AKC Pet Insurance Review

AKC is 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 cost savings, quality service and coverage depth matter to you.

AKC lands in the mid-range of our pet insurance study, finishing 13th for dogs (4.09 out of 5) and cats (3.73 out of 5) out of 18 companies overall.

• Coverage (12th for dogs, 11th for cats): AKC covers curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after a year of continuous coverage and having an optional breeding add-on. But limitations around hereditary conditions and enrollment eligibility pull its rank down to the middle tier.
• Affordability (10th for dogs, 11th for cats): AKC's pet insurance costs for both dogs and cats run well above the national averages, though you may still find savings depending on your pet's breed, age or location.
• Customer experience (18th for dogs and cats): AKC ranks last for customer experience. Its tools for buying, submitting claims and managing your policy are functional but don't compare against 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 generally works well for pets with pre-existing conditions and owners who want a short waiting period for accident coverage. It may not fit 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 period, AKC covers that condition after 365 days of continuous coverage, the only insurer to do so.
• People who want a short accident waiting period: AKC's accident waiting period is just two days, so you won't wait 14 to 15 days to get coverage for a high-energy pet, especially one that plays rough, chews through things or climbs furniture.
• Abyssinian and Caucasian Shepherd Dog owners: AKC isn't the cheapest option for Abyssinians and Caucasian Shepherd Dogs, but you can still save between 25% and 37% against the national breed averages.

• Pet owners who want the best customer service: AKC has service that's less efficient and less competitive for buying, submitting claims and managing policies than other companies. It's last for customer service.
• Owners looking for hereditary condition coverage in the base plan: AKC only covers hereditary and congenital conditions through an optional add-on, available only for pets under 2 in California and up to 8 in the rest of the states.
• Senior pet owners: If you're insuring a pet aged 9 or older with AKC, it's only eligible for the accident-only plan, locking you out of coverage for chronic and pre-existing conditions that need expensive treatment or long-term management.

Here's how AKC stacks up against other major pet insurance providers, to help you find the best option for your needs.

AKC is the only pet insurer covering both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous coverage, with no requirement that they be cured or symptom-free during the wait. If your German Shepherd puppy had hip dysplasia diagnosed before enrollment, AKC covers treatment for it after a year, while other providers won't.

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

AKC's pet insurance coverage sits in the middle tier, ranking 12th for dogs and 11th for cats out of 18 insurers.

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, similar to most competitors. But it only covers foreign body ingestion and toxin ingestion once in your pet's lifetime, which is a restriction for a pet with a strong chewing drive or indiscriminate eating habits.

Its two-day accident waiting period is short enough that high-energy or active pets can get covered without waiting 14 or 15 days.

Coverage for cruciate ligament conditions and IVDD starts after 180 days, though a physical exam from a licensed vet within seven days of the policy's effective date can waive it.

If IVDD developed before enrollment or during the waiting period, it's permanently considered pre-existing and won't be covered even after you meet the 365-day continuous coverage requirement, which may matter for high-risk breeds like Dachshunds, French Bulldogs and Corgis.

Here are details on 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 five optional add-ons that expand its base coverage: hereditary conditions, vet exam fees, preventive care, breeding and end-of-life expenses. It's among the few pet insurance companies that offer breeding coverage, which includes accidents, illnesses or complications during breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing. But these add-ons raise your premium, especially if you buy more than one, since you're paying for coverage that comes standard with other providers.

AKC's coverage add-ons are detailed below.

AKC's support is through phone, email, fax or mail, and it offers direct vet payment on a case-by-case basis rather than as a guaranteed feature. Claims must be filed within 180 days through the online portal, email, fax or mail.

Policy changes need underwriting approval, and canceling requires written notice, with a full refund if you do it within 30 days and haven't filed a claim.

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

AKC ranks 11th for cat insurance affordability, with an average rate 22% above the national cat insurance costs. It finishes 10th for dogs, with a rate 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.

With AKC, policyholders often rely more on customer support to navigate coverage questions, claims and policy changes, since the process itself isn't fast or streamlined.

AKC lands at the bottom for customer experience, with service that's dependable but rarely exceptional.

Here's where AKC's service performs best and where it falls short:

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