Dachshunds’ trademark long and low bodies draw many dog owners to the breed. While these physical characteristics are adorable, the unique skeletal structure that causes these attributes may make Dachshunds more likely to experience environmental and genetic issues.
If you have a Dachshund or are considering adopting one, we highly recommend researching pet insurance for your pup. Since this breed may be prone to disc herniations, obesity, and intervertebral disc disease, having pet insurance to help cover some of the costs can take the financial stress off your shoulders.
Keep reading to find the 10 best insurance plans for Dachshunds.
A Quick Comparison of Our Winners in 2024
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Best Overall
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Lemonade |
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Best Value
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Fetch Pet Insurance |
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Healthy Paws Pet Insurance |
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Spot Pet Insurance |
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Embrace Pet Insurance |
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The 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers for Dachshunds
1. Lemonade Pet Insurance – Best Overall
Lemonade Pet Insurance provides the best overall policy for Dachshunds. Their base plan does not include preventative care and is priced at $32.12/month. If you’d like to add coverage for things such as a wellness exam, three vaccines, blood testing, and heartworm testing, it will be an additional $16/month. Finally, their most comprehensive package includes all the above plus routine dental cleaning and flea or heartworm medication for an extra $24.30/month.
Lemonade allows you to further customize your policy by choosing add-ons such as vet visit fees (+$6.23/month), physical therapy ($2.03/month), or end-of-life and remembrance (+$3.73/month). You can customize your premium by adjusting what percentage of your bill you’d like them to pay, your annual deductible, and the max they’ll pay per year.
Lemonade’s waiting period is two days for injuries, 14 days for illnesses, and six months for cruciate ligament injuries. And good news for Dachshund owners is they provide coverage for care related to congenital and hereditary conditions.
If you use Lemonade for their insurance policies, you’ll receive a 10% discount for bundling. An additional 5% multi-pet discount will be applied if you insure more than one animal. And, to save even more, pay annually instead of monthly to receive a 5% discount. An annual payment will also save you the $1/month installment fee.
2. Fetch Pet Insurance – Best Value
Fetch Pet Insurance provides Dachshund owners with the best value policy. Their base plan is just $35.05/month with an annual deductible of $500 and a reimbursement rate of 80%. They will pay up to $10,000 annually. You can also tweak the payout, deductible, and reimbursement rate for better coverage or a better monthly premium. The lowest rate is just $24.74/month with a $5,000 annual payout, $700 deductible, and 70% reimbursement rate.
This plan includes breed-specific conditions, which is precisely what Dachshund owners should look for in their policies. It also covers exam fees for sick visits, comprehensive dental care, and holistic care.
This plan does not cover routine and wellness care, and there is no option to add this on.
Fetch has a 15-day waiting period before it will provide coverage for injuries, illnesses, or any other conditions covered by the policy. There is no coverage for cruciate ligament or other soft tissue disorders within the first six months.
3. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, at $87.70/month, is on the higher end price-wise, but their base plan includes unlimited annual payouts. The deductible for this plan is just $250 and you’ll receive 80% reimbursement. If the premium is too high, you can adjust your reimbursement and deductible options to get it as low as $66.21/month. The maximum payout will remain unlimited.
The plan covers hereditary and congenital conditions, prescription medication, alternative treatments, surgeries, and diagnostic testing. They do not offer preventative or routine care coverage, and there is no option to add this for an additional fee. The plan will also not cover heartworm medication, vaccines, or dental health care unless there’s a tooth injury caused by an accident.
Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses and a one-year waiting period for any illnesses relating to hip dysplasia. Dachshunds are prone to developing hip dysplasia so that’s something to keep in mind.
4. Spot Pet Insurance
Spot Pet Insurance provides an affordable and customizable insurance plan for Dachshund owners. At just $33.80/month, you’ll receive an Accident & Illness insurance plan that provides a 70% reimbursement rate with an annual deductible of $500. Unfortunately, the annual limit is relatively low at just $2,500. You can customize these options to get more coverage, a better reimbursement rate, and a lower deductible. Adjusting these numbers will affect your monthly premium.
The base plan covers hereditary and congenital conditions, behavioral issues, illnesses, and accidents. It’ll even cover exam fees, diagnostics, and advanced treatments like chemotherapy and stem-cell therapy.
