About AKC Pet Insurance
Since 2003, AKC Pet Insurance has served as the exclusive pet insurance provider for the American Kennel Club through its incorporated name, PetPartners. AKC Pet Insurance provides affordable, comprehensive pet health insurance to dogs and cats of all ages and breeds in all 50 states. AKC’s customizable policy options allow you to create a plan that fits your individual needs and budget.
Overall Satisfaction Rating
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
Pros
- Full 30-day refund
- Multipet discount
- Customizable plans
Cons
- Only covers dogs and cats
Bottom Line
AKC Pet Insurance provides customizable coverage for dogs and cats with an easy application process and low prices. Offers a multipet discount and full refunds within 30 days for dissatisfied customers.
AKC Pet Insurance Reviews
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AKC has been very good to me. It was very easy to file claims and their customer service had gone just as I would expect it to. My dog had an ear infection and went through some problems with that. It could be better if AKC had a copay instead of filing the claims. But for the price that I’m paying, I hope to at least break even.
Hi Dan,
I’m glad that you’ve had good claims and customer service experiences and that we’ve been able to help you with your dog’s healthcare needs! Since veterinarians don’t accept insurance like in human health insurance, traditional co-pays don’t yet exist in pet insurance. If they ever do, we will definitely offer them! I hope your dog has recovered from her ear infection and is doing well. Please let us know if there is ever anything we can do for you. We are always happy to help!
Best, AKC Pet Insurance
AKC Pet Insurance have excellent people. I got my plan where I've purchased the dog from and when I initially called them, they were very professional on the phone. They also gave me a good price and I signed up with them. I have a puppy Boston Terrier and since the vet costs are so high nowadays, I thought it would be nice to have that. Also, when I had to put my other dog down because he had the cancer, it was very expensive. So, I figured I might protect myself against it for a while and see what happens. Having pet insurance is extremely valuable and AKC Pet Insurance has been very good. When I go to the vet, I send the bill to them and they pay me in less than three weeks.
Robert, thank you for this review! We are so happy to hear that you find your pet insurance to be extremely valuable!
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
I got my Wirehaired Pointing Griffon from a breeder from Rockland’s Kennel. The breeder already had the 30-day insurance and she told me I have the option to go with others, but she’s always kept this AKC Pet Insurance on her dogs. I just went with it so it worked out. After 30 days, I picked everything because I wanna make sure I have cover for everything. If anything goes wrong, I got insurance. It’s been helpful and we never had a problem. I was able to submit a few of my claims and 14 days, I had a check and I got my returns for whatever additional stuff I had to get back. The last time, I called AKC just to make sure there wasn’t anything I had to do to continue my renewal because my pet insurance had a year passed. I really like and recommend them.
I had a great experience with AKC and having one of their high end policies which covered a lot. However, I had to call them to cancel my policy as I'm semi-retired and I lost one of my sources of income. The gentleman from AKC was so nice and didn't make me feel guilty. He told me that I got a refund for the partial month that I had already pre-paid and to be sure and file any claims that I still had outstanding. During the time when I was with them, it was really easy to file a claim. I would just go online, get a form and fax it to them. AKC would respond quickly. I'd recommend them.
Virginia, thank you for your review! While we are sad to see you cancel your policy, we are so happy that you did not feel pressured. We understand that life happens and do not hold our customers to a yearly contract. Thank you for your recommendation!
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The paperwork at AKC is done efficiently. However, it's not what we think we ought to get back. When they changed from covering the cost at doing dental experiences to a flat rate 50 bucks, it affected us considerably because 50 bucks doesn't get very far in Hawaiian veterinarian processes. If they were paying the percentages like every other problem that dogs would get, it would be a reasonable acceptance. But flat rates for South Carolina and flat rates for Hawaii is a big difference. It's also a silly thing that I can't transfer existing conditions as they won't cover them.
We were provided the AKC pet insurance since we got the dog on the 27th. While AKC does not cover the vaccination, the vet did good work.
Nicole, thank you for taking the time to write this review! AKC Pet Insurance proudly offers two options for wellness coverage to help cover vaccinations and exams. Our plans are completely customizable, and adding the Defender or DefenderPlus endorsement to your policy will provide preventative care coverage. Please feel free to call our Customer Care Team should you feel you and your dog need this additional coverage!
