When it comes to pet insurance for older dogs, you may have many questions like ‘Can you even get insurance for an older dog?’, ‘Is it even worth it?’ ‘Will it cover their ever-growing list of "quirks" (like selective hearing when you call them inside)?’, etc. We’ll answer all of them for you.
To give you a small spoiler, though, yes, you can get insurance for an older pet. For deciding its worth, once you learn about the costs of treating the common medical conditions for them, you can decide for yourself.
Before we get to insurance for older pets, let us be on the same page when using the word ‘older’ for pets.
What is an Older Pet?
You can call a pet older when they’ve reached their senior years. While we often consider humans "old" around retirement age (60-65), a pet's senior status is more complex, hinging on their species and specific breed.
Senior Dogs
Small breeds like Chihuahua, Dachshund, Yorkshire Terrier (under 20 lbs):10–12 years of age.
Medium breeds like Border Collie, Cocker Spaniel, Beagle (20–50 lbs): 8–10 years of age
Large breeds like Labrador, German Shepherd, Boxer (50–90 lbs): 7–8 years of age
Giant breeds like Great Dane, Saint Bernard, Mastiff (90+ lbs): As early as 5–6 years of age
Senior Cats
Breeds like Domestic Shorthair, Siamese, Ragdoll, etc. can be called senior at the age of 10-12 years
Others like Persian, Maine Coon, Russian Blue, etc., go into the senior category at the age of 15+.
Do you need Pet Insurance for Older Pets?
Some people may think that getting pet insurance for older pets might not be worth it, but older pets can often develop certain health conditions that can be expensive to treat. Here are a few of the most common medical conditions in older pets and their average costs of treatment.
Common medical problems in older dogs – (5)
Dental problems like plaque and tartar, gingivitis, and periodontitis.
Average treatment cost - $300-$700 for plaque and up to $3,000 for periodontitis.
Eye problems like degeneration of the cornea, cataracts, and glaucoma
Average treatment cost – $500-$5,500
Back problems like spondylitis, IVDD or intervertebral disc disease and arthritis.
Average cost of treatment - $900-$12,000 (for IVDD)
Autoimmune diseases like Hemolytic anemia and Pemphigus foliaceus.
Average treatment cost - $4,000-$8,000
Common medical conditions in older cats (1)(2)(3)(4)
Kidney disease
Average treatment cost – $649 a year
Diabetes
Average treatment cost – $889 a year
Hyperthyroidism
Average treatment cost – $1,800-$1,900
Dental diseases like gingivitis, infections
Average treatment cost – $434
Average treatment cost – $3,000-$4,500
Arthritis
Average treatment cost – $1,000-$1,200
Heart disease
Average treatment cost - $500-$3,000
Before you start panicking, we have the best solution for you to help save on all these costs – Pet Insurance.
Which brings us to the next question –
Can you get Pet Insurance for Older Pets?
Some pet insurance companies have upper age limits and do not allow pets above a certain age to enroll in a new policy. Spot Pet Insurance, however, does not have any upper age limit for your pet to get insured. We know how important pet insurance can be during the golden years of your pet and do not want those years to be filled with financial stress if your pet falls sick.
Are there any Cons to getting Insurance for Older Dogs?
There are multiple benefits of getting pet insurance for an older pet. Peace of mind is the biggest one. However, certain terms and conditions come along with policies for senior pets. They include –
Exclusion of pre-existing conditions unless they are deemed temporary or curable
Higher premiums because the risk of the pet getting sick is also higher
Some policy exclusions like Dental care, physical therapy, behavioral treatments, and exam fees.
It is advised to read the policy document carefully, as the exclusions can vary from insurer to insurer.
Is Pet Insurance for Older Pets Worth It?
You already saw the average costs of treating some of the most common medical conditions for pets. We’ve not even covered all of them. With pet insurance, you can get reimbursed up to 90% on almost all covered medical expenses. With Spot Pet, you can even get help covering alternative therapies, prescription diets, specialist vet visits, and more.
Spot Facts!
The average claim cost for older dogs from 2019-2025 at Spot Pet is $995.29.
A whopping 107,845 claims were made for older dogs in this period.
More about Spot Pet Insurance
Pet Insurance can help provide financial assistance for eligible veterinary care in case of unexpected accidents, illnesses, or injuries. Our plans can help pet parents manage the eligible costs of covered veterinary care and help ensure that their pets can receive the best treatment possible. Here are some ways that Spot pet insurance plans can help:
Covers Unexpected Veterinary Costs: Spot pet insurance plans help cover the eligible costs of unexpected veterinary treatments, such as emergency surgeries, X-rays, and prescription medications for covered conditions.
Customizable Plans: Choose your annual limit, reimbursement rate, and deductible from a range of options, and create the plan that will fit the needs of your pet and your budget.
Peace of Mind: With Spot pet insurance plans, pet parents can know that they can provide the best care for their pet with less worry about the cost.
To learn more about Spot Plans or to get a free quote, click here.
The resident animal enthusiast at Spot. I have a lifetime of pet parent experience. If it has fur, feathers, or scales, I’ve probably shared my home with it. I aim to be a reliable source, blending experience with a dedication to the well-being of pets.
Turner, A. (2018, April 10). 5 common — and costly — conditions that can send your pet to the vet. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/09/common--and-costly--conditions-that-can-send-your-pet-to-the-vet.html
Hospital, E. C. V. (n.d.). Radioactive iodine (I131) treatment for hyperthyroid disease | Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital, Waterford, MI, USA. Exclusively Cats Veterinary Hospital. https://www.ecats.vet/radioiodine-i131-treatment.pml
How Much Does Chemotherapy Cost for Dogs and Cats? (2021, January 23). https://www.carecredit.com/well-u/pet-care/cat-and-dog-chemotherapy-cost-and-financing/
Wag. (2016, September 16). Heart disease in cats. Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost. https://wagwalking.com/cat/condition/heart-disease
Falk, T. (2022, December 12). Common health problems in elderly dogs. https://wagwalking.com/wellness/common-health-problems-in-elderly-dogs