You can add a Preventative Care package for as low as $9.95/month. The Gold Plan includes $250 annually for dental cleaning, wellness exam, deworming, fecal testing, and more. The Platinum Plan is $24.95/month but provides an additional $450 in care.
Save $24/year in transaction fees by paying annually. Receive a 10% discount for all additional pets you register.
The waiting period for accidents, illnesses, and ligament and knee conditions is 14 days.
5. Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace Pet Insurance offers a fantastic and comprehensive insurance plan for Dachshund owners. Their base plan is $39.54/month with an $8,000 annual limit, $500 deductible, and an 80% reimbursement percentage. This policy covers things such as allergy testing, lab tests, physical therapy, exam fees, congenital and genetic conditions, prescription drugs, and more. Though they do not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions, they differentiate between curable and incurable conditions. If your Dachshund is symptom-free of a curable condition for 12 consecutive months, they will re-evaluate your coverage.
Embrace will reduce your deductible by $50 yearly if you do not make any claims. They also offer a 10% multi-pet discount and a 5% discount for active or former military members.
Embraces’ Wellness Rewards is an optional add-on that reimburses you for everyday vet, training, and grooming costs you encounter. It’s not an insurance policy per se. Think of it as a budgeting tool with rewards. It provides coverage for things like anal gland expression, vaccines, microchipping, and more.
The waiting period is 14 days for illnesses and just 48 hours for accidents. There is a 6-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions, though this can be reduced to 14 days by completing the Orthopedic Exam and Waiver Process.
Embrace charges a one-time admin fee of $25 when you purchase your plan and $1/monthly installment fee.
6. Trupanion
Trupanion is one of the most popular insurance companies and is an excellent pick for aging Dachshunds. They do not increase the cost of your plan as your dog ages as other pet insurance companies do. Their plans are very pricy, however, and not within many people’s budgets. For example, they will pay 90% of your veterinarian bill with a $200 deductible for $163.50/month. Thankfully, Trupanion allows prospective policy owners to fine-tune their deductible with a sliding bar so you can choose what works best with your budget. Your premium can be as low as $66.09 if you choose a $1,000 deductible. All Trupanion’s plans come with an unlimited annual payout.
Their policy covers illnesses, injuries, breed-specific conditions, and procedures like diagnostic testing and medication.
Trupanion offers two ways to enhance your coverage. You can add their Recovery & Complementary Care package for $21.45/month. This provides coverall for alternative treatments like hydrotherapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture. For an additional $4.95/month, you can select a Pet Owner Assistance add-on. This will provide coverage for boarding fees if you’re hospitalized, cremation or burial costs for deaths due to accidents, and advertising and rewards for lost pets.
Trupanion’s waiting period is 30 days for illnesses and five days for injuries.
7. Figo Pet Insurance
Figo Pet Insurance provides three options for your Dachshunds insurance policy. Each plan provides a different amount of annual coverage. The Essentials plan is $32.05/month for $5,000 yearly coverage. The Preferred plan is $35.08/month for $10,000 annually, and the Ultimate plan is $45.23/month for unlimited annual coverage. You can adjust these monthly premiums by selecting different reimbursement rates or deductibles. The above quotes are for 80% reimbursement with a $500 deductible.
Your policy will cover things such as FDA-approved medication, surgeries, diagnostic testing, and hereditary or congenital conditions. There is no upper age limit on pets. Policyholders also have access to a Live Vet chat feature in the Figo Pet Cloud app for 24/7 access to a vet.
The waiting period for knee conditions and hip dysplasia is six months, but just one day for injuries due to accidents and 14 days for illnesses. You can waive the waiting period for orthopedic conditions by having an orthopedic exam performed within the first 30 days of your policy period.
Figo allows you to “power up” your plan by opting for Basic or Plus routine care coverage. You can also add on coverage for veterinary exam fees or an “extra care pack” for paying final respects and lost pet advertising.
The claims process can take up to 30 days, much longer than other companies.
8. Pumpkin Pet Insurance
Pumpkin Pet Insurance provides a very comprehensive policy for your Dachshund that covers common accidents and illnesses like hip dysplasia, digestive problems, ear infections, and more. They also cover diagnostic testing, surgery, cancer treatments, and prescription medication. Unlike some other insurance plans, Pumpkin will also cover dental and gum disease, sick visit exam fees, microchipping, and hereditary conditions.
