Compare Embrace to AKC Pet Insurance

AKC Pet Insurance limits your pet's coverage in a variety of ways. Exam fees are not automatically covered, which can be a significant expense if your pet needs a specialist or has a condition that requires frequent trips to the vet. In addition, they don't cover hereditary and congenital conditions in their standard policy, which can severely limit reimbursement on a variety of issues that are often expensive to treat. Finally, while AKC Pet Insurance offers a wellness plan, it has itemized limits so you'll struggle to get the full value each year.

Have more questions? Our Pet Insurance Advisors are here to help. Give us a call at (800) 779-1539 and we’ll walk you through it.

Compare

Select the pet insurance providers below to see how Embrace compares to other plans.

Plan features AKC Pet Insurance
Flexible wellness plan Check Icon X Icon
Options for coverage of exam fees Check Icon X Icon
One Comprehensive Policy Check Icon Check Icon
No Per-incident Lifetime Limits Check Icon X Icon
Coverage for Hereditary & Congenital Conditions Check Icon Extra Cost
No Annual Wellness Visit Required Check Icon X Icon
No Illness Exclusions Check Icon X Icon
Window to Submit Claims Full Policy Term + 60 Days 180 Days from Office Visit
Dental Illness Coverage Included Check Icon Only covers extractions
Repetitive Behavior Coverage Check Icon X Icon
Covers Internal & External Parasites Check Icon X Icon
Covers Prosthetic Devices & Mobility Aids Check Icon X Icon
Coverage for Hidden Fees Check Icon X Icon
Hip dysplasia coverage on all Accident & Illness policies Check Icon X Icon
No Additional Waiting Periods for Optional Plans Check Icon X Icon
No Restrictions for Cremation or Burial Check Icon X Icon
Mobile App Check Icon X Icon
Monthly Processing Fee $1 $3
Pets Covered Internationally Check Icon Limited Locations
24/7 pet telehealth Check Icon X Icon
No Claim Form Required When Submitting Through Online Account Check Icon X Icon

21 Reasons to Consider Embrace over AKC Pet Insurance

dog smiling at the camera

1. AKC Pet Insurance has Itemized Limitations for Wellness Plan

Because AKC Pet Insurance has per-item limits, any leftover funds in their set categories are lost if they’re not used. Plus, only one of their two wellness offerings reimburse for spaying or neutering at all.

Embrace promotes, rewards, and encourages healthy pets by offering Wellness Rewards, an optional non-insurance product that reimburses for everyday veterinary, grooming, and training costs with no itemized limits. And our wellness covers all the same things no matter which limit you select.

2. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Automatically Include Exam Fee Coverage

AKC Pet Insurance doesn’t include coverage for exam fees automatically – their ExamCare rider must be added at an additional cost. Visiting an emergency hospital, or even going to a scheduled visit at your primary veterinary or a veterinary specialist, can include an expensive exam fee – sometimes well over $100. Not having coverage for these fees is like having to pay an extra deductible at every visit. Embrace believes this fee should be covered.

3. Embrace Offers One Comprehensive Policy

AKC Pet Insurance has several policy options to pick from. With so many coverage options, it can be difficult to figure out which plan is best and coverage may be sacrificed for a lower cost. Embrace offers one simple yet comprehensive policy that covers every unexpected accident and illness and all treatment plan options.

4. AKC Pet Insurance has Per-incident Lifetime Limitations

AKC Pet Insurance has per-incident limits for the lifetime of a pet. If a pet reaches this limit in the first year, there is no additional coverage available for that condition for the rest of the pet’s life. Embrace’s policy allows you to claim injuries and illnesses up to your annual maximum with no lifetime limits. (Eligible states are allowed $1,000 per policy year for dental illness with no lifetime limit.)

5. AKC Pet Insurance Charges Extra for Hereditary and Congenital Condition Coverage

AKC Pet Insurance does not cover hereditary and genetic conditions on their policy – this must be added at an additional cost. Hereditary and genetic conditions can lie dormant for years, and when symptoms start showing they can cost thousands of dollars to treat. All Embrace accident and illness plans cover genetic conditions your pet may be prone to, at no extra cost.

6. AKC Pet Insurance Requires Annual Wellness Vet Visits

AKC Pet Insurance requires that all pets have an annual wellness visit in order to qualify for coverage. While Embrace encourages you to see your vet annually, there is absolutely no requirement for coverage.

