Overview

AKC’s history goes all the way back to Great Britain in the 1980s. A businessman by the name of John Spurling bought Pet Protect, a small pet insurance agency, in 1984. He then developed it and even managed to negotiate a deal with the UK Kennel Club. With the Club’s official endorsement, the company thrived. In 2002, Spurling launched PetPartners in both the UK and the US.

The AKC Pet Insurance brand was created in 2003, the year PetPartners started providing its services to the American Kennel Club, which means that AKC’s insurance plans are administered by PetPartners. This story doesn’t end there, as The IHC Group, a highly reputable organization of insurance carriers, acquired PetPartners in 2017. All of this depicts a long and extremely successful track record that we like to see in the companies we review.

If you need more reasons to find AKC trustworthy, you’ll be happy to know about its A+ BBB rating and 4.6 score on Trustpilot. AKC is also a member of The North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), which claims to represent the best pet insurance providers in the USA and Canada.

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Coverage

What’s covered?

The base AKC health insurance plan covers accidents and illnesses which are:

• Hypothyroidism
• Allergies
• Toxin ingestion
• Digestive issues
• Cancer
• ACL injuries
• Broken bones
• IVDD (intervertebral disc disease)
• UTIs (urinary tract infections)

The diagnostic treatments included in your coverage are:

• X-ray and ultrasound
• Prescription medications
• Emergency care
• Laboratory tests
• Hospitalization
• Physical therapy
• CT scan and MRI
• Surgery

In some states, the plan encompasses alternative, holistic, and behavioral treatments too.

Extra coverage

AKC Pet Insurance’s coverage is comprehensive, but certain services need to be purchased separately:

• Exam and office visit coverage for primary care veterinarians, emergency hospitals, and specialty clinics
• Insurance for the costs concerning your pet’s passing
• Coverage for congenital and hereditary conditions
• Routine and preventive care

What’s Not Covered?

Pre-existing conditions are excluded from the AKC insurance coverage. Pre-existing conditions are things your pet showed signs of before starting the coverage – this includes waiting periods as well. For now, no pet insurance policy on the market covers them. Therefore, enrolling your pet as young as possible might be your best option.

Breeding-related expenses and elective or cosmetic procedures are also not covered by any of the AKC plans.

Is Your Pet Eligible?

If your dog is eight weeks of age or older and your cat is at least 10 weeks old, the AKC Pet Insurance CompanionPlus package and all of its add-ons are at your disposal, as is the injury-only CompanionSelect plan.

This plan is primarily intended for dogs and cats over the age of nine. Exam and office visits can be added to it. It’s not unusual for pet insurance companies to have a separate plan for older pets, as they tend to get sick more often and already have plenty of pre-existing conditions.

Policy Plans

To simplify, there are two main plans to choose from: the CompanionPlus and the CompanionSelect. The CompanionPlus is fully customizable, while CompanionSelect has preset limits and a single upgrade available.

The add-ons for the AKC registration packages are:

• ExamCare – exam fees coverage
• InheritedPlus – conditions such as heart disease, hip dysplasia, diabetes, and eye disorders
• DefenderPlus – includes dental cleanings or spaying/neutering, vaccinations, microchipping, deworming, and other precautionary expenses
• Defender – cheaper than the DefenderPlus add-on, but the annual reimbursements are slightly lower for certain items and dental cleanings or spaying/neutering is omitted
• SupportPlus – cremations

Policy Details

Below we have listed some policy details you should know before registering:

• AKC Pet Insurance is administered by PetPartners that is underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company and American Pet Insurance Company.
• Every new policy comes with a 30-day trial. You will receive full reimbursement if you aren’t satisfied with your coverage on the condition that you haven’t filed any claims during the 30 days.
• Your choice of upgrades is determined by your place of residence, not all of them are available in every state.
• The policy has to be canceled if your pet changes owners.
• An AKC pet insurance claim form can contain multiple vet visits.
• There’s a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and a two-day waiting period for accidents, except for cruciate ligament related conditions when the waiting period is extended to 180 days.
• During the 30-day Free Look, the waiting periods are one day for accidents and five days for illnesses.
• While traveling within the United States or Canada, your pet will be covered.
• You can cancel your policy at any time penalty-free.
• Policies can be adjusted mid-policy.
• There are no restrictions regarding your selection of veterinarians, as long as they are licensed and in the USA or Canada.
• AKC Pet Insurance reviews and processes claims within three to five days.

Pricing & Discounts

As per usual, the cost of your dog or cat insurance is determined by their breed and age, as well as your zip code.

Your monthly payments are also affected by the deductible you choose (the required amount you pay annually before your claims are reimbursed). You can choose one of the following amounts: $100, $250, $300, $400, $500, $600, $750 and $1000. Fight the urge to select the lowest number as your monthly fee will be lower with a higher deductible.

Coinsurance is the part of the expenses that you’re responsible for. You can pay 10%, 20%, or 30% of the covered costs.

The final AKC pet insurance cost customization concerns the annual limit ranging from $2,500 to unlimited. Residents of certain states will need to set their incident limit to $1,500, $2,000, $2,500, $3,000, $5,000, or $8,000.

The prices of the add-on packages are reasonable, the cheapest being only $2/month. However, these fees aren’t fixed and some of your abovementioned choices could cause them to go up or down.

Even with the $3/$4 monthly service fee, AKC falls among the most affordable pet insurance providers in the industry.

Discounts

AKC offers a 5% multi-pet discount for enrolling more than one pet. You will have to call AKC’s customer support to confirm the addition. Dog owners are entitled to two other discounts.

The first one is for puppies that were acquired from Breeder of Merit and Breed with H.E.A.R.T breeders. When enrolling, you have to type in AKCBOM (for Breeder of Merit) or AKCBWH (for Bred with H.E.A.R.T) to receive the 10% discount.

The second one is granted to dog owners with an AKC Canine Good Citizen Certification. To receive the certificate, you have to pass the AKC (American Kennel Club) dog test.

Customer Service

AKC Pet Insurance’s customer service can be contacted from Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET and on Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. ET by live chat or phone.

Policyholders have access to the 24/7 helpline via chat or phone, but the constant availability isn’t even the best part about it, it’s the licensed veterinary professionals that take your calls. Although they are unable to diagnose or prescribe treatments to your pet, they can advise you on your pet’s health, nutrition, training, and changes in behavior and tell you if a problem requires a vet visit or not.

Customer support is frequently mentioned in the AKC Pet Insurance reviews, and almost all of them commend both the regular and the helpline representatives for their fast and high-quality responses.

Summary

AKC Pet Insurance’s long history, budget-friendly plans, and excellent customer support paint a very flattering picture.