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USAA Pet Insurance Reviews ( 2026 Guide)

In our USAA Insurance review, we gave the company a 4.7 out of 5.0 and the Best for discounts offered award.

USAA has been providing financial products and insurance to military members since 1922. More recently, it decided to expand its offerings by adding pet insurance. USAA doesn’t administer the pet insurance personally but offers discounted policies through Embrace Pet Insurance Agency, LLC. Embrace is a highly rated pet insurance provider with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. Due to this partnership, you can easily bundle other types of insurance, such as homeowners, renters, and auto insurance through USAA, while receiving discounted pet insurance through Embrace as a USAA member. 

Our Review for USAA Pet Insurance

USAA doesn’t administer the pet insurance personally but offers discounted policies through Embrace Pet Insurance Agency, LLC.

Pros and Cons of USAA Pet Insurance

Despite every provider’s best attempts, there will always be at least one shortcoming for going with a particular pet insurance company. Depending on the con, you may decide not to go with a specific provider. That’s why we at Quartz want to give you a quick overview of USAA pet insurance’s most significant pros and cons before jumping into our full review.

Geico Pros & Cons

Pros USAA member and multi-pet discount Many customization options for pet insurance plans Option to add wellness coverage Telehealth pet pros available 24/7 User-friendly mobile app that allows you to submit a claim, update insurance coverage options, and get customer support
Cons Six-month orthopedic condition waiting period (only for dogs, an orthopedic exam and waiver process can shorten this to 14 days) No unlimited coverage options Must be a USAA member to be eligible for discounts

USAA Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage

Next, we’re going to take a look at USAA’s pet insurance plans, what its plans cover, cost, and much more. Keep in mind as you read that USAA offers highly comprehensive coverage through Embrace pet insurance, which is known for its “nose to tail” coverage. If you’re looking for more affordable plans, this may not be the best choice for you, but if you want in-depth coverage, it can be a fantastic option.

USAA Plans and Costs

USAA pet insurance offers accident and illness plans, accident-only plans, and wellness plans. It is most well known for its comprehensive accident and illness plans, offered through Embrace pet insurance. These pet health insurance plans cover a huge variety of accidents and illnesses and are considered the most thorough type of pet insurance plans on the market.  

USAA accident and illness coverage includes:

  • Breed-specific conditions
  • Emergency room and specialist care
  • Cancer treatment
  • Surgery, hospitalization, and nursing care
  • Chronic conditions
  • Alternative therapies and rehabilitation
  • Congenital conditions
  • Prescription drugs
  • Dental treatments
  • Diagnostic testing and imaging
  • Behavioral therapy

On average, the pet insurance cost with USAA is around $50 per month for dogs and $23 per month for cats for an accident and illness plan. Accident-only plans are typically cheaper but are only helpful for accident-related catastrophes. Pricing with USAA and Embrace will vary dramatically based on your zip code and your pet’s age, breed, health, and more. Some plans start as low as $8 per month for cats and $13 per month for dogs. However, this will depend on your pet, location, the type of plan, and plan customization options you choose. 

Keep in mind that if your pet is 14 or older, you can only sign up for accident-only plans. Accident and illness coverage is only available to those younger than 14 years old.

Samples of Prices for Four Species/Breeds

The following sample prices are based on a 6-year-old cat or dog. These prices don’t account for the multiple USAA discounts available. The preventative care prices are based on the basic wellness plan.

Species/BreedSample Price for Medium Mixed Breed DogSample Price for Golden Retriever (Dog)Sample Price for Domestic Shorthair CatSample Price for Domestic Mediumhair Cat
Accident and Illness Plan$45$59$23$23
Accident and Illness Plan With Preventative Care$63$79$42$42

Deductibles

USAA pet insurance offers deductibles ranging from $200 to $1,000, which is much broader than many pet insurance providers on the market. Please keep in mind that the lower your deductible is, the higher your monthly premium will likely be, and vice versa.

