Having a pet means paying for veterinarian services that can be costly, especially if you have a frequently sick pet or have one that’s rambunctious and gets injured often. Luckily, there are plenty of options for pet insurance in the Bay State, and it’s more affordable than you think.
Choosing pet insurance can get complicated, as many offer customizable options that alter your monthly premiums. Not all conditions are covered, and sometimes, the policies can get confusing.
In this article, we’ll list the top pet insurance companies that offer pet insurance in Massachusetts. Some are straightforward, while others may get a little complex. We’ll list the ins and outs of all of the options, as well as the pros and cons to help you make the best decision for your dog or cat.
A Quick Comparison of the Winners for 2024
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Best Overall
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Lemonade |
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Best Value
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Pumpkin |
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Trupanion |
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Spot |
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Fetch |
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The 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers in Massachusetts
1. Lemonade Pet Insurance – Best Overall
Lemonade pet insurance offers coverage for dogs and cats. Lemonade hasn’t been offering pet insurance for as long as some of its competitors (2016), but they know how the pet insurance world works and offers many customizable options for Bay Staters.
You can opt for a baseline accident and illness plan that covers cancer,1 UTIs, broken bones, infections, diabetes,2 and cuts. This plan also covers diagnostic services, procedures, and medications. You can add vet visit fee coverage for a little extra per month, as well as extended accident and illness coverage that covers behavioral conditions,3 physical therapy, and end-of-life remembrance.
Lemonade also offers a wellness plan for an extra monthly fee that covers vaccines, heartworm tests, blood tests, routine dental cleanings, and flea/tick heartworm prevention. Choose a deductible that works for you, ranging from $100, $250, or $500, and reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, or 90%. You can also customize your annual payout, ranging from $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, or $100,000.
Spay/neuter services are covered for pets under 2 years old, and they offer a kitten/puppy package designated for youngsters that cover vaccinations, microchipping, and flea/tick treatment. They do not offer a 24/7 health line, and they do not cover dental procedures. They have a 5% discount for multiple pets, a 5% annual discount, and a 10% discount for bundling your renter and homeowner’s policies with your pet policy.
Lemonade’s short 2-day waiting period for accidents and 14-day waiting period for illnesses makes them a contender within the market. They do have a 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament treatment. No pre-existing conditions are covered, which is standard in the pet insurance industry.
2. Pumpkin Pet Insurance – Best Value
Pumpkin provides extensive coverage for just about any illness or accident, including hip dysplasia,4 prescription medications, surgeries, hospitalization, and more. They also cover hereditary conditions,5 dental issues, alternative therapies (acupuncture), and vet exam fees without adding extended coverage. A 90% reimbursement rate is offered to all clients, and you get a 10$ discount for enrolling multiple pets.
For preventative care, they offer a Preventive Essentials package that refunds 100% of annual wellness exams, vaccines, and parasite screening tests. You can customize your deductibles ranging from $100, $250, and $500, and yearly payouts ranging from $10,000, $20,000, or unlimited.
Pumpkin has a 14-day waiting period for accidents, which is longer than its competitors, and they have no weekend customer service availability. You do receive a 10% discount for enrolling multiple pets, and Pumpkin is one of the more affordable pet insurance with excellent coverage.
3. Trupanion Pet Insurance
Trupanion pet insurance offers a 90% reimbursement rate and an unlimited annual payout. You can purchase the Recovery and Complementary Care coverage to add to your existing policy that covers acupuncture, behavioral, chiropractic, rehab, hydrotherapy, and naturopathy.
Trupanion pays your vet directly, and you will have coverage for the life of your pet, regardless of age or breed. Your rates will not increase with submitted claims, and they offer one simple plan that’s easy to understand.
Trupanion offers a lifetime deductible that can be paid at once or chipped away over time; the 90% reimbursement rate kicks in after meeting the lifetime deductible. In other words, you will only pay the deductible once for a condition. A drawback is that they do not cover routine care fees, and they do not cover exam fees for injuries and accidents.
Customer service is available 24/7, but they have a 5-day waiting period for injuries and a 30-day waiting period for illnesses. They also offer no discount for multiple pets enrolled.
