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Exotic Pet Insurance: January 2025

Miranda Marquit
By
Miranda Marquit
Miranda Marquit

Miranda Marquit

Investing Expert

Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team. She has an M.A. in journalism from Syracuse University and has been writing and podcasting about money since 2006. With a passion for financial wellness, Miranda has written thousands of articles about money management and beginning investing. Miranda is based in Idaho, where she enjoys spending time in the outdoors and volunteering with local nonprofits.

Read Miranda Marquit's full bio
Tanza Loudenback
Reviewed By
Tanza Loudenback
Tanza Loudenback

Tanza Loudenback

Contributor

Tanza is a freelance editor for Newsweek. Her personal finance journey began at Business Insider, where she told inspiring stories of people achieving great financial success and taught millions of readers about the basics of money management. Since becoming a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER in 2020, her expertise has deepened on taxes, insurance, investing, retirement planning and much more. Her longstanding goal is to empower every reader with accurate, clear and helpful information so they can make smart decisions with their money.

Read Tanza Loudenback's full bio

Caring for unusual pets like snakes and parrots can become expensive, especially if health problems arise. Exotic pet insurance policies can help you reduce the financial risk associated with owning a unique animal.

Unfortunately, exotic animal pet insurance can be difficult to find. If you’re looking for a policy, we have a few choices to help you protect your pet.

Our Picks icon, Summary Key Takeaways
  • Nationwide is our top choice for exotic pet insurance, covering a wide range of atypical pets including goats, reptiles, pigs, and birds. With affordable premiums starting at $5 per paycheck and up to 70% reimbursement for covered costs, Nationwide provides comprehensive protection through employer-based plans.
  • Exotic pet insurance can cover unexpected costs with relatively low premiums, providing flexibility when choosing your vet and the ability to add preventive care for a small fee. However, some health issues and vet visits may not be covered, and policies can have annual caps, deductibles, and lower reimbursement rates that impact the cost-effectiveness.
  • Pet insurance for exotic animals is not always more expensive than “regular pet insurance” – exotic pet insurance plans can start as low as $10 per month, whereas pet insurance plans for dogs and cats might start at $20 a month.

Vault’s Viewpoint: Are Exotic Pet Insurance Plans Worth It?

Deciding to buy an exotic animal pet insurance plan requires that you carefully consider your alternatives and think about how often your unusual pet might need care.

Because of the unique nature of exotic pets, it’s possible that they can be more expensive to treat in the case of an illness or injury. Unusual animals could need specialized care and getting access to specific treatments might be more difficult—and expensive.

If you think you’ll spend more money per year getting care for your animal, it can make sense to get exotic pet insurance to help offset the cost. Additionally, if you’re worried that a potential surgery or expensive illness could drain your savings account, an exotic animal pet insurance plan could provide peace of mind.

Pros and Cons of Exotic Pet Insurance:

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Pros

  • Cover unexpected costs. With exotic pet insurance, you prepare for unexpected costs without worrying about whether you’re about to wipe out your emergency fund. You can protect your bank account while receiving peace of mind.
  • Pay relatively low premiums. Some exotic animal pet insurance policies start at a relatively low rate, usually between $10 and $15 per month. While policies can be more expensive, many are fairly affordable, providing an easy way to protect your pet without breaking the bank. In addition to covering accidents and illnesses, many exotic pet insurance policies allow you to add preventive care coverage for a small extra fee.
  • Choose your vet. In most cases, there aren’t restrictions on where to take your pet for care. Most pet insurance plans rely on a reimbursement model, so you don’t need approval to bring your pet to a specialist or worry about whether an emergency vet is “in network.”
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Cons

  • Not all health issues are covered. Even if you have exotic pet insurance, not every issue is covered. Pre-existing conditions usually aren’t included in coverage, so pay attention to your pet’s health before you move forward with buying insurance. On top of that, some breed-specific conditions might not be covered, even if they aren’t pre-existing.
  • Preventive care isn’t always covered. Wellness visits and preventive treatments aren’t usually covered by pet insurance. As a result, taking your exotic pet in for an annual checkup might not be covered by your policy. You might need to buy a separate add-on to the policy to cover vaccinations and other preventive care.
  • Annual caps can reduce cost-effectiveness. Depending on the policy, annual caps on benefits and reimbursement can reduce the cost-effectiveness of your exotic pet insurance policy. Additionally, many policies require deductibles and some offer reimbursement rates as low as 50%.

