a plan that fits your budget.
- The deductible and reimbursement rate: The deductible is the amount of money you will have to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. The reimbursement rate is the percentage of the vet bill that your insurance will cover.
- The waiting period: Some pet insurance companies have a waiting period before they will cover certain conditions. This is usually around 14 days.
- The policy limits: The policy limits are the maximum amount of money your insurance will pay out for a single claim or over the lifetime of your pet.
Introduction
With pets taking up an increasingly important part in our lives, it’s also more important than ever that our furry, feathery, or scaly friends can get proper care and attention.
Missouri has over 2,000 registered veterinarians to do the job. However, visiting any of them in the Show-me state is sure to leave a dent in your wallet. That is why getting suitable pet insurance in Missouri is a must for every pet parent who wants to ensure their furry friend a safe and sound upbringing.
To help you narrow down your choice, here is an overview of the top providers that offer some of the best pet insurance Missouri residents can get.
Spot Pet Insurance
The Spot Pet Insurance team is South Florida-based, but you can get a quote from any state, and at any time. Spot offers comprehensive care for cats and dogs at competitive prices, which makes it one of the best choices for pet insurance in Missouri.
The provider has a BBB rating of A- and boasts many happy customers. All of Spot’s plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.
Pros
- No upper age limit for enrollment
- Highly customizable plans
- Multi-pet discount
- Unlimited annual limit
Cons
- Considerable waiting period
- Lacks 24/7 customer service
Plans & Coverage
You can get a quote from Spot in under a minute through their website. You simply need to enter your pet’s name, age, breed, as well as some of your own details and you can have a look at all your coverage options.
Initially, you can choose if you want to purchase their Accident-Only or Accident + Illness plan.
The Accident-Only plan covers unexpected injuries, while the Accident and Illness plan also covers illnesses, behavioral issues, and more, but also bumps up the price you’ll be paying.
After choosing the sort of coverage you want, Spot will offer you three coverage plans to select from – the Recommended plan, the More Affordable plan, and the Most Reimbursement plan. However, these are merely suggestions as you can customize your plan a lot further yourself.
Spot Pet Insurance offers some of the most customizable plan options around. Customers can adjust their:
- Annual limit – which can even be set to unlimited;
- Reimbursement rate – 70%, 80%, or 90%;
- Annual deductible – which can be set to one of 5 options ranging from $100 up to $1,000;
All of these selections will see your monthly price move either up or down, depending on what you’ve selected, so the cost of your plan can vary immensely.
Despite the extensive coverage of Spot’s plans, the insurance provider has a waiting period of 14 days and doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. Spot also doesn’t cover pet cosmetic procedures, breeding costs, or preventative care.
However, once you’ve selected your plan you can choose the Preventative Care add-on which has two options – Gold for $9.95 and Platinum for $24.95. These can cover wellness exams and different kinds of tests providing annual benefits of $250 and $450 respectively.
Lemonade
Lemonade is among the top names in the pet insurance world and offers the same quality of service to Missouri pet parents. Not only do they provide your furry friend’s coverage, but they also offer car, renters, homeowners, and life insurance policies.
The company is tech-forward and provides its own app and online platform where you can reach out for help 24/7. You’re not going to have a hard time finding any answer with the help of Lemonade’s AI bot Maya, who’s there to assist and make your experience more interactive, engaging, and enjoyable.
Pros
- Donates unclaimed money to a non-profit of your choice
- Well developed app for iOS and Android
- Discounts available
- Provides easy ways to file claims
- Short waiting period for accidents
Cons
- Requires a recent vet exam for you to qualify for coverage
- Not available in all states
Plans & Coverage
Lemonade doesn’t offer too much flexibility when it comes to its plans, however getting a claim is very simple. You’re guided through every step of the way, and although there’s only one base plan offered, there are some options you can still choose between.
Your Base Plan pricing will depend on whether you’re looking to get a cat or dog insurance policy, your pet’s breed, and age. After entering all relevant information, you will get an offer that can range anywhere upwards of $10/month.
So long as they’re a result of an accident or illness, the Lemonade Base plan will cover:
- Diagnostics
- Procedures
- Prescribed medications
- Vet visits
Pre-existing conditions are not covered, and waiting periods vary. The wait time is 2 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, and 6 months for cruciate ligament events.
You can choose one of three annual deductibles, five coverage limits – up to $100,000 – and three reimbursement rates. All of these can impact the cost of your insurance.
If you want more extensive coverage, Lemonade offers 3 add-ons that can cover vet visit fees, physical therapy, or end-of-life and remembrance costs. You can also choose from multiple Preventative Care packages. All of this will, of course, further up the price of your plan.
However, you do have options to get insurance at a lower cost with Lemonade’s discounts.
If your home houses multiple pets and you’d like to get them all insured, you can get 5% off.
Embrace
The Embrace company represents yet another great choice for pet insurance Missouri residents can feel safe turning to. The provider prides itself most on the care and efficiency of its team and puts customer care as a top priority.
Claims can easily be submitted online or through the Embrace app, and customers can rest assured that their claims will be approved. In 2021, the provider covered 92% of the claims submitted.
