AKC Pet Insurance delivers superior pet insurance coverage for dogs and cats compared to Healthy Paws, ranking first nationally while Healthy Paws places sixth. Both providers offer comparable deductible ranges and reimbursement rates, but AKC stands out with shorter accident waiting periods of 2 days versus Healthy Paws' 5 days and greater coverage flexibility, allowing policy modifications within 30 days of enrollment.
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance
Updated: November 3, 2025
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance: Key Takeaways
AKC offers more affordable pet insurance rates, charging $31 monthly for middle-aged cats and $60 for dogs, while Healthy Paws charges $59 and $136 respectively.
AKC ranks third nationally in customer experience for both cats and dogs, scoring 3.2 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot, while fifth-ranked Healthy Paws maintains a slightly higher rating of 3.8 stars.
AKC leads in coverage rankings, placing first nationally compared to Healthy Paws at sixth place, with both providers offering accident coverage after waiting periods and various wellness add-ons.
Is Healthy Paws or AKC Pet Insurance Better?
Data filtered by:
Dog
| Affordability | AKC | 5 | 6 |
| Coverage | AKC | 1 | 6 |
| Customer Experience | AKC | 3 | 5 |
| Overall Score | AKC | 2 | 6 |
Healthy Paws and AKC Comparison by State
Healthy Paws is the best pet insurance company in 20 states for cats, while AKC leads in just Oklahoma for cat coverage. AKC ranks first for dogs in Arkansas, Indiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Washington.
Data filtered by:
Overall Score
Dog
| Alabama | AKC | 3 | 3 |
| Alaska | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Arizona | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Arkansas | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| California | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Colorado | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Connecticut | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Delaware | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Florida | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Georgia | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Hawaii | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Idaho | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Illinois | AKC | 3 | 3 |
| Indiana | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| Iowa | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Kansas | AKC | 3 | 3 |
| Kentucky | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Louisiana | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Maine | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Maryland | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Massachusetts | AKC | 3 | 3 |
| Michigan | AKC | 4 | 2 |
| Minnesota | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Mississippi | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Missouri | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Montana | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Nebraska | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Nevada | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| New Hampshire | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| New Jersey | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| New Mexico | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| New York | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| North Carolina | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| North Dakota | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| Ohio | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Oklahoma | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| Oregon | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Pennsylvania | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Rhode Island | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| South Carolina | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| South Dakota | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| Tennessee | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Texas | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Utah | AKC | 4 | 2 |
| Vermont | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Virginia | AKC | 4 | 2 |
| Washington | AKC | 1 | 5 |
| West Virginia | AKC | 2 | 4 |
| Wisconsin | AKC | 3 | 3 |
| Wyoming | AKC | 2 | 4 |
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Cost
AKC offers more affordable pet insurance than Healthy Paws across nearly all age groups for both cats and dogs. For middle-aged dogs, AKC costs $60 per month compared with Healthy Paws' $136. Middle-aged cats cost $31 monthly with AKC versus $59 with Healthy Paws.
Learn how much pet insurance costs across different age categories.
Data filtered by:
Select
| Kittens | AKC | $22 | 50% |
| Young Cats | AKC | $25 | 8% |
| Middle Aged Cats | AKC | $31 | 47% |
| Puppies | AKC | $37 | 24% |
| Young Dogs | Healthy Paws | $44 | 2% |
| Senior Cats | AKC | $51 | 19% |
| Middle Aged Dogs | AKC | $60 | 56% |
| Senior Dogs | AKC | $102 | 11% |
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Cost by State
AKC offers the cheapest pet insurance across most categories nationwide. AKC beats Healthy Paws for middle-aged dogs, middle-aged cats, and senior pets. Healthy Paws only leads in pricing for young dogs specifically.