Are Pet Insurance Plans for Exotic Animals More Expensive?

Exotic animal pet insurance plans aren’t necessarily more expensive than “regular” pet insurance policies.

For example, it’s possible to get exotic pet insurance for between $10 and $15 per month. Plans for dogs and cats might start at $20 a month, and basic policies average $35 per month for dogs and $25 per month for cats.

In some cases, exotic animal pet insurance can be more expensive, depending on your needs. You can choose to have higher benefit amounts, or you might have an unusual animal that requires more care. Depending on the animal you have and the perceived risk to the insurer, you could end up paying a higher premium. But you’re unlikely to pay more for exotic pet insurance than cat or dog pet insurance for base care.

Why Would You Need an Exotic Pet Insurance Policy?

Any insurance is designed to help you reduce financial risk. Exotic pet insurance can help you handle costs if your unusual animal needs care for an injury or illness. If you’re worried about your pet’s health and are unsure you can cover an unexpected cost associated with treatment, pet insurance might be a good way to help you offset expenses.

  • You’re worried about expensive treatments. Some exotic animals can be expensive to care for if hurt or sick. If you don’t want to drain your bank account but still hope to keep your pet healthy, exotic animal insurance can be a good choice.
  • You don’t have a sinking fund for pet care. One way to cover costs for pet care is with a sinking fund. This is money set aside for a specific purpose. If you don’t have a sinking fund but can afford $10 to $15 a month to pay premiums, it might be a cost-effective way to make sure you can cover costs without depleting an emergency fund or using credit cards.
  • Your regular pet insurance policy doesn’t include unusual animals. If you already have pet insurance for a dog or cat, you might discover that your current company won’t allow you to add a rabbit, turtle, parakeet or horse to your policy. You need special insurance that can fill in the gap.

How To Choose the Best Pet Insurance for Your Exotic Animal

Compare at least two policy options when choosing exotic pet insurance. You might only be able to shop around a little because few companies offer pet insurance for exotic animals. Consider what you need and your budget as you move forward.

Exotic Pet Insurance Coverage

There are two main types of coverage for exotic animals:

  • Accident only: This coverage only takes effect when your unusual pet is injured through an accident. It can include cuts, broken bones, toxic ingestion and swallowed objects. Diagnosis and treatment costs are usually included in this coverage.
  • Accident and illness: In addition to reimbursing you for accidents, this type of coverage also includes illnesses like allergies, infections, parasites, and cancer.

When deciding on coverage, you can also decide if you want to add optional wellness coverage. Most exotic animal insurance policies don’t include regular checkups or preventive measures unless you pay an extra fee for a wellness plan.

Maximum Annual Benefit

Many pet insurance plans come with a maximum annual coverage amount. Depending on the policy, you might find annual maximums of between $750 and $10,000. The higher your benefit maximum, the more you can expect to pay for a plan. Think about how much you might need to pay if your pet becomes ill or injured during any given year. Choose an exotic pet insurance plan that’s likely to fit your budget while meeting your coverage needs.