4. Spot Pet Insurance
Spot pet insurance is unique in that they offer an accident-only plan, which can save you money on your monthly payment. A downfall is there is a 14-day waiting period for accidents. For those needing more coverage, they offer an accident and illness plan that covers cancer, dental disease, diabetes, and more. For extended coverage, they offer two preventative care packages for an extra fee per month. Spot’s Gold package will run you an extra $9.95 per month, and the Premium package will run $24.95 a month. Exam fees are not covered by the accident and illness plans, but they will cover this fee when you purchase the wellness packages.
Spot offers customizable deductibles, annual limits, and reimbursement rates, with an unlimited option for annual payouts. Spot stands out with its 14-day waiting period for cruciate ligament,5 and hip dysplasia coverage, which is unheard of within the pet insurance industry. They also cover pre-existing conditions after 6 months, but your pet has to be symptom-free and cured of the condition before any pre-existing condition is covered, but it’s an outstanding perk.
Clients state that it takes a while for claims to be processed, and it can take anywhere from 10–14 days. Spot also charges a $2 monthly transaction fee but offers a 10% discount for multiple pets.
5. Fetch Pet Insurance
Fetch pet insurance has no enrollment fee, which is a plus. They also make things simple with one plan that covers a complex set of conditions, such as breed-specific conditions, dental disease,6 injury, holistic care, and complete sick visits that cover exam fees. They do not offer a wellness package but cover boarding fees, vacation cancellations, and lost pet advertising.
You do have the option of customizing the deductibles, annual payouts, and reimbursement rates, which will alter your monthly cost. There is no age limit for enrollment, and coverage does not diminish with your aging pet.
There is a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses and a 6-month waiting period for hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament coverage. However, the 6-month waiting period can be waived within 30 days of your policy if proven the condition is not a new ailment. They also do not have a 24/7 health line.
6. Metlife Pet Insurance
Metlife offers customizable plans to fit your budget. This pet insurance covers a wide range of accident and illness coverage, such as exam fees, diagnostic testing, surgeries, hospitalizations, medications, and more. They also offer various discounts, such as 10% off for military, veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers. Veterinarian employees and shelter personnel also receive a 10% discount.
A unique feature is that they offer grief counseling after the death of a beloved pet, and they have no waiting period for accident coverage; the policy goes into effect after midnight the day you sign up. You can also purchase a wellness policy to cover routine check-ups and vaccines. Another unique feature is they allow you to cover multiple pets under one policy instead of giving discounts for enrolling multiple pets.
Metlife does not offer direct payments to your vet, but claims are processed in roughly 10 days. You are not required to send your pets’ health records prior to enrolling, and there are no age limits. A drawback is you pay your monthly premium exclusively with autopay with your bank or a credit card.
7. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Healthy Paws offers coverage for dogs and cats that includes accidents, illnesses, cancer, breed-specific conditions, genetic conditions, hereditary conditions, emergency care, and alternative care. They do not offer preventative or behavioral care, nor do they offer the option of adding it.
In short, Healthy Paws is an excellent option for those looking strictly for accident and illness coverage. The plan is easy to understand, and you can customize your deductible and reimbursement rates.
They have an excellent customer service department, and claims are processed within 2-days, which is one of the fastest in the industry. Healthy Paws also pays your vet directly, and filing claims is easy with the mobile app.
One downfall is they have a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia, whereas most pet insurance has a 6-month waiting period. Nonetheless, they have added features such as euthanasia coverage, and they donate to nonprofit organizations with every quote purchased.
8. Figo Pet Insurance
Figo is one of the more competitive pet insurance companies that offers a 100% reimbursement fee, which you rarely see in the pet insurance world (most are customizable from 70%, 80%, and 90%). They also have a short waiting period of 1 day for accidents, which is also rare. There is a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and the standard 6-month waiting period for hip dysplasia.
