Our pets deserve the very best care. That’s why choosing the right pet insurance policy is crucial. But with so many options available, knowing what to look for in a pet insurance plan can be taxing.
To make it easier, we’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation by comparing MetLife Pet Insurance with American Kennel Club (AKC) Pet Insurance. Learn about some of the benefits each plan offers, so you can make an informed decision.
Compare AKC vs. MetLife Pet Insurance**
Want to know how a MetLife Pet policy compares to an AKC policy? Here’s a look at some of the policy provisions of MetLife Pet versus AKC’s accident and illness coverage.1
MetLife Pet’s Plan vs. AKC’s Plan
| MetLife Pet Insurance |
AKC Pet Insurance |
|
|---|---|---|
| Wellness and Preventative Care |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
| Prescriptions |
Yes |
Yes |
| Holistic/Alternative Therapy |
Yes |
Yes (exclusions apply) |
| Dental Cleaning and Care |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
| 24/7 Telehealth Access | Yes2 |
Yes |
| Cancer Coverage | Yes |
Yes |
| Euthanasia | Yes |
Yes |
| Cremation | Yes |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
| Grief Counseling | Yes3 |
No |
| Boarding |
Yes |
No |
| Spaying and Neutering | Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
Yes (optional add-on coverage) |
| Family Plan (Multiple Pets on a Single Policy) | Yes4 |
No |
| Includes All Ages and Breeds | Yes |
No |
| No Per-Incident Limits |
Yes |
Yes (may choose a basic plan version that includes limits) |
| Reimbursement | Flexible (50% – 90%)5 |
Flexible (70%, 80%, or 90%) |
| Average Deductible | Flexible ($0 – $2,500)6 |
Flexible ($100 – $1,000) |
| 0-Day Accident Waiting Period | Yes7 |
No |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days 7 |
14 days (exclusions apply) |
| Deductible Savings | Yes8 |
No |
| Days to Reimburse | Up to 30 days (80% of claims reimbursed within 10 days) |
Up to 30 days (most within 3 days) |
| Days to Submit Claim | 90 |
180 |
| NerdWallet Rating9 | 5 stars |
4.5 stars |
| NerdWallet Callout9 | "Customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.”9 | "AKC offers lots of ways to customize your coverage, but its basic plan lacks benefits many other companies include."9 |
A “No” accompanied with a red “X” in the above table means this is not included or that exclusions may apply.
As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary and exclusions apply. See our coverage and exclusions page for more details, and learn how our pet insurance works.
Still searching for pet insurance? See how we compare to other providers.
Reasons To Consider MetLife Pet Insurance Over AKC
Selecting the right pet insurance means weighing your coverage options and features. Here are some of the reasons a MetLife Pet policy may be the ideal choice for you:
- Family plan: Unlike AKC and other insurance providers, MetLife Pet has the only family plan on the market that lets you insure multiple pets under one policy with a shared deductible.4,9 While AKC offers a 5% multi-pet discount, each pet would still need to meet their own deductible.1
- Shorter waiting period: MetLife Pet Insurance has a 0-day waiting period for accident coverage — ensuring your pet gets the care they need right away.7 AKC has a 2-day waiting period for most injuries.1
- Supportive care: Whether you need boarding, grief counseling,3 or help finding your lost pet, MetLife Pet is there to support you every step of the way. AKC doesn’t offer these types of supportive care services.1
Protect your Pets
Does our coverage fit the bill? Check out more FAQs, and start your pet insurance journey today by getting a free quote!
Why Choose MetLife Pet Insurance?
MetLife Pet Insurance is committed to helping you obtain the best possible care for your pets. That’s why we offer customizable coverage that aligns with your needs and your budget — so you can focus on the well-being of your furry friend. With our policies, you can tailor your deductible, reimbursement rate, and coverage levels.5,6
While policy customization is great, here are some additional ways we set ourselves apart from other providers:
MetLife Pet cares
About the community: We strive to make a difference in the lives of pets across the country. In 2023, we contributed over $1.3 million to our animal shelter partners nationwide to help bolster their operational and animal care efforts. Our Golden Beagle Award grants $20,000 to an animal welfare organization championing the adoption of large-breed dogs into forever homes.
Our commitment to the community also extends to education. We love providing invaluable knowledge to pet parents to help them care for their furry family members. Plus, when you adopt a pet from one of our partner shelters, you may have the option to instantly enroll in a MetLife Pet Insurance policy — helping to ensure your new companion is protected from day one.
About our customers: If you're hospitalized, our coverage can typically assist with boarding costs for your pet. This can be a huge relief as you focus on your recovery knowing your trusty companion is being taken care of. We also offer special discounts to community heroes — like first responders, active service members, and animal care workers.10,11
Free mobile app
MetLife Pet Insurance provides a free mobile app exclusively for policyholders, offering convenient access to our services. With our app, you can manage claims, maintain veterinary records, read artificial intelligence-recommended articles tailored to your pet, and use our 24/7 online vet chat.2 Other providers may charge for telehealth services, but the MetLife Pet app is included in your policy at no extra cost.12
Discounts
To help make pet insurance more affordable and accessible, we provide multiple discounts to eligible policyholders.13
Deductible discount: Your pet's deductible automatically decreases by $50 each policy year you don't receive a reimbursement for a submitted claim.8
Internet purchase discount: This applies to the first year of premiums.14
Animal care discount: This is a 10% discount for animal care facility staff, veterinarians, shelter personnel, and more.11
Military discount: This discount is available to eligible active or retired military members, veterans, and first responders.10
Healthcare workers: A discount is available to people who work in the healthcare industry — such as doctors, nurses, physicians, and more.10
Employer benefit discount: This is offered to policyholders who enroll through their workplace.15
Preventive Care plan
Designed to add preventive care benefits to your standard illness and injury plan, we offer an optional add-on Preventive Care plan — because we understand the importance of being proactive with your pet’s care. This additional coverage can help with the covered costs of vaccinations, routine checkups, dental cleanings, parasite prevention and treatment, as well as spaying and neutering.
