While pet insurance isn’t very common in Illinois just yet, it’s becoming a more viable option for many pet owners across the state. With rising veterinary care costs, pet owners can rely on pet insurance to help pay for expensive vet bills. It’s also a great way to budget for pet care because it helps you get a better estimate of how much you’ll spend monthly and annually on veterinary care.
While most pet insurance companies have plans that cover similar services and treatments, they differ in their plan customizations and options for extended coverage. Our comparison of popular pet insurance plans in Illinois will help you get a better picture of what to expect from these plans and navigate the world of pet insurance.
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
Lemonade
Highly customizable plans
Multiple discount opportunities
Offers add-ons for extended coverage
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Best Value
Bivvy
Fast application process
Premium has a flat rate of $14 a month
Prices aren’t adjusted by pet’s age or breed
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Spot
Highly customizable
24/7 pet telehealth line
30-day money-back guarantee
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Trupanion
Considerable option for older pets
Covers alternative therapies, boarding, and supplements
All plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts
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Wagmo
100% reimbursement rates
Has three tiers of standalone wellness plans
Possible to receive 15% discount on deductibles
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Comparing 10 Pet Insurance Plans for Illinois
- Lemonade Pet Insurance – Best Overall
Compare Lemonade PlansLemonade simplifies pet insurance and makes it easy and straightforward for pet parents. It offers one accident and illness plan that covers basic services, like diagnostic testing, surgeries, and medication. If you have an older pet that may require more coverage, you can choose add-ons that can help pay for vet visit fees, physical therapy, and dental care.
Currently, Lemonade only offers one type of insurance plan. So, if you have a young and healthy puppy and are interested in a cheaper accident-only plan, you’ll have to look elsewhere. Fortunately, Lemonade has relatively affordable premiums, and customers can choose their reimbursement rate, deductible, and annual limit to adjust the premium price.
Compare Lemonade Plans
Lemonade simplifies pet insurance and makes it easy and straightforward for pet parents. It offers one accident and illness plan that covers basic services, like diagnostic testing, surgeries, and medication. If you have an older pet that may require more coverage, you can choose add-ons that can help pay for vet visit fees, physical therapy, and dental care.
You can experience more savings with Lemonade’s 5% multi-pet discount and 10% discount if you bundle with another type of insurance plan. Lemonade offers an additional 5% discount if you opt to pay annually.
Pros
Offers add-ons for extended coverage
Affordable premiums
Highly customizable plans
Multiple discount opportunities
Cons
No accident-only plans
Pros
Offers add-ons for extended coverage
Affordable premiums
Highly customizable plans
Multiple discount opportunities
Cons
No accident-only plans
Offers add-ons for extended coverage
Affordable premiums
Highly customizable plans
Multiple discount opportunities
- Offers add-ons for extended coverage
- Affordable premiums
- Highly customizable plans
- Multiple discount opportunities
No accident-only plans
- No accident-only plans
- Bivvy Pet Insurance – Best Value
Compare Bivvy PlansPet owners of young and healthy pets may benefit more from a cheaper pet insurance plan. Bivvy Pet Insurance offers an accident and illness plan for a flat rate of $14 a month. Most pet insurance companies will adjust prices for older pets and pet breeds known to have hereditary conditions that require expensive treatments. However, Bivvy doesn’t raise its premiums. It also has a fast application process, so your pet can get approved for a plan within minutes.
The caveat is that Bivvy has relatively low annual and lifetime limits. You can receive up to $3,500 in reimbursements each year and a total of $25,000 throughout your pet’s lifetime. Bivvy also has a low reimbursement rate of 50%.
Compare Bivvy Plans
Pet owners of young and healthy pets may benefit more from a cheaper pet insurance plan. Bivvy Pet Insurance offers an accident and illness plan for a flat rate of $14 a month. Most pet insurance companies will adjust prices for older pets and pet breeds known to have hereditary conditions that require expensive treatments. However, Bivvy doesn’t raise its premiums. It also has a fast application process, so your pet can get approved for a plan within minutes.
