AKC Pet Healthcare - Pet Insurance Company Profile

We’ve compiled an overview of the leading pet insurance companies to help you make an informed decision about the best pet insurance company for your pet.  The information was taken from each respective pet insurance company’s website and presented to assist you in comparing pet insurance coverage options.

Profiles of Pet Insurance Companies – AKC Pet Healthcare

AKC Pet Healthcare is located at

AKC Pet Healthcare Plan
PO Box 37940
Raleigh, NC 27627-7940

Background

The American Kennel Club (AKC) offers pet health insurance protection through its AKC Pet Healthcare Plans. Their policies are underwritten by Markel Insurance Company.  They offer complimentary 60-day-trial plans.  Through their pet insurance plans you can use your current veterinarian and AKC Pet Healthcare will not cancel an insurance policy because a pet is aging.

Dog and Cat Pet Insurance Plans

AKC offers a variety of plans for cats and dogs. The following sections discuss the coverage offerings of each plan.

Wellness Plus Coverage

This is AKC’s most complete plan, even offering spaying and neutering for your pet. Here’s a list of the coverage offered:

• Dogs and cats are covered up to $13,000 maximum per-policy limit, with a $5,000 limit per incident.
• You’re required to pay a $125 annual deductible, and 20 percent of all covered claims (co-insurance, which is the percentage that the insured pays after the insurance policy's deductible is exceeded).
• Coverage starts Day 1 for accidents, Day 31 for illnesses.
• Accident and illness benefits cover veterinary treatment and surgical procedures, prescription medications, diagnostic and laboratory tests, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, cancer coverage, hospitalization costs, boarding fees if owner is hospitalized, and specialist and emergency visits.
• Wellness benefits cover an annual physical exam, an annual dental cleaning, flea and tick control for 12 months, heartworm testing and prevention for 12 months, deworming and fecal exam, vaccinations and boosters, vaccine titers, and spay or neuter procedures.

Wellness Plan Coverage

The Wellness Plan is a very complete plan with slightly less coverage than the Wellness Plus plan. Here is a list of the coverage offered.

• Dogs and cats are covered up to $13,000 maximum per policy limit, with a $5,000 limit per incident.
• You’re required to pay a $125 annual deductible, and 20 percent of all covered claims (co-insurance).
• Coverage starts Day 1 for accidents,  and Day 31 for illnesses.
• Wellness benefits cover an annual physical exam, an annual dental cleaning, flea and tick control for 12 months, heartworm testing and prevention for 12 months, deworming and fecal exam, and vaccinations and boosters.
• Accident and illness benefits cover veterinary treatment and surgical procedures, prescription medications, diagnostic and laboratory tests, X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, cancer coverage, hospitalization, and specialists and emergency visits.

Essential Plus Coverage

Essential Plus offers double the coverage of the Essential plan. Here’s a list of the coverage offered:

• Dogs and cats are covered up to $11,000 maximum per policy limit, with a $3,000 limit per incident.
• You’re required to pay a $125 annual deductible, and 20 percent of all covered claims (co-insurance).
• Coverage starts Day 1 for accidents and Day 31 for illnesses.
• Accident and illness benefits cover veterinary treatment and surgical procedures, prescription medications, hospitalization, specialists and emergency visits, diagnostic and laboratory visits, X-Rays, CT scans, MRIs, and cancer coverage.

Essential Coverage

The Essential plan covers accidents and illnesses. Here is a list of the coverage offered.

• Dogs and cats are covered up to $11,000 maximum per policy limit, with a $1,500 limit per incident.
• You are required to pay a $125 annual deductible, and 10 percent of all covered claims (co-insurance).
• Accident and illness benefits cover veterinary treatment and surgical procedures, prescription medications, hospitalization, specialists and emergency visits, diagnostic and laboratory visits, X-Rays, CT scans, MRIs, and cancer coverage.
• Coverage starts Day 1 for accidents and Day 31 for illnesses.

Accident Plus Coverage

Here is a list of coverage the Accident Plus plan offers.

• Dogs and cats are covered up to $8,000 maximum per policy limit, with a $2,000 limit per incident.
• You’re required to pay a $75 annual deductible, and 10 percent of all covered claims (co-insurance).
• Accident and illness benefits cover veterinary treatment and surgical procedures, prescription medications, hospitalization, specialists and emergency visits, diagnostic and laboratory visits, X-Rays, CT scans, MRIs, and cancer coverage.
• Coverage starts on Day 1. Additional benefits include motor vehicle accidents and hit-by-car accidents, bone fractures, poison ingestion, foreign body ingestion surgery or endoscopy, lacerations and bite wounds, burns, insect bit and snake bite allergic reactions, accidental choking or drowning, and head trauma.

Dog and Cat Pet Insurance Rates

Rates are customized to the breed and age of your pet.  For comparison purposes, see these sample quotes of monthly premiums for plans covering a 2-year-old, 5-year-old, and 8-year-old female Golden Retriever as of June 2011. These include $75 deductibles for Accident Plus and $125 deductibles for Essential, Essential Plus, Wellness, and Wellness Plus. Included is the cost of 10 percent coinsurance for Accident Plus and Essential and 20 percent coinsurance for every other plan.

The next table has a sample quote of monthly premiums for plans covering a 2-year-old and 10-year-old female Persian cat as of June 2011.  These include $75 deductibles for Accident Plus and $125 deductibles for Essential, Essential Plus, Wellness, and Wellness Plus. There is 10 percent coinsurance for Accident Plus and Essential, and 20 percent coinsurance for every other plan.

Ten-year-old Persian cats aren’t eligible for Accident Plus, Essential, Essential Plus, or Wellness plans.