AKC Pet Insurance Review: Is It Worth It for Your Pet?
AKC stands out for its pre-existing condition coverage and high level of customization for accident and illness plans.
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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Reviewed byJohn Leach
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John LeachLicensed Insurance Agent
John Leach is a licensed insurance agent who reviews and fact-checks articles for Compare.com. John has several years of experience reviewing and editing various insurance topics, and he also holds a valid personal lines producer license from the California Department of Insurance (NPN #20461358).
He’s also an alumnus of the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in linguistics.
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In This Article
AKC Pet Insurance offers an accident and illness policy, accident-only coverage, and multiple add-ons to help pet parents customize their policies. Optional coverages include reimbursement for exam fees, hereditary and congenital conditions, breeding-related issues, and even end-of-life expenses.
It also offers two wellness packages that pay for routine care like vaccines, annual checkups, and more.
But AKC’s most standout offering is its coverage for pre-existing conditions. Pets that’ve had an AKC policy for 365 days may be eligible to have both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions covered.
Here’s what to know about AKC pet insurance to help you decide if it’s the right option for your pet and your budget.
Our Take on AKC
AKC stands out for its pre-existing condition coverage, but you must have continuous coverage with the insurer for 365 days to get it. While some insurers will cover curable pre-existing conditions following a lengthy waiting period, AKC says it’s the only one that covers incurable conditions as well.
The accident and illness policy is highly customizable, with several add-on options. That said, some of the coverages AKC treats as optional — like hereditary conditions or behavioral treatment — are ones some other insurers include in their base accident and illness plans.
Still, we like the high level of customizability for AKC’s accident and illness plans, including two levels of wellness add-ons.
But if you’re insuring a senior pet, it may not be the best option for you. Some other insurers allow enrollment of senior pets in their comprehensive plans.
AKC
Pros
Optional hereditary, congenital, and chronic illnesses coverage
Pre-existing conditions coverage after a year
Discount for insuring multiple pets
Cons
No illness coverage available for senior pets
Limits coverage for repeat illnesses and injuries
Below average claims satisfaction
AKC Pet Insurance offers a basic accident and illness plan for pets younger than 9 years old. You can customize the policy by choosing a deductible, co-insurance amount, and coverage limits.
Pets age 9 and older can get an AKC accident-only plan. And you can add wellness coverage to either plan.
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What Pet Insurance Policies Does AKC Offer?
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AKC Pet Insurance offers accident and illness coverage for both dogs and cats, with customizable options to fit your pet’s needs.
The core plan, CompanionCare, covers vet expenses for accidents and unexpected illnesses, including diagnostics, surgery, hospital stays, and prescription medications. You can visit any licensed vet in the U.S. or Canada. And all breeds are eligible for the same coverage; AKC has no breed-specific exclusions.
You can customize your plan’s deductibles, reimbursement rates, and annual limits to best fit your needs and budget. These include:
Deductibles: $100 to $1,000
Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, and 90%
Annual limits: from $2,500 to $10,000
A scaled-down version of CompanionCare offers a fixed deductible of $100, 80% reimbursement, a $500 per-incident limit, and no annual limit.
You can further customize your plan with several add-ons:
Hereditary condition coverage: Helps cover inherited and congenital conditions, like hip dysplasia, diabetes, and luxating patella, after 30 days of continuous coverage. This add-on is only available for pets younger than 2.
Exam and office visit coverage: Pays for vet exam fees — even when your pet doesn’t need diagnostics or treatment — at primary, emergency, or specialty clinics.
Wellness coverage (Defender and DefenderPlus): Reimburses you for routine care like vaccinations, wellness exams, microchipping, and flea and tick prevention. DefenderPlus adds coverage for spay/neuter procedures and dental cleanings.
Breeding coverage: Covers accidents, illnesses, and complications related to breeding, pregnancy, whelping, or nursing. It doesn’t apply to elective or planned procedures.
Behavioral and holistic care: Optional add-ons can help cover therapies for behavioral issues and alternative treatments.
