AKC offers better pet insurance than Met Life, ranking second nationally for dogs and sixth for cats, while Met Life ranks 10th for dogs and 12th for cats. AKC also ranks higher than Met Life for customer experience and coverage, making it a stronger option if you want lower rates, dependable service or wider financial protection.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance
Updated: March 16, 2026
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Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance: Key Takeaways
AKC charges lower average premiums than Met Life for most pet age groups, with the largest difference seen in senior dogs, where costs are about 16% lower.
AKC receives stronger customer feedback than Met Life, with a higher Better Business Bureau rating and more positive sentiment from Reddit users.
AKC offers broader pet insurance coverage than Met Life, including coverage for curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after one year of continuous enrollment.
Is Met Life or AKC Pet Insurance Better?
| Cat | Affordability | AKC | 9 | 10 |
| Dog | Affordability | AKC | 5 | 6 |
| Cat | Coverage | AKC | 1 | 7 |
| Dog | Coverage | AKC | 1 | 7 |
| Cat | Customer Experience | AKC | 3 | 8 |
| Dog | Customer Experience | AKC | 3 | 8 |
| Cat | Overall Score | AKC | 6 | 12 |
| Dog | Overall Score | AKC | 2 | 10 |
How We Decided the Winning Pet Insurance Provider
All scores presented here are based on average experiences and pricing for a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, using a $500 deductible, $5,000 annual limit and 80% reimbursement rate.
Learn more about the best pet insurance options for your pet based on different needs and situations:
Met Life and AKC Comparison by State
Based on our study, AKC offers the best pet insurance in all 50 states when compared to Met Life.
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How We Decided the Winning Pet Insurance Provider by State
All scores presented here were based on averages for experiences and pricing for a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and 7-year-old Ragdoll, with a $500 deductible, $5,000 annual limit and 80% reimbursement rate.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Cost
AKC is cheaper than Met Life in six out of eight cost categories, with the biggest savings on senior dogs. Met Life only wins on puppies and young dogs, though the margin is under 3%.
See how much pet insurance costs across different age categories.
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| Kittens | AKC | $22 | 14% |
| Young Cats | AKC | $25 | 14% |
| Middle Aged Cats | AKC | $31 | 13% |
| Puppies | Met Life | $36 | 3% |
| Young Dogs | Met Life | $44 | 1% |
| Senior Cats | AKC | $51 | 10% |
| Middle Aged Dogs | AKC | $60 | 1% |
| Senior Dogs | AKC | $102 | 16% |
How We Decided the Winning Pet Insurance Provider
All rates presented here were based on averages for pricing for Labrador Retrievers and Ragdolls from the age of less than 1 years old up to 20 years of age across 50 states.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Cost by State
AKC offers the cheapest pet insurance across all 50 states for kittens, young cats and middle-aged to senior pets in comparison to Met Life. Meanwhile, Met Life wins for puppies and young dogs nationwide.
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Middle Aged Dogs
| Alabama | AKC | $44 | 1% |
| Alaska | AKC | $59 | 1% |
| Arizona | AKC | $73 | 1% |
| Arkansas | AKC | $40 | 1% |
| California | AKC | $76 | 1% |
| Colorado | AKC | $76 | 1% |
| Connecticut | AKC | $69 | 1% |
| Delaware | AKC | $60 | 1% |
| Florida | AKC | $68 | 1% |
| Georgia | AKC | $54 | 1% |
| Hawaii | AKC | $61 | 1% |
| Idaho | AKC | $60 | 1% |
| Illinois | AKC | $74 | 1% |
| Indiana | AKC | $54 | 1% |
| Iowa | AKC | $51 | 1% |
| Kansas | AKC | $55 | 1% |
| Kentucky | AKC | $48 | 1% |
| Louisiana | AKC | $48 | 1% |
| Maine | AKC | $73 | 1% |
| Maryland | AKC | $59 | 1% |
| Massachusetts | AKC | $78 | 1% |
| Michigan | AKC | $61 | 0% |
| Minnesota | AKC | $62 | 1% |
| Mississippi | AKC | $51 | 1% |
| Missouri | AKC | $47 | 1% |
| Montana | AKC | $50 | 1% |
| Nebraska | AKC | $54 | 1% |
| Nevada | AKC | $62 | 1% |
| New Hampshire | AKC | $70 | 1% |
| New Jersey | AKC | $68 | 1% |
| New Mexico | AKC | $53 | 1% |
| New York | AKC | $65 | 1% |
| North Carolina | AKC | $54 | 1% |
| North Dakota | AKC | $46 | 1% |
| Ohio | AKC | $55 | 1% |
| Oklahoma | AKC | $50 | 1% |
| Oregon | AKC | $75 | 1% |
| Pennsylvania | AKC | $63 | 1% |
| Rhode Island | AKC | $52 | 1% |
| South Carolina | AKC | $57 | 1% |
| South Dakota | AKC | $53 | 1% |
| Tennessee | AKC | $56 | 1% |
| Texas | AKC | $64 | 1% |
| Utah | AKC | $58 | 1% |
| Vermont | AKC | $56 | 1% |
| Virginia | AKC | $64 | 1% |
| Washington | AKC | $69 | 1% |
| West Virginia | AKC | $52 | 1% |
| Wisconsin | AKC | $65 | 1% |
| Wyoming | AKC | $56 | 1% |
How We Decided the Winning Pet Insurance Provider by State
All rates presented here were based on average pricing for a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Discounts
Met Life offers more pet insurance discounts than AKC, with nine ways to lower your rate compared to AKC's two, including savings for employer group plans, military members, healthcare workers and federal employees. AKC Pet Insurance counters with a unique breeder discount unavailable through Met Life.
Multiple pets | Get 5% discount when you enroll two or more pets under separate policies. | Get automatic savings when you enroll more than one pet. |
Breeder | AKC Breeder of Merit or Bred with H.E.A.R.T. participants receive a 10% discount after using the program group code when enrolling.
| None. |
Association | None. | 5% off for members of participating organizations. |
Employer group plan | None. | Save 10% when you join a participating employer's group plan. |
Veterinary staff | None. | Owners, staff members or volunteer workers in the animal care industry receive 10% discount. |
Health care worker | None. | 10% off on pet insurance for those working in the healthcare industry. |
Military, veteran and first responder | None. | Offers 10% discount for first responders or active/former members of the Armed Forces or National Guard/Reservists. |
Federal employee | None. | Save on premiums if you're a federal employee of the U.S. government. |
Internet purchase | None. | Lowers base premium by $1 when purchase pet insurance online. |
Deductible | None. | Reduces deductible by $50 for the next policy year if you didn't file a claim within the year. |
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Customer Experience
AKC leads ahead of Met Life by five spots in our customer experience ranking. Although Met Life earns a higher Trustpilot score, AKC wins through a stronger rating from the Better Business Bureau and positive sentiment on Reddit.
Met Life vs AKC Trustpilot ratings
Met Life earns a higher Trustpilot rating at 4.7 out of 5 stars compared to AKC's 2.8 out of 5. Met Life reviewers consistently praise the company's fast claim processing and responsive customer service, while AKC draws criticism for claim denials and unexpected premium increases.
Met Life vs AKC BBB ratings
AKC holds an A+ rating from BBB, whereas Met Life has a “Not Rated” status. The A+ rating means AKC consistently meets BBB standards and resolves customer concerns, while Met Life's unrated status is due to the provider still being in the process of responding to previously closed complaints.
Met Life vs AKC Pet Insurance Reddit Sentiment
Met Life holds 40% positive feedback from 20 total Reddit comments, with eight favorable reviews and 12 negative ones. Users praise its responsive customer service and clear policy language but report frustration with claim denials and unexpected coverage gaps. AKC draws 86% positive feedback from seven total Reddit comments, with six favorable reviews and one negative. Reddit users praise AKC's support team, responsive service and straightforward claims process, though the one negative comment cited coverage gaps and claim approval delays.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Coverage
AKC offers better pet insurance coverage for dogs and cats than Met Life, ranking first nationally while Met Life ranks seventh. AKC outperforms Met Life by offering a broad range of coverage options that include unlimited annual limit and a unique optional add-on for breeding. Additionally, AKC is the only insurer to cover both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous coverage.
Diagnostics | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ | ✓ | |
✓ | ✓ | |
Fractures and broken bones | ✓ | ✓ |
Lacerations and bite wounds | ✓ | ✓ |
Parasite treatment | ✓ | Only covers prevention through optional add-on |
✓ | ✓ | |
Digestive illnesses | ✓ | ✓ |
Hereditary conditions | ✓ | Only provides coverage through optional add-on |
Congenital conditions | ✓ | Only provides coverage through optional add-on |
Chronic conditions | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ | Only provides coverage through optional add-on | |
$0 to $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500 | $100, $200, $250, $300, $400, $500, $600, $750, $1,000 | |
$500 to $25,000 in $1,000 increments | $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, $25,000, Unlimited | |
50%, 70%, 80%, 90% | 70%, 80%, 90% | |
0 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and orthopedic conditions | 2 days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, 180 days for cruciate or orthopedic conditions | |
Age restrictions | No upper age limit for accident or illness plans | No upper age limits for accident coverage; illness coverage available for pets under 9 years old |
Pre-existing conditions | Only covers certain pre-existing conditions when you switch from another provider to Met Life's group policy; the condition must be covered by the previous insurer | Covers curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous enrollment |
Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Always review your specific policy documents to understand exact coverage terms, exclusions and limitations.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Add-ons
Both providers offer optional add-ons to expand your base coverage, though AKC has more offerings that focus beyond routine care than Met Life.
Met Life Pet Insurance Add-ons
- Preventive 365: Covers routine care with lower annual limits per service. Includes wellness exams, vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, heartworm testing and prevention, routine blood work, urinalysis, fecal testing, dental cleaning (up to $100), spay or neuter surgery (up to $100), microchipping, nail trimming, anal gland expression and behavioral training.
- Preventive 575: Features the same services as Preventive 365 but with increased reimbursement amounts. Dental cleaning is covered up to $150, similar to spay or neuter surgery.
AKC Pet Insurance Add-ons
- Exam coverage: Covers the cost of vet exam fees from specialty vet visits, primary care vet visits and emergency vet visits.
- Hereditary coverage: Expands coverage to include common hereditary congenital conditions such as heart disease, arthritis, hip dysplasia, luxating patella and diabetes.
- Pet wellness coverage: Provides coverage for routine care services, including wellness exams, vaccinations, microchipping, spaying/neutering, routine diagnostic tests, heartworm/flea/tick prevention and teeth cleaning.
- Breeding coverage: Covers accidents, illnesses and complications during breeding, pregnancy, whelping or nursing. This includes emergency C-sections, mastitis, gestational diabetes, eclampsia, dystocia and pyometra.
- Final respects coverage: Reimburses the cost of end-of-life-services such as burial and cremation.
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance: Bottom Line
AKC ranks ahead of Met Life overall, with stronger affordability, coverage options and customer service. AKC charges about $60 per month for middle-aged dogs and $31 for cats, making it the lower-cost option. It also ranks first nationwide for coverage, offering plan options that help cover a wide range of pet care expenses.
Compare other major pet insurance companies to determine the best choice for your pet:
Met Life vs. AKC Pet Insurance Comparison: FAQ
Compare Met Life and AKC pet insurance through these common questions:
Which is cheaper: Met Life vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC is cheaper than Met Life pet insurance in most categories. AKC charges $31 monthly for middle-aged cats compared to Met Life's $36, saving you about $5 per month. For middle-aged dogs, AKC costs $60 monthly versus Met Life's $61. Met Life only beats AKC pricing for puppies and young dogs.
Which has better customer service: Met Life vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC provides better customer service, with an A+ BBB rating and 86% positive sentiment on Reddit. Meanwhile, Met Life is currently unrated on BBB and receives 40% positive feedback on Reddit.
Which offers better coverage: Met Life vs AKC pet insurance?
AKC offers better coverage than Met Life, ranking first nationally while Met Life ranks seventh. AKC provides extensive add-on options for hereditary conditions, exam fees, breeding and end-of-life care. Met Life's add-ons focus primarily on basic wellness plans with fewer customization options.
Can I switch from Met Life vs AKC pet insurance or vice versa?
You can switch between Met Life and AKC pet insurance anytime by canceling your current policy and purchasing a new one. However, new waiting periods will apply and any conditions diagnosed under your previous policy become pre-existing with your new insurer.
Does Met Life vs AKC cover pre-existing conditions?
Met Life only covers pre-existing conditions when you switch from another provider to its group policy, provided that the condition was covered by the previous insurer. AKC, on the other hand, covers both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after a year of continuous enrollment.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research for insurance shoppers. His insights have been featured in 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.
sources
- Trustpilot. "Met Life Pet Insurance ." Accessed March 24, 2026.
- Trustpilot. "AKC Pet Insurance ." Accessed March 24, 2026.
- Better Business Bureau. "The American Kennel Club, Inc." Accessed March 24, 2026.
- Better Business Bureau. "Met Life Pet Insurance Solutions LLC." Accessed March 24, 2026.