Preventative Care Limits

Wellness plans help pet parents with the costs of routine care vet bills, such as training, grooming, and wellness exams. USAA pet insurance wellness coverage includes: 

Coverage Exclusions

USAA will not cover the following: 

  • Pre-existing conditions
  • Breeding, whelping, or pregnancy
  • Injury or illness due to racing, fighting, cruelty, or neglect
  • Cosmetic procedures (tail docking, ear cropping, and claw removal, unless medically necessary)
  • DNA testing or cloning
  • Stem cell therapy, when not deemed medically essential

Plan Customizations

USAA and Embrace pet insurance provide many coverage plan customization options, including the following: 

  • The choice of accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness plan coverage
  • Annual limits ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 (no lifetime limits) 
  • Reimbursement rate choices of up to 90%
  • Annual deductible choices ranging from $200 to $1,000 

Discounts

A USAA member qualifies for up to 15% off their pet insurance policy. Pet owners with multiple pets or former active duty military members may be eligible for as much as 25% off their policies.

USAA also offers a diminishing deductible feature that reduces your deductible by $50 for every year you don’t submit a pet insurance claim. 

How To File a Claim With USAA?

After you’ve taken your pet to see any licensed vet, emergency clinic, or rehab facility in the U.S., ask your vet for an itemized invoice for how much you paid for each of your pets, including discounts and taxes. Then, complete a claim form which can be found in the email you’ve previously received from USAA or in your MyEmbrace account. Once you’ve filled out the claim form, you’ll email, fax, or mail it to Embrace. You can also complete all these steps in the Embrace mobile app. 

USAA Pet State Availability

USAA pet insurance is available throughout the United States and to active-duty military stationed abroad, a notable benefit that we haven’t seen with other pet insurance providers.

USAA Pet Insurance Customer Reviews

USAA and Embrace pet insurance both have an excellent A+ rating through the Better Business Bureau. Despite being highly rated, both do have negative reviews. However, every pet insurance provider will have positive and negative reviews from its customers. To give you a nuanced look at USAA, we’ve included the following reviews for Embrace pet insurance since USAA has its pet insurance administered through Embrace. 

“Our dogs’ Vet bills are paid promptly with no follow up paperwork, with no issues. We are SO grateful. I don’t know what people who don’t have insurance on their pets do. Quality Vet care is expensive, and our dogs deserve the best they can get. Could NOT be more satisfied with Embrace.” —Judith Dawson, Trustpilot

“I just paid and paid. It took months for them to process my first and only claim and I never received any feedback nor payment. Difficult to speak with when you are contracting the service, when you need to speak about your claim and even more difficult when you want to cancel the insurance. Terrible choice. Don’t recommend ever!” —Luciana Lima, Trustpilot

“Not only has my policy paid for itself, I have received above average customer service every time that I have called. Employees are knowledgeable, helpful, and patient. I have highly recommended this company to all of my pet parent friends.” —Jillian, Consumer Affairs

“I have an old Lab and I’m so great full I got Embrace pet insurance! They are quick with reviewing claims, supportive, and very affordable. I want to give my dog the last great, healthy and happy years of his life, Embrace is helping me give that to him! “ —Talia Sojo, Facebook

USAA Pet Insurance vs. Competitors

So, how does USAA stack up against the competition? Check out the table below to see how it compares to other leading providers in terms of cost, waiting periods, and more.

*Please remember that the following USAA prices do not account for the USAA membership discount or other discounts you may qualify for. 