So, Bivvy is most advantageous for pet owners that have healthy pets and pet breeds that are less known to have more expensive veterinary care costs. However, if your pet is older and more susceptible to extensive treatments, there’s a higher chance that you’ll meet your annual limit quickly and end up paying for more treatments out-of-pocket.
Pros
Premium has a flat rate of $14 a month
Prices aren’t adjusted by pet’s age or breed
Fast application process
Cons
Low annual and lifetime limits
Low reimbursement rate
Pros
Premium has a flat rate of $14 a month
Prices aren’t adjusted by pet’s age or breed
Fast application process
Cons
Low annual and lifetime limits
Low reimbursement rate
Premium has a flat rate of $14 a month
Prices aren’t adjusted by pet’s age or breed
Fast application process
- Premium has a flat rate of $14 a month
- Prices aren’t adjusted by pet’s age or breed
- Fast application process
Low annual and lifetime limits
Low reimbursement rate
- Low annual and lifetime limits
- Low reimbursement rate
- Spot Pet Insurance
Compare Spot PlansSpot offers one accident and illness plan, and you can make many customizations with this plan. You can select add-ons that will cover additional services, like exam fees, alternative therapies, and behavioral issues. Spot also has a decent variety of reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limit amounts so that you can adjust your premium prices.
Spot gives access to a 24/7 pet telehealth line to all its customers, so you can experience additional savings by preventing unnecessary vet office visits. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can receive a refund if you’re dissatisfied with your pet insurance plan.
Compare Spot Plans
Spot offers one accident and illness plan, and you can make many customizations with this plan. You can select add-ons that will cover additional services, like exam fees, alternative therapies, and behavioral issues. Spot also has a decent variety of reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limit amounts so that you can adjust your premium prices.
Pros
Coverage can include several non-traditional items
Highly customizable
24/7 pet telehealth line
30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
No accident-only or wellness plans
Pros
Coverage can include several non-traditional items
Highly customizable
24/7 pet telehealth line
30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
No accident-only or wellness plans
Coverage can include several non-traditional items
Highly customizable
24/7 pet telehealth line
30-day money-back guarantee
- Coverage can include several non-traditional items
- Highly customizable
- 24/7 pet telehealth line
- 30-day money-back guarantee
No accident-only or wellness plans
- No accident-only or wellness plans
- Trupanion Pet Insurance
Compare Trupanion PlansTrupanion is another pet insurance company that has relatively expansive coverage for its accident and illness plan. You can receive reimbursements for non-traditional items, like supplements and alternative therapies. Trupanion also provides unique riders and can even help pay for boarding care for pet owners that require hospital stays and can’t go home to their pets.
All of Trupanion’s pet insurance plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts. So, it’s a considerable option for older pets that require more veterinary care.
Compare Trupanion Plans
Trupanion is another pet insurance company that has relatively expansive coverage for its accident and illness plan. You can receive reimbursements for non-traditional items, like supplements and alternative therapies. Trupanion also provides unique riders and can even help pay for boarding care for pet owners that require hospital stays and can’t go home to their pets.
Trupanion doesn’t offer accident-only and standalone wellness plans, so you won’t find many budget-friendly options with this company. It excels in providing sufficient coverage for pets with extensive healthcare needs but is often too robust for young and healthy pets.
Pros
Covers alternative therapies, boarding, and supplements
All plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts
Considerable option for older pets
Cons
No standalone wellness plans or accident-only plans
Pros
Covers alternative therapies, boarding, and supplements
All plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts
Considerable option for older pets
Cons
No standalone wellness plans or accident-only plans
Covers alternative therapies, boarding, and supplements
All plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts
Considerable option for older pets
- Covers alternative therapies, boarding, and supplements
- All plans have 90% reimbursement rates and unlimited payouts
- Considerable option for older pets
No standalone wellness plans or accident-only plans
- No standalone wellness plans or accident-only plans
- Wagmo Pet Insurance
Compare Wagmo PlansWagmo Pet insurance has wellness plans and accident and illness plans, but it doesn’t sell accident-only plans. There are three tiers of coverage under the wellness plans. So, you can choose budget-friendly plans and get the right amount of coverage that your pet needs.
