Best Pet Insurance

Veterinary care can get expensive, especially for chronic conditions and accidental injuries. With a pet insurance plan, you can feel covered against unknown health issues and emergencies. Read more about our top choices.

Lemonade is our top pick for pet insurance because you can customize your dog or cat care plan to fit your needs and budget. Plans start around $10 per month and increase based on your level of coverage and other factors. There is a mobile app to help you manage your claims, but note that the waiting period for coverage may be longer than some other insurers (two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses).

Make sure you review the company policies and plans for any exclusions, such as dental illnesses, preexisting conditions and prescription diets. The company does offer some riders and add-ons that may allow coverage for these.

Lemonde’s pet coverage is available in 37 states and Washington, D.C. Some packages include live, 24/7 vet chats and coverage for genetic conditions. The preventive care package comes with dental care coverage. Bundle and save 10% on your pet insurance when you use Lemonade for other insurance needs.

With Figo Pet Insurance, you get coverage for cats and dogs of any age, and there’s only a one-day waiting period for injuries caused by an accident (illness and orthopedic coverage are longer, however). It works to get most claims closed in less than three working days. Figo’s Pet Cloud is a convenient app that makes it easy to keep vet records organized. Additionally, Pet Cloud allows access to live vet help 24/7.

Like other plans, Figo does not cover preexisting conditions, and there are other exclusions, including care for pregnancy, parasites and experimental procedures. Additionally, since it only covers dogs and cats, if you have more nontraditional or exotic pets, you’ll need to find another provider.

Plans start around $27 per month. Choose from three flexible coverage plans based on how much coverage you want, from $5,000 per year to unlimited coverage. You set your deductible range between $100 to $750, noting that the lower your deductible, the higher your premiums will be. You also choose a reimbursement rate between 70% to 100%.

Embrace Pet Insurance offers “nose-to-tail” coverage for vet emergencies for cats and dogs. You can add on wellness coverage, but it costs more and only covers up to $650 in claims each year. If you don’t make a claim during the year, you will be rewarded with a $50 deductible discount going forward.

For those with questions, concerns or other customer service needs, Embrace offers long phone hours (Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST) as well as email support. Customers can access their online portal for assistance, and the founder of the company has made his email address available to customers, as well.

Plans start at $7 per month for cats and $14 per month for dogs. This company is a good fit for large dog breeds because it includes coverage for surgeries that veterinarians often recommend for big breeds, such as gastropexy. Embrace reserves its full accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats under 15 years old, but its accident-only policy could be a good option for older dogs.

As with other providers, take the time to review plan exclusions, claims processing times and waiting periods for injuries and illnesses.

ASPCA insurance is a good choice for older pets because there is no maximum age limit for coverage. The Complete Coverage plan covers several expenses associated with senior pets, including tooth extractions, end-of-life care, surgery and cancer treatments.

Plans start at $20 per month, and you can visit any vet within the U.S. or Canada. We also like that with ASPCA, if your pet has a preexisting condition but hasn’t received treatment or shown symptoms for 180 days or more, ASPCA no longer considers it a condition (excluding knee and ligament issues).

There is an annual limit of $10,000 on care for your pets. If you own a horse, dog or cat, you can get coverage with ASPCA.

Spot Pet Insurance offers accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats as young as 8 weeks old and comes with a 14-day waiting period for coverage. If you do need to file a claim, you can do so up to 270 days from the date of treatment. There is no need for paper filing; you can quickly file claims and upload your invoice through the member portal. If Spot needs more information, it contacts your vet directly.

Although it has exclusions for things like preexisting conditions, Spot provides coverage for end-of-life, alternative therapy and behavioral-related health issues, like fur pulling, which some competitor plans do not cover.

You can get customizable coverage for your pets, with plans starting at $11 per month for cats and $17 per month for dogs. You have the option to add on a preventive care package starting at $9.99. This extra package includes coverage for dental cleanings, wellness exams and deworming.

Buying pet insurance can be worth it if you're concerned about paying for expensive, nonroutine medical care when your pet is ill or injured.

If you’re a first-time pet owner, you might appreciate knowing that you can take your animal to the vet after an accident or illness without paying 100% of the bill out of pocket.