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
We've had AKC for a couple of months and our experience with them has been fine. Their reps have been very helpful.
My first dog came with the trial version of the AKC pet insurance. Having pet insurance is totally valuable and AKC has always been very good with any of the claims I've had. I've never had anything denied that should have been accepted and was part of the plan. So they've always been honest. There's never been any questions on the billing or the claims either. They're also fast responders. The turnaround is usually about two weeks and AKC is very consistent.
I liked AKC's 30-day free start period. So, I signed up with them and I have them for three and a half months now. Having a pet insurance is super valuable and unfortunately, I've already had three claims for my puppy. But AKC's process was super simple and the people I've spoken to over the phone were very courteous. I talked to them about how to file a claim and they've been really helpful walking me through what to do. I sent them over an information then they didn't contact me again. They just sent me a check with a description of what they paid and how it all worked out. So my experience with them has been awesome.
Purchased the dog on 12/16. Enacted the 30 day insurance coverage in the Vet's office on 12/18. Was denied payment for visit because their system did not make us eligible for coverage until 12/20. Dog was sick and needed attention on 12/18 and we registered while at the VET's. Very sleazy company. Will discourage anyone from using or actually thinking they are getting any coverage.
J NL, thank you for your review. It is unfortunate that your claim was denied due to waiting periods. With our 30-Day Certificate of Insurance, accident coverage has a waiting period of 1 day and illness coverage has a waiting period of 5 days. We do our best to make our Terms and Conditions as clear as possible on our website to avoid any confusion or frustrations. Again, we are sorry if there was a misunderstanding about the waiting periods on your 30-Day Certificate. Please feel free to give us a call and ask for Jasmin or Adam if you have any more questions.
I've been showing dogs since I was a little kid and it's very valuable to have a pet insurance for them. I have rescues but I don't have pet insurance on them. I trust AKC and I have had their insurance for 3 years now. The only problem I've had was when my dog had an accident where she got knocked into the fence. I had to go to our vet who had somebody on call since it was an emergency and it was on a Sunday afternoon. However, that person isn't there anymore so the form wasn't signed and so I didn't get paid back for that one because AKC wouldn't accept it without signature. Other than that, the reps are very easy to get in contact with. Somebody always answers the phone and they normally handle situations well. The paperwork is all fine and either the vet mails it in for me or I do it. Then, they send the check for the part that is theirs.
We bought our dogs from the pet store and they came with the AKC 30-day free trial. I wanted to keep the pet insurance and stay with AKC. They're easy to deal with and really helpful. I made a claim with a couple of my pets, including the little guy, and everything worked out. The insurance was very valuable for the little one.
I am a policyholder of AKC Pet Insurance for about eight months and I find the insurance very valuable for my pets. When my dog ate something, I had to take him to the emergency vet and they kept her overnight. Then, I sent AKC the bill and all the paperwork and I got reimbursed. So far, I have had a good experience any time I've dealt with them.
When I got my dog registered, I received all the paperwork and I've been an AKC policy holder for 4 years now. I just had my first claim with them and that was not the best experience I had. We took my dog in because she had itch-like hot spots on her. The vet told me she thought it was allergy-related and put her on allergy medication. I submitted the claim but they didn’t pay for it. They told me that the secondary issue that the vet said was due to anxiety.
However, my dog is not on anxiety medication and I even questioned them, “If she's got anxiety, why is she on an allergy medication? Why isn’t she on an anxiety medication?” I guess that’s something I'm gonna take up with my vet but at the same time it’s ridiculous that the secondary cause of it could be anxiety and AKC is not paying for it. While the customer service has been great and the people I talked to were always very nice, I'm not happy. I paid $200 and some out of pocket. I've been paying out $56 for 4 years but when I actually have a claim, it doesn’t get paid. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
Hello Julie,
We are sorry your dog has been experiencing discomfort. It is unfortunate your claim has been denied due to a secondary condition. With your current policy plan, anxiety is not eligible for coverage. Any secondary complications resulting from this condition are ineligible for coverage as well. Our claims adjusters work closely with your veterinarian to identify the underlying causes of your pet’s medical conditions. Upon your policy renewal, behavioral conditions and alternative therapies will be included in your base plan. If you have questions or would like to discuss your situation in more detail, please give the Customer Care Team a call and ask for Adam or Jasmin.
