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Prudent Pet Insurance Review
By Kat Tretina MONEY RESEARCH COLLECTIVE
When you’re shopping for insurance for your dog or cat, you may be overwhelmed by how many different insurers there are. Keep in mind that they’re not all the same when it comes to coverage and reliability.
Prudent Pet is a relatively young company, but it’s already made a significant impact in the industry. It could be a good fit for you and your pets if you’re looking for coverage with added benefits and a wide range of deductibles.
Table of contents
- Prudent Pet insurance overview
- Prudent Pet’s services
- Prudent Pet’s credentials
- Prudent Pet’s accessibility
- Prudent Pet’s customer satisfaction
- Prudent Pet vs. the competition
Prudent Pet insurance overview
Prudent Pet is a newcomer to the pet insurance industry. It was founded in 2018 and is licensed to issue pet insurance for dogs and cats in all 50 states. Prudent Pet doesn’t underwrite the policies it sells. Instead, policies are underwritten by Markel, a specialty insurance company.
Pros and cons explained
Pros
- The Ultimate policy includes additional benefits: Prudent Pet’s Ultimate policy covers services that other pet insurance policies don’t, such as advertisements and rewards for lost or stolen pets, boarding fees if you are hospitalized and vacation cancellation coverage if you need to cancel a trip because of an injured or sick pet.
- Offers a wide range of deductibles: You can choose a deductible between $100 and $1,000 — a larger range than most companies offer — so you can customize the deductible based on your budget.
- Offers a 10% multi-pet discount: While most companies offer multi-pet discounts, the discount is often 5% off. But with Prudent Pet, you can qualify for a discount of 10% when you insure two or more pets.
- Has a 30-day guarantee: Prudent Pet has a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re dissatisfied with your policy and haven’t submitted a claim, you can cancel your coverage and get a full refund.
Cons
- Requires a six-month waiting period for cruciate and joint disorders: Prudent Pet’s waiting period for these conditions is a bit longer than what other companies require. Many insurers have two-week waiting periods for illnesses and injuries, including orthopedic or joint disorders.
- Veterinary exams aren’t covered without a rider: When your pet is injured or sick, veterinary exams aren’t reimbursable expenses unless you purchase an additional rider with Prudent Pet. This includes consultations and exams to diagnose and treat covered injuries and illnesses.
- Has an unclear reimbursement timeline: On its website, Prudent Pet boasts quick claims processing using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. But its sample policy says it can take up to 30 days to reimburse claims.
- Doesn’t allow you to purchase accident-only coverage online: Although Prudent Pet sells accident-only coverage, it doesn’t offer online quotes for that type of insurance, and you can’t purchase it online. Instead, you have to call and speak with an agent.
Prudent Pet’s services
Prudent Pet sells multiple coverage options for owners of dogs and cats, and its policies are available nationwide.
What it offers
Prudent Pet offers two pet insurance options: accident-only or accident and illness coverage. Additionally, there are two tiers of accident and illness coverage available.
Accident-only
Accident-only coverage is a less expensive form of pet insurance that only covers injuries, such as broken bones, fractured teeth or treatment for swallowing foreign objects. It doesn’t provide any coverage for illnesses, including cancer, allergies or arthritis. With Prudent Pet’s accident-only plan, you can get up to $10,000 in annual reimbursement for accidents.
Accident and illness
Accident and illness coverage will cover tests and lab work required to diagnose an injury or illness as well as its treatment. Prudent Pet has two tiers of coverage:
- Essential: The Essential plan offers up to $10,000 in annual reimbursement for accidents and injuries.
- Ultimate: The Ultimate plan provides unlimited annual coverage, and it reimburses you for additional expenses, including:
- Up to $500 in advertisements and rewards for lost pets
- Up to $500 for boarding or cattery fees if you are hospitalized
- Up to $500 to reimburse you for the loss of a pet due to theft or straying
- Up to $1,000 as a mortality benefit if your pet passes away
- Up to $1,000 in vacation cancellation if you have to cancel a planned trip due to a sick or injured pet
What it doesn’t offer
While Prudent Pet’s policies cover a broad range of procedures and treatments, there are some exclusions:
- Pre-existing conditions: Like most pet insurance companies, Prudent Pet doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions — any issues that your pet was diagnosed with before the policy’s effective date or during the policy’s waiting periods.
- Veterinary exams: Prudent Pet’s policies don’t cover veterinary exams for diagnosing or treating accidents or injuries unless you purchase a separate rider.
- Cosmetic or elective treatments: Prudent Pet doesn’t cover cosmetic or elective treatments, such as ear cropping.
- Preventative care: Without the wellness plan rider, Prudent Pet doesn’t reimburse you for any routine or preventative care treatments, including spay or neuter procedures and vaccines.
Prudent Pet insurance coverage
| Accident-Only | Essential Accident and Illness | Ultimate Accident and Illness | |
| Annual limit | $10,000 | $10,000 | Unlimited |
| Alternative therapies prescribed by vet (acupuncture, chiropractic care, etc.) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bite wounds | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Broken bones | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cancer | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Chronic or congenital conditions | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Injuries to mouth or teeth | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hereditary conditions | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Hip dysplasia | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Hospitalization | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prescription medications | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| X-rays | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Surgery for swallowed objects | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Prudent Pet insurance optional coverage
Prudent Pet has two optional riders you can add to your policy for an additional cost:
- Wellness Coverage: The wellness add-on will reimburse you — up to an annual maximum — for routine and preventative care, such as vaccinations or lab work.