Pros
- Offers multi-pet discount
- Doesn’t have a lifetime payout cap
- Easy claims processing
- Customizable plans
Cons
- Pets over 15 are only eligible for an accidents-only policy
- Wellness plans do not refund unused funds
- Pricier than the competition
Plans & Coverage
Embrace customers can opt for an Accident & Illness plan, or an Accident-Only plan for their pets aged 15 or over. The former offers a lot more flexibility, allowing users to choose differently:
- Annual reimbursement limits – pick one of 5 options up to $30,000;
- Annual deductibles – with a minimum of $200 and a maximum of $1,000;
- Reimbursement percentages – 70%, 80%, or 90%;
Embrace will indicate which options are most popular among customers. However, you’re free to choose whatever works best for you and your pet.
Regardless of which limits you opt for, your cat or dog will be covered when it comes to:
- Dental illnesses
- Breed-specific, congenital & genetic conditions
- Cancer
- Chronic, preventable, and orthopedic conditions
Embrace doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, although they might if your pet has been both symptom-free and treatment-free for a year.
You could add a Wellness Rewards benefit too. This isn’t an insurance plan per se, but rather a way to reimburse and help budget preventative care.
Healthy Paws
If you’re looking for a different kind of pet insurance in Missouri provider, Healthy Paws will certainly grab your attention.
The company is underwritten by Westchester Fire Insurance Company, which processes claims in a quick manner. Best of all, it offers no payout limits – no per-incident, annual, or lifetime caps.
Pros
- No payout caps
- Donates to organizations that help animals
- 30-day money-back guarantee for some states
Cons
- No preventative coverage options
- Higher cost coverage
Plans & Coverage
While Healthy Paws does provide some of the best pet insurance Missouri-based animals can get, it’s limited in options.
You only get one available plan, which covers:
- Accidents;
- Pet Illness;
- Hereditary, congenial, and chronic conditions;
- Cancer;
- Diagnostic treatments;
- Prescribed medications;
Healthy Paws doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which is a standard practice among all providers. However, they also don’t offer any additional packages that cover preventative or wellness treatments.
The pricing will depend on your pet’s breed and age, and the reimbursement rate – up to 90%. They have an annual deductible and a one-time fee of $25.
ASPCA
ASPCA Health Insurance is partnered with and marketed by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – the first animal welfare organization in North America.
However, the ASPCA is not an insurer and ASPCA Pet Health insurance is provided by Crum & Forster, which happens to be the same agency partnered with Spot Insurance. As a result of this, the providers share some similarities regarding their base plans. However, they differ in other aspects.
Even if you’ve decided to pass up Spot, you can find ASPCA meets your needs.
Pros
- Customizable plans
- Multi-pet discount
- Preventative care options
- Microchipping is covered under all plans
Cons
- Lengthy waiting period for accidents
- Annual payout cap of $10,000
Plans & Coverage
Plans can be changed to meet your needs, and the price point will shift accordingly. Cat pet insurance in Missouri tends to be about half as expensive as dog rates. However, the amount you pay will depend on multiple factors.
First, it’ll be dependent on your pet’s age, size, and breed. Then, it will vary based on the policy you choose. Customers have two options – Accident-Only Coverage and Complete Coverage – the former being a more affordable option that only covers injury-related costs.
Whichever base plan you select, you’re given the option to edit the:
- Annual limit – five options ranging from $3,000 to $10,000;
- Reimbursement rate – 70%, 80%, or 90% options
- Annual deductible – choose between $100, $250, or $500
You can select different options to customize the plan to your personal budget. If you’re insuring multiple pets, you’ll also get a 10% discount, making the service more affordable.
After you’ve chosen your plan you can add preventative coverage. The Basic package comes at $9.95 a month and covers a range of tests, as well as preventative and wellness procedures with annual benefits of $250. The Prime package provides more comprehensive coverage for $24 .95 with a total annual benefit of $450.
How Much Is Pet Insurance in Missouri?
If you’re out to get the best pet insurance in Missouri, you might expect to fork up a lot of money. Well, this doesn’t have to be the case. Prices can range from one provider to another and you can get good coverage for affordable rates.
However, pinning down the exact price of insurance depends on your resident state, and also your hometown. The age, size, and breed of your pet will also be a considerable factor. This leaves a lot of room for variance in prices.
All of that can influence how much you need to spend, and on top of it, your selected plan and benefits will also make a big impact. More coverage comes at a higher cost. Reimbursement rates, annual deductibles, and payout limits – which are usually customizable – can all play a part in the final cost.
As a rough estimate, pet insurance in Missouri will cost an average of $30 a month for dogs, and $15 a month for cats.
FAQ: Pet Insurance in Missouri
Does pet insurance reimburse preventative treatments?
Pet insurance coverage can vary based on your chosen provider and policy. Most companies do not cover preventative treatment as part of their base plans. However, a lot of insurers will offer wellness add-ons that do cover these examinations, tests, and procedures.
Are pre-existing conditions covered by pet insurance in Missouri?
Pre-existing conditions are not covered by pet insurance. This is industry standard. Every condition that’s occurred before your waiting period is finished is considered pre-existing.
Embrace Pet Insurance might cover some pre-existing conditions only if your pet has had no symptoms or received no treatment for the ailment in over 12 months.
How long does it take to get a pet insurance claim payout?
Pet Insurance claims are usually processed within a few days. If your claim has been approved, you can expect a payout in the following weeks – exact waiting times will depend on your provider.
