Best Pet Insurance in South Carolina (SC)
Written by
Brenda Woods
Updated 06/27/2024
Brenda Woods is an accomplished writer and managing editor with more than two decades of publishing experience. She has spent over 10 years covering home services and home improvement projects. Brenda supports her team in evaluating dozens of home service providers, surveying and speaking to hom…
South Carolinian pet owners know their pets deserve the best care if they find themselves sick or injured—after all, they’re family. That’s where finding the best pet insurance plan can help.
We researched the top pet insurance companies that are affordable in the Palmetto State, scoring them on key metrics such as plans, benefits, items eligible for coverage, and more. We also secret-shopped each provider and received quotes for 4-year-old cats and dogs to provide example rates. We found that the best pet insurance provider in South Carolina is Lemonade for its flexible plans and affordable pricing.
![Lemonade Logo](https://dlczb9lfz9r73.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/30161847/admin-ajax-3-e1707516848856-300x69.jpeg)
![Spot Logo](https://dlczb9lfz9r73.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/29202108/Spot-Logo-e1666372457784.png)
How Do SC Pet Insurance Companies Compare?
Company | Star Rating | Monthly Cost for Dogs* | Monthly Cost for Cats* | Visit Site |
---|---|---|---|---|
4.8
|
$33.69 | $13.32 | VISIT SITE | |
4.6
|
$38.44 | $21.53 | VISIT SITE | |
4.5
|
$20.76 | $18.47 | Visit Site | |
4.7
|
$65.15 | $53.43 | VISIT SITE | |
4.7
|
$44.83 | $24.68 | Visit Site | |
4.6
|
$49.85 | $26.55 | VISIT SITE | |
4.8
|
N/A | N/A | Visit Site |
.
Who Are South Carolina’s Top 7 Pet Insurance Providers?
Based on our unique scoring system, Lemonade is our pick for the best overall provider of pet insurance in South Carolina thanks to its consistently low prices, convenient mobile app, charitable initiatives, and quick claims processing.
Learn More: Lemonade Pet Insurance Review
- Our score: 96
- 10% discount for bundling pet insurance with Lemonade homeowners insurance or Lemonade renters insurance
- Large range of coverage caps spanning from $5,000 to $100,000 of eligible expenses covered
- Wide variety of add-ons: preventive care, vet exam fees, and physical therapy, as well as a special routine care coverage option for puppies and kittens under two years old
While Lemonade’s lower than average rating from the Better Business Bureau may give some shoppers pause, we found that most complaints came from policyholders using their homeowners or renters insurance services rather than unhappy pet insurance customers.
Lemonade offers one standard accident and illness coverage plan to take care of unexpected costs in the event that your pet is sick or injured. This plan covers items like:
- Urinalysis
- X-rays
- CT scans
- Labworks
- Specialty and emergency care
- Surgeries
- Injections
- Prescription meds
Lemonade offers multiple optional benefits in addition to its base policy. These add-ons can be purchased for an extra cost and provide an extra layer of protection for your pet. The choices offered are:
- Vet fees to take care of the cost of sick or injury exams
- Preventive care at two levels—both come with a wellness exam, one fecal or internal parasite test, three vaccines, tests for either heartworm or Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, and a blood test, and the slightly higher price point also comes with a routine dental cleaning, and two flea and tick or heartworm medication
- Physical therapy to cover expenses for your pet’s recovery such as acupuncture or chiropractic care
Lemonade offers you the option to customize your coverage with annual limits ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, as well as a range of deductibles and reimbursement rates from 70% to 90%.
Lemonade plans do not cover items such as preexisting conditions, spaying and neutering for pets over two years old, or dental illness.
Based on the quotes we received while secret shopping for Lemonade pet insurance policies, pet insurance for dogs in South Carolina ranges from $21 to $34 per month, while pet insurance for cats in South Carolina ranges from $11 to $16 per month for cats.
Spot is great for dog and cat owners who want to be able to create a customized pet insurance policy. The company offers two standard plans, seven annual reimbursement caps, and two optional wellness packages from which to choose.
Learn More: Spot Pet Insurance Review
- Our score: 91
- Coverage caps include an unlimited option
- Covers microchip implants
- Offers corporate discounts of 10% off per employee
Spot offers the following standard plans:
- Accident-Only: This basic plan covers diagnosis and treatment related to accidental injuries and emergency situations like cuts, bite wounds, toxic ingestions, swallowed objects, sprains, and broken bones.