Deductible

An insurance deductible represents the amount you pay out of pocket before your pet insurance policy kicks in. For pet insurance, there are two main types of deductibles:

  • Annual: Your deductible is cumulative, so each time you pay your vet bill, your out-of-pocket cost goes toward the total. For example, if you have a deductible of $500, and you take your pet in one week and pay $250 for a procedure and then later have to take your animal for a check up that costs $100. You’re responsible for the entire $350 so far, because you haven’t reached your $500 annual deductible. Next, you have an emergency and the bill comes to $425. You pay what remains of your deductible—$150—and the insurance kicks in at your reimbursement rate for the remaining $275.
  • Per-incident: Some pet insurance companies require a deductible for each claim, so you always pay out of pocket for a portion of your pet expense. For example, you might have a $50 per-incident deductible. A checkup might be $150, so you pay your $50 deductible and then the insurance starts paying at the reimbursement rate. Next time you go in for an emergency, the bill comes to $500. You’ll still have $50 as a per-incident deductible, and the insurance will handle the remaining $450 at the reimbursement rate.

Look for an exotic pet insurance provider that offers a deductible that fits your financial situation. Find out whether you’re paying an annual or per-incident deductible. Run the numbers in different scenarios since insurance premiums are generally lower when you pay more out of pocket.

Reimbursement Rate

Pet insurance doesn’t usually compensate your exotic pet care provider directly. Instead, you pay the whole cost upfront, and the insurance company reimburses you. However, the amount you get back depends on the reimbursement rate. A reimbursement rate is represented by a percentage indicating how much of the bill the insurance company will offset after the deductible is met.

Let’s say you have a reimbursement rate of 80% and an annual deductible of $250. You take your parakeet in because it keeps picking at its feathers. You pay the vet bill and for the prescription up front. The total for both is $675. You subtract the deductible, leaving the insurance company to calculate its reimbursement based on $425. In this case, you multiply 0.8 by $425 to discover that you’ll only be reimbursed $340.

Generally, the lower your reimbursement rate, the lower your monthly exotic animal pet insurance premium will be. Consider how much you want to pay out of pocket for each visit or each year and decide on a reimbursement rate based on what’s most cost-effective.

Discounts and Perks

Finally, ask about discounts and perks. You might receive a discount based on your profession or through your employer’s benefit plan. Some insurers offer other perks when you meet certain conditions. You might see a lower deductible when you go claim-free for a minimum time period.

If all other factors are comparable between exotic pet insurance companies, discounts and perks could tip the scales toward one choice over another.

Best Exotic Pet Insurance Providers of 2024

Nationwide

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Vault Verified

Annual Max Coverage
$7,500
Reimbursement Rates
50% or 70%
Deductibles
$250

Why We Chose It

Nationwide is one of the few insurers offering exotic animal pet insurance for various unusual pets. It’s possible to purchase exotic pet insurance for goats, pigs, amphibians, snakes and other reptiles, as well as parrots and other birds. Coverage starts at a relatively low $5 per paycheck but it’s only available through your employer.

Pros & Cons

  • Covers a wide variety of nonvenomous exotic pets
  • Get up to 70% reimbursement for covered costs
  • Starting premium of $5 per paycheck
  • You must get this insurance through your employer
  • Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions
  • If you display your pet or keep it in a flock, it’s not eligible for coverage
  • Availability may be limited; Nationwide is in the process of scaling down its pet insurance coverage reach to comply with state laws and will drop 100,000 policies by next summer

Policy Highlights

  • Pre-existing conditions aren’t covered
  • Available through an employer only
  • Reimbursement rate depends on your premium level

MetLife

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Vault Verified

Annual Max Coverage
$500 to $25,000
Reimbursement Rates
50%, 65%, 70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$0 to $2,500

Why We Chose It

Besides covering cats and dogs, MetLife also covers rabbits and other exotic pets. MetLife offers various discounts and is highly customizable, with the ability to choose from several options for coverage limits, deductible and reimbursement rate. This makes creating a policy that meets your needs and fits your budget easier.

Pros & Cons

  • Highly customizable to fit your budget
  • Discounts are available for military members, healthcare workers, certain employers and those who meet other qualifications
  • No waiting period for accident coverage and the preventive care plan
  • Not available in all states; must call for a quote
  • Microchipping isn’t available in any plan, including the optional preventive care plan.
  • Imposes a waiting period for illness coverage

Policy Highlights

  • Flexible coverage maximums, deductibles and reimbursement rates
  • Offers discounts, including through employer benefit plans
  • Automatic deductible reduction when you don’t file claims

ASPCA

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Vault Verified

Annual Max Coverage
$2,500 to unlimited
Reimbursement Rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100, $250, $500

Why We Chose It

ASPCA offers two dedicated horse insurance plans that include colic and don’t require you to get mortality insurance. While preventive visits aren’t usually covered, it’s possible to get additional wellness coverage and get reimbursed for those costs.