Some special items that you can expect to receive coverage for under Wagmo’s accident and illness plan include virtual and in-home veterinary care, end-of-life care, and pet ambulances. However, there are special services and items that are outside of Wagmo’s coverage, such as most alternative therapies, dental surgeries, and spaying and neutering surgeries.
Compare Wagmo Plans
Wagmo Pet insurance has wellness plans and accident and illness plans, but it doesn’t sell accident-only plans. There are three tiers of coverage under the wellness plans. So, you can choose budget-friendly plans and get the right amount of coverage that your pet needs.
Wagmo’s accident and illness plans offer 100% reimbursement rates and $100,000 lifetime benefits. You can also get a 15% discount on your deductible if you have a claims-free year and choose to renew your plan for another year.
Pros
Has three tiers of standalone wellness plans
100% reimbursement rates
Possible to receive 15% discount on deductibles
Cons
No accident-only plan
Pros
Has three tiers of standalone wellness plans
100% reimbursement rates
Possible to receive 15% discount on deductibles
Cons
No accident-only plan
Has three tiers of standalone wellness plans
100% reimbursement rates
Possible to receive 15% discount on deductibles
- Has three tiers of standalone wellness plans
- 100% reimbursement rates
- Possible to receive 15% discount on deductibles
No accident-only plan
- No accident-only plan
- Embrace Pet Insurance
Compare Embrace PlansEmbrace Pet Insurance is a large pet insurance company that offers one accident and illness plan. You can customize the plan to receive coverage for many extra items, including dental care, breed-specific conditions, and some preventable conditions. Embrace will also reconsider insuring pre-existing conditions if your pet has been cured and symptom-free for at least 12 months.
The insurance plan doesn’t cover routine veterinary care, but you can choose to enroll in Embrace’s Wellness Rewards program. This program will reimburse some routine and wellness care costs, like exam fees, prescription diets, and grooming.
Compare Embrace Plans
Embrace Pet Insurance is a large pet insurance company that offers one accident and illness plan. You can customize the plan to receive coverage for many extra items, including dental care, breed-specific conditions, and some preventable conditions. Embrace will also reconsider insuring pre-existing conditions if your pet has been cured and symptom-free for at least 12 months.
Embrace also has a good reputation amongst customers. It was rated as Forbes’ #1 Pet Insurance Provider. Along with delivering excellent customer service, it has a 24/7 pet health line that customers can use for any questions and emergencies.
Pros May cover some preventable illnesses
Reconsiders coverage for pre-existing conditions
Excellent customer service
24/7 pet health line
Cons
No wellness plan or accident-only plan
Pros May cover some preventable illnesses
Reconsiders coverage for pre-existing conditions
Excellent customer service
24/7 pet health line
Cons
No wellness plan or accident-only plan
May cover some preventable illnesses
Reconsiders coverage for pre-existing conditions
Excellent customer service
24/7 pet health line
- Reconsiders coverage for pre-existing conditions
- Excellent customer service
- 24/7 pet health line
No wellness plan or accident-only plan
- No wellness plan or accident-only plan
- ASPCA Pet Insurance
Compare ASPCA PlansASPCA Pet Insurance offers accident and illness plans and affordable accident-only plans. You can receive up to 90% in reimbursements for both plans and adjust your premium prices by choosing from a selection of deductibles and reimbursement amounts. You can also add preventative care to either plan to help pay for routine care costs.
As a humane society that also oversees adoptions, ASPCA offers insurance plans that can benefit parents of newly adopted cats and dogs. Its plans can help pay for microchipping, spaying and neutering, and behavioral issues.
Compare ASPCA Plans
ASPCA Pet Insurance offers accident and illness plans and affordable accident-only plans. You can receive up to 90% in reimbursements for both plans and adjust your premium prices by choosing from a selection of deductibles and reimbursement amounts. You can also add preventative care to either plan to help pay for routine care costs.