- Accident and Illness: Spot’s more comprehensive plan includes everything covered in the Accident-Only policy as well as reimbursement for dental-related issues, general sickness, chronic illness, and hereditary conditions. This plan also covers alternative therapies like chiropractic care and acupuncture and treatment of common behavioral issues such as excessive licking or fur pulling and aggression.
With either plan, Spot offers seven annual coverage caps ranging from $2,500 to unlimited. Customers can also choose a reimbursement rate of 70%, 80%, or 90%.
Spot has two wellness packages you can choose to purchase as an add-on:
- Gold Preventative Care Plan: This plan pays up to $250 for routine exams, dental cleanings, and certain vaccinations.
- Platinum Preventative Care Plan: The top-tier wellness plan includes everything in the Gold plan, with the addition of certain blood tests and other exams. The Platinum plan also comes with a higher annual coverage cap of $450.
Using Spot’s online quote tool, the cost of coverage in South Carolina ranges from approximately $14 to $111 per month, based on which annual coverage cap, reimbursement limit, and deductible amount you choose. The cost to cover cats runs from about $8 to $74.
New dog or cat owners might find ASPCA to be a good choice for pet insurance, since the company provides a variety of helpful resources and services. ASPCA covers microchip implantations and has a tool to help find veterinarians in your area on its website and through its user-friendly app.
Learn More: ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
- Our score: 89
- Covers some preexisting conditions after 180 days
- Exams fees are reimbursable in standard policies
- Features regularly updated blogs on its website that include information on caring for specific breeds
ASPCA’s standard coverage is offered through the following two plans:
- Accident-Only: This plan covers diagnosis and treatment of common injuries and other emergencies, including bite wounds, broken bones, cuts, and swallowed objects.
- Complete Coverage: This is ASPCA’s comprehensive policy, covering both accidents and illnesses like heart conditions, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and cancer.
Customers can select an annual coverage cap from the following options:
- $3,000
- $4,000
- $5,000
- $7,000
- $10,000
Standard coverage also includes the option of reimbursement rates ranging from 70% to 90% and deductibles of $100, $250, or $500.
ASPCA has two preventive plans, both of which cover wellness-related procedures and services like annual exams, deworming, dental cleanings, and fecal tests. The Basic Plan provides $250 total in annual reimbursements at a cost of $9.95 per month, while the Prime Plan has a $450 annual coverage cap and costs $24.95 per month.
The cost to cover an adult dog in South Carolina through ASPCA is between approximately $22 and $82 per month, depending on the annual limit, deductible, and reimbursement rate you select. The cost for coverage of cats is about $15 to $61 per month.
If pet parents are seeking to customize their plans through a wide range of pet insurance deductibles and coverage caps, Embrace is an excellent choice for flexible and individualized plans with an impressive wellness add-on.
Learn More: Embrace Review
- Our score: 93.5
- Offers a special Healthy Pet Deductible that takes $50 off of your deductible for each consecutive year without a filed claim, potentially reducing what you pay down to $0 in the event of an emergency
- Gives five options for deductibles: $200, $300, $500, $750, and $1,000
- Provides a wellness add-on that fully covers eligible routine care costs up to the specified limit, rather than reimbursing owners for only a certain percentage
While Embrace Pet Insurance Agency LLC’s flexibility earned points in our review of the provider, the company’s limited phone hours for customer service relative to other providers did detract from its score.
Embrace offers one accident and illness plan to pets of all ages, designed to take care of costs such as:
- Cancer diagnosis
- Genetic and chronic conditions
- Physical therapy when prescribed by a vet
- Diagnostic testing and imaging such as allergy tests, CT scans, and MRIs
- Prescription drugs
- Surgery and hospitalization
Embrace’s optional Wellness Rewards add-on coverage applies to routine care costs like prescription diet food, teeth cleaning, fecal and routine blood tests, grooming, cremation, and burial.
A few coverage exclusions for Embrace policies are DNA cloning or testing, neglect or deliberate injury, breeding costs, and cosmetic or elective procedures.
In our extensive research on South Carolina pet insurance, we discovered that monthly costs for dogs fell between $25.02 and $50.63 for pets and between $20 and $32 for cats.
Healthy Paws can be an excellent option for pet parents who want a pet insurance provider boasting a longstanding history of ensuring pets and a focus on charity for less fortunate furry friends.
