Best Pet Insurance in South Dakota (2023 Guide)
There’s no shortage of things to do with your pet in South Dakota. You can tour Mount Rushmore, the Badlands, or the state’s diverse landscapes. But with so many places to explore, it’s important to consider enrolling in a pet health insurance plan to cover vet bills if your furry companion gets sick or injured.
We at the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best pet insurance companies available, comparing plan offerings, coverage details, costs, and more. These are our top picks for South Dakota.
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South Dakota’s Top 7 Pet Insurance Providers
- Spot: Most Customizable Plans
- Embrace: Best Deductibles
- Healthy Paws: Best Coverage Limit
- Figo: Best Extra Coverage Add-On
- Fetch Pet Insurance: Best Holistic Coverage
- Wagmo: Best for Wellness
- Trupanion: Best for Direct Payments
Our Conclusion
You may not find a pet insurance provider that checks every box on your list, but the companies in this review each have positive features that make them quality choices. Embrace has multiple options for deductibles, reimbursement rates, and coverage limits to customize your monthly premium. Spot and Healthy Paws have no upper age limit, so your pet is covered for life.
The right provider for you is the one that offers the coverage your pet needs at the right price for your budget. Be sure to read through each provider’s coverage details and exclusions before enrolling. We recommend reading customer reviews and getting at least three quotes.
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Compare the Top Providers of Pet Insurance in South Dakota
See how the providers on our list compare at a glance.
Provider |
Avg Cost of Dog Insurance* |
Avg Cost of Cat Insurance* |
Number of Plans and Add-Ons |
Wellness Add-On |
---|---|---|---|---|
$30.02 |
$12.99 |
4 |
✔ |
|
$33.48 |
$19.68 |
2 |
✔ |
|
$40.68 |
$19.03 |
1 |
✘ |
|
$32.58 |
$17.07 |
4 |
✔ |
|
$46.48 |
$27.46 |
1 |
✘ |
|
$55.86 |
$35.84 |
4 |
✔ |
|
$61.76 |
$36.20 |
3 |
✘ |
*Based on sample quotes for an accident-and-illness policy for a mixed four-year-old dog in Pierre, South Dakota.
What Pet Insurance Does and Doesn’t Cover
Any accident-and-illness policy, regardless of provider, will cover many of the same treatments and conditions. Accident-related injuries, such as broken bones, cuts, or poisoning are covered, along with emergency care, hospitalization, procedures, X-rays, blood tests, ultrasounds, prescription medications, and necessary specialist care. Common covered conditions include cancer, diabetes, hereditary conditions, congenital conditions, and dental diseases. Any health issue is likely to be covered if it’s medically necessary, not the result of negligence, and not a preexisting condition.
Routine care won’t be covered unless you purchase an add-on. This includes annual wellness exams, vaccinations, grooming, dental cleanings, and testing for fleas, ticks, and heartworms. Preexisting conditions also aren’t covered, but some providers have different policies on what they consider preexisting. A few insurers will consider covering preexisting conditions if your pet had no symptoms and didn’t require treatment for a certain window of time prior to enrollment.
How Much Is Pet Insurance in South Dakota?
A few factors affect your pet insurance premium, including your location and pet’s age and breed. Expect to pay more for older pets or breeds prone to certain conditions. The average monthly premium for dogs in South Dakota is $44, while the average for cats is $25. Check out our review of the cheapest pet insurance companies to see which providers offer the best plan pricing.
FAQ About Pet Insurance in South Dakota
What is the best pet insurance at a reasonable price?
The best pet insurance at a reasonable price depends on your budget and the coverage and other features you need. Spot, Figo, and Healthy Paws have the cheapest pet insurance plans on average, but they may not offer the coverage or add-ons you need. Look at each provider’s coverage details and exclusions to see which ones cover the conditions your pet is prone to.
Is pet insurance worth it?
Many pet owners would say pet insurance is worth it. It’s likely that your pet will get sick, break a bone, or otherwise need medical attention at some point in its life. When this happens, you’re responsible for paying the full bill out of pocket in a timely manner. Keep in mind that one surgery can cost thousands of dollars. If you’re comfortable with that, a pet health plan may not be a monthly expense you want to take on. If you’re not prepared to pay that money unexpectedly, having a pet insurance policy can offer greater peace of mind.
How does pet insurance work?
Pet insurance works similarly to how your own health insurance policy works. When you enroll in a pet health plan, you pick the annual deductible, reimbursement rate, and coverage limit. When you hit your deductible, your provider will start reimbursing you at your chosen rate until you hit your maximum coverage limit. Some providers, such as Trupanion, allow you to pay vet bills directly at checkout, but most require you to file a claim and then reimburse you via direct deposit or a mailed check within a certain timeframe.
Is it too late to insure my dog?
It is never too late for pet insurance to be useful, but many providers have an upper age limit. Spot and Healthy Paws are two providers that don’t. It’s best to enroll your pet in a policy as early as possible; the older your pet, the greater the chance that it has preexisting health issues that won’t be covered.
Learn more: Best Cheap Pet Insurance Providers
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team is 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.