Old age for dogs is similar to old age for humans; they slow down, their joints start to hurt, and things that were once easy for your energetic furball become more difficult. It’s not all bad, of course, as older dogs get into less trouble and are generally more laid back.

Another thing that changes (or should change) when your dog is older is its pet insurance. Older dogs typically need more veterinary care, which means more trips to your local vet. Without insurance to cover your older dog’s needs, you might face costly vet bills. That makes updating or changing your older dog’s insurance plan crucial.

To help you avoid expensive bills, we’ve listed the eight pet insurance plans for older dogs below. It’s hard data you can use to choose the best insurance plan for your older dog and make sure their health is covered from nose to tail!

A Quick Comparison of the Winners for 2024

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Healthy Paws Pet Insurance	You can use any licensed veterinarian Convenient app for submitting claims Many claims take 2 days to process	Click to Get Quote
		Trupanion Pet Insurance	Unlimited annual claims 90% coverage plans Customizable, lifetime, per condition deductible	Click to Get Quote
		Lemonade Pet Insurance	Multiple coverage options Excellent optional wellness plan Some claims can be filed in-office	Click to Get Quote
		Progressive Pet Insurance	Affordable rates Several discounts options Dental care is covered	Click to Get Quote
		Embrace Pet Insurance	Multiple discounts available 24/7 pet health hotline Deductibles decrease every year	Click to Get Quote

The 8 Best Pet Insurance Providers for Older Dogs

1. Healthy Paws Pet Insurance – Best Overall

Our best overall choice for older dog pet insurance plans is Healthy Paws for several reasons. First, they have no caps on payouts, including annual, lifetime, or per-incident coverage. Whatever happens, health-wise, your pup will be covered. Filing a claim with Healthy Paws is quick and easy. Simply take a picture of your veterinary bill with the Smart Paws App, click “submit,” and you’re done! Even better, reimbursement on your account usually takes 2 days, which is fast.

Another big plus of Healthy Paws is that you can use any licensed veterinarian. Also, the company offers a single, all-inclusive plan, so there’s no need to worry about adding any extra coverage. Regarding drawbacks, Healthy Paws doesn’t cover preventive and routine procedures, and the waiting time for approval of a new policy can be overly long. Overall, however, we highly recommend Healthy Paws for older dogs.

2. Trupanion Pet Insurance

One of the best reasons to choose Trupanion Pet Insurance for an older dog is that every plan the company offers includes unlimited payouts. Also, many conditions not covered by other pet insurance companies are included with Trupanion, including congenital and hereditary diseases, and, in case of an accident, it covers exams and treatment.

Another perk is that when you enroll your dog at birth, Trupanion has a customizable lifetime per-condition deductible. Combined with their standard plan, your dog will have 100% coverage even as they age. Trupanion will even pay some vets directly, saving you the time and hassle of filing a claim.

Trupanion has some drawbacks, the most glaring of which is the lack of plan customization. Plus, while they cover some conditions other companies don’t, Trupanion doesn’t cover wellness or preventative care and offers no add-ons for them. They do, however, have a 30-day cancellation policy.

3. Lemonade Pet Insurance

Lemonade Pet Insurance might be your best choice if you have a purebred older dog. First, choosing a plan and getting your dog covered is simple. There are some waiting periods afterward, but no longer than any other insurance companies. Lemonade’s base plan covers many services and procedures, so you might not need any add-ons. If you do, though, they have several, allowing you to customize your dog’s coverage for problems that affect older, purebred dogs the most.

Like most pet insurance companies, Lemonade has a convenient app that lets you file claims quickly and easily. In some instances, the company can also reimburse you before you leave your vet’s office (depending on your specific vet). However, it has two glaring drawbacks; Lemonade is only available in 36 states, and vet visit costs aren’t covered in the basic plan.

4. Progressive Pet Insurance

One of the first things we noticed about Progressive is that their coverage was significantly cheaper than some other providers on today’s list. Even better, while more affordable, Progressive’s coverage is still similar, and its base plan includes unlimited coverage annually.

You can lower your monthly cost by customizing your plan with a higher deductible or choosing progressive’s accident-only coverage. However, accident only isn’t recommended for older dogs as the chance they are involved in an accident is significantly lower.

One thing we liked very much about Progressive Pet Insurance is that they offer multiple discounts. If you pay annually, there’s a discount, for example, and another for spaying and neutering, and when you cover more than one pet on the same policy. However, there are so many options that it can often get confusing. If you go with Progressive for your older dog, we suggest speaking directly with a rep when setting up your insurance plan.

