Embrace has the best pet insurance for older dogs in 2024. This is because it offers affordable premiums for senior dogs, is customizable to fit most budgets and coverage needs, has a 24/7 pet health line and includes coverage for euthanasia and alternative and behavioral therapies.
Best pet insurance for older dogs in 2024
- Embrace: Best pet insurance for older dogs.
- ManyPets: Best pet insurance for vet exam coverage.
- Pets Best: Best cheap pet insurance for older dogs.
- Figo: Best pet insurance for maximum reimbursem*nt.
- Healthy Paws: Best pet insurance for large claims.
Why trust our pet insurance experts
Our team of pet insurance experts evaluates hundreds of pet insurance products and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best product for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 12 pet insurance companies reviewed.
- 500+ coverage details evaluated.
- 5 levels of fact-checking.
Top-rated pet insurance for older dogs
Best pet insurance for older dogs
Embrace
Blueprint Rating
Via Comparecoverage.com
Maximum annual coverage
Unlimited
Average monthly cost of senior dog insurance
$103
Why it’s the best
Embrace offers the best pet insurance for older dogs, based on our in-depth analysis of rates and coverage. Embrace’s pet insurance plans include a 24/7 vet helpline, coverage for behavioral and alternative therapies, mobility devices, prosthetics, dental illnesses and end-of-life expenses.
Each policy also has a diminishing deductible feature, which reduces your deductible by $50 for every year you don’t file a claim. Although Embrace’s pet insurance policies aren’t the cheapest, these embedded benefits can make the plan worth the extra cost, as long as your pet is aged 14 or younger. Dogs and cats older than 14 can’t be enrolled in a new accident and illness plan. The only option for these older pets is an accident-only plan.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Diminishing deductible for healthy senior dogs.
- Complementary treatment coverage, such as hydrotherapy, physiotherapy and acupuncture.
- Dental illness coverage up to $1,000 per year.
Cons
- Dogs and cats aged 15 and older can only be enrolled in a new accident-only plan.
- 14-day illness waiting period.
- 6-month orthopedic waiting period (waivable with a healthy orthopedic exam).
- Requires physical exam for enrollment.
- Vet exam fee coverage costs extra.
Available plans
Accident and illness plan
- Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750 or $1,000.
- Annual coverage limit: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000 or unlimited.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 70%, 80% or 90%.
Accident-only plan
- Deductible: $100.
- Annual coverage limit: $5,000.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 90%.
Wellness plan
Embrace will cover between $250 and $650 of your older dog’s routine care expenses, including bloodwork, teeth cleanings, vaccinations, and flea, tick and heart prevention medications.
Discounts
- 10% multiple pet discount.
- 5% active duty and retired military discount.
- Annual pay discount.
Customer reviews
Embrace has a great rating with Trustpilot, earning 4 out 5 stars after more than 4,200 reviews.
Best pet insurance for vet exam coverage
ManyPets
Blueprint Rating
Via Comparecoverage.com
Maximum annual coverage
Unlimited
Average monthly cost of senior dog insurance
$77
Why it’s the best
Most pet insurance companies charge extra for vet exam fee coverage, but ManyPets does not, making it our top pick for the best pet insurance with vet exam coverage for senior dogs. Vets recommend that your older dog get a checkup twice a year, or more if it has health issues, which can cost between $200 and $500 per visit.
ManyPets is also one of the cheapest pet insurers for older dogs, based on our data analysis. Though ManyPets is affordable, you won’t miss out on the coverage you’ve come to expect from a pet insurance company, including alternative therapies such as acupuncture, rehabilitation and chiropractic treatments, which can come in handy for an aging canine. But, ManyPets only offers new policies for dogs and cats up to age 14.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Includes alternative therapy and holistic care coverage.
- Covers vet exam fees.
- Lower-than-average premiums.
- Covers curable pre-existing conditions after 18 months symptom- and treatment-free.
Cons
- Will only offer new enrollment for dogs and cats up to age 14.
- No coverage for behavioral therapy.
- Doesn’t cover hip dysplasia in pets 6 and older.
- 15-day accident waiting period.
- 15-day illness waiting period.