The monthly premium is higher than many other insurance companies, but it may be worth it for the coverage you get in return. All of Pumpkin’s plans come with a 90% reimbursement rate, and you can adjust the annual limit and deductible to tweak your monthly cost. A $10,000 yearly limit and $500 deductible will cost $72.45/month.
Customize your policy by adding on the optional Preventative Essentials plan. This wellness package isn’t technically insurance but will help you get ahead of any health issues by providing refunds for critical wellness care. It includes refunds for care such as annual wellness exams, two vaccines, and parasite screening tests. It is an additional $18.95/month.
Pumpkin offers a 10% discount for adding another pet to your plan. They charge a $2.00 installment fee every month, though this can be waived by paying for your plan annually.
The waiting period is 14 days for accidents, illnesses, and ligament and knee conditions.
9. MetLife Pet Insurance
MetLife provides pet insurance for Dachshund owners on a budget. They have three plans to choose from, with rates ranging from $23.28 to $35.38, though these prices can be tweaked by adjusting your annual benefit, deductible, and reimbursement rate. All plans include coverage for accidents, hospitalizations, exam fees, illnesses, ultrasounds, medications, and holistic care, amongst others. They do not provide coverage for pet food, special dietary needs, or vitamin and mineral supplements. Their plan specifically mentions that it covers care for Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD), a condition that affects 19–24 % of Dachshunds.
MetLife offers discounts to eligible policyholders for being an active or retired military member or first responder, active healthcare worker, or staff member and owner of animal care facilities. You may also save money by not submitting a claim in a year. Your deductible can be lowered between $25 and $50 every year you don’t submit a claim.
MetLife’s claims process can be a hassle. Instead of filling out a form on a website or in a smartphone app, you have to download and fill out a form which you’ll then send back via email, fax, r mail. Most payouts do occur quickly, though, typically within 10 business days.
Accident coverage begins the day you activate your policy, while illness coverage starts 14 days later. Conditions such as cruciate ligament issues and IVDD are subject to a six-month waiting period.
10. Wagmo
Wagmo is a unique pet insurance company as they provide emergency vet coverage and coverage for routine and preventative care. Their emergency vet plan is $45.82/month and includes a 90% reimbursement rate and $20,000 of payouts annually. The deductible is high, however, at $1,000. You can change the deductible to $500 or even $250, but this will affect your monthly premium. You may also select 100% reimbursement if you wish.
Their Classic Pet Wellness plan is just $36/month and includes coverage for a routine exam, three vaccines, blood work, fecal testing, urinalysis, heartworm, and grooming. They also offer a Value plan for $20/month and a Deluxe plan for $59/month. You can add on a wellness plan or select a wellness plan only if you don’t want coverage for accidents and illnesses.
Wagmo’s plan has a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illness and 30 days for cancer treatments. Their Wellness plans begin right away. Wagmo prides itself on its fast turnaround times. They pay wellness claims within 24 hours and 10 days for insurance claims.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance Provider for Your Dachshund
What to Look for in Pet Insurance for Dachshunds
Choosing which plan you need for your Dachshund will likely feel overwhelming. There are a lot of factors at play when considering insurance plans, so let’s take a closer look at the five most important things you should search for when shopping for the best pet insurance plan for Dachshunds.
Policy Coverage
The first and most important thing you should consider when shopping for pet insurance for your Dachshund is what the policy will cover. You need to know exactly what your plan provides coverage for so there are no surprises when you’re faced with a huge bill at the vet. Most insurance companies allow you to customize your plan to suit your needs, but some are more rigid with their coverage. Most insurance plans will cover accidents and illnesses, but there are accident-only options if you think that’s all you need.
Customer Service & Reputation
Poor customer service can make or break the reputation of any insurance company. When policyholders reach out to the company, it’s because they have a problem that needs addressing. The last thing they want to do is wait around on hold all day or, even worse, not even be able to get a hold of a human at all. When researching an insurance company for your Dachshund, read reviews online from current policyholders. They’ll provide insight into their experience with the company and their level of customer service. You might also consider how you access the company’s customer service. Is it via phone? Email? Live chat? What method is most convenient for you and your lifestyle?