- Veterinary Exam Rider: You can get coverage for emergency veterinary exam fees when you add the veterinary exam rider to your policy.
Prudent Pet insurance cost
To get an idea of how much Prudent Pet charges in premiums, we requested quotes for three common breeds of dogs and cats of different ages.
We got quotes for both Essential and Ultimate coverage with a 70% reimbursement rate and a $500 deductible. Below are the cost estimates we received:
Prudent Pet monthly premiums for dogs
| 1 Year old (Essential) | 1 Year old (Ultimate) | 5 Years old (Essential) | 5 Years old (Ultimate) | 10 Years old (Essential) | 10 Years old (Ultimate) | |
| Beagle | $31.80 | $42.06 | $43.68 | $57.77 | $78.98 | $104.45 |
| Golden retriever | $39.18 | $51.81 | $53.82 | $71.17 | $97.30 | $128.68 |
| Maltese | $29.26 | $38.69 | $40.19 | $53.15 | $72.66 | $96.09 |
Prudent Pet monthly premiums for cats
| 1 Years Old (Essential) | 1 Years Old (Ultimate) | 5 Years Old (Essential) | 5 Years Old (Ultimate) | 10 Years Old (Essential) | 10 Years Old (Ultimate) | |
| Domestic longhair | $18.06 | $21.54 | $24.81 | $29.58 | $44.85 | $53.48 |
| Maine coon | $39.18 | $51.81 | $53.82 | $71.17 | $97.30 | $128.68 |
| Persian | $29.26 | $38.69 | $40.19 | $53.15 | $72.66 | $96.09 |
We found that Prudent Pet’s premiums are in line with industry averages. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), the average premium for dogs was $48.66, and the average for cats was $28.57.
Your actual cost will depend on several factors, including your pet’s age, breed and location. You can adjust your premiums by changing your annual deductible or reimbursement percentage.
Prudent Pet’s credentials
Prudent Pet is a young company, but it is a reputable insurer.
Licenses and registrations
Prudent Pet is licensed in all 50 states. Its policies are underwritten by Markel Insurance Company, which has an “A” (excellent) rating from AM Best.
Prudent Pet is also one of the 26 pet insurance companies that’s a member of the NAPHIA.
Prudent Pet’s accessibility
Prudent Pet is well-regarded for its customer support and accessibility.
Availability
Prudent Pet issues policies nationwide. You can purchase most policies online or call and speak with an agent to buy coverage.
Contact information
Prudent Pet can be reached via phone or by submitting a secure message online. To contact customer support, call 888-820-7739 or email info@prudentpet.com.
User experience
Prudent Pet has an easy-to-use website and a tool you can use to get a free quote for pet insurance. It also has informational resources about pet insurance and general pet health.
Limitations
Prudent Pet doesn’t list its customer support hours on its website.
Prudent Pet’s customer satisfaction
Even though Prudent Pet has only been around for a few years, customers have rated it highly on various review platforms.
Customer complaints
The company has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars (“excellent”) on TrustPilot based on over 800 reviews. Prudent Pet insurance reviews highlighted positive interactions with company agents, responsive customer service and an easy signup process.
Prudent Pet is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB), where it holds an A+ rating.
Prudent Pet vs. the competition
While some companies, such as Embrace, have maximum limits of annual reimbursement, Prudent Pet has an unlimited reimbursement option. In terms of pricing, we found that Prudent Pet tended to be about average.
For the sake of comparison, we requested quotes from insurers using a $10,000 annual benefit limit, 70% reimbursement percentage and $500 deductible.
| Prudent Pet | Spot | Embrace | |
| Maximum annual coverage | Unlimited | Unlimited | $30,000 |
| Reimbursement | 70% to 90% | 70% to 90% | 70% to 90% |
| Average monthly cost | $49.78 | $59.58 | $43.39 |
Prudent Pet FAQs
How we evaluated Prudent Pet
While evaluating Prudent Pet, we compared it to other leading pet insurers and considered the following factors:
- Coverage options: We looked at each insurer’s available plans, including optional insurance riders.
- Reimbursement limits: We researched pet insurers’ reimbursement caps and percentages.
- Discounts: We looked for companies that offered discounts to make insurance more affordable.
- Cost: We compared companies’ premiums to the industry averages.
- Customer service: We reviewed customer experiences submitted to TrustPilot and the Better Business Bureau.
- Exclusions: We read sample policies and exclusion information from each company to see if there were restrictions for certain breeds, senior pets or conditions.
Summary of Miami Herald’s Prudent Pet review
If you’re shopping for pet insurance, Prudent Pet should make your shortlist of companies to consider. It offers a range of coverage options, including a plan with unlimited reimbursement, and its Ultimate policy includes added benefits.
Those with pets prone to knee or ligament disorders may find the longer waiting period worrisome and may be better off with a company that has a two-week waiting period for all conditions. To find companies with shorter waiting periods and comparable costs, check out our list of the best pet insurance companies.