Pros & Cons

  • Highly customizable when choosing a max benefit, reimbursement rate and deductible
  • All plans include coverage for colic
  • Visit any vet, clinic or emergency clinic of your choice without worrying about whether it accepts the insurance
  • Preventive care coverage is an extra cost
  • You must pay at the time of service and file a claim for reimbursement
  • Not available in all states

Policy Highlights

  • Horse insurance policies include colic
  • No mortality insurance is required
  • Add preventive care coverage
  • Reimbursed for expenses so that you can visit any vet or specialist

Pet Assure

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Vault Verified

Annual Max Coverage
Up to $1,100 reimbursement
Reimbursement Rates
100% up to the annual limit
Deductibles
Not applicable

Why We Chose It

Pet Assure isn’t an insurance company. Instead, it offers a way to get reimbursed for care costs incurred by your snake or other reptile. You can pay for a monthly plan to be reimbursed for wellness costs and get access to discounts at participating vets.

Pros & Cons

  • Receive 100% reimbursement for eligible costs, up to the limit
  • The Mint Wellness plan is available for all animals, including reptiles
  • No deductibles, potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs
  • The veterinary discount program is only available as an employee benefit at participating employers
  • Veterinary discounts only apply to participating practices
  • Monthly costs for the Mint Wellness plan can be relatively expensive

Policy Highlights

  • Not an insurance plan
  • Monthly rates range from $18 to $57
  • Veterinary discount program available at participating practices

What Plans Did Not Make Our List of the Best Exotic Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance providers that only offer coverage for dogs and cats didn’t make our list of the best exotic pet insurance plans. In many cases, exotic animals are considered too risky or expensive to cover so insurers won’t include them.

Some of the best pet insurance policies that didn’t make the list include:

  • Embrace
  • HealthyPaws
  • Spot
  • Fetch
  • Pumpkin
  • Chewy
  • Figo

These pet insurance providers offer affordable plans for dogs and cats but don’t offer exotic animal coverage. So, while they might protect a furry family member, they won’t protect your scaled buddies or other small mammals, like guinea pigs and ferrets.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Classified as an Exotic Pet?

For the most part, many insurers classify any pet that isn’t a dog or cat as exotic. Some exotic pets include reptiles, amphibians, small mammals (like ferrets or rats) and birds. While not exactly exotic, farm animals, such as goats or horses, might need their own specific pet insurance.

What Is a Vet Called That Works With Exotic Animals?

Generally, a veterinarian that works with exotic animals is simply an exotic animal veterinarian or an exotic veterinarian.

Can You Get Pet Insurance on a Reptile?

It’s possible to get exotic pet insurance on a reptile and have some protection against unexpected injuries or illness, although policies can be difficult to find.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Bearded Dragons?

Regular pet insurance policies don’t usually cover lizards like bearded dragons. You need to shop for a company offering exotic animal pet insurance to find an insurer covering bearded dragons.

More From the Vault: Pets 101

Editorial Disclosure: We may receive a commission from affiliate partner links included on our site. However, this does not impact our staffs’ opinions or assessments.

Miranda Marquit

Miranda Marquit

Investing Expert

Miranda Marquit, MBA, is a freelance contributor to Newsweek’s personal finance team. She has an M.A. in journalism from Syracuse University and has been writing and podcasting about money since 2006. With a passion for financial wellness, Miranda has written thousands of articles about money management and beginning investing. Miranda is based in Idaho, where she enjoys spending time in the outdoors and volunteering with local nonprofits.

Read more articles by Miranda Marquit
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