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
My dog is very sweet, so I needed something for her and AKC Pet Insurance was recommended by AKC. I've been a policyholder for five years now and my most recent claim with them was perfect. I just went there with my card, filled out the paperwork and I was done. Having pet insurance is about the most valuable thing in the planet nowadays.
I upgraded to the more expensive AKC membership package in hopes that this insurance would cover us on our new puppy. To be clear, AKC Pet Insurance is not the same company as AKC, but they partner. Over that first month, after bringing home my 13-week old puppy from the breeder, we incurred hundreds of dollars in medical costs. Amy, the customer service rep at AKC Insurance, found a way to finagle out of every single penny and unless I hire an attorney to further take my time and money, the upgrade wasn't worth it. I suppose I could go back to AKC to tell them my story and ask for a partial refund. Basically, what you'll find is that during your first free 30 days or so, AKC Pet Insurance will claim that any charge within about the first 20 days falls within your "waiting period." There are different versions of how long that period is circulating online. Our rep took the version that favored her company.
For us, we discovered our puppy had parvo. Bam. Big bill within the first week of having insurance. Yes, the breeder gave back SOME of the money we spent on the puppy. AKC Pet Insurance got out of covering it all together. Still have a charge that "qualifies" after your wait period, just before your insurance is set to expire? Oh no. AKC Pet Insurance says there's a deductible to meet and a "no pre-existing" condition clause. In our case, after the parvo was over, the puppy later had a diarrhea issue which was considered a bacterial irritation. Totally unrelated to the parvo and well within the covered period.
When I called out Amy on her insisting that there was a pre-existing condition, (I am backed by my vets) she said, "Well, you'd only get about $60 back anyway." In the end, I've seen zero! Avoid this company. They are making money off your joy of owning a new, purebred puppy. When it counts, they are not there for you. That was my experience, at least. Thought I'd share to save the next person from extra expense. Hopefully, your first month of owning a puppy goes much better than mine did.
Hello Jean,
It is unfortunate that your claim was denied due to a waiting period. The first 30 days of free insurance you’re referring to is the 30-Day Certificate of Insurance, a benefit of your registration with the American Kennel Club. The 30-Day Certificate of Insurance has a 1-day waiting period for accidents and a 5-day waiting period for illnesses. The waiting periods for your policy are listed in the Terms and Conditions and we want all our customers to be aware of them and what it means if a condition starts during a waiting period. An accident or illness before the end of this waiting period will be pre-existing, as dictated by the Department of Insurance. If you have questions or would like to discuss your situation in more detail, please give the Customer Care Team a call and ask for Adam or Jasmin.
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
The eight-week Boston Terrier puppy that I got came with the paperwork to get her registered to AKC Pet Insurance. AKC Pet Insurance's people were very helpful and nice. However, before I got enrolled, my puppy broke her leg, which made her not covered. That meant I had to pay the cost out-of-pocket so I canceled within 30 days.
I got an insurance from AKC when my dog was a puppy, when AKC Pet Insurance offered the puppy thing. And then, when it came up I thought, "Well, I'll just add it onto my six-year old dog." The AKC name makes me feel comfortable. One of my friends had a dog that had to have ACL surgery and it was $4,000. When you look at the pet insurance, anything can happen, so I just thought it’s like a savings account so you don’t have to look at the dog and question whether or not you're gonna spend the money 'cause you got the insurance for it. The AKC Pet Insurance rep was amazingly helpful because I was very confused about what to get and what to do. She walked me through everything.
I have a working dog and she does tracking. She also runs a lot and does a lot of jumps. I wanted to make sure that I started her on something that would cover any injuries that were to happen. She is generally a healthy dog, although I wanted a security measure. When I registered her at AKC, I got the information for the pet insurance. I thought the rates were decent so I went with them. But my experience was really upsetting and that was the only time I submitted a claim.
