To save pet owners time in their search, the This Old House Reviews team researched the best pet insurance companies in Massachusetts and ranked the providers on factors such as policy coverage, plan options, customer service, and company reputation. We included sample quotes for a variety of dog and cat breeds in Oxford, Massachusetts, to give you an idea of plan pricing in the 01540 ZIP code. However, we recommend getting quotes from a few different providers, as that’s the best way to get accurate pricing based on your pet’s specific details and location.
Massachusetts’ Top 7 Pet Insurance Providers
1. Most Comprehensive Plan: Prudent Pet
Receiving a 95 out of 100, Prudent Pet is our top choice for comprehensive pet insurance in Massachusetts. We were especially impressed with the company’s Ultimate Plan, which comes with an unlimited coverage cap and extra coverage not typically offered by other companies for items such as lost pet advertising, boarding fees, and vacation cancellation fees. Learn more about the Ultimate Plan and get an instant quote based on your pet’s breed, age, and location by visiting the Prudent Pet website.
Pros and Cons of Prudent Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Prudent Pet: ✔ Includes a 24/7 vet chat with each plan✔ Offers cheaper wellness add-ons compared with other providers✔ Has a 30-day money-back guarantee ✘ Premiums for the Ultimate Plan are higher than average✘ Doesn’t have a mobile app
Prudent Pet Plans and Coverage
Prudent Pet offers three pet insurance plans and two add-ons to give pet owners more coverage options. The Accident-Only Plan covers $10,000 per year for procedures or vet visits related to accidents or injuries, such as bite wounds, swallowed objects, and broken bones. The Essential Plan covers $10,000 per year for those accidents in addition to illnesses such as cancer, birth defects, digestive illnesses, hip dysplasia, and hereditary conditions. The Ultimate Plan covers unlimited vet bills for the accidents and illnesses in the Essential Plan, plus coverage for lost pet advertising, boarding fees, pet replacement during a theft or loss, mortality expenses, and vacation cancellations. None of these plans cover pre-existing conditions that arise before or during your policy enrollment or waiting periods. Additionally, Prudent Pet offers a wellness coverage add-on that can be an extra $7.95, $13.95, or $19.95 per month depending on how many preventative benefits and coverage limits you need. For even more coverage, Prudent Pet sells an add-on for veterinary exam and consultation fees.
2. Best Coverage Limit: Healthy Paws
For the best unlimited coverage limit, we recommend Healthy Paws, which scored a 93.5 out of 100 for its overall coverage, cost, and customer service. Unlike other pet insurance companies, Healthy Paws’ plan comes with no annual, lifetime, or per-incident coverage limits, so pet owners don’t have to worry about maxing out their coverage during a covered event. If you want more plan customizability, consider another provider since Healthy Paws offers only two annual deductible choices and reimbursement rates. To get a free quote from Healthy Paws, fill out this form to get started. If your quote is too high, Healthy Paws will recommend you to other pet insurance companies with lower plan costs.
Pros and Cons of Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Healthy Paws: ✔ Has a fast claims process✔ Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee✔ Provides multiple ways to contact customer service ✘ Has a 15-day waiting period for both accidents and illnesses✘ Offers only two deductible options
Healthy Paws Plans and Coverage
Healthy Paws offers only one plan for accidents and illnesses and covers hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, chronic conditions, cancer, and injuries, as well as necessary procedures or vet visits, including diagnostic treatments, X-rays, ultrasounds, surgery, hospitalization, medications, emergency care, specialty care, and alternative treatments. This plan doesn’t cover any pre-existing conditions that arise before the policy’s effective start date or during the 15-day waiting period. It also doesn’t cover spay or neuter procedures, exam fees, vet visit fees, or any preventative care.
3. Best Deductibles: Embrace
Tied with Healthy Paws, Embrace scored a 93.5 out of 100 and impressed us with its five deductible options and Healthy Pet Deductible benefit, which credits each pet parent with $50 toward their policy’s deductible each year they don’t file a claim. We recommend this company to anyone looking for lower coverage prices and routine pet care, but Embrace’s policies might not be for Massachusetts pet owners looking for higher coverage limits, since the company’s coverage options max out at $30,000. Learn more about the Healthy Pet Deductible benefit that comes free with all policies and see what prices Embrace offers you by visiting the company’s website and getting a free quote.
Pros and Cons of Embrace Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Embrace: ✔ Has a two-day waiting period for accidents✔ Includes coverage for exam fees✔ Offers a free medical history review ✘ Has limited customer service availability✘ Its wellness add-on is more expensive than competitors’ wellness add-ons
Embrace Plans and Coverage
Embrace’s Accident and Illness Plan covers exam fees, genetic conditions, medications, dental trauma, congenital conditions, allergy testing, physical therapy, acupuncture, cancer treatments, emergency care, specialists, and other vet bills or costs related to accidents and illnesses. It doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions and requires an examination by a licensed vet 12 months prior to the effective policy start date or during the 14-day illness waiting period. Embrace also offers a Wellness Rewards for Routine Care add-on and provides $250, $450, or $650 per year for preventive and routine care, such as microchipping, annual vet visits, teeth cleaning, prescription diet foods, and spay or neuter surgery.
