Best Pet Insurance Companies and Plans for 2024

ASPCA, Spot, and Pets Best offer some of the most affordable and best pet insurance policies around.

13+ years writing insurance and personal finance content

Insurance, lending, and retirement expert

Jacqueline has contributed content, and her personal finance passion, to dozens of noteworthy financial brands, including Credit Karma, Bankrate, and MagnifyMoney.

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Licensed auto and home insurance agent

3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Updated January 1, 2024

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When it comes to buying pet insurance, factors like breed, pet type, and your chosen plan can all affect how much you spend. The pet insurance company you choose to work with can also play a role. For example, the average monthly rate for insuring a dog with Embrace is $58, but the average cost of coverage from Pets Best is $20 per month.

Here’s what you need to know about finding the best pet insurance for your pet’s needs at a price you can afford.

Each year, pet owners pay an average of $387 for accident and illness coverage for cats and $640 for dogs.[1]

On average, Pets Best offers the cheapest average monthly quotes, with starting monthly rates of $6 for cats and $9 for dogs.

The main pet insurance policy options include accident and illness, accident only, and wellness coverage.

Best pet insurance companies

Having the right policy and company on your side can make all the difference in keeping your pet healthy for an affordable price. When it’s time to choose a pet insurance company to help protect your furry friend, you need to look for a plan that works with your budget.

Beyond searching for cheap rates, you should prioritize choosing a pet insurance company that can offer you the right type of coverage and features.

Here are some of the best plans that can help you protect your finances. Compare the average costs to insure cats and dogs with each insurer below.

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ASPCA: Best for flexible deductibles

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) provides a varied selection of pet insurance plans that can give you coverage for accidents, illnesses, behavioral problems, and hereditary conditions. Depending on your policy, coverage may even extend to prescription food, congenital issues, and alternative therapies.

ASPCA pet health insurance offers flexibility with deductibles, allowing options at $100, $200, or $500, which can make it easier to find coverage that works for your budget. You can select a plan with complete, accident-only, or preventive care coverage.

Flexible deductible 

Multi-pet discount

Handful of coverage options

Reimbursement caps at 90%

Annual limit of $5,000 to $20,000

Exotic pet coverage not available

Embrace: Best for comprehensive coverage

If simplicity is your goal, you’ll appreciate that Embrace pet insurance offers a single comprehensive policy covering accidents, illnesses, chronic conditions, breed-specific issues, and cancer treatment.

Embrace also provides the option to include wellness care, covering routine checkups, vaccinations, and certain exams. Services include a 24/7 telehealth line called Paw Support for pet-related inquiries. If you may need emergency care, this perk can come in handy.

Multi-pet discount of 10%

Short waiting period for accidents

24/7 telehealth line

Limited plan options

Upper age limits can apply

Annual coverage limit

Figo: Best for nervous pet parents

Figo provides pet parents with the choice between three customizable plan types covering accidents, illnesses, cancer, hereditary disorders, congenital conditions, and chronic ailments. Figo also gives you the option to add wellness coverage to your base policy, which can help with the costs of routine checkups, vaccinations, and specific exams.

The company processes claims swiftly, usually within three days, and doesn’t impose incident coverage limits. If you worry about your pet a lot, you can call the 24/7 vet hotline. You’ll also have access to Pet Cloud, a service that helps foster pet reunions by providing personalized pet tags for lost animals.

Speedy claims processing

Some pre-existing conditions covered

Customizable coverage options

Hidden waiting period

Potential enrollment fee

Many negative Better Business Bureau (BBB) reviews

Healthy Paws: Best for fast claim payouts

Healthy Paws has more than 560,000 enrolled pets. Despite having so many policies in place, the company processes claims quickly — usually within two days. Healthy Paws doesn’t have maximum limits for payouts each year or over a pet’s lifetime.