Available plans
Accident and illness plan
- Deductible: $500 or $750.
- Annual coverage limit: Unlimited.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 70% or 80%.
Wellness plan
ManyPets offers a wellness plan that will pay up to $600 per year on your older dog’s preventive care expenses, including testing and parasite prevention, dental cleanings, supplements, vitamins and vaccinations.
Discounts
ManyPets does not offer any discounts at this time.
Customer reviews
ManyPets has 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, earning an excellent rating after more than 2,250 reviews.
Best cheap pet insurance for older dogs
Pets Best
Blueprint Rating
Via Comparecoverage.com
Maximum annual coverage
Unlimited
Average monthly cost of senior dog insurance
$70
Why it’s the best
Pets Best offers the best cheap pet insurance for older dogs, averaging $70 per month — the cheapest premium of the 12 pet insurance companies we reviewed. Pets Best affordable pet insurance policies offer a 24/7 vet helpline, a wide range of deductibles to choose from and coverage for behavioral conditions, prosthetics, wheelchairs and end-of-life expenses. It also has no upper age limit for enrollment.
In an emergency situation, Pets Best may be willing to pay the vet directly, so you don’t have to wait for reimbursem*nt. However, you and your veterinarian will have to complete some extra paperwork.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cheap pet insurance for senior dogs.
- No upper age enrollment limit.
- Won’t cancel or reduce coverage based on your dog’s age.
- Some pets with severe chronic conditions may only be eligible for accident-only coverage.
- Charges monthly processing fees.
- 6-month cruciate ligament waiting period.
Available plans
Accident and illness plan
- Deductible: $50, $100, $200, $250, $500 or $1,000.
- Annual coverage limit: $5,000 or unlimited.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 70%, 80% or 90%.
Accident-only plan
- Deductible: $250.
- Annual coverage limit: $10,000.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 90%.
Wellness plan
- EssentialWellness: $305 in annual wellness coverage.
- BestWellness: $535 in annual wellness coverage.
Discounts
- Multi-pet discount.
- Discount for qualifying veterinary staff.
Customer reviews
After over 4,600 reviews, Pets Best has earned a great rating of 4 out 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Best pet insurance for maximum reimbursem*nt
Figo
Blueprint Rating
Via Comparecoverage.com
Maximum annual coverage
Unlimited
Average monthly cost of senior dog insurance
$160
Why it’s the best
Figo is the best pet insurance for maximum reimbursem*nt, one of the few offering a 100% reimbursem*nt rate as long as you don’t opt for unlimited coverage. Figo also has a short accident waiting period of one day and an average waiting period of 14 days for illnesses. If your older dog is free of orthopedic issues, Figo will waive its six-month waiting period with a vet’s completed waiver form. It also has no upper age limit for enrollment.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No upper enrollment age limit.
- Wide range of deductible options.
- 1-day accident waiting period.
Cons
- 100% reimbursem*nt rate is only available when you don’t choose unlimited annual coverage.
- Vet exam fee coverage costs extra.
- No behavioral condition coverage.
Available plans
Accident and illness plan
- Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 or $1,500.
- Annual coverage limit: $5,000, $10,000 or unlimited.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 70%, 80%, 90% or 100%.
Wellness plan
Figo will cover up to $250 of routine care expenses, including dental cleanings, wellness exams, vaccines and deworming.
Optional riders
- Coverage for veterinary exam fees.
- Extra Care Pack: Covers boarding fees, vacation cancellation, advertising and reward for lost dogs, pet theft, final respects and third-party property damage liability.
Discounts
- 5% multi-pet discount.
Customer reviews
Figo has 4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, earning a great rating after over 2,000 reviews.
Best pet insurance for large claims
Healthy Paws
Blueprint Rating
Via Comparecoverage.com
Maximum annual coverage
Unlimited
Average monthly cost of senior dog insurance
$121
Why it’s the best
Healthy Paws is the best pet insurance for large claims because it can pay the vet directly if you request it before your older dog’s treatment and if the vet’s office accepts direct payment from the insurance company.
Being able to only pay what you owe — rather than pay in full and wait for reimbursem*nt — can help you avoid the financial stress of costly treatment so you can focus on your senior dog’s health and not your bank account.