4. Best Holistic Coverage: Petplan
Petplan scored a 91.5 out of 100, performing well in our review for its impressive holistic coverage included in each policy. It covers therapies and treatments that may be recommended by your pet’s vet to treat a related condition. These holistic therapies, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, hydrotherapy, homeotherapy, and stem cell therapy, are often excluded or limited by other providers. Visit Petplan’s website to use its online quote tool and get pricing estimates based on your location and pet’s details.
Pros and Cons of Petplan Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Petplan: ✔ Covers behavioral therapies up to $1,000 per year✔ Pays for advertising and reward money related to your lost dog or cat✔ Offers an unlimited annual coverage limit option ✘ Requires pets to get annual checkup exams to be eligible for coverage✘ Doesn’t offer preventative or wellness care plan options
Petplan Plans and Coverage
Petplan has one accident and illness plan that covers broken bones, dental injuries, general illnesses, chronic conditions, and hereditary conditions. It reimburses policyholders for treatments, procedures, and vet visits, including behavioral therapies, diagnostic tests, cancer treatments, specialist treatments, rehabilitation, and prescription medications. It also covers boarding fees when you’re hospitalized for more than four days, advertising and reward fees related to a lost pet, and vacation cancellation fees related to your pet’s covered condition. It doesn’t cover any of your pet’s pre-existing conditions that arise before or during the 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses, nor does it cover any preventative care costs.
5. Most Customizable Plans: Spot
Spot is a great pet insurance company in Massachusetts for pet owners looking for flexible premiums. Customers can choose between six annual limits, five deductibles, and three reimbursement rates to help decrease their monthly premium. For the cheapest coverage options, combine the lowest annual limit and reimbursement rate with the highest annual deductible. For this customizability, Spot earned a 91 out of 100 and lost points for its limited customer service hours and limited preventative care coverage. See how cheap your premium with Spot could be by entering your information into this online quote tool.
Pros and Cons of Spot Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Spot: ✔ Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee✔ Doesn’t limit coverage for older pets✔ Covers microchip implantation ✘ Doesn’t cover dogs or cats under eight weeks old✘ Has a 14-day waiting period for accidents
Spot Plans and Coverage
Spot offers a cheap Accident-Only Plan that covers injuries, swallowed objects, or toxic ingestions. It also offers an Accident and Illness Plan for more complete coverage, including protection for illnesses, dental diseases, behavioral issues, hip dysplasia, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory infections. Neither plan covers pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures, or breeding costs. Spot also offers two add-ons: the Gold Preventative Care Plan and the Platinum Preventative Care Plan. These can be added during checkout for a flat rate of $9.95 or $24.95 per month. The Gold Preventative Care Plan covers seven items, such as wellness exams and fecal tests, for a total annual benefit of $250, while the Platinum Preventative Care Plan extends coverage to 12 items for $450 of coverage per year.
6. Best Digital Clinic: Pawp
Although not technically considered a pet insurance company, Pawp offers a $3,000 emergency fund for vet bills and a unique digital clinic for 24/7 access to live vet chats and video calls. We gave Pawp a score of 90 out of 100 and recommend a Pawp membership to pet owners who want to pay a low flat rate per month for emergency coverage with no deductibles or copays. It’s an especially good fit for pet owners with riskier dog breeds, such as golden retrievers or poodles, since policies for those dogs from other companies tend to be more expensive. Sign up for a Pawp membership on the company’s website to receive instant access to expert vet advice.
Pros and Cons of Pawp Pet Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Pawp: ✔ Charges a low flat rate for membership✔ Covers up to six pets under one policy✔ Includes vet-backed resources and articles on its website ✘ Covers only one emergency vet bill per year✘ Doesn’t allow for plan customization
Pawp Plans and Coverage
A Pawp membership comes with a $3,000 emergency fund to go towards one vet bill per year during a qualifying accident or illness. To access this fund, pet owners must call or chat with a Pawp vet within four hours of an incident, so the vet can verify your pet’s eligibility. Once confirmed, the payment will go straight to your vet, so you won’t have to worry about deductibles, copays, or reimbursements. Note: This fund doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, scheduled procedures, preventative care, wellness exams, or anything that isn’t considered a qualifying emergency by a Pawp vet.