Figo covers imaging, diagnostic testing, medications, cancer treatments, surgeries, hospitalization, emergency services, behavioral and congenital conditions, and euthanasia. There is no age limit for enrollment, and they offer a 5% discount for multiple pets. Figo also offers no per-incident caps, and you can chat with a live vet 24-7 via their vet helpline.
You can purchase their “power-ups” for wellness coverage that covers yearly vaccinations, spay/neuter, heartworm preventative, dental cleanings, deworming, and more for an extra monthly fee. You can choose between a basic power-up and a plus power-up. You can also add a benefit that covers exam fees for accidents and illnesses for a small fee per month.
Lastly, they offer an Extra Care pack that covers cremation, burial, boarding fees, lost pet advertising and rewards, pet theft or lost pet up to $150, vacation cancelation due to a pet’s illness or accident, and third-party property damage liability up to $10,000 per policy.
Figo charges a $2 per month transaction fee unless you pay annually and a $15 one-time fee when you sign up. Claims processing is quick, with a 3-day processing timeframe.
9. Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace is another pet insurance that offers many customizable options but is a little pricier than its competitors. Annual payout options are $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, and $30,000, and deductible choices are $200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000. You can also choose your reimbursement rates from 70%, 80%, and 90%.
For those seeking wellness coverage, you have the option to utilize their Wellness Rewards for an extra monthly fee. This budgeting tool can be used to cover services including spay/neuter, vaccinations, dental cleanings, wellness exam fees, and more.
A unique feature of Embrace is that your deductible goes down by $50 each year you do not file a claim. For example, if you choose a $300 deductible, your deductible automatically goes to $250 for the next year if you did not file a claim the previous year. They also offer a 5% discount for military and veterans and a 10% discount for multiple pets.
They do have a 14-year-old age limit for enrollment into the accident and illness plans, but they do not drop coverage as your pet ages will. Still, if you have a senior pet that is 15 years old or more, you can purchase an accident-only coverage policy to have some form of coverage.
10. ASPCA Pet Insurance
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is a nonprofit organization that offers pet insurance for dogs, cats, and even horses. They offer a Complete Coverage plan that covers accident and illness exam fees without having to add additional wellness coverage for this option. However, for annual wellness exams and vaccines, you’ll have to purchase either the basic wellness plan, which costs an extra $9.95 per month, or the prime, which costs an additional $24.95 per month. You have many customizable options for deductibles, annual payouts, and reimbursement rates, and you can opt for affordable accident-only coverage.
The Complete Coverage plan covers accidents, diagnostic testing, illnesses, behavioral conditions, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and dental diseases. The mobile app is easy for submitting claims, and they will send a direct deposit to your bank for reimbursement. A drawback is it can take anywhere from 15–30 days for claims processing. A plus is there is no age limit, and they offer a 10% multi-pet discount.
ASPCA is a little pricey, and they have a $10,000 annual payout limit. Another downfall is they do not cover cruciate ligament or knee coverage if there is a history of these conditions, regardless of if it’s been cured for a certain time period, as most pet insurance companies will cover these conditions after a waiting period. For pet owners with dog breeds prone to these conditions, looking elsewhere for coverage will be beneficial.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance Provider in Massachusetts
What to Look for in Pet Insurance in Massachusetts
As you can see, all pet insurance companies have their own protocols and rules. Some are easy to understand, while others leave you scratching your head. In this section, we’ll cover additional questions that many people have to help you even further.
Policy Coverage
Some pets may need more coverage than others, and it’ll be up to you to determine how much coverage you need. For youngsters, you may need only an accident and illness policy, or maybe even an accident-only policy. Accident-only policies cover just that – accidents. Accident and illness policies cover a wide range of issues, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions. These policies usually cover diagnostic testing and other imaging, which can save you hundreds of dollars with a pet insurance plan.
Wellness or preventative care is usually an add-on option that will cover vaccines, heartworm medications, and blood work. Even then, most do not cover the exam fee, but some have options to add that to your policy for a little extra.
One thing to remember is you want a policy that will cover an accident or illness. Routine care is something you have to do yearly, and if you can budget for that in advance, there is no need to have that coverage in a policy. In short, it’s really up to you to determine just how much you need or desire.