Best For Star Rating Monthly Cost Link
Spot Spot Most Inclusive
$22-$80 Compare Quotes
Lemonade Lemonade Most Affordable
$16–$30 Compare Quotes
ASPCA Pet Insurance ASPCA Pet Insurance Most Experienced
$18–$44 Compare Quotes
Fetch Pet Insurance Fetch Pet Insurance Most Comprehensive Coverage
$22-$38 Compare Quotes
Embrace Embrace Best for Discounts Offered
$23-$85 Compare Quotes
Healthy Paws Healthy Paws Best for Chronic Conditions
$24–$54 Compare Quotes
Figo Figo Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
$25-$54 Compare Quotes
Spot
Logo Spot
Best For Most Inclusive
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $22-$80
Compare Quotes
Lemonade
Logo Lemonade
Best For Most Affordable
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $16–$30
Compare Quotes
ASPCA Pet Insurance
Logo ASPCA Pet Insurance
Best For Most Experienced
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $18–$44
Compare Quotes
Fetch Pet Insurance
Logo Fetch Pet Insurance
Best For Most Comprehensive Coverage
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $22-$38
Compare Quotes
Embrace
Logo Embrace
Best For Best for Discounts Offered
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $23-$85
Compare Quotes
Healthy Paws
Logo Healthy Paws
Best For Best for Chronic Conditions
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $24–$54
Compare Quotes
Figo
Logo Figo
Best For Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $25-$54
Compare Quotes
Company
Monthly Cost
Star Rating
Best For
Age Max
Waiting Period
$22-$80
Most Inclusive
None
14 days
$16–$30
Most Affordable
14
14 days for illness, 48 hours for accidents
$18–$44
Most Experienced
None
15 days
$22-$38
Most Comprehensive Coverage
$23-$85
Best for Discounts Offered
14
14 days for illness, 48 hours for accidents
$24–$54
Best for Chronic Conditions
14
15 days
$25-$54
Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
None
14 days for illness, 1 day for accidents

About USAA Pet Insurance

Since 1922, USAA has been a long-time insurance and financial service provider to the military community. In more recent years, it has added pet insurance offerings through Embrace pet insurance to its many financial services. USAA offers comprehensive pet insurance at a discounted rate to USAA members with Embrace pet insurance. The USAA and Embrace pet insurance have fantastic A+ ratings through the Better Business Bureau.

Final Thoughts on USAA Pet Insurance

We hope our USAA pet insurance review helps you decide if USAA is the best pet insurance provider for you. As a whole, we love USAA’s high annual limit options, many customization options, stellar reviews from the Better Business Bureau, and comprehensive coverage. However, we don’t care for USAA’s upper age limit and orthopedic conditions waiting period. 

Overall, it’s hard to beat its incredible USAA membership and discounts for members of the military, so if you qualify for these discounts, we encourage you to get a free insurance quote from this provider to see if it’s a good choice for you. 

Regardless of which provider you choose, we hope you’ll be able to give yourself peace of mind knowing that you have your pet covered with a pet insurance plan that works well for its  personal needs. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the advantages of USAA‘s pet insurance?

Some of USAA pet insurance’s biggest benefits include its military and multi-pet discounts, comprehensive coverage, wellness plan options, and customization options. We also like that you can submit and track claims through a mobile app.

Does USAA offer exotic pet insurance?

No, at this time, USAA does not offer exotic pet insurance.

Does USAA cover dental?

Yes, USAA does offer coverage for dental treatments, emergencies, and even dental cleanings through its wellness plan options.

Does USAA cover spaying?

Yes, USAA does cover spaying and neutering procedures through its wellness plan options.

Does USAA have a lifetime limit?

No, USAA does not have a lifetime limit. However, it does have annual limits.

Our Methodology

The Quartz research team looks at all pet insurance policies and comes up with our reviews based on coverage, plan options, cost, reputation, customer service, and species eligibility. We’ve also created a rating system to score pet insurance brands.

We’ve consulted with pet experts and dug into plans to develop what we think are the best overall plans, complete with ratings on coverage, how they handle claims, reimbursements, deductibles, limits, and more.

To make our list, pet insurance companies must have:

  • A variety of plan options
  • Affordable monthly rates

Our team revisits each company’s information at the end of every month to make updates and ensure the information is as accurate as possible.