Pawp Sample Monthly Pricing
Pawp charges a flat rate of $19 per month for both dogs and cats, regardless of breed or location. This makes it one of the cheapest options for pet owners in Massachusetts with expensive pet breeds.
7. Best for New Pet Owners: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance scored an 89 out of 100 in our review of the top pet insurance providers. It features a local vet finder tool on its website and mobile app, a breadth of articles and resources about various animal breeds and their common health conditions, and a useful pet insurance comparison tool. Get a free quote from ASPCA Pet Health Insurance by visiting the provider’s website.
Pros and Cons of ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of ASPCA Pet Health: ✔ Doesn’t require records from your pet’s recent medical exams for coverage✔ Covers microchipping and exam fees in standard policies✔ Offers an accident-only plan for low-cost coverage on emergencies related to accidents ✘ Has a 14-day waiting period for accidents, which is longer than some competitors✘ Limits annual coverage cap options at $10,000
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Plans and Coverage
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers the Accident-Only Plan for pet parents who want affordable coverage for injuries and emergencies related to accidents like broken bones and bite wounds. Its Complete Coverage Plan covers those emergencies plus treatments and procedures related to illnesses, such as cancer, hereditary conditions, hip dysplasia, congenital conditions, hypothyroidism, and more. It doesn’t cover any pre-existing conditions that arise before the end of the 14-day waiting period. For preventative care options, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers the Basic Plan for a flat rate of $9.95 per month for $250 of annual coverage on your pet’s routine care, including a wellness exam, fecal test, and two vaccines. The Prime Plan costs $24.95 per month for $450 of the same covered items plus spay and neutering, flea prevention, a blood test, and a few more items.
How Much Is Pet Insurance in Massachusetts?
Based on the sample quotes we received during our research, the average cost for pet insurance in Massachusetts with standard accident and illness coverage is around $30–$60 per month for dogs and $15–$30 per month for cats. However, these prices can vary based on several factors that go into each premium. Here are some factors that may increase or decrease your quoted monthly premiums:
Age: Older pets typically cost more to insure than younger pets since they’re more prone to experiencing medical issues. Insuring your pet at an early age can help keep premiums low when renewing the policy terms year after year. Breed: Some dog or cat breeds that are more prone to illnesses can be much more expensive to insure than other breeds. For example, golden retrievers are more expensive to insure than Yorkshire terriers or mixed breeds. Location: Your ZIP code can affect the pricing of your pet insurance premium. We always recommend getting a few quotes from providers in your area to compare prices based on your exact location within the state. Customization: Many companies offer flexible customization options so that you only pay for what you need. You can lower your premium by selecting lower annual coverage limits, lower reimbursement rates, and higher deductibles. However, this can cost you more money in the long run through higher out-of-pocket costs during a claim. Discounts: Many providers, such as Pumpkin and Embrace, offer a discount for each additional pet you add to your policy. If you need coverage for multiple pets, we recommend considering those providers.
Is it worth it to get pet insurance in Massachusetts?
We recommend purchasing a Massachusetts pet insurance policy to ensure that your pet receives the necessary medical attention or treatments when necessary and prevent you from spending excessive out-of-pocket costs on vet bills.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance covers vet bills related to a variety of accidents and illnesses that may occur unexpectedly. Common incidents can include broken bones, injuries, bite wounds, hereditary conditions, cancer, digestive illnesses, dental trauma, chronic conditions, diabetes, and more. Many pet insurance providers also offer a wellness care add-on to help keep your pet healthy, covering preventative care, such as vaccinations and annual vet visits. No pet insurance providers cover pre-existing conditions, so you can’t purchase coverage for an incident that has just occurred. Policies are strictly for future accidents or illnesses after the dedicated waiting periods and the policy’s effective start date.
What is the best pet insurance for dogs?
We recommend Prudent Pet for dogs in Massachusetts since it offers the impressive Ultimate Plan with no annual limits and unique coverage for lost pet advertising and vacation cancellation fees. For affordable pet insurance for dogs, consider signing up for a policy with Healthy Paws.
Our Conclusion
Pet insurance policies can keep your dog or cat protected from unexpected accidents or illnesses by helping you pay for any treatments or procedures they might need. If you’re looking for this peace of mind, there are plenty of pet insurance companies in Massachusetts to protect your pet. Whether you decide on Prudent Pet for its comprehensive Ultimate Plan or Embrace for its Healthy Pet Deductible benefit, we recommend getting quotes from a few different providers to compare pricing and find a plan that’s right for you and your pet. *Based on sample quotes for a mixed four-year-old dog in Oxford, Massachusetts **Based on scores pulled from each company’s BBB profile as of April 26, 2021
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews team is dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:
Coverage (25) Plan options (20) Monthly cost (20) Company reputation (15) Customer service (10) Species eligibility (10)
Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