7. Embrace Offers More Coverage Options for Pets with Diabetes, Cushing’s, FeLV/FIV

AKC Pet Insurance only allows pets with diabetesCushing’s disease, or FeLV/FIV to get accident-only coverage. Embrace does not exclude these pets from getting a full accident and illness insurance policy, but pre-existing condition exclusions do apply.

8. Embrace Allows More Time to Submit Claims

AKC Pet Insurance requires you to submit claims within 180 days of the office visit. Embrace gives you your entire policy term, plus 60 days after it renews to submit your claims.

9. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Offer Dental Illness Coverage

AKC Pet Insurance does not cover dental illnesses including gingivitis, malocclusions, periodontal disease, root canals, and more. They only cover accidental dental trauma (i.e. a fractured tooth). Embrace covers dental illness under our accident and illness insurance policy up to $1,000 per policy year.

10. AKC Pet Insurance has Lifetime Limits on Repetitive Behavior

AKC Pet Insurance will only cover one instance of an accident or illness due to repetitive behavior including foreign body ingestion, dog fights, and toxin ingestion in a pet’s lifetime. Embrace covers one surgical removal of a foreign body ingestion per policy year, and there are no coverage restrictions for dog fights, toxin ingestion, or other repetitive behaviors.

11. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover Internal and External Parasites

AKC Pet Insurance does not cover parasites including fleas, roundworm, ticks, giardia, and heartworms, regardless of whether your pet is taking preventative medications or not. Embrace covers the entire visit for internal and external parasites including the exam fee, diagnostic testing, and treatment.

12. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover Prosthetic Devices and Mobility Aids

Embrace covers prosthetic devices and mobility aids for every covered condition. This is included with every policy at no additional cost. AKC Pet Insurance does not cover any aspect of these items.

13. Embrace Includes Coverage for Medical Waste Fees

This fee is usually under $10 but it’s still part of the bill – and if your pet is seen weekly or monthly, it can add up. AKC Pet Insurance doesn’t cover this fee. Embrace includes this coverage in our policy at no extra cost.

14. Embrace Includes Behavioral Conditions on Every Policy

With AKC Pet Insurance, a rider must be added to the policy to get coverage for behavioral conditions. Coverage for behavioral conditions is included in your Embrace policy standard, you don’t have to do a thing.

15. Embrace has No Additional Waiting Periods

Embrace is up front about our waiting periods and there are no additional ones. AKC Pet Insurance has additional 30-day waiting periods for their AlternativePlus and HereditaryPlus riders.

In addition to the waiting period, pets must be under two years old to get the HereditaryPlus rider.

16. Embrace has No Age Restrictions for Cremation or Burial

AKC Pet Insurance’s SupportPlus rider can be purchased to cover the costs of cremation, burial, urns, and memorials up to $300. However, if your pet is over five years old at enrollment, this rider is unavailable. Embrace’s Wellness Rewards plan covers these items, and there are absolutely no age restrictions.

17. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Have a Mobile App

Embrace has the Embrace Pet Insurance mobile app available for iOS and Android for on-the-go policy management, including claim submission, policy updates, adding pets, and more.

18. AKC Pet Insurance has a Higher Monthly Processing Fee

AKC Pet Insurance’s monthly processing fee for billing is $3.00. That adds up to be $36 a year which is basically an extra insurance payment. Embrace’s processing fee is $1.00.

19. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover Pets Internationally

AKC Pet Insurance’s policy only covers pets in the United States and Canada. Embrace covers your pet wherever you travel, even when traveling internationally for up to six months.

20. AKC Pet Insurance Doesn’t Offer 24/7 Pet Health Line

AKC Pet Insurance does not give their policyholders access to Pet Pros round-the-clock, so if you have questions about your pet’s behavior, diet, or a possible emergency, you’d have to wait for your vet’s regular business hours. Embrace has partnered with PawSupport to give our policyholders access to Pet Pros 24 hours a day, seven days a week – even on holidays. And the best part is that this feature is included with every policy at no extra cost.

21. Embrace Pet Insurance Doesn’t Require a Claim Form When You Submit Through MyEmbrace

When you submit a claim through MyEmbrace, Embrace doesn’t require a claim form – you simply fill in the questions online and send pictures of the invoice.