Data filtered by:
Middle Aged Dogs
| Alabama | AKC | $44 | 56% |
| Alaska | AKC | $59 | 56% |
| Arizona | AKC | $73 | 56% |
| Arkansas | AKC | $40 | 56% |
| California | AKC | $76 | 56% |
| Colorado | AKC | $76 | 56% |
| Connecticut | AKC | $69 | 56% |
| Delaware | AKC | $60 | 56% |
| Florida | AKC | $68 | 56% |
| Georgia | AKC | $54 | 56% |
| Hawaii | AKC | $61 | 56% |
| Idaho | AKC | $60 | 56% |
| Illinois | AKC | $74 | 56% |
| Indiana | AKC | $54 | 56% |
| Iowa | AKC | $51 | 56% |
| Kansas | AKC | $55 | 56% |
| Kentucky | AKC | $48 | 56% |
| Louisiana | AKC | $48 | 56% |
| Maine | AKC | $73 | 56% |
| Maryland | AKC | $59 | 56% |
| Massachusetts | AKC | $78 | 56% |
| Michigan | AKC | $61 | 56% |
| Minnesota | AKC | $62 | 56% |
| Mississippi | AKC | $51 | 56% |
| Missouri | AKC | $47 | 56% |
| Montana | AKC | $50 | 56% |
| Nebraska | AKC | $54 | 56% |
| Nevada | AKC | $62 | 56% |
| New Hampshire | AKC | $70 | 56% |
| New Jersey | AKC | $68 | 56% |
| New Mexico | AKC | $53 | 56% |
| New York | AKC | $65 | 56% |
| North Carolina | AKC | $54 | 56% |
| North Dakota | AKC | $46 | 56% |
| Ohio | AKC | $55 | 56% |
| Oklahoma | AKC | $50 | 56% |
| Oregon | AKC | $75 | 56% |
| Pennsylvania | AKC | $63 | 56% |
| Rhode Island | AKC | $52 | 56% |
| South Carolina | AKC | $57 | 56% |
| South Dakota | AKC | $53 | 56% |
| Tennessee | AKC | $56 | 56% |
| Texas | AKC | $64 | 56% |
| Utah | AKC | $58 | 56% |
| Vermont | AKC | $56 | 56% |
| Virginia | AKC | $64 | 56% |
| Washington | AKC | $69 | 56% |
| West Virginia | AKC | $52 | 56% |
| Wisconsin | AKC | $65 | 56% |
| Wyoming | AKC | $56 | 56% |
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Discounts
Choosing the right insurer can help save on routine premiums while maintaining strong financial protection for your pet. Here’s how Healthy Paws and AKC stack up when it comes to discounts:
None formally documented | 5% off when adding a second pet (not available in AK, FL, TN, WA) | |
Bundling | None publicly documented | None publicly listed |
Annual Pay-In-Full | None publicly documented | May vary by state and plan |
Association/Club Member | None publicly documented | None broadly advertised |
Employer Group | None publicly documented | None publicly listed |
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Customer Experience
AKC delivers better customer experience than Healthy Paws, ranking third nationally for both dogs and cats compared to Healthy Paws' eighth-place position. Both companies maintain A+ BBB ratings, showing strong business practices. While Healthy Paws scores higher on Trustpilot with 3.8 out of 5.0 versus AKC's 3.2 out of 5.0, AKC's superior national ranking demonstrates more consistent customer satisfaction overall.
Healthy Paws vs AKC Trustpilot ratings
Healthy Paws earns a 3.8 out of 5.0 Trustpilot rating compared to AKC's 3.2 out of 5.0. Both providers show mixed customer feedback from verified users, with Healthy Paws receiving slightly higher marks for overall satisfaction and service reliability.
Healthy Paws vs AKC BBB ratings
Both providers maintain A+ BBB ratings, though Healthy Paws is fully accredited while AKC is not accredited. The A+ ratings indicate strong complaint handling and business transparency for both companies.
Healthy Paws vs AKC Pet Insurance Reddit sentiment
We analyzed Reddit discussions and found contrasting sentiment patterns between the providers. AKC received 86% positive feedback from 7 total comments (6 positive, 1 negative), while Healthy Paws achieved 20% positive sentiment from 40 total comments (8 positive, 32 negative), suggesting AKC has fewer but more satisfied customers in online discussions.
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Coverage
AKC offers better pet insurance coverage for dogs and cats than Healthy Paws, ranking sixth nationally while Healthy Paws ranks eighth. Both companies provide comparable options for deductibles, annual limits and reimbursement rates, but AKC has a shorter waiting period for accidents, more coverage selection flexibility and allows pet owners to change their coverage within the first 14 days of purchase.
Diagnostics | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ | ✓ | |
✓ | ✓ | |
Fractures and broken bones | ✓ | ✓ |
Lacerations and bite wounds | ✓ | ✓ |
Parasite treatment | – (parasite prevention/wellness not included) | – (parasite prevention is in wellness add-on) |
✓ | ✓ | |
Digestive illnesses | ✓ | ✓ |
Hereditary conditions | ✓ (included) | ✓ (only via add-on) |
Congenital conditions | ✓ (included) | ✓ (only via add-on) |
Chronic conditions | ✓ (included if not pre-existing) | ✓ (may require add-on or waiting period) |
✓ | ✓ (via add-on) | |
$100–$1,000 typical | Customizable deductibles | |
Unlimited annual & lifetime payout | Annual limit options vary by plan and state | |
Up to ~90% of vet bill | Varies by selected plan | |
Standard waiting for illness/accident; no lifetime caps | Waiting periods apply; pre-existing coverage begins after 365 days | |
Age restrictions | Accepts pets of all ages for illness/accident coverage (if eligibility met) | May have age/plan limitations depending on state and add-ons |
Excluded (no coverage for pre-existing) | Covered for curable and incurable after 365 days of continuous coverage | |
Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Always review your specific policy documents to understand exact coverage terms, exclusions and limitations.