While ASPCA’s insurance plans have good coverage options, its customer service and claims processing can be inconsistent. Some customers haven’t reported issues, while others have left reviews of waiting a long time to be reimbursed or receive a response from customer service.
Pros
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
Preventative care add-on available
Covers services applicable for rescue pets
Cons
Inconsistent customer service
Pros
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
Preventative care add-on available
Covers services applicable for rescue pets
Cons
Inconsistent customer service
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
Preventative care add-on available
Covers services applicable for rescue pets
- Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
- Preventative care add-on available
- Covers services applicable for rescue pets
Inconsistent customer service
- Inconsistent customer service
- AKC Pet Insurance
Compare AKC PlansAKC Pet Insurance has one accident and illness plan and offers many different riders that you can add to the plan. The availability of riders varies by location. Illinois residents may be eligible for riders that cover exam fees, breeding and pregnancy care, hereditary conditions, wellness care, and end-of-life services.
If you register your new pet with AKC, you’re eligible for 30 days of accident and illness insurance coverage with waived waiting periods. Once you reach the end of 30 days, you can choose to continue the policy and won’t experience any gaps in coverage.
Compare AKC Plans
AKC Pet Insurance has one accident and illness plan and offers many different riders that you can add to the plan. The availability of riders varies by location. Illinois residents may be eligible for riders that cover exam fees, breeding and pregnancy care, hereditary conditions, wellness care, and end-of-life services.
It’s best to enroll your pet with AKC while your pet is young, as AKC has an age restriction for pets older than 8 years old.
Pros
Offers many rider options
Covers breeding and pregnancy care
Option for 30 days of coverage with waived waiting periods
Cons
Age restriction on pets 8 years old and older
Pros
Offers many rider options
Covers breeding and pregnancy care
Option for 30 days of coverage with waived waiting periods
Cons
Age restriction on pets 8 years old and older
Offers many rider options
Covers breeding and pregnancy care
Option for 30 days of coverage with waived waiting periods
- Offers many rider options
- Covers breeding and pregnancy care
- Option for 30 days of coverage with waived waiting periods
Age restriction on pets 8 years old and older
- Age restriction on pets 8 years old and older
- USAA Pet Insurance
Compare USAA PlansUSAA Pet Insurance is available to USAA members only. If you’re already a member, you can potentially experience significant savings with member discounts. Members can receive up to 25% off their pet insurance, and USAA also offers multi-pet discounts. You can also receive a credit that gets applied to your next year’s deductible for every year you don’t process a claim.
USAA uses Embrace Pet Insurance as its third-party pet insurance provider. So, once your pet is enrolled in a pet insurance plan, you’ll have to communicate with Embrace with any claims and pet insurance-related questions.
Compare USAA Plans
USAA Pet Insurance is available to USAA members only. If you’re already a member, you can potentially experience significant savings with member discounts. Members can receive up to 25% off their pet insurance, and USAA also offers multi-pet discounts. You can also receive a credit that gets applied to your next year’s deductible for every year you don’t process a claim.
You can choose between an accident-only plan or an accident and illness plan. However, keep in mind that pets that are older than 15 years old will only be eligible for an accident-only plan, or they’ll automatically roll over to the accident-only plan if they’ve had an accident and illness plan.
Pros
Can get up to 25% discount
Multi-pet discount available
Opportunities to save on deductible
Cons
Only available for USAA members
Senior pets automatically rollover to accident-only plan
Pros
Can get up to 25% discount
Multi-pet discount available
Opportunities to save on deductible
Cons
Only available for USAA members
Senior pets automatically rollover to accident-only plan
Can get up to 25% discount
Multi-pet discount available
Opportunities to save on deductible
- Can get up to 25% discount
- Multi-pet discount available
- Opportunities to save on deductible
Only available for USAA members
Senior pets automatically rollover to accident-only plan
- Only available for USAA members
- Senior pets automatically rollover to accident-only plan
- Geico Pet Insurance
Compare Geico PlansGeico has accident-only and accident and illness plans for cats and dogs. You can find relatively affordable plans, and Geico also offers several discount opportunities, including multi-pet and military discounts.