Holistic coverage
We also want to make sure your pets’ holistic health needs are met, which is why MetLife Pet extends coverage to alternative treatments — such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and massage therapy.
Success stories
From unexpected accidents to unforeseen illnesses, MetLife Pet Insurance has helped countless pet parents care for their cherished fur babies. Here’s a real-life story about how one family used their MetLife Pet policy to assist with pet care expenses.
When Toby — a domestic shorthair cat from North Carolina — was out exploring the neighborhood, he darted across the road unaware of an oncoming car. The collision left him with severe injuries, including a fractured radius and ulna, as well as pulmonary contusions.
His pet parents rushed him to the nearest vet for an exam, costing them a little over $2,350. Luckily, they had a MetLife Pet policy, which reimbursed them around $2,100. After Toby underwent surgery to repair his fractures — a bill that was nearly $4,400 — MetLife Pet reimbursed them nearly $2,200 to help cover the costs. Despite the severity of his condition, Toby was able to make a remarkable recovery.16
It’s stories like these that highlight why pet insurance may be worth it for you. Get a free quote today, and start exploring all the ways a MetLife Pet policy can make a difference in the lives of you and your pet.
Take the Next Step in Your Research
Coverage is subject to the language of the policies as actually issued. This comparison or description of AKC’s policy(ies) was not furnished by AKC. It was prepared solely by MetLife Pet Insurance based publicly available summary information about competitors' offerings and highlights selected coverages of the policies referenced as of March 2024 and is subject to change without notice. It may not be completely accurate and should not be the sole source of information relied upon in deciding which insurance coverage to purchase. To receive the latest information about other providers' available plans, please visit their website. If you have questions regarding the illustration or about a particular competitor’s policy or coverage, please contact a representative of AKC. Referenced publicly- available material for AKC sample plan. For completely reliable benefit comparisons, insurance departments (including North Dakota’s) advise that you obtain the benefit schedules directly from each applicable insurance company.
**As with any insurance policy, coverage may vary. Learn how MetLife Pet Insurance works and review our coverage and exclusions.
1 Based on a Spot Pet Insurance sample policy, retrieved from https://spotpetins.com, and information found across the Spot website.
2 Virtual veterinary services are available through the MetLife Pet App and are provided entirely by AskVet, a third-party partner; MetLife Pet is not responsible for any pet guidance or advice provided or taken. Veterinarians providing virtual veterinary services cannot prescribe medication or answer questions about the pet policy.
3 Grief Counseling services are provided through an agreement with TELUS Health, an unaffiliated third-party service provider. Grief counseling services provided by TELUS Health are separate and apart from the insurance provided by MetLife. Not available to NY residents.
4 Family plan policies are limited to dogs age 12 and under and cats age 14 and under. Multi-policy discount is not available with Family Plans.
5 Reimbursement options include: 50%, 70%, 80% and 90%. Pet age restrictions may apply.
6 Deductible options range include: $0 – $750 in $50 increments and $1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,500.
7 Accident and optional Preventive Care coverage begins on midnight EST of the effective day of your policy is compared to a wait time of 2 to 15 days for many competitors; Illness coverage begins 14 days from the effective day of your policy compared to 14 to 30 days for many competitors. Based on a March 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.
8 Your pet’s deductible automatically decreases by $50 each policy year that you don’t receive a claim reimbursement. May not be available in all states.
9 Based on a March 2024 review of publicly available summary information. Competitors did not furnish copies of their policies for review. If you have questions about a particular competitor's policy or coverage, please contact them or their representative directly.
10 Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is available to Healthcare Workers, First Responders, and serving and retired members of the Armed Forces.
11 Discount may not be available in all states. A discount is applicable to staff/owners of animal care facilities.
12 The 8 best online veterinarians of 2023,” Business Insider
13 When using multiple discounts, discounts cannot exceed 30%. Each discount may not be available in all states. Please contact MetLife Pet for further details.
14 Discount may not be available in all states. When coverage is purchased on-line, a premium discount will apply during the first year of the policy.
15 Discount is not available in MN or TN. This discount is only available to individuals who are eligible members or employees of an entity that has arranged for MetLife Pet to offer pet insurance. ( the discount is 10% for Employer Groups and 5% for Associations).
16 All claims paid amounts are based on MetLife Pet internal claims data from December 2023. This example is for illustrative purposes only. This is based on a policy with a $250 deductible and 90% reimbursement. The pet policy issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company is the governing document with respect to all matters of insurance. The specific facts of each claim must be evaluated in conjunction with the provisions of the applicable Policy to determine coverage in each individual case.
Coverage issued by Metropolitan General Insurance Company (“MetGen”), a Rhode Island insurance company, headquartered at 700 Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI 02886. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Coverage subject to restrictions, exclusions and limitations and application is subject to underwriting. See policy or contact MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions LLC (“MetLife Pet”) for details. MetLife Pet is the policy administrator. It may operate under an alternate or fictitious name in certain jurisdictions, including MetLife Pet Insurance Services LLC (New York and Minnesota), and MetLife Pet Insurance Solutions Agency LLC (Illinois).
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