This insurer offers flexible premium and deductible options. However, Healthy Paws only has one simple plan available. The company doesn’t have a wellness plan add-on, so you can’t get assistance with examination fees, dental care, behavioral treatment, or non-FDA treatments and supplements.

Flexible options for premiums and deductibles

High Trustpilot rating

Processes claims quickly

Doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions

Not many discounts or add-ons

Pet wellness plan not available

Spot: Best for add-ons

Spot can give pet parents a lot of peace of mind thanks to 24/7 access to pet telehealth through VetAccess. If you’re worried about the cost of insuring more than one pet, you’ll benefit from Spot’s 10% multi-pet discount.

When it’s time to file a claim, you can choose to receive reimbursement by direct deposit or check. You also have five different deductible options and three reimbursement rates to choose from when you enroll. The company sells accident and illness, accident-only, and preventive care coverage.

24/7 telehealth support

Multi-pet discount of 10%

Prescription food coverage

Doesn’t offer exotic pet coverage

No 100% reimbursement option

No direct payment option

Pets Best: Best for low premiums

Pets Best insurance offers pet owners ease and convenience. You can file a claim quickly using the mobile app and check your pet’s benefits online. Pets Best offers a 24/7 helpline that’s helpful for questions about caring for your pet. If you’re on a budget, you can opt for the accident-only plan for $6 per month for cats and $9 for dogs regardless of age or breed.

For more extensive coverage, you can choose the accident and illness plan that protects against various illnesses your pet might contract. If you want coverage for routine checkups and vaccinations, you can add EssentialWellness or BestWellness plans to your policy for wellness benefits.

Deductibles start at $50

Unlimited reimbursement

24/7 telehealth hotline

Pre-existing conditions not covered

No advertised discounts

Not transparent about waiting period

What is pet insurance? 

This unique insurance product can help you pay for your pet’s healthcare. Pet insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers veterinary costs associated with the medical treatment of pets, such as dogs and cats. You can think of pet insurance as a health insurance policy for your pets with a simpler process for enrollment and receiving coverage.[2]

Pet insurance helps pet owners manage unexpected and costly vet bills related to accidents, illnesses, surgeries, and preventive care. Pet insurance policyholders pay a monthly or annual premium to the insurance company. In return, the insurance company covers eligible veterinary expenses like vet visit fees, either partially or in full depending on policy terms and coverage.

Most pet insurance policies have a waiting period, which is the time between purchasing the policy and when coverage becomes effective. During this waiting period, typically ranging from a few days to a few weeks, the pet isn’t yet eligible for coverage. Waiting periods prevent people from buying insurance only when their pet needs immediate medical attention.

What isn’t covered by pet insurance?

Pet insurance typically doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, which describes health issues discovered during the waiting period or that existed before purchasing the insurance policy. Most base policies also exclude routine and preventive care, such as vaccinations, flea control, and dental cleanings.

In some cases, you can pay for a wellness add-on (at an additional cost) that covers routine and preventive care and possibly behavioral therapy or alternative treatments.

Insurance companies often don’t cover cosmetic procedures, breeding, training, or experimental treatments. The breed of your pet can also affect your coverage level because certain breeds are prone to specific hereditary conditions. Before you sign up for a pet insurance policy, you’ll want to pay just as close attention to what the policy doesn’t cover as what it does cover.

How to find the best pet insurance

If you think you and your pet can benefit from a pet insurance policy, follow these steps to find the right coverage and insurer:

Assess your pet’s needs. When shopping for pet insurance, you’ll want to consider your pet’s age, breed, pre-existing conditions, and any specific health concerns. Different pets have varying medical requirements, so assess what level of coverage you need for your furry friend. For example, if your pet is prone to illness, you should consider an accident and illness policy.

Read reviews and testimonials. You shouldn’t have to deal with difficult customer support representatives when your pet is sick. Research customer reviews and testimonials online to gauge the experiences of other pet owners with the insurance companies you’re considering.

