ASPCA Pet Health Insurance Review & Complaints: Pet Insurance (2023)

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance is a branded pet insurance plan that provides coverage with the ASPCA name. They cover cats and dogs with the backing of Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group.

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Is ASPCA pet health insurance good pet insurance?

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) formed a partnership with Hartville Pet Insurance in 2006 to offer a branded version of their existing pet insurance plans. The insurance plans are underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company, and they are administered by C&F Insurance Agency.

The ASPCA is not directly involved in any of the pet insurance operations; rather, they have licensed their name to be used as a recognizable brand for the marketing of these plans. The plans are the same as those offered by Hartville Pet Insurance, which is also part of Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group.

Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group has its headquarters in Akron, Ohio, where they administer all of the ASPCA plans. Policies are sold online and over the phone.

What types ASPCA pet health insurance policies are available?

As previously mentioned, all of the pet insurance policies offered under the ASPCA name are the same as those offered by Hartville. We have a full review of Hartville’s policy under their brand name.

The plans offered are Hartville’s Complete Coverage accident and illness insurance, an accident-only plan, and a preventative care endorsement that can be added on to either of those plans.

What is Covered

Complete Coverage covers a wide range of accident and illness-related services. Examples of a covered condition include:

• Surgery
• Hospitalization
• Diagnostic tests
• Hereditary conditions
• Chronic conditions
• Prescriptions
• Behavioral therapy

Like Hartville, the ASPCA plan does cover knee conditions and ligament issues, such as torn ligaments, with only a 14-day waiting period.

Benefits

The ASPCA’s benefit choices are again exactly the same as those offered by Hartville. Annual limit options  range from $5,000 up to an unlimited plan option.

Reimbursement levels can be selected at 70, 80, or 90%, and deductible options are $100, $250, or $500.

Although the website states that they pay the reimbursement percentage of the actual vet bill, after the deductible, the small print makes it clear that they actually pay based on a pre-determined amount. While it is not a scheduled benefit, they determine what they believe to be the average cost of any given service, and then pay the percentage of that number. This not uncommon in pet insurance, but it is a piece of the fine print many people miss when signing up, and results in expensive surprises later.

Accident Only

As a less expensive option, the accident only plan is offered to cover only services related to accidents and injuries. This plan does not offer coverage for illnesses of any kind. That means a dog hit by a car would be covered, but a cancer diagnosis would not.

Preventative Care

Again, the preventative care endorsement mirrors that of the Hartville branded pet insurance provider. There are three levels to choose from, each at a flat rate and each covering a long list of routine care services.

Are the ASPCA pet health insurance rates competitive?

We ran our usual quotes and found the rates to be exactly the same as the rates under the Hartville name, meaning there is no financial benefit to buying through the ASPCA brand versus the partner company.

There is a full run-down of the rate quotes found in our review of Hartville, but our general conclusion was that the rates are on the high end for the coverage that is offered.

Can ASPCA pet health insurance claims be filed online?

Claims for ASPCA Pet Insurance are handled on a reimbursement basis, which is standard in the pet insurance industry.

Claims can be filed online by logging into the member center on the company website. The claims form can also be downloaded and sent in via fax, email, or regular mail. The plan offers a direct deposit system that allows reimbursements to be deposited directly into the member’s bank account rather than waiting for a check to arrive in the mail.

How do I enroll my pet in ASPCA pet health insurance?

How does ASPCA per insurance work in terms of enrollment? Enrollment can be handled entirely online or can be done over the phone. The company does not appear to require any sort of veterinary exam as part of the enrollment process.

Like Hartville, we were unable to find any information regarding age limits for enrolling in the plan.

Accident only coverage on this plan begins the day after enrollment, while illnesses and knee or ligament conditions require a 14-day waiting period for coverage. This is the same as Hartville and is the shortest waiting period we have seen anywhere for knee and ligament coverage.

There is a 30-day money-back guarantee on the plan, as long as no claims have been filed.

Are the ASPCA pet health insurance ratings and consumer reviews positive?

Unlike Hartville, we found a lot of customer reviews for the ASPCA branded pet health plans. Like Hartville, however, they do not have their own Better Business Bureau (BBB) page and are instead included with the Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group’s BBB page. The group has an A+ rating, with 24 complaints on file in the past three years. Those complaints include all companies in the group, and not only those for ASPCA branded products.

The Yelp page for ASPCA Pet Insurance has 121 customer service reviews with an overall 2-star rating. Of those reviews, 89 are one-star ratings. The complaints repeatedly cite denied claims, and the use of the pre-existing conditions clause to deny many claims. These are similar to the complaints we see across the board for all pet insurance companies, including Trupanion pet insurance. There are also some positive reviews mixed in with the negative ones, but not enough to tip the balance.

There are 101 reviews on Consumer Affairs, 78 of which contain star ratings, with an overall one-star rating. 70 of those 78 reviews are one star, and again we see the same complaints regarding denial of claims and pre-existing conditions clauses. You can enter your ZIP code below to get a FREE quote today.

What’s the bottom line on ASPCA pet health insurance?

This insurance is essentially Hartville, and it is important to note that the ASPCA has nothing to do with it beyond the use of the name. The plans are a bit pricey, and they have much the same in the way of complaints from pet parents as do other companies. For most shoppers, there is likely a better plan available in terms of value so it is important to do your research and really compare your options to find the best pet insurance company for you.