5. Embrace Pet Insurance

Although Embrace Pet Insurance doesn’t offer 100% unlimited plans, they have options to change your deductible and reimbursement limits and percentages. That gives you 90% coverage, which is a good choice if you have an older dog. The company also offers an accident and illness add-on plan that is very comprehensive and covers many health issues not covered by other insurance companies. They include, for example, dental care, alternative therapies, genetic and chronic condition care, and several more.

An interesting perk with Embrace is that, for every year you don’t file a claim, they lower your deductible by $50. However, this might not be as valuable or necessary for an older dog. One drawback of Embrace Pet Insurance that’s hard to overlook is that their add-on plans are significantly more expensive than other pet insurance companies.

6. AKC Pet Insurance

Although the American Kennel Club is widely recognized, you must note that AKC Pet Insurance is not affiliated with them and simply license their well-known name. That said, the company provides good insurance plans that will cover your older dog. They’re also one of the more affordable pet insurance companies and have several discounts, including multiple pet coverage.

You can select unlimited benefits, which is an excellent option for an older dog. AKC also covers behavioral therapy, an issue most pet insurance companies don’t cover with their basic plans.

One serious drawback with AKC is the lack of coverage for common charges like exam fees on their basic plan, forcing you to get an add-on if you want those covered. Unfortunately, while their base plans are affordable, AKC’s add-ons are not. You can, however, try out their basic plan for 30-days at no charge. Also, you must report congenital and hereditary issues before your dog reaches 2 years of age with AKC pet insurance. The company won’t cover those issues if you sign up with an older dog.

7. Figo Pet Insurance

Although they might not offer the best pet insurance plans on today’s list, the one factor that makes Figo a good choice for older dogs is that they have no maximum age limit. That means, no matter your puppy dog’s age, Figo will cover them. You’ll also appreciate that Figo has some of the best customer services in the pet insurance industry, with multiple ways to contact the company via their app, website, and chat.

A definite drawback of Figo Pet Insurance is that they don’t cover exam fees, a service that is inevitable every time you take your older dog to the vet. You’ll need to purchase an add-on policy to get exam fees covered. Speaking of which, Figo doesn’t offer an add-on policy for accident-only coverage. However, they cover cremation for your dog, which many companies do not.

8. ASPCA Pet Insurance

You probably recognize the ASPCA name as they are the premier organization for preventing animal cruelty. Today the ASPCA also offers pet insurance, although it is 100% controlled via a 3rd party provider, Hartville Pet Insurance. That means you won’t be dealing with the ASPCA for anything.

If you have an older dog, it’s highly recommended that you choose ASPCA’s Complete Coverage plan, which includes everything except wellness care. The base plan also covers cremation and burial, which few other pet insurance companies cover.

One noteworthy aspect of ASPCA Pet Insurance is the company’s 14-day waiting period. While it might seem excessive, it’s their only waiting period. This period could be a huge plus for an older dog as they will cover joint and ligament problems after 2 weeks. However, preventative care, wellness, and dental aren’t covered in the company’s basic plan.

Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance Provider for Older Dogs

Older dogs have different needs than younger dogs, and we considered those needs as we researched the eight pet insurance plans. If you’re interested in which parameters we used to determine today’s rankings, we have them below.

Policy Coverage

Regarding any insurance, pets included, the services and conditions the policy covers are essential. Yes, a pet insurance company might have, for example, wellness or accident-only plans, but if those aren’t included in your policy, they won’t be covered. That makes choosing the services and add-ons you want critical so that they’re included in your plan and covered if your older dog needs them.

It’s also essential to include any coverage necessary for older dogs, like treatment for hip dysplasia, vision problems, and cancer. The point is that knowing, checking, and making sure the coverage you need is included on your dog’s insurance policy is Job #1 as the parent of an older dog. It won’t be covered if it’s not on the policy, so be sure it is and ask questions if you have them.

Customer Service & Reputation

You could have the best pet insurance policy in the world on paper. However, if the company backing it has lousy customer service that takes weeks to respond and makes filing a claim difficult, that policy isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Far too many dog parents have told horror stories about insurance companies that were a nightmare to deal with. The challenge is how to know a good insurance company from a bad before you choose.

One excellent suggestion is to do precisely what you’re doing right now; researching pet insurance companies. For example, the information we’ve provided today can help you choose the right pet insurance company for your older dog’s needs. Another good suggestion is to check online reviews and social media pages. If you see that most folks are happy and leave glowing reviews, great! If not, and many are leaving negative and frustrated reviews, you might want to look at another pet insurance company instead.