Compare quotes. Obtain quotes from multiple reputable insurers to see which can offer the best price for the right amount of coverage. Compare coverage options, including deductibles, annual coverage limits, reimbursement rates, upper age limits, and exclusions for conditions like hip dysplasia.

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Types of pet insurance coverage

You have a few different pet insurance coverage options. To start, you can choose between accident-only coverage and accident and illness coverage. As the name implies, an accident-only plan covers accidents, while accident and illness policies cover both. As a result, accident-only coverage is the cheaper option.

People looking for more coverage can sometimes choose to add wellness coverage to their base plan for a small cost, which can help with the costs of preventive and routine care costs.

The right type of pet insurance plan can really help alleviate the financial burden that comes with your pet’s vet bills. Here’s a closer look at what each main type of pet insurance covers:

Accident and illness plan

What it covers:

Injuries

Cancer

Poisoning

Infectious diseases

Allergies

Ingesting foreign objects

Cuts and wounds

Hospitalization

Select prescriptions

Surgeries

Broken bones or fractures

Gastrointestinal issues

Lab testing

Diagnostics

What it doesn’t cover:

Vaccinations

Routine care

Pre-existing conditions

Dental exams

Accident-only plan

What it covers:

Accidental injuries

Poisoning

Car accidents

Cuts

Wounds

Ingesting foreign objects

Broken bones

Fractures

What it doesn’t cover:

Pre-existing conditions

Illnesses like cancer

Congenital conditions

Gastrointestinal issues

Diabetes

Hereditary conditions

Infectious diseases

Allergies

Diabetes

Breed-specific conditions

Wellness plan

What it covers:

Vaccinations

Check-ups

Dental exams

Vaccinations

Microchipping

Spay or neuter surgery

Flea, tick, and heartworm medications

Blood testing and analysis

Urine testing and analysis

What it doesn’t cover:

Accidents

Illnesses

Pre-existing conditions

Filing a pet insurance claim: What to know

Filing a pet insurance claim involves several steps. To start, you’ll notify your insurance company promptly after your pet receives medical care. You need to obtain and complete the necessary claim forms from the insurer’s website or customer service.

When you file your claim paperwork, make sure to attach all relevant invoices, receipts, and medical records, ensuring accuracy and completeness. Submit the documents via mail, email, or online portal per the insurer’s instructions. Claim processing time varies, and you can expect to receive a reimbursement via check or direct deposit upon approval of the claim.

Methodology

Insurify’s team of data scientists gathered the average quotes included in the article on each pet insurer’s website using specific pet profiles and coverage details. For the average quotes for dogs, we used a profile of a 2-year-old mixed breed, medium-sized male dog. For cats, we used a profile of a 2-year-old American shorthair female cat. Quotes for both species were for accident and illness coverage with 80% reimbursement, a $500 deductible, and $5,000 or more in annual coverage.

Pet insurance FAQs

Want to learn more about how pet insurance works? The following information should help you navigate finding the best pet insurance coverage for you.

Do most pet owners have insurance?

No. About 91 million U.S. families have a pet, but only 4.8 million pets had pet insurance coverage in 2022.[3] The majority of pet owners don’t have policies for their dogs or cats and pay for all their pet’s medical care out of pocket.

What are the best pet insurance companies?

The best pet insurance policy for you depends entirely on your coverage needs, budget, and pet profile. ASPCA, Spot, and Pets Best are three pet insurers that offer robust coverage and affordable prices.

Which is the cheapest pet insurance?

On average, Pets Best offers the cheapest pet insurance policies of all the pet insurance companies included above. You can expect to spend an average of $20 per month to insure a dog and $12 for a cat.

Sources

During college, Jacqueline DeMarco interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is. Jacqueline is a contributor for Insurify and has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Capital One, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, Bankrate, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi, and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school.

Licensed auto and home insurance agent

3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

Read Editorial Guidelines

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