The accident and illness plans are highly customizable, and you can adjust premium prices by choosing between various reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limits. Just keep in mind that Geico may not always offer all customization options. Once you provide your pet’s information, Geico will determine your annual limit options for you, so you may not always be offered the highest amount.
Compare Geico Plans
Geico has accident-only and accident and illness plans for cats and dogs. You can find relatively affordable plans, and Geico also offers several discount opportunities, including multi-pet and military discounts.
Geico’s annual limit for its accident-only plan is also fairly low. You can receive up to $5,000 annually, but it can easily cost a couple of thousands of dollars for one emergency vet visit.
Pros
Relatively affordable premiums
Various discount opportunities
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
Cons
May not always provide highest annual limit option
Annual limit for accident-only plan is only $5,000
Pros
Relatively affordable premiums
Various discount opportunities
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
Cons
May not always provide highest annual limit option
Annual limit for accident-only plan is only $5,000
Relatively affordable premiums
Various discount opportunities
Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
- Relatively affordable premiums
- Various discount opportunities
- Offers both accident-only and accident and illness plans
May not always provide highest annual limit option
Annual limit for accident-only plan is only $5,000
- May not always provide highest annual limit option
- Annual limit for accident-only plan is only $5,000
Buyer’s Guide: Comparing Pet Insurance Plans in Illinois
What to Look for in Pet Insurance in Illinois
There are several things to consider when shopping for pet insurance. Being mindful of the following categories will help you to find a pet insurance plan that best fits within your budget and suits your pet’s needs.
Policy Coverage
Pet insurance companies typically provide three types of pet insurance plans:
Wellness plan
Accident and illness plan
Accident-only plan
Wellness plans cover routine and preventative care costs. They’ll help pay for items like vaccines, parasite testing, and preventative heartworm medication. Most pet insurance companies don’t sell standalone wellness plans and usually have a wellness add-on that you can stack on top of an accident and illness plan.
Wellness plan
Accident and illness plan
Accident-only plan
- Wellness plan
- Accident and illness plan
- Accident-only plan
Accident and illness plans are the most common type of plan that pet insurance companies sell. These plans have the most comprehensive coverage and cover many common veterinary care costs, you can expect to receive coverage for diagnostic testing, surgeries, treatments, and medication. Companies will vary on how expansive their plans are, and you may find some that also cover congenital conditions, alternative therapies, and behavioral health.
Accident-only plans only cover services related to unforeseen incidents, like fractures and swallowing inedible objects. These plans are cheaper than accident and illness plans. They are more popular amongst pet owners with relatively healthy pets that are looking for a safety net in case of accidental injuries.
It’s important to note that no pet insurance company will cover pre-existing conditions and health issues caused by mistreatment or neglect.
Customer Service & Reputation
Insurance companies operate under reimbursement systems. You usually must pay your vet bill upfront and submit a claim to receive your reimbursement. A company with reliable customer service can make the claims process go more smoothly and help you receive your reimbursement as quickly as possible.
It’s also important to find companies that prioritize your pet’s health needs rather than selling you the most expensive plans. Not all pets need the most expansive coverage, and you can end up spending a lot on insurance premiums and not use up most of the treatments and services covered under the plan. So, make sure to work with someone who will take the time to understand your pet’s health to determine what type of plan is best for your pet.
Claim Repayment
Another important factor to consider is a company’s claims repayment process. Most pet insurance companies have an online platform or app that helps you submit claims electronically and receive your reimbursements more quickly than by mail.
The wait time for claims to be processed varies with each company. Some companies focus on fast claims processes and can approve properly submitted claims within minutes, while others can request up to 30 days to send a reimbursement. So, if receiving reimbursements quickly is a top priority for you, then make sure to ask pet insurance companies about the speed and efficiency of their claims processing system.
Price of Policy
Various factors affect the prices of policies. First, your geographical location can impact prices. The same insurance plan from the same company can have different prices depending on where you live. You can expect to receive more expensive insurance quotes if you live in a large city with high living costs.