Learn More: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review
- Our score: 93.5
- All Healthy Paws plans offer unlimited coverage with no per-year, annual, or lifetime limits
- Each filled-out quote or referral provides a donation toward a homeless pet’s medical care
- The company’s site states that most claims are processed quickly, within two days of filing
One potential drawback for those considering enrolling in a Healthy Paws policy is their lack of customization for older pets, some of whom receive fixed policy options with no customization available for reimbursement rates or deductible amounts.
With the most minimal choices offered on this list, Healthy Paws gives one streamlined plan option to take care of costs such as:
- Imaging and other diagnostic tests needed for accidents or illnesses
- Surgery
- Specialist care
- Hospitalization
- Congenital, chronic, and hereditary conditions
- Prescription medication
- Care for chronic conditions such as allergies
Healthy Paws typically offers plans with 70% or 80% reimbursement rates and $250 or $500 deductibles, though older pets may be given a fixed rate and deductible.
When secret shopping for pet insurance quotes through Healthy Paws, we found that in South Carolina, premiums ranged between $34 and $56 per month for dogs and between $17 and $22 per month for cats. Due to the lack of customization for older pets, certain breeds may have higher quotes as they age.
A choice for pet owners who want more pet-friendly holistic treatment options and extensive benefits for a variety of circumstances beyond accident and illness, Fetch is one of our top five choices for pet insurance in South Carolina.
Learn More: Fetch Pet Insurance Review
- Our score: 91.5
- Covers a broad range of treatment options including some unique benefits such as stem cell therapy and homeopathy for your pet
- Gives 10% off policies for pets adopted from shelters or rescued as well as for licensed medical service animals, two unique to Fetch discounts
- Offers up to $1,000 for telehealth services, allowing pets and their parents to visit the vet straight from home
While Fetch offers a broad range of holistically minded treatments, the provider lost points in our ratings for its high premiums for larger or older animals, creating a large price gap. Parents of large or older dogs may want to compare quotes with another provider.
Fetch offers a standard accident and illness plan that includes costs for incidents like:
- Imaging like MRIs, CAT scans, X-rays, and ultrasounds
- Sick visits and exam fee costs
- Referrals and specialist care
- Cancer treatments
- Boarding kennel fees if a pet’s owner is hospitalized
- Lost pet advertising and reward costs
- Prescription medications
- Vacation cancellation due to a sick pet
Though it offers a variety of benefits, Fetch’s policies do not include costs associated with preexisting conditions, routine care costs like vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and cosmetic or elective procedures.
Through the quotes we received during secret shopping, we concluded that Fetch rates in South Carolina are between $28 and $46 per month for dogs and $20 and $23 per month for cats.
After a thorough review and rating, Prudent Pet is our pick for the most comprehensive coverage on the market for South Carolinian pets. Its accessibility to veterinary advice, option for an unlimited plan, and benefits that extend beyond a veterinary office makes it a top choice for pet parents looking for a provider that goes the extra mile.
Learn More: Prudent Pet Review
- Our score: 93.5
- Behavioral treatment is covered in both the Essential and Ultimate plans, a benefit not offered by several other providers on this list
- A 24/7 vet chat option provides expert opinions to pet parents around the clock
- There are three tiers of plans along with two add-on options, offering customizable coverage
Prudent Pet was docked a few points in our rating system due to its relatively high premium prices, particularly for its Ultimate plan.
Prudent Pet offers the most plan options of any provider on this list, with three tiers of coverage available to select from.
- Accident-Only plan: This coverage level is the least inclusive of Prudent Pet’s choices, though also the least expensive. The Accident-Only plan covers emergencies like surgery, hospitalization, injuries to the mouth or teeth, prescribed medication or alternative therapies, and bite wounds.
- Essential plan: The Essential plan’s coverage extends beyond accidents and into illness benefits, including costs for diagnosing and treating common sicknesses such as cancer, hip dysplasia, behavioral issues, heart defects, eye and ear conditions, and more.
- Ultimate plan: The Ultimate plan includes the benefits for accident and illness found in the previous two plans but extends unlimited coverage to prevent out-of-pocket costs. This plan also includes additional perks such as covering boarding fees for pets if their owner is hospitalized for more than four days, replacement expenses for lost or stray four-legged family members, mortality benefits for end-of-life costs, advertising and reward if your pet is lost, and up to $1,000 for behavioral treatments.
The pet insurance company also offers two add-on options: extra coverage for veterinary exam fees and routine care costs.