Customer Service & Reputation
A bad experience with any customer service department can put a bad taste in your mouth, leaving you frustrated and unhappy with the company. A terrific way to check a company’s customer service department is to read consumer reviews.
Another important factor to search for is if the company has a 24/7-customer service line. Some do not offer this service on the weekends, and if that’s important to you, ensure that any company you’re looking into offers this feature.
Claim Repayment
Some pet insurance companies will pay your vet directly, while others will reimburse you after services are rendered. In other words, you may have to pay the entire vet bill upfront before getting reimbursed, and some process claims faster than others. When looking for a company, investigate their claims processing times, as some may take as little as 2 days, while others may take up to two weeks.
A company’s customer service department plays a role in this protocol as far as how helpful they are when you inquire about a claim. Check the company’s reputation on this issue to ensure they are helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to help you should a problem arise with a claim.
Price Of Policy
The cost of a pet insurance policy varies according to your location. In Massachusetts, the average price for a basic dog policy (accident and illness) is between $30 to $60 per month, and for a cat, you can expect to pay $15 to $30 per month. This price can fluctuate depending on the type of policy and any add-ons you purchase.
Some pet insurance companies allow you to pay your premiums monthly or yearly. It’s not uncommon to receive a discount if you pay annually, but some people cannot afford to pay one big chunk. If it fits your budget and the company offers that feature, it may benefit your budget.
Plan Customization
Plan customization will greatly alter your monthly premiums. For example, you can customize your deductibles, reimbursement rates, and annual payouts, which is how much a company will pay yearly for a condition. Some offer unlimited with no caps, but this option usually makes the monthly premium higher.
As for deductibles, that is the amount you pay before the insurance kicks in. For example, if you choose a $250, and you have a vet bill of $1,500, you have to meet the $250 deductible before the insurance pays, leaving you with a reimbursement of $1,250. Keep in mind that the lower the deductible, the higher your premium, and the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
FAQ
Can I Get Pet Insurance Outside the U.S.?
Some pet insurance companies will cover outside the U.S., while others are strictly for use in the states. However, some offer coverage in Canada, Puerto Rico, and other areas. Ensure you understand your policy’s coverage locations, especially if you travel with your pet.
What if My Insurance Company Is Not Listed in Your Reviews?
This article aims to provide you with valuable information to help you make a purchasing decision. The companies in our list are based on consumer reviews, but the listed companies are not the only options you have. Now that you know what to look for, you can research any pet insurance company that offers coverage in Massachusetts.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Has the Best Consumer Reviews?
Lemonade ranks high in its customer service department. They also have a short waiting period of 2 days for accidents. Consumers are generally pleased with the price of the policies and the customizable options.
What Is the Best and Most Affordable Pet Insurance?
Lemonade ranks high in affordability, and Pumpkin covers more without having to add on more options for coverage. The price will fluctuate depending on a number of factors, such as your pet’s age. Coverage for senior pets is more expensive, and you’ll want to get coverage while your pet is younger to avoid high costs for a policy.
What the Users Say
Lemonade customers rave about the helpfulness of the customer service department and the price of the policies. Some negative reviews have surfaced as well, as some complain of having trouble making adjustments to their policies. Other reviews we’ve seen concern pre-existing conditions, as some claim a condition was considered pre-existing when they feel it shouldn’t have been. Speaking of pre-existing, ensure you understand any pet insurance policy’s pre-existing clause. You can read reviews here.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
In the end, you know your pet the best, and only you can determine which insurance provider is best for you and your pet. Ensure you understand what type of policies a company offers, and ensure the company covers any condition you may be concerned about.
Conclusion
Pet insurance can save you thousands in vet bills. However, it’s important to know exactly what is covered and what is not. Some companies offer one easy-to-understand policy, while others offer add-ons with customizable options for deductibles, reimbursement rates, and annual limits. Check reviews of any company you’re considering, and don’t wait until your pet ages, as you’ll pay more for a senior pet.
See also: Does Massachusetts Have a State Cat? History & Contributions
Featured Image Credit: Cat Studio, Shutterstock