Your pet’s breed and age will also affect premium prices. Prices typically rise as pets get older. Some breeds known to be more susceptible to congenital and hereditary conditions can have some of the most expensive pet insurance premiums.
Some companies offer plan customizations where you can make adjustments to your reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limits. Toggling between these customizations can help lower your premium. For example, choosing higher deductibles and lower annual limits can lower your premium.
You can make additional savings by looking for discount opportunities. Some companies offer discounts for bundling, so if you have car insurance or renter’s insurance, you can check with your insurance company to see if it also offers pet insurance.
Companies can also provide multi-pet discounts or reduce your premium if you choose an annual payment plan and pay for your insurance upfront. Some companies will also apply a credit to the following year’s deductible if you didn’t process any claims and renew your plan for another year.
Plan Customization
You can customize pet insurance plans in several ways. First, pet insurance companies offer add-ons or riders that you can stack on top of a base plan. Wellness care coverage is a typical add-on that companies will provide. You can also find some add-ons that will help pay for dental health, alternative therapies, and prescription foods.
Most pet insurance companies will allow you to choose from a selection of reimbursement rates, annual and lifetime benefits, and deductible amounts. The reimbursement rate is the percentage the company will pay once you meet your deductible. So, if you choose a plan with a 90% reimbursement rate and have a $100 vet bill, the pet insurance company will pay $90, and you will pay $10. Reimbursement rates typically range from 50%-90%, and some companies will offer a 100% reimbursement rate.
The annual limit is the maximum amount an insurance company will pay you each year. The range for annual limits is quite large. You can find plans that have limits as low as $3,000, and some companies will offer unlimited annual benefits.
The lifetime limit is the total amount that a pet insurance company will reimburse you throughout your pet’s lifetime. So, if you have a plan with an annual limit of $2,000 and a lifetime limit of $20,000, the company will reimburse you up to $2,000 every year until it has reimbursed a total of $20,000. Most insurance plans have a lifetime limit, but some companies will have plans with unlimited lifetime benefits.
How much does pet insurance cost in Illinois?
Pet insurance heavily depends on your pet’s age and breed and plan customizations, so it’s difficult to determine the average cost of pet insurance in Illinois. However, it’s reasonable to say that you can expect to pay $15-$50 a month for young adult cats and $20-$80 a month for young adult dogs. Older pets can end up having premiums that exceed $100 a month.
What breeds have the most expensive pet insurance?
Not all pet breeds have the same insurance prices. Brachycephalic breeds tend to have high premiums, so you can expect to pay more for Boxers, French Bulldogs, Himalayans, and Persians.
Dog breeds known to have shorter lifespans and expensive chronic health conditions are also usually more expensive to insure. Giant dog breeds, Bernese Mountain Dogs, and German Shepherds tend to have higher premiums than many other dog breeds.
Does pet insurance only cover cats and dogs?
Most pet insurance companies provide plans for cats and dogs. However, some companies will also ensure other types of pets. Nationwide Pet Insurance provides insurance for exotic pets, and ASPCA has insurance plans available for horses.
What the Users Say
Lemonade Pet Insurance generally has positive customer reviews, and many customers are satisfied with the company’s customer service and easy claims processing system. Lemonade also has a high rating on Trustpilot. While the company may have a mediocre BBB rating, most complaints made on BBB relate to other services outside of pet insurance.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
If you’re new to pet insurance and are looking for a user-friendly experience, Lemonade Pet Insurance is a great choice. Its plans have reasonable rates, and you can customize them to meet your pet’s needs. Bivvy is another considerable choice for anyone who’s looking for basic coverage for a young and healthy pet at an affordable price. If you anticipate your pet requiring more extensive veterinary care, Spot and Trupanion will have more coverage and customization options.
Conclusion
Pet insurance gives you peace of mind by ensuring that you’ll have help paying for expensive veterinary care costs. You can find different pet insurance plans with a wide variety of price points to suit your budget.
If you’re unsure of how much coverage your pet needs, you can consult your veterinarian to get a better picture of how much care your pet will receive in a year.
Featured Image Credit: Drazen Zigic, Shutterstock