Claim Repayment

Getting your hard-earned money back after paying a vet bill might be the most critical part of pet insurance. If you’re paying good money on premiums, you shouldn’t have to wait weeks or even months for reimbursement of your claims. The good news is that today, most pet insurance companies have apps that make the claims process much smoother, faster, and less frustrating. Some pet insurance companies will even pay the vet’s bill while you’re still in their office! In short, before signing on the dotted line, be sure to check how long it takes your chosen insurance company to pay claims. Some are decidedly quicker than others.

Price Of Policy

Pet insurance premiums are typically much cheaper than human insurance. That’s a huge factor to keep in mind, especially if a few dollars more per month won’t put you in a financial bind. It means you can add policy addendums that cover services and issues your older dog will likely face and not pay exorbitantly for them.

Again, pet insurance isn’t overly expensive, relatively speaking, so it’s better to get what you need and pay a couple of bucks more per month than face huge vet bills if something happens to your older dog that’s not covered.

Plan Customization

When choosing pet insurance for your dog, the last factor to remember might be the most important: the ability to customize the insurance policy. Yes, it can be helpful if a policy covers most services and conditions, but few pet insurance policies do this, and few have basic plans that cover everything an older dog will probably need.

That makes the ability to customize the insurance plan critical so that you can add the coverage they need and not worry every day that something will occur that’s not covered.

FAQ

What does the term “annual limits” mean?

Annual limits are the maximum amount of coverage your policy provides in any given 12-month period. Most companies and policies have annual limits, although some allow you to purchase a plan with no annual limits.

How do deductibles work?

When you file a claim, you must pay the deductible first, whether $300 or $500. Once the deductible has been paid in any given year, you don’t need to pay it again until the following year starts.

What does the term “waiting period” mean?

A waiting period is the time after your pet insurance policy starts that you must wait before filing your first claim. Waiting periods are put in place to reduce and prevent insurance fraud. They can vary from 14 days to 6 months and sometimes longer.

Does my older dog need pet insurance?

Legally, nothing says you need to purchase pet insurance for your dog or any pet. However, as with any insurance, you could face serious vet bills if you need insurance and don’t have it. That’s why, especially for older dogs, pet insurance is highly recommended.

Do all pet insurance policies cover older dogs?

Some insurance companies cover older dogs only if they are enrolled as younger dogs. Others, like Figo Pet Insurance, have no age limit to register your dog, but most do. That’s why experts recommend insuring your dog as a puppy and keeping up with insurance as they age.

Which insurance company is best for older dogs?

Our choice as the best pet insurance company for older dogs is Healthy Paws. However, all eight insurance companies on today’s list have affordable plans, cover most health issues and concerns, and provide good customer service.

How quickly are claims paid with pet insurance?

Today, many pet insurance companies pay claims quickly, and some of the companies on today’s list pay very quickly. However, unless stipulated in your policy, insurance companies aren’t on any specific timeline to reimburse you quickly. Some may take upwards of 60 days to pay your claims.

What’s the average monthly cost of pet insurance?

Depending on your dog, your coverage, and any add-ons you choose, the average pet insurance policy is between $30 to $50 a month per dog, give or take a few dollars.

What the Users Say

It can be helpful to know what other pet owners have to say about a particular pet health insurance company. Below we’ve rounded up some of the reviews we’ve seen around the net to help you make your choice.

Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Embrace Pet Insurance

*(It should be noted that this bad review was followed by an apology from Embrace and an offer to call their helpline to resolve the issue.)

Lemonade Pet Insurance

Figo Pet Insurance

ASPCA Pet Insurance

Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best For You?

When it comes to insuring an older dog, many factors need to be taken into consideration. For example, is your dog a breed with known hip dysplasia problems like Great Danes or a history of cancer like Golden Retrievers? Do they suffer from breathing problems like Pugs or epilepsy like Irish Setters? Does your furry pal have recurrent health problems, or are they relatively healthy with few congenital or hereditary issues?

Our advice is to pick three or a maximum of four of the pet insurance companies on today’s list. Then, put together a plan customized to your dog’s needs, including whatever add-ons, deductibles, and maximum benefit levels you need. Most companies have policy calculators online that you can use for free.

Once you have a completed plan with prices, compare the companies. Whichever company provides the best price for the services you need, that’s your choice!

Final Thoughts

While we chose Healthy Paws Pet Insurance as the best overall insurance plan for older dogs, all the other pet insurance companies on today’s list are suitable for older pups. Having a pet insurance company you can depend on when your older dog needs care can make your life much less stressful. It can also prolong your dog’s life and make it more livable if they’re in constant pain.

• Related Read: 10 Best Pet Insurance Providers for German Shepherds

Featured Image Credit: Manuel Meza, Unsplash