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Add-ons
For owners keen on wellness and preventive care, the optional add-ons can make a meaningful difference. Below are how each provider handles it.
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Add-ons
- Wellness and preventive care generally not included in base policy; no standard wellness package publicly detailed.
- Because the base plan focuses on accidents and illness with no payout caps, preventive/well-care coverage is limited or requires separate arrangements.
AKC Pet Insurance Add-ons
- Wellness Plan: Available as separate add-on; covers vaccinations, microchipping, lab tests/blood work, parasite prevention (flea/tick/heartworm).
- Hereditary & Congenital Coverage: Add-on covers conditions such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, heart disease, diabetes for pets meeting age/enrollment criteria.
- Final Respects/Breeder/Add-on Options: Additional riders available for cremation, breeding support, exam fees, etc.
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance: Bottom Line
AKC beats Healthy Paws overall, leading in coverage, customer experience, and overall performance. AKC offers more comprehensive policy options and delivers better customer service, earning a 3.2 out of 5.0 Trustpilot rating and an A+ BBB rating. AKC also provides more affordable rates, with coverage starting at $60 per month for middle-aged dogs and $31 for cats.
Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance Comparison: FAQ
Compare Healthy Paws and AKC pet insurance through these common questions:
Which is cheaper: Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC pet insurance is cheaper than Healthy Paws across nearly all pet categories and age groups. AKC charges $31 monthly for middle-aged cats compared to Healthy Paws' $59. The savings are even more dramatic for middle-aged dogs, with AKC at $60 per month versus Healthy Paws' $136 monthly rate.
Which has better customer service: Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC delivers superior customer service, ranking third nationally for customer experience compared to Healthy Paws' eighth-place position. AKC maintains a 3.2 out of 5.0 Trustpilot score and an A+ BBB rating, while Healthy Paws achieves a 3.8 Trustpilot rating and A+ BBB grade.
Which offers better coverage: Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC pet insurance offers better coverage, ranking first nationally while Healthy Paws ranks sixth for both cats and dogs. AKC provides multiple add-on options including behavioral therapy, dental illness coverage, and end-of-life care. Healthy Paws focuses primarily on accident and illness coverage with fewer customization options. Both cover standard diagnostics, medications, and chronic conditions, but AKC's extensive add-on selection delivers superior flexibility.
Can I switch from Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance or vice versa?
Yes, you can switch from Healthy Paws to AKC pet insurance or vice versa by purchasing a new policy and canceling your current one. However, new waiting periods will apply: 14 days for illnesses and up to six months for orthopedic conditions. Any conditions diagnosed under your previous policy become pre-existing with your new insurer.
Does Healthy Paws vs AKC cover pre-existing conditions?
Neither Healthy Paws nor AKC Pet Insurance covers pre-existing conditions when you first enroll your pet. However, both companies may provide coverage for curable conditions after your pet remains symptom-free for a specific period. Healthy Paws requires 180 consecutive days without symptoms, while AKC typically requires 12 months symptom-free before reconsidering coverage.
Can I get discounts with both Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance?
Yes, both Healthy Paws and AKC pet insurance offer discounts to help reduce premium costs. Healthy Paws provides fewer discount options, primarily focusing on multi-pet savings of 10% when you insure multiple animals. AKC offers more discount opportunities, including multi-pet discounts, annual payment savings, and special rates for AKC members and certain employer groups.
What are the age limits for Healthy Paws vs AKC pet insurance?
Healthy Paws accepts pets from 8 weeks old with no upper age limit for enrollment. AKC Pet Insurance also starts coverage at 8 weeks but typically stops accepting new enrollments for pets over 14 years old. This makes Healthy Paws the better option for senior pet owners seeking coverage for older animals.
How We Scored Healthy Paws vs. AKC Pet Insurance
Evaluating Healthy Paws and AKC pet insurance required gathering quotes using identical pet profiles and policy specifications. We analyzed both providers under the same coverage conditions to ensure fair comparison.
- $5,000 annual limit
- 80% reimbursement rate
- $500 deductible
- 6-year-old Labrador Retriever for dog coverage
- 7-year-old Ragdoll for cat coverage
MoneyGeek scored each provider across three weighted categories based on their importance to pet owners.
Affordability (50% of score): We collected pricing data across multiple pet profiles and coverage options to determine typical monthly premiums, including available discounts that affect actual costs.
Customer Experience (30% of score): We analyzed Trustpilot ratings and customer feedback to assess satisfaction levels with claims processing and customer support services.
Coverage (20% of score): We examined policy features including waiting periods, available add-ons and overall protection scope to evaluate comprehensive coverage value.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
He writes about economics and insurance, breaking down complex topics so people know what they're buying.