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Vermont is one of the highest-ranking states for pet ownership, with at least 70% of families owning a cat or dog. If you have a furry friend at home, pet insurance in Vermont can help you plan for veterinary emergencies — from broken bones and other accidents to unexpected pet illnesses.
We at the Guides Home Team have reviewed the top pet insurance providers and narrowed our picks to the best options in the Green Mountain State. Read on to see how the right policy can offer peace of mind when it comes to affording your pet’s healthcare.
Spot pet insurance provides highly customizable accident and illness coverage for your pet’s unexpected veterinary needs, including hospitalizations, X-rays, emergency care and related treatments. We gave it 4.45 out of 5 stars based on our provider review methodology. We like how Spot offers an unlimited annual benefit option, so your coverage won’t max out even if you submit multiple claims each year.
Based on quotes we gathered, a Spot accident and illness plan costs around $30 to $50 per month for dogs and $18 to $25 for cats in Vermont. But you can customize your annual coverage limit, deductible and reimbursement rate to best fit your budget.
Spot offers two preventive care packages for pet parents seeking routine wellness coverage.
The Gold Preventative Care package covers up to $250 per year for vaccines, parasite treatments like deworming, fecal tests, wellness exams, dental cleanings and more. The Platinum Preventative Care package covers up to $450 for routine care veterinary costs.
For more information, check out our Spot pet insurance review.
Embrace offers a straightforward pet health insurance policy to help cover unexpected veterinary bills related to accidents and illnesses. Embrace received 4.5 out of 5 stars based on our methodology due to its customizable coverage and Healthy Pet Deductible, a program that reduces your deductible by $50 for every year you go without filing a claim.
Embrace has an accident and illness plan with customizable rates so you can choose the amount of coverage that best suits your pet’s needs. Based on the quotes we gathered, an Embrace policy can cost between $24.43 to $146.89 per month for a dog and $14.36 to $86.34 for a cat. Your monthly price will depend on your location, coverage selections and your pet’s age and breed. Embrace doesn’t offer an unlimited annual benefit option, so your coverage is capped at $30,000 per year.
It does, however, offer an exclusive Healthy Pet Deductible program that rewards you for staying claims-free. The company will automatically lower your deductible by $50 every year you go without submitting a pet insurance claim.
Embrace also has a Wellness Rewards program to help you budget for your pet’s preventative and routine care needs. This flexible plan provides you $250, $450 or $650 each year to cover the cost of routine pet care.
For more information, check out our Embrace pet insurance review.
Healthy Paws provides an easy-to-understand pet insurance plan that covers pet accidents and illnesses with no annual or lifetime limits. So Healthy Paws will never cap your coverage, no matter how many claims you file. Unlike some other Vermont pet insurance, coverage includes alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, physical therapy and chiropractic care.
Healthy Paws’ prices are competitive since all plans have an unlimited payout. Based on our sample quotes, you’ll typically pay around $40 per month for dogs and $20 for cats.
You can customize your pet’s rates up until its fifth birthday but after that, Healthy Paws enforces set coverage limits — including restricted reimbursement rate options of 50% or 70%. But despite its limitations, the accident and illness plan covers a range of veterinary services.
Healthy Paws doesn’t offer any add-on packages for exam fees or wellness coverage, only health issues related to accidents or illnesses.
Check out our Healthy Paws pet insurance review for additional information.
On average, pet insurance costs $38 and $56 per month for an adult dog and between $20 and $30 per month for an adult cat. However, where you live in Vermont, the coverage your pet needs and your pet’s breed and age can impact how much you pay. Rates are typically higher for dog insurance, older or purebred pets, and furry family members in highly populated or high-income areas.
For example, we pulled sample quotes for a 1-year-old dog in two Vermont municipalities to show you how location can affect your monthly cost. Based on a policy with a $5,000 coverage limit, a $250 annual deductible and an 80% reimbursement rate, pet insurance could cost $66 in Burlington compared to $53 in Montpelier.
To further help you understand how pet insurance costs in Vermont vary by provider, we’ve compiled sample quotes for a 2-year-old goldendoodle and American curl cat in Brattleboro, Vt.
Note: The above pet insurance quotes are based on an accident and illness policy with a $500 deductible, a $10,000 annual coverage limit and an 80% reimbursement rate. Wellness costs reflect the most basic add-on available.
Pet insurance works by using a reimbursement system. So you will pay for your pet’s veterinary care at the time of service, then submit a claim to your pet insurance agency for reimbursement.
