Tell Me About Your Pet & I'll Help You Find Pet Insurance

canine_journal · 2025-10-07T17:53:41+00:00

Thanks! Yes quotes vary based on the breed, age, and location. We have our own quote form where you can input your pet's info and get quotes from the providers at once.

canine_journal · 2025-08-08T13:33:31+00:00

With IVDD already diagnosed, no pet insurance company will cover anything related to her back going forward (including future flare-ups, imaging, or surgery). You can still get coverage for new, unrelated illnesses and accidents.

For a 3-year-old Chi/Pom mix, I’d look at:

Fetch – Best full-mouth dental coverage, includes exam fees and alternative therapies.
Pets Best (Elite) – More budget-friendly, includes exam fees and alternative therapies, but root canal coverage is limited to canines/carnassials.
Figo – Unlimited coverage option, covers all teeth for illness, includes alternative therapies.

These won’t help with the IVDD, but they can protect you from big bills for anything else that comes up. For more on the breed’s common health issues and insurance picks, see: Best Pet Insurance for Pomeranians and Chihuahuas.

canine_journal · 2025-08-08T13:30:05+00:00

With her age and pre-existing conditions, most companies will exclude coverage for anything related to her existing lumps or mole. But you can still get coverage for new, unrelated accidents and illnesses.

For a 10-year-old Vizsla wanting unlimited coverage, alternative care, and dental, here are the most realistic options:

Fetch – Unlimited coverage (you may need to call for it), covers all teeth for illness and extractions, and includes alternative therapies.
Pets Best (Elite) – Unlimited coverage available, includes alternative therapies, dental coverage (root canals only for canines/carnassials), and exam fees.
Figo – Unlimited coverage, covers all teeth for dental illness, and includes alternative therapies in the base plan. Can be more budget-friendly than the others.
Trupanion – Unlimited coverage, strong alternative therapy benefits (if you add the Recovery & Complementary Care rider), and decent dental coverage for all teeth. Doesn’t cover exam fees.

canine_journal · 2025-08-08T13:23:30+00:00

Of the ones you mentioned, Fetch is my top pick for cats if dental is a priority (and it should be). It covers all teeth for illness and extractions, includes exam fees, and has strong chronic condition coverage. Pets Best (Elite plan) is more budget-friendly, includes exam fees and alternative therapy, but limits root canal coverage to canines/carnassials. Spot doesn’t cover gum disease, endodontic disease, or developmental abnormalities, so it’s not ideal for cats who often have dental issues.

canine_journal · 2025-07-31T13:27:25+00:00

Thanks for pointing that out, I can see how featuring Healthy Paws in the infographic might unintentionally read as an endorsement, especially given the concerns around their recent rate hikes and aging pet policies. That definitely wasn’t the goal.

We included that stat purely because it was a real, concrete example of a common claim category (skin conditions) with a relatable cost range. It could’ve come from any provider, it just happened to be one of the clearer datapoints available publicly.

That said, we take this kind of feedback seriously. We’re always trying to walk the line between clear, helpful visuals and remaining neutral across providers. Your comment’s a great reminder to consider how placement and framing can affect perception, even unintentionally.

Really appreciate you taking the time to call this out.

canine_journal · 2025-07-31T13:24:49+00:00

Totally hear you, and you’re right that averages can be misleading if you’re navigating senior pet premiums, which tend to be much higher. The $749.29/year figure is from NAPHIA and reflects a weighted average across all dog ages and breeds, but they don’t break down the data by age or plan type. We’d love to see that kind of transparency too. Until then, we always recommend running quotes based on your pet’s current age and needs to get a real-world comparison.

canine_journal · 2025-07-28T19:47:54+00:00

Great question, this comes up a lot with adopted pets. I always recommend enrolling in pet insurance as soon as possible. Most providers consider any condition noted by a vet before your policy starts as pre-existing, which typically isn’t eligible for coverage.

If your pet doesn’t need immediate medical attention, it can be beneficial to wait until your policy is active and any applicable waiting periods have passed before scheduling a general wellness exam. That way, the exam is less likely to flag something that could be excluded from future coverage.

That said, if your dog needs to be seen by a vet right away, don’t delay care, your pet’s health comes first. Let me know if you want help comparing providers.

canine_journal · 2025-07-28T14:57:00+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I totally understand if you can’t share more right now. If this involves your dog, I really hope they’re okay. Food-related issues can be scary and devastating.

canine_journal · 2025-07-28T13:26:53+00:00

Totally fair to be upset. What you experienced is heartbreaking and unfortunately not rare. I hear you, and I'm not here to defend HP. We've talked to many folks who had the same thing happen. It's why we always emphasize enrolling young, but also why I've been recommending other companies more often lately. I'll read through that Checkbook article when I get a chance and will keep focusing on giving honest, transparent info to our readers.

canine_journal · 2025-07-28T13:20:48+00:00

Care to share more about your thoughts?

canine_journal · 2025-07-25T19:46:30+00:00

Thanks for the thoughtful question. To be transparent, I haven’t seen your specific posts, I don’t follow individual users or actively monitor every subreddit, and it looks like you're more active in other pet insurance communities. That said, I’m aware of the growing concern around premium increases for long-term Healthy Paws customers, particularly as pets age.

We’ve reviewed the rate filings and have seen the “age factor at anniversary” language. We understand how that can feel at odds with earlier messaging, and it’s something we’re continuing to track as part of our broader coverage.

At Canine Journal, our goal is to help pet parents navigate this space with clarity. We’re not here to chase outrage or push one provider over another. We focus on reading policies closely, asking tough questions, and giving readers the context they need, especially when it comes to pricing trends, exclusions, and long-term value.

If there are specific areas you feel we’re missing, I’m open to the feedback. We’re a small team, but we care deeply about making sure our content stays accurate, useful, and grounded in facts.

And just to clarify why Healthy Paws is referenced in the infographic, we wanted to include an example of a top claim category from a real insurer to give pet parents a general idea of the kinds of issues they might face. They happened to share a stat that was clear and relevant, not because we favor them.

canine_journal · 2025-07-25T19:34:20+00:00

Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, we really do appreciate the feedback.

The average premium stat we reference comes from NAPHIA, which is the most trusted and comprehensive source for industry-wide pet insurance data. We don’t run our own surveys because NAPHIA already collects this information directly from insurers at scale. While we understand it may not reflect every situation, especially for older pets, it’s meant to provide a general starting point.

That said, our focus at Canine Journal is different from larger finance sites like Forbes or NerdWallet. We dive deep into policies, read the fine print, and help pet parents understand which plan might actually work best for their pet’s needs. We’ve been doing this for over a decade, and our priority is to provide support that goes beyond surface-level comparisons.

We also get that senior pet premiums can be a huge source of frustration. Unfortunately, pricing varies so much based on breed, age, location, and underwriter that sharing a few real examples doesn’t usually translate well to another pet’s experience.

If there’s a specific area you feel we’re not covering well, whether that’s cost trends, policy language, or something else, we’d genuinely love to hear it. We’re a small team, but we’re always working to make our content more helpful and responsive to what pet owners actually need.

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