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Geico Pet Insurance offers accident-only and accident and illness pet insurance plans for cats and dogs. You can expect to pay around $50 a month for dogs and $23 a month for cats. However, the price of Geico’s pet insurance premiums vary on many different factors, and you’ll find a wide range of prices depending on your pet and policy customizations.
Navigating the world of pet insurance can get overwhelming very easily. So, we’ve gathered all the essential information you need to make an informed decision about purchasing pet insurance through Geico.
The Importance of Pet Insurance
While pet insurance remains fairly uncommon in the US, it’s a rapidly growing industry that’s projected to become a normal part of pet care costs in the near future. Pet insurance may sound like a luxury, but it may be a more budget-friendly option that helps make veterinary costs more affordable.
Veterinary care is expected to continue to become more expensive, so many pet owners may have to resort to pet insurance plans to afford various treatments and procedures. Diagnostic testing and surgery can easily cost several thousands of dollars. Pet Insurance helps pay for those costs with either full or partial reimbursements.
We can’t predict when pets will get into accidents or develop an illness. Pet insurance takes the guesswork out of budgeting for these costs, and you could potentially save thousands of dollars from unexpected health care costs.
How Much Does Geico Pet Insurance Cost?
Geico Pet Insurance premiums will vary depending on several different factors. First, location will dictate your premiums. Areas with higher costs of living will naturally have higher premiums. Larger cities tend to have the highest premiums.
Next, your pet’s age and breed will affect premium prices. Younger pets have lower premiums than older pets. Breeds known for having more genetic health concerns or veterinary care needs have some of the most expensive premiums.
Lastly, your pet insurance plan customizations will also affect your premiums. Geico offers different options for reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual reimbursement limits. You can get the cheapest premiums by choosing higher deductibles and lower reimbursement rates and annual reimbursement limits.
Here are some quotes of monthly premiums for cat and dog insurance by Geico Pet Insurance. These quotes are all based on the following policy options:
- Annual Reimbursement Limit: $15,000
- Annual Deductible: $500
- Reimbursement Rate: 80%
| Mixed Breed Dog 1 Year Old | Mixed Breed Dog 5 Years Old | French Bulldog 5 Years Old | Mixed Breed Cat 1 Year Old | Mixed Breed Cat 5 Years Old | Persian Cat 5 Years Old | |
| New York | $79.47 | $81.30 | $187.13 | $31.51 | $38.51 | $62.21 |
| Chicago | $57.21 | $67.05 | $154.32 | $21.74 | $30.65 | $49.51 |
| Atlanta | $32.96 | $38.63 | $88.91 | $12.53 | $17.66 | $28.52 |
| Los Angeles | $46.14 | $54.08 | $124.48 | $17.54 | $24.72 | $39.93 |
How Does Geico Pet Insurance Work?
When you apply for Geico Pet Insurance, you have the option to customize your annual reimbursement limit, annual deductible, and reimbursement percentage.
- $5,000
- $8,000
- $10,000
- $15,000
- $30,000
- $200
- $300
- $500
- $750
- $1,000
- 70%
- 80%
- 90%
Once your pet insurance application is approved, you’ll enter a waiting period. When your pet is in a waiting period, it means that it won’t receive coverage for certain items until the waiting period ends. These are Geico’s waiting periods for items under their pet insurance plan:
- Accidents: 2 days
- Illness: 14 days
- Orthopedic conditions: 6 months
Geico Pet Insurance works through a reimbursement system. Once the waiting period ends, you can submit claims to get reimbursed. You’ll first pay for your pet’s medical bill. Then, you’ll submit a claim with the receipt. Once the claim is approved, you’ll receive your reimbursement.
It’s important to note that Geico works with Embrace Pet Insurance. So, all your payments and claims are handled by Embrace, not Geico. The benefit of getting pet insurance through Geico is that Geico provides discounts and other perks for people who already have Geico insurance.
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What Does Geico Pet Insurance Cover?
Geico offers one type of pet insurance plan, an accident and illness plan.
- Injuries incurred by an accident
- Common illnesses, like ear infections and gastrointestinal upset
- Dental illnesses
- Breed-specific hereditary conditions
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Emergency care
- Diagnostic testing
- Specialist care
- Hospitalizations
- Surgeries
- Prescription medication
What Doesn’t Geico Pet Insurance Cover?
Geico Pet Insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. So, if your pet is already diagnosed with a chronic condition or gets diagnosed within the waiting period, it won’t receive any coverage for care related to that condition. However, you can still get reimbursed for other unrelated veterinary care costs.
Geico doesn’t cover costs related to breeding, whelping, and pregnancy. Injury or illness due to neglect, cruelty, or fighting also isn’t covered.
Routine care costs aren’t covered by Geico Pet Insurance. However, you can still experience some savings if you add Embrace Wellness Rewards to your accident and illness plan. This program helps pay for some routine care costs, like vaccines, microchipping, grooming, and more.
When Is the Best Time to Get Geico Pet Insurance?
It’s best to get pet insurance sooner rather than later. Although younger pets have lower risks of developing a chronic condition, they’re still susceptible to incidental injuries due to being more active.
Accident-only plans are more popular for younger pets because they’re cheaper, and younger pets don’t need as much comprehensive coverage as older pets. However, Geico doesn’t offer accident-only plans to younger pets. This option is only available for pets 15 years old and up. Also, it’s important to note that when pets reach 15 years old, they can only go on an accident-only plan.
So, if you’re looking for an accident-only plan for a younger pet, you’ll have to find another pet insurance company that doesn’t have age restrictions. If you want to have comprehensive coverage for your pet’s entire lifetime, you’ll probably have to look for a company that offers accident and illness plans without age limits.
Conclusion
The perks of Geico Pet Insurance are highly customizable plans and competitive premium rates. However, Geico tends to have significant price hikes for certain pet breeds, and it places an age limit on pets for its accident and illness plan.
Overall, Geico offers competitive rates and coverage. It just might not be the best option for older pets because coverage becomes significantly limited for them.
Featured Image Credit: thodonal88, Shutterstock
