Doubtless says 75% of pet owners would pass on a home that bars their pet

Doubtless, the pet insurance group behind Pumpkin, Spot and Embrace, said on October 27th, 2026 that 75% of pet owners in a Spot Pet Insurance survey would walk away from an otherwise ideal home if breed or weight rules kept their pet out. The figure leads its Q3 Pet Parent Insights, which also pulls claims and cost data from its brands.

Doubtless is the operating name for JAB's pet insurance businesses, which cover more than 6 million pets in 10 markets. The report pools a Spot survey taken in August 2026, Embrace's second-quarter claims and Pumpkin's preventive care costs.

"Whether it's choosing a home, budgeting for the future or prioritizing preventive care, pet parents are adapting their lives around the needs of their pets," said Dirk Beeckman, Doubtless' global CEO.

Housing rules are where owners say they will walk

The Spot survey adds to a run of housing data this month. In HABRI's 2026 benchmark, 80% of Americans said rental housing should have fewer pet restrictions, and 27% of would-be owners who rent blamed housing rules for not having a pet. PetScreening found 69% of pet-owning renters put pet-friendly communities first in their last apartment search.

Spot's respondents go further than where they live, and a third of them have already spent money on the home itself.

34% have permanently modified a home for a pet. 53% plan travel around their pets or pay for premium boarding, and 59% would consider a proven therapy that extends a pet's life.

58% said they weigh a pet's needs as much as their own, and the money plans run long. 42% would delay retirement for an aging pet, and 41% plan to leave funds or assets for their pets.

For landlords and property managers, breed and weight rules are the line in this survey that can cost them an applicant. Doubtless did not give the Spot survey's sample size.

Single vet bills run far past the averages

The claims data comes from Embrace's second quarter, when vomiting claims averaged $587 and topped $11,000. Lameness claims averaged $453 and passed $13,000 in some cases. Claims for CCL tears, a common knee injury in dogs, averaged $1,436 and reached nearly $15,000.

Embrace first published that quarter in September, and our read then was that same-diagnosis bills can vary 20x. That spread is the pitch insurers make in a market where fewer than 4% of U.S. pets carry coverage. NAPHIA's 2026 industry report counts more than 7.6 million insured pets in North America, up more than 8% since 2024.

Prevention is the cheaper bill Doubtless is selling

Pumpkin's numbers set routine care against treatment.

A DA2PP vaccine averages about $36, while treating parvovirus alone can top $1,800. Routine dental cleanings average under $400, against nearly $2,000 to treat advanced periodontal disease. Pumpkin estimates 80% to 90% of dogs develop periodontal disease by age three.

"Preventive care helps shift the focus from reacting to illness to proactively supporting lifelong health," said Dr. Jennifer Sperry, Doubtless' medical director.

Doubtless pointed owners to Pumpkin Wellness Club, the standalone, non-insurance membership Pumpkin opened to any pet owner in August. It expects continued interest in wellness memberships and growing demand for pet-friendly housing.

For clinics, the club reimburses exams, vaccines and dental cleanings, so its members arrive with part of the routine bill covered. The outlook comes two weeks after Karl Wiley took over Doubtless' North American business on October 12th.

The housing number is the one a landlord can act on this quarter.

Source: Doubtless via PR Newswire