AKC Pet Insurance Review

AKC earns mid-range ratings in our pet insurance study, finishing in 13th place for dogs (4.09 out of 5) and cats (3.73 out of 5) out of 18 companies overall. It's the only option if your pet was diagnosed with an incurable condition before enrollment, otherwise you'll be better served by higher-ranked insurers if you value cost savings, quality service and coverage depth.

Below, I've summarized where AKC performs strongly and less competitively across our three core categories:

• Coverage (12th for dogs, 11th for cats): AKC is noteworthy for covering curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after a year of continuous coverage and offering an optional breeding add-on. However, its limitations around hereditary conditions and enrollment eligibility pulls down its rank to the middle tier.
• Affordability (10th for dogs, 11th for cats): AKC's pet insurance costs for both dogs and cats are well above the national averages, though you may still be able to get savings depending on your pet's particular breed, age or location.
• Customer experience (18th for dogs and cats): Ranking last for customer experience, AKC's service isn't particularly remarkable. The company provides functional tools for buying, submitting claims and managing your policy, but it lacks standout customer experience areas in comparison to higher-ranked competitors.

Our ratings represent a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and 7-year-old Ragdoll with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate, which may not align with your specific situation.

AKC is generally good for pets with pre-existing conditions and owners who want a short waiting period for accident coverage. It may not be the right fit for budget-conscious pet owners or those who prioritize a smooth customer experience.

• Owners whose pets have pre-existing conditions: If your pet started showing symptoms or was formally diagnosed with a condition before enrollment or during the waiting periods, AKC will cover that condition after 365 days of continuous coverage, the only insurer to do so.
• Those who want a short accident waiting period: AKC imposes a short waiting period of two days for accidents, so you won't have to wait for 14 to 15 days to have coverage in place for your high-energy pet, especially if it tends to play rough, chew through things or climb furniture.
• Abyssinian and Caucasian Shepherd Dog owners: While AKC isn't the cheapest option for Abyssinians and Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, pet owners can still get savings between 25% and 37% compared to the national breed averages.

• Pet owners who want the best customer service: AKC finishes last for customer experience due to service that isn't as efficient or highly competitive for buying, submitting claims and managing policies as other companies.
• Owners looking for hereditary condition coverage in the base plan: AKC only covers hereditary and congenital conditions through an optional add-on, which is only available for pets under 2 years in California and up to 8 years in the rest of the states.
• Senior pet owners: If you're insuring your pet aged 9 and above with AKC, it'll only be eligible for the company's accident-only plan, so you're locked out of coverage for chronic and pre-existing conditions that require expensive treatments or long-term management.

See how AKC stacks up against other major pet insurance providers to determine the best option for your particular needs.

AKC's pet insurance coverage belongs in the middle tier, ranking 12th for dogs and 11th for cats out of 18 insurers. Its the only pet insurer that covers both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous coverage, without requiring them to be cured or free of symptoms during the waiting period. If your German Shepherd puppy was diagnosed with hip dysplasia before enrollment, AKC will cover treatments for the condition after a year, while other providers won't.

However, AKC doesn't cover hereditary and congenital conditions in its standard plan unless you purchase an optional add-on. This matters because hereditary and congenital conditions are among the most common and expensive claims for purebred pets, so an owner of a Maine Coon who skips adding the coverage is effectively buying a policy that won't cover the conditions their cat is most likely to develop, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

AKC's base accident-and illness plan is serviceable but not noteworthy. It covers cancer treatments, allergies, hypothyroidism, digestive issues, UTIs, ACL illness, prescription medications, diagnostic imaging and surgeries, all of which is similar to most competitors. That said, it will only cover foreign body ingestion and toxin ingestion once during the lifetime of your pet, which can be a restriction for pets with a strong chewing drive or indiscriminate eating habits.

Its waiting period for accidents is short enough at two days, so high-energy pets and those with active lifestyle can be covered without having to wait for 14 or 15 days. Meanwhile, coverage for cruciate ligament conditions and Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD) starts after 180 days, but it can be waived with a physical examination conducted by a licensed vet within seven days of policy effective date. If IVDD developed before enrollment or during the waiting period, it'll be considered pre-existing permanently and won't be covered even after you meet the 365-day continuous coverage requirement, which may affect coverage for high-risk breeds like Dachshunds, French Bulldogs and Corgis.

The table below further breaks down AKC's coverage options and terms:

*Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Review your policy documents and contact your insurance provider to understand coverage terms, exclusions, limitations and waiting periods before enrollment.

AKC provides six optional add-ons that expand its base coverage to include hereditary conditions, vet exam fees, preventive care, breeding and end-of-life expenses. It's among the few pet insurance companies that offer optional coverage for breeding, which includes accidents, illnesses or complications that may occur during breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing. However, these add-ons increase your premium, especially if you purchase more than one, and you're paying for coverages that come standard with other pet insurance providers.

Learn more about AKC's coverage add-on below.

Before enrolling with AKC, it matters to know how to reach customer support, submit a claim, adjust your coverage and cancel your policy if needed for a smoother and better customer experience.

As a mid-priced company, AKC's pet insurance costs average $39 per month for cats and $67 per month for dogs. These rates are based on our standardized profiles for 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, each with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate standard plan.

AKC ranks 11th for cat insurance affordability, where its average rate is higher than the national cat insurance costs by 22%. Meanwhile, it finishes 10th for dogs, with an average rate that's 9% above the national dog insurance costs.

AKC offers two pet insurance discounts, allowing you to save up to 10% for insuring multiple pets or participating in the company's breeder programs.

AKC lands at the bottom for customer experience, with service that can be dependable but rarely stands out against the competition. Based on my team and I's evaluation, policyholders often rely more on customer support to navigate coverage questions, claims and policy changes due to a lack of fast, streamlined processes.

Below, I've summarized where AKC's service performs best and where it falls short for pet owners.

Find answers to common questions about AKC pet insurance coverage below.

To build our AKC rankings, my team and I analyzed more than 67,000 pet profiles across breeds, ages and states, collecting quotes, testing the buying and claims experience firsthand and reviewing policy documents line by line. Our national scores are based on a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, each with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate. This profile reflects the most common pet owner scenario but won't apply equally to every pet, so we encourage you to use the breed, state and age breakdowns in this review to find where AKC lands for your specific situation.

We applied the same framework to AKC as every other provider in our study. For a full breakdown of how we score each category, visit our methodology page.

Get back to the main review:

• Ratings
• Competition vs. AKC
• Coverage
• Affordability
• Customer Experience