Best Pet Insurance in Iowa (2022 Guide)

Whether you and your pup are strolling through Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines or hiking at McCloud Run Park in Cedar Rapids, an accident or illness could strike your pet at any time. A pet insurance policy ensures you can get your pet necessary treatment without worrying about a hefty vet bill.

We at the Home Media reviews team have tirelessly researched and compared the best pet insurance companies based on available coverage, price, customer services, customizations and more. Below, we rounded up the best pet insurance providers in Iowa for you and your furry friend.

Iowa’s Best 7 Pet Insurance Companies

Here are our top providers for pet insurance in Iowa:

Coverage: Lemonade tops our list as the provider with the most affordable plan. The provider offers one accident-and-illness policy that covers vet costs related to illnesses and injuries, including diagnostic tests, hospitalization, surgery, emergency care and prescription medications. It does not cover elective procedures, behavioral treatments, spay or neuter surgery, cosmetic procedures or preexisting conditions, including those that show up before the end of the waiting period (two days for accidents and 14 days with regard to illnesses).

Lemonade offers multiple add-ons to its base policy. The preventive care package is available at two levels, each covering wellness exams, up to three annual vaccines, a blood test, heartworm screening, and fecal or internal parasite tests. The more comprehensive of the 2 options adds flea and tick prevention and routine dental cleaning. Add-on packages are also available for dental illness, physical therapy, end-of-life services and vet visits regarding illness or injury diagnosis.

Average premium cost: To give you an idea of Lemonade’s pricing, we obtained average monthly premiums for 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with various reimbursement rates, annual deductibles plus coverage limits.

Dogs: $12–$29 per month

Cats: $11–$18 per month

Get a quote: Get a free pet insurance quote today by using Lemonade’s online tool .

To learn more: Lemonade Pet Insurance Review

Protection: Spot offers both an accident-only and accident-and-illness plan. The accident-only plan covers your pet’s injuries, broken bones, swallowed objects and toxic ingestions, and the accident-and-illness strategy also covers treatments intended for conditions such as cancer, diabetes, infections, hip dysplasia, heart disease and more.

Spot is our own pick for the provider with the most customizable plans. Pet owners can choose from seven coverage limits, five deductibles and three compensation levels. Spot also addresses exam fees and microchipping, which other providers do not usually include in their standard plans. In addition , Spot offers a preventive care add-on available at two levels, reimbursing up to $250 or $450 to get routine care services, such as rabies vaccinations, dental cleanings and wellness exams.

Average premium price: Below are average monthly premiums from Spot based on 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats within Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with different reimbursement rates, deductibles and coverage limits:

Dogs: $15–$117 per month

Cats: $9–$71 per month

Get a quote: Get a free, customized quote for your pet by visiting Spot’s website .

To find out more: Spot Dog Insurance Review

Insurance coverage: Trupanion provides pet parents with one accident-and-illness plan covering treatments such as diagnostic testing, hospitalization, surgery, prescription medications plus prosthetic devices related to a covered pet’s sickness or even injury.

Trupanion reimburses 90% of all vet bills and has no annual payout cap. You can also choose your own deductible between $0 and $1, 000, which is applied per incident rather than annually. A per-incident deductible means that instead of paying a deductible every year, you’ll only pay a new deductible when your vet diagnoses your pet with a new condition. For example , if your dog has diabetes and needs ongoing medication, you will only pay a deductible for that condition once.

Three add-ons are available for an additional monthly fee. The Recovery and Complementary Care package (RACC) covers alternative therapies, such as hydrotherapy, chiropractic treatment, rehabilitative therapy and behavior modification. For incidents outside the vet’s office, the Pet Owners Assistance package covers missing-pet advertising and reward costs, boarding fees if you are hospitalized, and third-party property damage your pet causes. Finally, the Breeding Rider covers ailments and injuries related to breeding, labor and delivery.

Regular premium price: We pulled sample quotes from Trupanion depending on 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, along with varying deductibles:

Canines: $36–$141 per month

Cats: $24–$86 per month

Get a quote: Get a free Trupanion insurance coverage quote for your faithful companion.

Coverage: Fetch by The Dodo offers one accident-and-illness policy that covers standard disease and injury treatments, such as surgery, diagnostics and hospitalization. Fetch also uniquely covers sick-visit exam fees, behavioral therapy, alternative therapies, and dental trauma and injury in its base plan.

When purchasing a policy, pet owners can adjust their monthly premiums by choosing from Fetch’s multiple annual coverage limit, deductible and reimbursement rate options. Fetch does not offer wellbeing or preventive care add-ons.