Human health insurance works through networks so you have to make sure your medical care provider accepts your insurance plan. You don’t have to worry about this with pet insurance — you can visit any licensed veterinarian to obtain the care your pet needs.
After you bring your pet to the vet, you will submit an itemized invoice and any related medical records to your pet insurance provider. This process is known as filing a claim, and you can typically do it through an online member portal or mobile app. You should be able to track your claim online after submission.
If approved, your provider will process the claim and issue reimbursement for covered services. For example, your plan may cover medication for an ear infection but not a treatment for congenital conditions. Your total reimbursement will also be based on your coverage limits, deductible and reimbursement rate.
When choosing pet insurance, you should consider how factors like coverage, cost and waiting periods can affect your plan. Comparing policies based on the following factors can help you decide if pet insurance is worth it for you and your furry friend.
First, you need to establish a price range you’d like to stay within for monthly or annual costs. Once you have an idea of your budget, you can look for providers that offer optimal coverage for that price.
Keep in mind that lower prices aren’t always worth the coverage you’ll receive. For example, if you pay a low monthly premium for a plan with a high deductible, low coverage limit and low reimbursement rate, you may end up paying more out of pocket in the long run. It’s also important to review your provider’s cancellation terms beforehand so you know what to expect if you end your policy.
In addition to cost, pet insurance should also meet your pet’s coverage needs. Each provider has its own set of exclusions that can impact your coverage. For example, if your pet is prone to hereditary conditions, you likely want a policy that includes related care and treatments. Or, while a routine care plan might make sense if you have a puppy with more initial wellness costs, you might not need the same coverage for an older pet.
Most providers have a waiting period at the beginning of your policy before your coverage begins. Pet insurance providers enforce waiting periods to ensure your pet doesn’t have any preexisting conditions.
Most pet insurance policies have waiting periods of 14 days for illnesses and two to 14 days for accidents. Waiting periods for orthopedic conditions like hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament events can range from six to 12 months.
Any incidents that occur during waiting periods will be considered preexisting conditions once your coverage starts, which your provider likely won’t cover going forward. If your pet is accident-prone or a breed at risk for orthopedic diseases, you’ll want to look for a pet insurance plan with shorter waiting periods.
Vermont’s pet laws vary by county so it’s important to check regulations based on your exact location. Animal laws hold pet owners to high standards and help keep pets safe. Here are a few notable guidelines for Vermont pet owners:
Pet insurance can alleviate financial stress by helping to cover emergency veterinary expenses. With insurance coverage, you can focus on getting the best care for your pet instead of worrying about breaking the bank.
Based on our in-depth review of pet insurance providers in Vermont, our top overall pick is Spot. With affordable monthly premiums, Spot offers an accident and illness plan that you can tailor to fit your family’s budget — including an unlimited annual coverage option. The company also has two preventative care add-ons for pet parents looking to offset routine care expenses like wellness exams and vaccinations.
While we recommend any of the companies on this list, you should get a free quote from at least three providers before purchasing a policy. With the right plan, you won’t have to choose between your finances and top-notch veterinary care for your pet. Plus, you’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re covered — from Stamford to Newport and everywhere in between.
Simply take your dog or cat to any licensed veterinarian and submit your invoice as a claim. Depending on your provider, you can submit your claim through a mobile app, online member center or through the mail. Once your provider approves the claim, it will reimburse you for the covered amount via direct deposit or check.
Pet insurance will likely not cover every expense you incur at the vet’s office. However, insurance typically covers care and treatments for accidents and illnesses that aren’t preexisting. Some policies also offer wellness and preventative care plans that add routine care procedures to your policy, like wellness exams and vaccines.
Yes. Pet insurance policies usually have waiting periods between your initial enrollment date and when your coverage officially starts. Most providers extend a waiting period of 14 days for accidents and illnesses.
While we recommend any of the providers on this list, the best pet insurance in Vermont ultimately depends on your pet’s needs and your budget. Our top overall choice for the Green Mountain State is Spot due to its affordable and customizable coverage. However, this guide does not offer an extensive list — you may find that other providers like Figo or Trupanion offer the best fit for your pet.
Our review of pet insurance companies is based on in-depth industry research that includes reading hundreds of customer reviews, scoping quote and purchasing processes by secret shopping, speaking to representatives on the phone to assess the customer service experience, and surveying 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage.
We scored each provider on a 100-point scale based on those elements. We then divided this final score by 20 to calculate an overall star rating out of 5.0 stars.
Here are more details about each factor and how it’s weighted:
We use our rating system to compare and contrast each company against key factors to help us determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.
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