It all started when I thought my working dog had allergies. She had medication for that and then, about four months after, she was getting that entropion at the beginning of August. I went ahead and did the surgery for her with expectations to be reimbursed by the insurance because what else am I paying it for? But my claim was declined - every last bit of it. It was a $1200, and they had another $400 in vet bills on top of that from regular exams. When I submitted my claim, I wasn’t sure how to do it because I saw on the form to submit that there was a flat fee for three different vet bills.
So, I waited until I had something that was worth it. I wasn’t gonna send in a claim for $40 right away. And I waited until I had a good sum of money added up there. And that way, it would be worth it to go through and take care of everything all at once instead of me submitting one and AKC reps having to contact the vet a month later. I was counting on getting $1600 reimbursed for unexpected medical bills but I didn't get them.
I don’t know if AKC Pet Insurance covers the preexisting condition because my working dog was diagnosed with eye allergies and it led into the entropion. It was something unexpected. At first, the medicine was working on her eyes and fixing the issue with the wateriness and the swelling. But her eyes were irritated on both sides, and they ended up clearing up one and not the other, and that’s when it was determined that she would need that surgery because there was a deeper issue than allergies.
I thought the policy was all fine and dandy and I thought highly of it and actually promoted it to people. I’m a dog trainer, so if people ask about my insurance, I let them know what I use. Obviously, I had yet to submit a claim at that point. For the 60 dollars a month that I'm paying for the insurance that didn't even cover anything, I’ve wasted it for something that didn’t help me out. I’ve actually had people tell me to call back and file a grievance because it wasn't fair. In the end, I’m more disappointed than anything. And I had decided to cancel my policy, which I had from April through November, and I've since been doing a bunch of research on other insurance plans. I have multiple working dogs and I wanna put them all on the same policy. But I wanna make sure that it’s something that’s gonna cover them when something does happen.
I have been an AKC Pet Insurance policyholder since 2015. They have a great reputation, especially for purebreds. The pet insurance is a great safety net to have for my dogs since they are a great investment, and having it is very valuable. It is no different than having insurance on your children.
Hi David,
Thanks for the review! We're so happy to provide the safety net for your dogs!
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I had a dog who has a major issue and I made the decision to put him down. But then, I prayed, and things came through, so I decided to get AKC insurance. However, I don’t know how to operate it and it cost me 1,200 bucks at the hospital. Also, their reps are all telling me that my dog was going through this test before they can say that that the problem wasn't what they thought it was. The doctors were supposed to sign the paperwork with the findings but then they're saying they can't verify it. Instead, the doctor asked to do a little more testing. Meanwhile the dog's fine and the doctors and AKC are just passing the buck. I'm probably going to cancel this insurance because it's just a scam. I'm not too happy with this company.
My sister is involved in dog agility and showing dogs and she encouraged me to purchase insurance from AKC. Usually, things happen in the first year or two with the puppies, so it seemed like a good idea. The insurance seemed to work well over the years. My Golden had a shoulder surgery, but that wasn’t covered. But the Valley Fever and thyroid medicine were covered. So overall, the insurance covered a fair amount of extent.
I got my Golden 10 years ago and he passed away early in the year this summer. It just happened in the middle of the night. It was a ruptured spleen due to her cancer growth. However, there was no coverage for the emergency room visits or anything around the death of a dog, which I was not happy about. I thought something like that would be covered. Nevertheless, the pet insurance more than covered the yearly premium because pets have pretty much a lifelong Valley Fever and thyroid issue. There were a couple of trips because of the bad food, but on most of the vet visits, a certain percentage was covered. We still have coverage on our other dog, a three-year-old Cockapoo.
Hi Bob,
We're so sorry for the loss of your Golden. If you would like to discuss your claims in further detail please give us a call and ask for Adam or Jasmin.
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I learned about AKC Pet Insurance online when I registered my dog. I got all my papers from their company so I also went with them. I've been a policy holder for six months now. When I have a question, they answer for me, so it is good. There was once when I had to take my dog to the vet and I had to pay cash. I then sent the papers to the company and they sent me a check.
Hello Idalia,
Thanks for the review! We look forward to being there for you and your pet for years to come!
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I'm on my second year as a policy holder of AKC Pet Insurance. We got a new puppy. I bought some pills for heartworm. I filed my app and they gave me my money real fast. The insurance is extremely valuable. It gives me good peace of mind.