Average premium price: During the quote analysis, we found that Fetch’s premiums pertaining to older pets are higher than its competitors’, which is something to keep in mind if you are looking for coverage for a senior pet. Below are monthly premium averages from Fetch based on 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with different reimbursement rates, annual deductibles and protection limits:

Dogs: $32–$70 each month

Cats: $20–$40 per month

Obtain a quote: Check out Fetch’s free quote tool to “fetch” a free family pet insurance quote.

To learn more: Fetch by the Dodo Pet Insurance Review

Coverage: Embrace has one accident-and-illness plan covering veterinary care related to both illnesses plus injuries. Embrace also covers treatment for cancer, dental care illness, breed-specific conditions, orthopedic conditions, chronic conditions and much more.

Like all pet health insurance providers, Embrace does not cover preexisting conditions. However , Embrace will make an exception if it is a curable preexisting condition. For example , if a vet diagnosed your pet with a skin condition prior to enrollment, but it remains symptom- and treatment-free for one year, Embrace will cover the condition in the future.

Embrace offers a Wellness Reward plan at three refund levels: $250, $450 or $650. It covers program care procedures, such as health and fitness exams, vaccinations, flea, tick and heartworm prevention, grooming, microchipping and more.

Average premium price: Below are monthly premium averages from Embrace based on quotes for 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with varying deductibles, reimbursement levels and coverage limits:

Dogs: $18–$53

Cats: $11–$31

Note: Pets aged 15 years and older are only eligible for enrollment in Embrace’s accident-only policy.

Get a quote: Get a free insurance policy quote by filling out Embrace’s online form .

For more information: Embrace Family pet Insurance Review

Insurance: Healthy Paws offers one regular accident-and-illness policy. It addresses treatments and services meant for unexpected injuries or diseases, plus congenital, chronic and hereditary conditions. Additionally , Healthful Paws will cover holistic treatments — including chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, acupuncture plus hydrotherapy — in its standard plan.

Healthy Paws offers two reimbursement levels of 70% or 80% and two deductible options of $250 or $500. If you are enrolling a pet that is aged six years or older, your own deductible options increase and reimbursement rates decrease. There is no routine or wellness add-on with Healthy Paws.

Common premium price: Here are examples of monthly rates from Healthy Paws based on sample quotes designed for 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, using different reimbursement rates plus deductible options:

Dogs: $34–$45

Cats: $16–$21

Get a quote: Enter your pet’s information into Healthy Paws’ online form and get a free quote.

To learn more: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance coverage Review

Coverage: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance provides pet owners with an Accident-Only Coverage plan and a Complete Coverage plan. The particular accident-only plan only covers unexpected injuries such as bite wounds, toxic ingestions, broken bones and torn ligaments. ASPCA’s Complete Coverage plan is comparable to an accident-and-illness program and extends coverage to major and minor illnesses, such as cancer, arthritis and digestive problems; hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions; behavioral issues; alternative treatments; emergency care; microchipping and more.

Neither plan covers preexisting conditions, preventive care, cosmetic procedures or breeding expenses. Pet owners can purchase the Basic or Prime preventive care add-on, which covers up to $250 or even $450 annually in services such as dental cleanings, schedule wellness exams and vaccines.

Average premium price: We used ASPCA’s online quote tool to compile average pet insurance premiums based on 4-year-old, mixed-breed dogs and cats in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with varying deductibles and reimbursement levels:

Dogs: $24–$82

Cats: $14–$51

Get a quote: Visit ASPCA’s website to get a pet insurance plan quote today.

To learn more: ASPCA Pet Insurance policy Review

The Bottom Line: Which Is the Best Pet Insurance Company in Iowa?

An animal insurance policy can help when your dog becomes ill or injured. Before enrolling, decide which factors are most important to you — whether it’s price, insurance coverage options or wellness care. For budget-friendly, comprehensive insurance, consider a policy with Lemonade . Spot or ASPCA are good options to explore if you are looking for accident-only coverage.

As each Iowa pet insurance provider has notable features, we recommend researching and retrieving quotes from at least three companies to see which company offers the best price and coverage for your pet.

Compare Pet Insurance Providers in Iowa

Here is a quick comparison of the top pet insurance providers in Iowa based on average cost, waiting periods and discounts:

*Each provider’s monthly cost is based on accident-and-illness policy quotes we obtained for a 4-year-old, medium-size, mixed-breed dog in Cedar Rapid, Iowa.