However, pet insurance can also be worth it if you have an older pet or multiple animals. If you fall into either of these categories, you’re more likely to visit the vet for an accident or illness, so potential savings are more likely.

You need a pet insurance company that will cover your unique pet care needs. These steps will help you discover the best pet insurance for you.

1. Research plan options: Think about the type of coverage that your pet will need the most. If you’re most worried about paying for expensive wellness care each year, be sure to find plans that cover that.
2. Consider pet eligibility requirements: You can usually get a policy for your dog or cat as long as they are at least 6 to 8 weeks old. However, some pet insurers have age restrictions, breed exclusions and exam requirements before your pet is eligible for coverage.
3. Look for discount opportunities: Many companies offer discounts for multiple pets or pet parents who are military members. In some states, you can combine discount opportunities to get up to 25% off your monthly bill.
4. Ask about the network or provider list: Some pet insurance companies may restrict where you can take your pet for care. If you live in an area with limited options, make sure your plan lets you visit any licensed veterinarian.
5. Understand specific coverages and exclusions: Read through your policy carefully. You don’t want to go to the vet thinking you’re covered for an expensive bill only to find out you’re on your own.

If you have an older pet with preexisting conditions, pet insurance might not be the best option for you. Consider starting a pet emergency fund by putting money in a high-yield online savings account you can access in the event of an illness or emergency.

When you have pet insurance, you typically pay for the services out of pocket when visiting a veterinarian. After, you file a claim with your pet insurance company. If approved, your insurer reimburses you by direct deposit or by mail. The amount you're reimbursed depends on the plan you choose, but it’s usually a percentage of the overall cost.

There’s also typically a waiting period after you sign up for a pet insurance plan — during this time, you can’t make a claim and expect a payout. In addition to the waiting period, there are some other terms to understand:

• Premium: The premium is the amount you pay monthly, quarterly or annually for your insurance policy.
• Deductible: The deductible is the amount you have to pay for vet care before the insurance company starts to pay. Policies with higher deductibles cost less, but keep in mind that you will pay more out of pocket before the insurance company begins reimbursing you.
• Reimbursements: Most insurance policies cover only a portion of medical expenses, even after you’ve met your deductible. For example, your policy might reimburse you 80% of the cost of care, leaving you responsible for the other 20%.
• Maximum payout: Many insurance policies have a maximum payout limit, whether it's a certain amount each year, per event or during the lifetime of your policy. Once it's reached, you must cover 100% of the costs.

There are some plans that may pay the provider at the time of service. Take the time to read and understand how your policy works to ensure that you get reimbursed for eligible costs.

Depending on the level of coverage you select, plans can cover accidents, illnesses and chronic conditions. Coverage varies from plan to plan, but here are some things that are typically included:

• Infections
• Ear illnesses
• Eye illnesses
• Bone fractures or breaks
• Fleaborne illnesses
• Foreign body ingestion
• Lacerations
• Insect bites

Most plans are designed to cover unexpected accidents and illnesses for dogs and cats. If you have an exotic pet, such as a guinea pig or a bird, you can look at companies that provide exotic pet insurance.

What does pet insurance not cover?

Here are some common things not covered:

• Preexisting conditions
• Examination fees
• Preventive care
• Cosmetic procedures
• Issues from owner negligence
• Breeding costs

Exclusions vary by policy and provider. Basic plans don’t usually cover routine illnesses; they cover only accidents. Comprehensive plans cover illnesses and developed conditions, but usually not routine care.

To choose our top pet insurance providers, we started with a list of 22 popular pet insurance companies. To narrow the options, we first considered overall customer satisfaction ratings. Providers with an overall satisfaction rating below 3.5 stars were eliminated first, leaving nine companies. To stay on the list, companies had to have at least twice as many 5-star reviews as 1-star reviews over the last year (June 15, 2020, through June 15, 2021).

The ConsumerAffairs Research Team then analyzed recent reviews from verified customers to make recommendations. For example, Spot is our pick for an easy claims process because of the high density of certain recurring phrases (e.g., “easy file claims,” “claims very helpful”) in verified 5-star reviews on our site over the last year.