AKC also offers an accident-only plan with a single option for deductible and reimbursement rate, as well as no annual limit on payouts. If your pet is 9 or older, it’ll only be eligible for the accident-only plan.
What AKC Pet Insurance Covers
The standard accident and illness plan covers most injuries and diseases, including diagnostics, surgery, hospitalization, and prescriptions. If you add the hereditary conditions option, you’ll also get coverage for congenital issues. Breed doesn’t affect eligibility or benefits.
AKC Pet Insurance may cover your pet’s pre-existing conditions, both curable and incurable, after you’ve had 365 days of continuous coverage with them. But this coverage isn’t available in Florida or Washington.
What AKC Pet Insurance doesn’t cover
The base plan excludes elective and cosmetic procedures (like dew claw removal or tail docking), grooming, boarding, and most dental care. It also won’t pay exam fees.
The plan limits dental coverage to the extraction of broken adult teeth following an accident.
You may be able to get some of these issues covered with add-ons. But keep in mind that not every optional coverage is available in every state. And other limits may apply.
Check out the table below to see an overview of what AKC does and doesn’t cover.
Common Accident or Illness  | Covered? | Waiting Period |
|---|---|---|
| Broken bone (accident) | Yes | 3 days |
| Ingested foreign object | Yes | 3 days |
| Cancer | Yes | 14 days |
| Hip dysplasia (hereditary) | Yes (with add-on) | 30 days (waiting period to add optional coverage) |
| Cruciate ligament injury | Yes | 180 days |
| Dental cleaning (routine) | Yes (DefenderPlus) | None (with add-on) |
| Preventive gastropexy | No | Not applicable |
| Vaccinations | Yes (with add-on) | None (with add-on) |
| Pre-existing condition (curable/incurable) | Yes (after 365 days, not in FL/WA) | 365 days |
| Prescription food | No (unless it’s the sole treatment for a covered condition) | Not applicable |
| Pregnancy/whelping complications | Yes (with add-on) | 30 days |
| Routine wellness exam | Yes (with add-on) | None (with add-on) |
| Parasite treatments | No | Not applicable |
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Compare.com's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
All coverage details, waiting periods, and add-on options are from the AKC Pet Insurance website. Coverage and waiting periods may vary by state, so review your policy documents for complete details.
How Does AKC Pet Insurance Work?
AKC Pet Insurance uses a reimbursement model, which means you’ll pay your vet up front and then submit a claim to get money back for covered expenses. After your pet’s appointment, just ask your vet for an itemized invoice, fill out a claim form, and upload both online. You can choose to receive your reimbursement by check or direct deposit.
AKC policies have deductibles and annual limits that affect how much you get reimbursed in a year for covered conditions.
Here’s a quick example of how it works:
Let’s say your dog breaks its leg and your vet bill is $5,000. If you’ve chosen a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement rate, and a $5,000 annual limit, here’s what happens:
You pay the $5,000 bill out of pocket.
You submit your claim and documents to AKC Pet Insurance.
The insurer subtracts your deductible: $5,000 – $500 = $4,500.
Then it applies your reimbursement rate: $4,500 × 80% = $3,600 back to you.
As long as you haven’t hit your annual payout limit, you’ll get reimbursed for the $3,600. If you’ve already met your annual limit, you’ll pay out of pocket for any additional care until your policy renews.
AKC reimbursement rates
When you sign up, you’ll choose how much you want AKC to reimburse you for each eligible claim. You can pick from 70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursement rates on accident and illness plans. The accident-only plan comes with a fixed 90% rate.
Choosing a lower reimbursement rate can reduce your monthly premium. But you’ll pay more out of pocket when you file a claim.
Deductibles
Your deductible is the amount you need to pay each year before reimbursement kicks in. Once you hit that number, AKC will cover a percentage of your vet bills (based on your selected plan) until you hit your annual coverage limit.
AKC lets you customize your annual deductible, with options ranging from $100 to $1,000 on accident and illness plans. Your deductible resets every year.