Types of Pet Insurance Plans

Providers offer two main coverage types: accident-and-illness and accident-only. Dog insurance providers may also offer add ons for wellness or preventive care coverage. Here are a few more details about each type of plan:

Accident-and-illness: This policy is the most common and offers the most comprehensive coverage. Accident-and-illness policies cover treatments for your pet’s unforseen injuries plus illnesses, plus a range of problems such as cancer, diabetes, hip dysplasia, hereditary conditions and infections.

Accident-only: As the most basic plan available, an accident-only policy addresses treatment for your pet’s injuries resulting from unexpected accidents, like bite wounds, toxic ingestions, cuts and broken bones. It’s a more budget-friendly option than an accident-and-illness plan, but it doesn’t cover unforeseen illnesses or diseases.

Wellness Care: Many veterinary bills result from routine care vet visits, so you may want to opt for a provider that offers a wellness care add-on. For an added monthly fee, these plans cover services such as well being exams, vaccinations, flea plus tick prevention, and blood tests up to a certain yearly monetary amount.

Three components affect your month to month plan premium: annual protection limit, reimbursement rate and deductible.

The annual coverage limit is the total amount your insurance provider will pay out for claims in one 12 months. The higher the limit you choose, the higher your monthly high quality will be.

The reimbursement rate is the percentage your provider will cover for each claim. For example , if you have an 80% compensation rate and submit the $100 vet bill, your provider will reimburse you $80.

Finally, the deductible is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket before your supplier will begin reimbursing you. Most often, deductibles are annual, but they can also be per-condition or per-incident.

How To Choose the Right Pet Insurance Provider in Iowa

Before choosing a pet insurance provider for the furry family member, keep in mind the following factors:

Coverage caps: A lower coverage cap will save you money on your monthly premiums. However , if cost is not a concern, you may prefer an unlimited coverage option. There are providers that suit either financial need. Spot , Trupanion , Fetch and Healthy Feet all offer unlimited coverage, so pet owners will only ever pay their deductibles and copays.

Customization: While some companies have set reimbursement prices, coverage limits and deductibles, many offer pet owners the flexibility to customize these parts of their policies. These factors impact your monthly cost, so being able to adjust these numbers helps you create a premium that fits your budget.

Plan type: As mentioned earlier, the primary plan options are accident-and-illness and accident-only. For a budget-friendly, accident-only policy, you’ll want to focus your search on providers that offer that plan option, such as Spot or ASPCA .

The fine print: Every pet insurance provider and policy has unique features, exclusions, waiting periods and discounts. Before committing to a provider or plan, read the fine print. Many providers include a sample policy on their websites for potential customers to review, such as the sample policies on ASPCA’s website .

Frequently Asked Questions About Iowa Pet Insurance

Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pet Insurance Companies

Our review of pet insurance companies is based on in-depth industry research that includes reading hundreds of customer reviews, simulating the quote and purchasing process, 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 have scored each provider on a 100-point scale based on those elements.

Here are more details about each factor and how they’re weighted:

Monthly pricing (25 points): How much each company charges for its dog insurance plans is an important part of a customer’s decision. The best family pet insurance companies combine comprehensive coverage and plan options with affordable rates.

Plans (15 points): The top pet insurance companies offer accident and illness plans, accident-only plans and wellness or preventive care add-ons to give customers the option to choose a plan that’s best for their pet.

Covered treatments (15 points): With this factor, we scored companies based on the treatments and procedures they cover. Companies with a breadth of included treatments and unique coverages received more points than providers with more standard or general policies.

Customization options (10 points): Customizing your policy is a valuable way to ensure you only pay for what your pet needs. Providers with more annual-limit, deductible and reimbursement-rate choices earned the highest scores.

Customer care (10 points): We scored companies on their website accessibility plus overall usability, customer service availability, mobile apps (if any), money-back guarantees and veterinarian telehealth options, awarding points to the insurers with more customer experience offerings.

Industry reputation (10 points): To determine each company’s industry reputation, we reviewed up-to-date ratings and accreditation information from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and scored companies on their years of experience in the industry and their state availability.

Waiting periods (10 points): Companies along with shorter accident, illness plus orthopedic waiting periods between the sign-up and coverage start date scored higher than businesses with longer waiting intervals.

Eligible age (5 points): Some companies don’t offer policies for pets that are over a certain age. We deducted points from providers that have age limits for covered pets.

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. Additionally , we keep our research up to date and revisit our reviews on a regular basis.

Best Pet Insurance in Iowa (2022 Guide) – MarketWatch