Healthy Paws offers unlimited lifetime and annual payouts without caps on eligible veterinary expenses. However, it will not pay for vet exam fees, and no wellness plan option is available. It also only enrolls new pets aged 14 and younger.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Covers end-of-life expenses.
- Covers alternative therapies.
- No annual or lifetime caps on eligible veterinary expenses.
Cons
- Only provides new pet insurance for pets enrolled by age 14.
- No accident-only plan available.
- No coverage for exam fees.
- No wellness plan available.
Available plans
Accident and illness plan
- Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750 or $1,00.
- Annual coverage limit: Unlimited.
- Reimbursem*nt percentage: 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90%.
Discounts
Healthy Paws does not offer discounts but will donate $25 in your name to homeless pets through its refer-a-friend program with a successful referral.
Customer reviews
Healthy Paws has an excellent rating with Trustpilot, earning 4.4 out of 5 stars after more than 2,300 reviews.
Compare the best pet insurance for older dogs
| COMPANY | OUR RATING | MONTHLY COST FOR SENIOR DOG INSURANCE | UPPER AGE LIMIT FOR ENROLLMENT | LEARN MORE | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $103 | 14 years | Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
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| $77 | 14 years | Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
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| $70 | None | Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
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| $160 | None | Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
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| $121 | 14 years | Via Comparecoverage.com | |||||||
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What types of policies are available for senior dogs?
Pet parents can choose from these types of pet insurance policies for senior dogs.
Accident and illness plans
The most common type of pet insurance offers coverage for both accidents and illnesses. Though coverage varies by pet insurance company, accident and illness policies typically cover:
- Breed-specific conditions.
- Broken bones.
- Cancer treatment.
- Chronic health conditions such as digestive issues, skin conditions and allergies.
- Dental illnesses.
- Diabetes.
- Emergency vet care.
- Heart disease.
- Hereditary and congenital conditions.
- Hospital stays.
- Ingesting objects.
- Lab work.
- MRIs and CT scans.
- Prescription medications.
- Surgery.
- Ultrasounds.
- Veterinary specialists.
- X-rays.
Accident-only plans
An accident-only plan only covers accidents. So if your senior dog develops a respiratory infection, cancer, diabetes or hip dysplasia, there isn’t coverage. However, since accident-only pet insurance policies exclude treatment for sickness, premiums are cheaper.
Here are a few examples of what an accident-only plan generally covers:
- Bite wounds.
- Broken bones or toes.
- Ingesting toxins.
- Lacerations.
- Swallowing an object.
- Torn ligaments.
Wellness plans
A wellness plan is an optional add-on most pet insurance companies offer to supplement accident and illness coverage. Pet insurance doesn’t cover preventive care, but an optional wellness plan will. It covers routine care costs like:
- Dental cleaning.
- Deworming.
- Flea, heartworm and tick prevention.
- Microchipping.
- Spaying or neutering.
- Vaccinations.
- Wellness checkups.
How much does pet insurance for senior dogs cost?
The average cost of pet insurance for a 10-year-old dog is $164 per month, according to our rate analysis. These rates are based on a pet insurance plan with unlimited annual coverage, a $500 annual deductible and a 90% reimbursem*nt rate.
How much you’ll pay for pet insurance for a senior dog will depend on several factors:
- Its breed and gender.
- Your pet’s age.
- Your ZIP code.
- The pet insurance company.
- The type of pet insurance policy you choose.
- The level of coverage.
Tips for reducing the cost of pet insurance for a senior dog
Pet insurance can be pricey for a senior dog, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find affordable coverage. Here are a few ways to get the best cheap pet insurance for your senior dog.
Consider your coverage choices
You usually get to choose your pet insurance policy’s annual coverage maximum, deductible and reimbursem*nt percentage. You can lower your pet insurance costs with a:
- Lower reimbursem*nt rate. The reimbursem*nt level is the amount the pet insurer pays toward your older dog’s covered veterinary expenses. If you choose a 90% reimbursem*nt rate, you’ll pay 10% of the costs. But if, for instance, you select 70% reimbursem*nt and take on 30% of the vet bills, your insurer will charge you less in premiums.