None of Prudent Pet’s three plans include coverage for whelping, breeding, pregnancy costs, conditions that existed before the policy began, or elective or cosmetic procedures.
Based on the researched quotes we compiled, we concluded that Prudent Pet’s monthly pet insurance premiums ranged from $16 to $71 for dogs and $10 to $33 for cats. Be aware that choosing the Ultimate will automatically shift your price to the higher end of the price range.
How Much Does Pet Insurance in South Carolina Cost?
In our secret shopping for quotes from South Carolina’s top providers, we found that pet wellness plans and pet insurance for dogs ranges between $16 and $71 per month, while pet insurance for cats ranges between $10 and $33 for cats.
The price you are quoted for pet insurance can range significantly based on several factors, such as:
Species
It’s common for cat insurance to cost less than the same coverage for dogs, in part based on dogs’ tendency to develop more expensive health conditions as they age. In fact, according to Embrace, more claims are submitted for dog insurance policies than for cat insurance.
Breed
Certain breeds of dogs are more prone to health conditions that trigger high vet bills. For example, German Shepherds and Boxers are more likely to develop cancer than other mixed or smaller breeds, and larger dogs like Saint Bernards or Golden Retrievers more commonly have hip dysplasia. Certain breeds of dogs, particularly large ones, are often quoted higher premiums due to these factors.
Customization
The reimbursement rate, coverage cap, and deductible you select for your policy will influence your quoted price. Higher deductibles, lower reimbursement percentages, and lower coverage caps can result in a more affordable monthly price. For example, Lemonade will cover a 4-year-old mixed breed dog for $33.92 per month with a $20,000 coverage cap, a 90% reimbursement rate, and a low $100 deductible. However, by raising the deductible to $250 and lowering the reimbursement rate and coverage cap to 80% and $5,000, respectively, the monthly premium goes down to $21.33.
Age
Similarly to their human counterparts, our four-legged companions are more likely to develop health problems as they grow older, making dogs above six more expensive to insure.
Location
City-dwelling pets will usually be quoted higher premiums than ones that live in more rural areas due to the higher cost of veterinary care in urban areas.
Discounts
Look to Prudent Pet or Embrace for a multi-pet discount to assist in lowering your premium, or try Fetch for lower rates when it comes to adopted or medical service dogs.
![Lemonade Logo](https://dlczb9lfz9r73.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/30161847/admin-ajax-3-e1707516848856-300x69.jpeg)
![Spot Logo](https://dlczb9lfz9r73.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/29202108/Spot-Logo-e1666372457784.png)
Is Pet Insurance in South Carolina Worth it?
Yes, in most cases, we’ve found that pet insurance is worth it in South Carolina due to the added security and peace of mind. For four-legged South Carolina residents, we recommend Lemonade as the most affordable and convenient pet health insurance option on the market, thanks to its consistently low prices and convenient, AI-driven app. For parents looking for highly customizable policies, Spot might be a good fit, while Embrace is ideal for individuals looking for the best reimbursements.
FAQs About South Carolina Pet Insurance
What is a preexisting condition?
A pre-existing condition is any health problem that you or your veterinarian notice in your pet before the end of your waiting period or the length of time before your coverage begins. Pet insurance will not cover pre-existing conditions. Typically, only new conditions that emerge after coverage begins will be covered under your new insurance policy.
Does pet insurance cover spaying and neutering?
A standard pet insurance plan does not typically cover spaying and neutering since they are not costs related to accidents or illnesses. However, Embrace’s wellness add-on takes care of the cost of spaying or neutering if you choose to purchase this additional coverage.
What annual limit should I get for pet insurance?
The annual limit you purchase for pet insurance should be dictated by your pet’s age, breed and likelihood of developing a serious health problem, and your budget. While a higher coverage cap may provide peace of mind, it also results in a more expensive monthly price. However, the cost may be worth it for parents of aging pets or certain breeds at risk of health issues.
In a survey of 1,000 pet owners, we found that almost 50% of pet owners would have trouble paying a $1,000 veterinary bill out of pocket. Almost 40% would need to use a credit card, while another 9% weren’t sure where the money would come from. To protect against a crisis like this, $5,000 is the lowest coverage cap we recommend for pets in the United States.
Other South Carolina (SC) Home Service Resources
Our Rating Methodology
We are dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:
- Coverage (25)
- Plan options (20)
- Monthly cost (20)
- Company reputation (15)
- Customer service (10)
- Species eligibility (10)
Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.