Claim Repayment
The speed and ease of the claims repayment process is important. The easier it is to make a claim, the less stress you’ll feel. The faster your payment comes through, the less financial pressure you’ll be under. By far the easiest way to make claims is through direct billing. Your veterinarian’s office will bill your insurance company directly and you’ll only pay your portion of the bill. Unfortunately, most companies do not have direct billing set up with vets. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need to pay your bill at the time services were rendered and submit the receipts for processing. This can be a time-consuming process, but most of the companies on our list above make it a point to process the claims and repayments quickly.
Price of Policy
In an ideal world, we’d all be able to afford unlimited annual payouts with an affordable deductible and high reimbursement rate, but that’s not how it is. The price of your insurance policy will vary between $25 to $100+, depending on the level of coverage. Luckily, most pet insurance companies allow policyholders to fine-tune their monthly premium to a price that suits their budget.
Plan Customization
The ability to customize your plan to your Dachshund’s needs is essential. Most companies also allow you to add on wellness and preventative care to your policy for an additional fee. The more control over what your plan does and doesn’t cover, the happier you’ll be with your policy.
FAQ
Is pet insurance worth it?
Though it might hurt your wallet to shell out money every month on an insurance plan you may not even need, most people with pet insurance do believe it’s a worthwhile investment. A recent study from Liberty Mutual Insurance shows that 63% of American pet owners cannot afford unexpected medical bills for their pets. When you opt for insurance, you’re given a back-up plan when those costly and unexpected vet bills start piling up.
What conditions are Dachshunds predisposed to?
This breed is prone to certain conditions due to their unique skeletal structure. Jumping wrong or climbing up and down stairs too often can cause serious conditions and diseases in your dog’s vertebrae. According to PetMD, Dachshunds are also at risk of developing interverbal disk disease (IVDD), obesity, bloat, and luxating patella. You should read any potential insurance policy from start to finish to ensure you’ll have the coverage you need if your pup develops one or more conditions it’s predisposed to.
What’s the treatment for IVDD?
Surgery is the best and sometimes the only way to treat severe cases of IVDD in Dachshunds. If you’re able to catch it early, your vet might prescribe anti-inflammatory medications to reduce pain and swelling. You may need to put your pup on strict crate rest for several weeks, too.
What are deductibles and reimbursement rates?
A deductible refers to what you need to pay before your insurance policy will reimburse you for any of your eligible vet expenses. The reimbursement rate refers to what percentage of eligible costs your insurance will pay.
For example, let’s say you have a $500 deductible on a plan with an 80% reimbursement rate. Now, your Dachshund needs a $1,500 surgery, you’d wind up saving $800. $1,500 minus your $500 deductible leaves you with $1,000 left on your bill. 80% of $1,000 is $800, so your insurance would pay $800 of that $1,000, leaving you with just $200 left to pay.
What the Users Say
Most pet parents who opt for pet insurance find that the investment is worthwhile, even though there may be coverage limitations and high deductibles to contend with. It’s not a secret that veterinary bills are high, though, and an insurance plan will help offset some of those costs if your Dachshund were ever to fall sick or get injuries.
Some current policyholders don’t believe optional preventative or wellness care is worth the price. You may wind up paying more to add that coverage onto your policy than you would be paying out of pocket for the care, anyway.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
It’s hard for us to tell you which insurance provider will be best for your needs. Knowing you have a Dachshund, though, we recommend finding a plan that provides coverage for conditions that the breed is prone to.
We recommend talking to the insurance company directly to ask any questions you might have. Be sure to ask if their policy will cover a condition like IVDD, as some companies may classify it as a pre-existing condition.
In the end, the best policy is one that won’t destroy your budget but will still provide an adequate amount of coverage if your pup gets sick. Don’t break the bank trying to get the best policy, as you might not find it worthwhile in the end.
Conclusion
Investing in insurance for your Dachshund is worthwhile. The truth of the matter is that veterinary care is expensive, and costs aren’t going down anytime soon. In fact, vet prices have jumped 10% in the last year alone. So, while opting for pet insurance does mean you have a monthly cost to add to your budget, it also provides you with a helping hand when the bills start piling up for your Dachshund’s illness or injury.
Our best overall choice for insurance plans is Lemonade. However, if you are looking for an insurance plan that better fits your budget, we recommend Fetch. No matter which insurance plan you choose, your Dachshund will thank you!
Featured Image Credit: Dominika Roseclay, Pexels