- Lower annual coverage maximum. You’ll pay less for pet insurance if you choose a $5,000 or $10,000 yearly limit instead of unlimited coverage. But while you’ll save on the cost of the policy, you could pay more out of pocket if your pet has vet bills that exceed the annual coverage limit.
- Higher deductible. A pet insurance deductible is the amount you pay toward covered vet costs before the insurer starts paying. The higher the deductible, the less the insurer pays, so you’ll get cheaper pet insurance premiums.
Compare pet insurance quotes
Comparing pet insurance quotes from multiple companies can help you get the best deal on the coverage you need for your senior dog’s health expenses. Although pet insurance companies use the same factors, pricing varies, as do the conditions, procedures and benefits each company’s plans cover.
Pet insurance providers offer free quotes on their websites, or you can use a pet insurance comparison site to compare multiple quotes at once.
Take advantage of pet insurance discounts
Many pet insurance companies offer discounts to help you get affordable coverage for your older pet. While discounts vary by company and state, you may be eligible for the following discounts:
- Annual pay discount.
- Multi-pet discount.
- Military discount.
- Spay or neuter discount.
- Group insurance discount through your employer.
Buy accident-only coverage
Accident-only pet insurance costs about half as much as an accident and illness plan, making it the most affordable pet insurance option. You’ll also have more companies to choose from if you need to enroll a senior pet that is 14 or older. But your older dog is more likely to get sick than hurt, and with an accident-only plan, you’d be responsible for all your dog’s vet costs if it falls ill.
Methodology
To find the best pet insurance for older dogs, we analyzed 12 pet insurance companies. Each pet insurance company was eligible for up to 100 points, based on its performance in the following key categories:
- Cost: 50 points. We calculated average rates for accident and illness pet insurance plans for 10-year-old dogs with the highest annual coverage limit available, a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursem*nt percentage.
- Annual coverage limits: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an annual reimbursem*nt level of $100,000, or unlimited annual coverage scored in this category.
- 24/7 vet line: 10 points. Insurance companies that offer access to a 24/7 vet line earned points. Being able to call for medical advice might save you money on vet visits.
- Routine wellness plan: 10 points. Pet insurance companies that offer an optional wellness plan scored full points. Wellness plans can reimburse you for preventative care for your pet.
- Pays vet exam fees: 10 points. If a pet insurance plan includes pet exam fees, the insurer received 10 points. If this is offered as a coverage add-on, the insurer received 5 points.
- Multipet discount: 5 points. Pet insurance companies that offer a discount for insuring more than one pet received full points.
- Euthanasia or end-of-life expenses included: 5 points. If euthanasia or other end-of-life expenses are covered in pet insurance plans, we gave the company points in this category.
Best pet insurance for older dogs FAQs
The older your dog gets, the more likely it is to get hurt or sick. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, close to 50% of dogs 10 and older will get cancer, and 20%, or one in five, will develop joint problems — the number increases for breeds prone to joint issues.
Treatment can cost thousands of dollars and may continue for the rest of your dog’s life. You might not need pet insurance if you can afford to pay for your senior dog’s veterinary expenses. But if you can’t, pet insurance can prevent you from having to choose between costly veterinary bills and your faithful companion’s life.
Pet insurance can help pay for most, if not all, of your senior dog’s healthcare. Most pet insurance companies won’t cancel your pet’s coverage because of its age or paid claims — as long as you continue to pay the premiums — so you won’t have to worry about no longer having coverage while your dog has ongoing health needs.
Senior dog pet insurance works the same as it does for puppies and young dogs. Pet insurers use age when determining how much a policy will cost, so the biggest difference is the plan price.
Older dogs are more likely than younger dogs to need veterinary care, which increases their pet insurance costs. If you’re insuring an older dog for the first time, any condition it has shown symptoms of or has been seen by a vet for can be considered a pre-existing condition, which pet insurance companies typically won’t cover.
Though you might not need medical records from your vet to insure your older dog for the first time, you will need to submit them when you file your first pet insurance claim. Providing their medical records helps the pet insurer confirm the condition isn’t pre-existing, your pet is up-to-date on preventive care and you have coverage under your pet insurance policy.
