Spot
Pet Insurance

Spot Pet Insurance plans help provide coverage for accidents and illness to both dogs and cats. The coverage allows policy holders to visit any vet in the US or Canada, and can provide up to 90% cashback on eligible bills for animal treatment or care.

Like most insurance policies, how much you pay will depend on where you live, and the age and breed of your pet. Pet parents can choose the amount of deductible, coverage limits and reimbursement percentage when they sign up with Spot Pet Insurance.

Are curable pre-existing conditions covered?

Pre-existing conditions refer to a condition, illness or injury that’s present before the date the insurance coverage begins, or during the waiting period.

Under a Spot plan, it doesn’t matter if the condition has been diagnosed by a vet — it’s classed as pre-existing if symptoms began before the insurance cover began.

This does not mean that a curable condition cannot be covered in the future. If 180 days pass without your dog or cat showing symptoms of the condition, and the pet has had no treatment during that time, it could be considered for coverage after that period depending on the condition.

Does Spot Pet Insurance cover cancer?

Cancer is a serious condition and, unfortunately, all too commonly seen in pets — and particularly in pets of a senior age. This can inevitably lead to expensive and long-lasting treatment for pets.

Spot policyholders will be glad to know that expenses related to several types of canine and feline cancer are eligible for coverage, including lymphoma, melanoma, hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma. Pets with a pre-existing cancer condition won’t be covered, however.

Costs for cancer treatments may include chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy related to the cancer and immunotherapy to boost the dog or cat’s immune system.

What about hereditary and genetic breed-specific conditions?

Spot Pet Insurance provides coverage for expenses incurred for the treatment of inherited conditions and birth defects that you aren’t aware of that may show up later in your pet’s life. Certain breeds of dog and cat are genetically predisposed to health conditions. It’s thought that purebred canines and felines are most affected, though mixed breeds can also have hereditary conditions.

Notable hereditary and genetic conditions include types of heart disease — such as Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM — eye disorders, hip dysplasia and intervertebral disc disease (IVDD).

Do Spot Pet Insurance plans include alternative therapies?

Alternative therapy, or complementary therapy, is a term that covers several different types of treatment that aren’t classed as conventional veterinary treatment. With a vet referral, or performed by a licensed vet, Spot plans may provide coverage for expenses related to alternative therapies for health conditions covered by a policy.

Alternative therapies typically include acupuncture, physiotherapy — which can be especially beneficial during rehabilitation from injuries — hydrotherapy, massage and laser treatment. Chiropractic care can help with muscular and skeletal issues in dogs and cats.

24/7 pet telehealth

Once you become a Spot policyholder, you will have access to a 24/7 helpline, called VetAccess. There is no waiting period for this service — users can access it as soon as their policy is live and they have received the portal login details.

The helpline provides access to veterinary experts who can answer questions regarding pet health and wellbeing, injuries or behavior issues, and offers advice on what steps to take. The service is available via phone or chat.

Are vet exam fees covered?

Not all pet insurers provide coverage for vet exam fees. Spot Pet Insurance can cover vet exam fees for all covered accidents or illnesses, so if your dog has been diagnosed with a cruciate ligament rupture, you can file a claim for the expenses involved in that consultation and diagnosis, as well as the treatment (providing the ligament issue isn’t a pre-existing condition). Exams fees at specialist and emergency clinics may also be covered.

Pet parents can also add on Preventative Care coverage, which will then help cover exam fees incurred during regular ‘check-up’ visits to the veterinarian. This is at an additional cost.

Spot Pet Insurance plan coverage levels

The level of coverage Spot Pet Insurance offer annual limit ranges from $2,500 to unlimited.

The annual deductible amount is listed on the declarations page and applies during each policy period. Deductible amounts vary from $100 to $1,000. The company then subtracts that deductible from covered expenses before the reimbursement percentage is applied, which you can choose to be between 70%-90%.

Spot Pet Insurance waiting periods

The company specifies that its waiting period is 14 days. This is the amount of time that has to pass after the date of taking out the insurance before policyholders can make a claim for their pet.

This means that valid claims for your pet can only be assessed after this 14-day period, otherwise it’s classed as a pre-existing condition. Waiting periods can vary by state, please review a sample policy in your state for full details.

What does Spot Pet Insurance not cover?

Like all major pet insurers, there are some health conditions and pet-related expenses that Spot Pet Insurance won’t cover. These exclusions will be listed in full in your policy documents, so check your policy carefully, but do include costs associated with: