Spot pet insurance review 2026: No age limit and unlimited annual coverage

A relative newcomer, Spot Pet Insurance has been on the scene since 2019. But it's already one of our favorite pet insurance companies, with no upper age limit for enrollment, making it a great option for older pets. A generous wellness plan can also help cover routine expenses, like annual exams along with flea and tick prevention treatments.

We also really like that you can pick an unlimited annual coverage limit, so you don't have to choose between your wallet and your pet's well-being.

Spot pet insurance offers accident-only, accident and illness, and two wellness policies for routine care.

Accident-only

This budget-minded option covers expenses related to emergencies, such as broken bones, swallowed objects, snakebites and traumatic dental fractures.

Accident-only plans do not cover medical issues, such as parasites, cancer or cruciate ligament injuries. But Spot's accident-only plans can cover alternative therapies to treat your pet's injury, a rare benefit among insurers.

Accident and illness

Spot offers one accident and illness policy, which includes all accident-only benefits plus:

• Emergency care, hospitalization and surgery
• Exam fees
• Prescription medication
• Chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes and arthritis
• Hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia and glaucoma
• Diagnostic, including bloodwork, MRIs and CAT scans
• Behavioral conditions
• Dental illnesses
• Microchipping

Wellness

Spot offers two wellness plans as add-ons to accident-and-illness policies.

Gold plan: Includes annual wellness exams, vaccinations, flea and heartworm prevention, deworming, and dental cleaning, with an annual benefit limit of $250.

Platinum plan: Same benefits as Gold, plus spaying/neutering, urinalysis, blood testing, and flea, tick and heartworm protection, as well as $25 for health certificates, which allow you to travel or fly with your pet. The annual benefit limit is $450.

As our sample pets, we chose a 1-year-old domestic shorthair cat and a 1-year-old, 55-pound mixed-breed male dog, both with a $500 deductible, 90% reimbursement and $5,000 annual coverage limit.

Accident and illness

For an accident and illness policy, we were quoted $63.41 per month for our dog and $29.31 a month for our cat. The quote for the dog is on par with the average $62.44 cited by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association in 2024, the most recent period for which data is available.

Spot's quoted rate for our cat is just slightly cheaper than the $32 national average cited by NAPHIA.

Wellness

• Gold plan: $9.95 per month
• Platinum plan: $24.95 a month

Discounts

Spot offers 10% off your second pet's coverage when you enroll two pets.

Processing fees

Spot charges a $2 surcharge if you pay your premiums monthly. Paying for a year in full will avoid this fee.

Spot pet insurance is available in all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., though coverage limits and waiting periods may vary depending on where you live.

Annual coverage limits: $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000 or unlimited coverage

Reimbursement rate: 70%, 80% or 90% 

Deductible: $100 to $1,000

Age limits: Pets must be at least eight weeks old but there is no upper age limit for enrollment

Waiting periods: As with most pet insurance plans, Spot's accident and illness coverage isn't available immediately. Waiting periods can vary by state but are typically:

• Accident coverage: 14 days
• Illness coverage: 14 days
• Orthopedic conditions: 14 days
• Wellness plans: One day after enrollment

Here's how Spot stacks up against some of CNBC Select's favorite pet insurance companies.

Spot vs. Pets Best

Pets Best and Spot both offer an unlimited coverage option and cover prescriptions, treatments for behavioral issues and alternative therapies, including acupuncture and chiropractic care.

Neither company puts an upper age limit on enrollment, so older pets are welcome. 

Spot does cover prescription food and supplements, however, which Pets Best doesn't. And its 10% discount for enrolling multiple pets is double Pets Best's 5%.

According to quotes we received from both companies, Pets Best also has lower rates than Spot.

Pets Best's accident waiting period is also significantly shorter: Accident coverage kicks in three days from the policy date, compared to 14 days with Spot.

Spot vs. Pumpkin

Both Pumpkin and Spot include exam fees, prescription medication and food in their accident and illness plans.

Pumpkin could be a better fit if you're looking for higher coverage limits— it offers $10,000 and $20,000 caps, while Spot offers a $10,000 limit or unlimited.

If you're concerned about routine care, though, Spot takes the lead: Both companies cover wellness exams, vaccines, and blood tests, but Spot also covers flea and heartworm prevention, urine testing, deworming, spaying/neutering and health certificates.

We did find a slight difference in monthly premiums for dogs, with Pumpkin coming in a few dollars cheaper. Meanwhile, the rates for our cat were comparable.

You can get a rate quote and buy a policy on the Spot website.

After inputting your ZIP code, the kind of pet you have, its breed, gender, age and weight, you'll need to choose your coverage limit, deductible and reimbursement rate.

If you like Spot's rate quote, you'll set up a payment method and decide whether you want to pay monthly or annually.

After you buy, you'll be able to manage your policy, make claims and more on the brand's mobile app.

Spot has a positive customer satisfaction record, with an A+ from the Better Business Bureau and 85% of its Trustpilot reviews earning 4 or 5 stars.

You can submit claims, update your pet's health record or chat with a live vet 24/7 on the mobile app. The customer service team is available at 800-905-1595, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. 

While a growing number of pet insurance companies will make arrangements to pay your veterinarian directly, you'll still need to pay out of pocket at the point of service and then submit a claim to Spot for reimbursement.

Since there's no age limit, Spot is a great option if you own an older dog or cat. And the unlimited coverage option is also ideal if your fur baby needs a lot of care someday.

Spot's plans cover a variety of services other companies don't, including exam fees, teeth cleaning and prescription medications and food.

But if cost is your chief consideration, Spot isn't the cheapest option on the market.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed financial decisions. Every pet insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of pet insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

CNBC Select uses a variety of criteria when reviewing pet insurance products, including types of plans offered, covered procedures, nationwide availability, cost of premiums, coverage maximums, deductibles, exclusions and customer satisfaction. 

We also incorporate findings from independent sources, including the North American Pet Health Association. 

Pet insurance rates may come from the provider or other sources.

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