I registered my dog with AKC and they had a 30-day free trial pet insurance, then I extended it because I plan to have insurance anyway. I had 2 claims with them and I didn’t have any problems with it. They paid for those claims. My only concern was that premium grows very fast as the dog ages. Other than that, I’m happy with my experience. I discontinued AKC only because my employer recently offered pet insurance in the company.
My husband and I adopted two new dogs, and we felt it best to make sure that these guys were insured. I’ve never had an issue per se, but the only thing that was disconcerting was that when I took them this year for a checkup and submitted the claims, a lot of the things were denied because there wasn’t a full year of time that had lapsed. It was based on scheduling and getting them in to see the vet, and I was disappointed in that. The policy goes from year to year and I need to be more mindful of that in the future. Still, I’ve already recommended friends of mine to look on AKC's website.
Hi Christine,
It sounds like you're referring to the wellness benefit called Defender or DefenderPlus. These benefits are an annual schedule of benefits that coincides with your policy year. This benefit does require a little bit of planning when it comes to scheduling your visits during your policy year. If you ever had questions about the coverage or your renewal dates just give the Customer Care Team a call and we'd be happy to help make that planning easier.
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
When I purchased our dog through Perfect Pup, the first month of AKC Pet Insurance was free with the package of the crate and items that I received from the Perfect Pup. I was busy with my dog as a puppy, so I just took the first month with AKC and then canceled it ‘cause my puppy was very healthy. However, my son had a very bad experience with a dog that had to have eye surgery. It was very unexpected, and he purchased insurance after that. He then told me I should get insurance for my dog, which I did. Not that there was anything wrong with the dog. My dog is four and a half years old now, but we decided that we should because unexpected things come up. My son had an excellent experience with AKC so we went with the same company.
It has been very good with AKC. The gentleman who I signed up with was very nice and explained everything thoroughly. I feel much better having a pet insurance. I've seen the cost of what things are and they can go really high. I haven't had to use the insurance, but I can see that if something should happen to my dog that I will need it because I wouldn’t be able to afford it.
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for taking the time to submit a review! We're glad to provide you some peace of mind.
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Care for my pet is important. I went with AKC due to the offer that I got through the membership that I have. We made a significant investment into the dog that we bought that we thought we would try AKC and see if it was valuable. I initially called about it and talked to somebody that helped me walk through the plan, and the rep seemed knowledgeable. Time will tell whether the AKC insurance pays for anything. Any insurance is a personal decision, but AKC Pet Insurance is worth looking into.
Hi David,
Thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. If you ever have any questions about your coverage do not hesitate to reach out to the Customer Care Team!
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People had been asking me if I had pet insurance and when I was at the vet a couple of times and was paying the invoice, the office manager asked me the same question and I said no. Then, I thought it was probably a good idea so I got AKC. I've been with them for six and a half years and it's been very valuable. For the first couple of years, they were quite frustrating but in the last couple of years, they had been great.
Hi Dawn,
Thank you for the review! We are always looking to make the customer experience better and we are glad to know you have seen an improvement! Please keep the feedback coming!
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Having a pet insurance is very valuable but I’ve seen a lot of people with pets with no insurance and they have got to lay out a lot of money. When I adopted my Bloodhound, it was AKC-registered. But AKC could send a booklet about all the benefits I get instead of emails or something a little clearer to understand what I have and what AKC Pet insurance is. Nevertheless, they cover sickness and injuries and it's always good to have.
Hello Michael,
Thank you for the feedback! The Customer Care Team is the best resource when it comes to your policy. If you ever have any questions about your coverage give us a call and ask for Jasmin or Adam.
Best,AKC Pet Insurance
AKC Pet Insurance Company Information
- Company Name:
- AKC Pet Insurance
- Company Type:
- Private
- Year Founded:
- 2003
- Formerly Named:
- AKC Pet Healthcare
- Address:
- 8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 350
- City:
- Raleigh
- State/Province:
- NC
- Postal Code:
- 27617
- Country:
- United States
- Fax:
- 919-859-8193
- Website:
- www.akcpetinsurance.com
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