The accident-only plan has a fixed $100 deductible, and AKC’s Defender and DefenderPlus wellness add-ons have no deductibles.
Annual limits
You can also adjust your annual payout limit to match your budget and coverage needs. Options range from $2,500 to $20,000. Just keep in mind — the higher your annual limit, the higher your premium will be.
Some plans may also come with per-incident limits, which cap how much AKC will reimburse for a single injury or illness over your pet’s lifetime.
Waiting periods
A waiting period is a time frame, immediately after you start a policy, during which the insurer doesn’t cover conditions or incidents that it normally would.
AKC Pet Insurance has a 14-day waiting period for most illnesses and a three-day wait for accidents. Some conditions, like cruciate ligament injuries and IVDD, have a 180-day waiting period. And the waiting period for coverage of pre-existing conditions is 365 days.
But if you renew your policy without a gap, AKC waives the waiting periods.
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AKC vs. The Competition
While AKC Pet Insurance has a lot going for it, its coverage may not be the best option for every pet and pet parent. It’s a good idea to compare pet insurance companies and plans before choosing a policy for your best friend.
Here’s how AKC compares to some other top pet insurance companies.
ASPCA
Pros
10% discount for each additional pet
Covers alternative therapies like acupuncture
Includes coverage for hereditary and congenital issues
Cons
Won’t cover pre-existing conditions
No coverage for prescription food
Must call to get a quote for unlimited coverage
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers customizable plans that cover accidents, hereditary and congenital issues, other illnesses, and even some preventive care. You can choose your deductible, a reimbursement rate from 70% to 80%, coverage limits to fit your budget, and add-ons like preventive care.
ASPCA insurance also offers a 10% discount for each additional pet. It has no upper age limits on enrollment, so it might be a better choice if you want to insure a senior pet.
Embrace
Pros
Numerous customization options
Covers dental illness and preventable conditions
Wellness plan includes discounts from popular pet care brands
Cons
High wellness plan costs
No coverage for prescription food
Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered
Embrace Pet Insurance offers a single, highly customizable pet health insurance plan that includes coverage for accidents, illnesses, dental issues, chronic conditions, preventable conditions, and more.
Optional add-on coverages include diagnostic exam fees, prescription drugs, and more. And you can add a wellness plan that covers routine care, including preventive dental cleaning.
Figo
Pros
No upper age limit for new policies
Multiple reimbursement and deductible options
24/7 virtual vet visits included
Cons
No coverage for pre-existing conditions
Many negative customer reviews about claims
No coverage for prescription food
If you’re looking for a customized pet insurance policy, Figo is worth considering. The insurer has no upper age limit for enrollment and offers reimbursement rates of 70%, 80%, and 90%. You can choose unlimited coverage, and deductibles range from $100 to $750. Add-ons include coverage for vet exam fees and wellness plans.
AKC Pet Insurance FAQs
As you consider whether AKC Pet Insurance is right for you, here are answers to some of the most common questions pet parents have about the insurer.
Does AKC pet insurance have age restrictions?
No, AKC has no maximum age limit for enrollment. But if your dog or cat is older than 9, only accident coverage is available.
Does AKC pet insurance have waiting periods?
Yes. Like most pet insurance companies, AKC has waiting periods before coverage kicks in. The waiting periods are two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, 180 days for cruciate ligament issues and IVDD, and 365 days for curable and incurable pre-existing conditions.
Do you have to visit a vet before you enroll in an AKC policy?
No. AKC Pet Insurance doesn’t require a pre-enrollment exam, so you can sign up without making an extra trip to the vet.
How long does AKC take to reimburse a claim?
From claims submission to reimbursement, AKC claims take about three business days if you’ve submitted all required documentation and the claim doesn’t need review. Claims with incomplete documentation or that require additional review can take up to 30 days.
Which states does AKC offer pet insurance in?
AKC Pet Insurance offers policies in all 50 states. But coverage details and requirements can vary based on where you live, so it’s a good idea to check your state’s rules on the AKC Pet Insurance website.
