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Best Pet Insurance Companies for 2025
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Americans love their pets. Data from the Insurance Information Institute shows that 66% of US households — roughly 86.9 million families — own a pet. Yet only 5.7 million pets are enrolled in a pet insurance plan, a pet healthcare package designed to help you better afford vet costs.
“As a veterinary surgeon and pet owner, I urge all my clients, friends, and family to insure their pets, just like I do,” said Dr. Karyn Kanowski, a veterinarian at PangoVet in Roseville, California. “My own dog had both hips replaced several years ago and without pet insurance, there is no way I could have afforded $8,000 per hip.”
I learned this lesson firsthand when my wife and I spent over $12,000 to extend the life of Alfie, our Shih Tzu-Poodle mix who passed away in 2020. We didn’t have pet insurance, so we ended up draining a lot of valuable savings. While we didn’t have to turn to credit cards, it’s easy to see how quickly vet bills can spiral into debt. Dog owners may pay up to $55,000 for care over the lifespan of a canine, while cat owners may pay up to $45,000, according to a Synchrony study.
If you want to steer clear of tens of thousands in vet bills, pet insurance can help. We reviewed some of the top national pet insurance companies for price, coverage options, deductibles and other perks to help you find the best fit. The price you pay will depend on your pet’s breed, age, health and gender, and could vary depending on where you live. It’s always a good idea to shop around and compare multiple quotes to get the best deal to protect your family’s pet.
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 – $100,000
Deductibles: $100 – $750
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
If you want to protect your pet, but don’t have much wiggle room in your budget, we recommend Lemonade’s pet insurance. Its $10-a-month price tag will get you coverage for major accidents, and its everyday illness and wellness coverage averages $28 a month for cats and $47 per month for dogs, according to the company’s website.
Lemonade’s plans include accident and illness coverage, but if you’re hoping to get reimbursed for preventative measures like annual exams, vaccines, routine dental cleaning and heartworm medication, you’ll pay more for a preventative add-on policy.
With plenty of options to customize your coverage, you’ll likely be able to find a mix of deductible, coinsurance and max annual reimbursements that works for your budget. The only downside: Where you live can impact your eligibility. Currently, Lemonade offers pet insurance in 38 states and Washington, DC.
Like most pet insurance, you’ll pay upfront and receive a reimbursement. Lemonade leverages AI to process and approve claims, which means you’ll receive your money fast. Users also love the company’s app: It earns a 4.9 out of 5 stars on the Apple Store and a respectable 4.2 from Android users.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: 2 days for accidents; 14 days for illnesses; 6 months for cruciate ligament events
Discounts: 5% for paying annually; 5% multipet discount; 10% bundle discount (Lemonade offers other types of insurance including renters, homeowners, car and life coverage.)
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 – $100,000
Deductibles: $100 – $750
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
If you want to protect your pet, but don’t have much wiggle room in your budget, we recommend Lemonade’s pet insurance. Its $10-a-month price tag will get you coverage for major accidents, and its everyday illness and wellness coverage averages $28 a month for cats and $47 per month for dogs, according to the company’s website.
Lemonade’s plans include accident and illness coverage, but if you’re hoping to get reimbursed for preventative measures like annual exams, vaccines, routine dental cleaning and heartworm medication, you’ll pay more for a preventative add-on policy.
With plenty of options to customize your coverage, you’ll likely be able to find a mix of deductible, coinsurance and max annual reimbursements that works for your budget. The only downside: Where you live can impact your eligibility. Currently, Lemonade offers pet insurance in 38 states and Washington, DC.
Like most pet insurance, you’ll pay upfront and receive a reimbursement. Lemonade leverages AI to process and approve claims, which means you’ll receive your money fast. Users also love the company’s app: It earns a 4.9 out of 5 stars on the Apple Store and a respectable 4.2 from Android users.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: 2 days for accidents; 14 days for illnesses; 6 months for cruciate ligament events
Discounts: 5% for paying annually; 5% multipet discount; 10% bundle discount (Lemonade offers other types of insurance including renters, homeowners, car and life coverage.)
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Coverage type: Accident and illness
Maximum annual coverage: Unlimited
Deductibles: $0 – $1,000 per condition
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
Most pet insurance requires you to make upfront and receive money back in the form of a claim. Trupanion’s VetDirect Pay, however, pays your vet directly, lowering or eliminating your vet bill. There’s a big catch though: It’s not accepted at every vet office in the country. You’ll need to check the company’s website to see which vets in your area are on board.
Another key distinction of Trupanion is the company’s lifetime deductible per condition arrangement. For example, let’s say your dog gets diagnosed with liver disease or your cat is diabetic. Once you meet the deductible for that condition, additional visits will not require any deductible.
Trupanion also claims its price increases are significantly lower than many of its competitors. While rates do go up over time, the company says it won’t automatically increase your premium on your pet’s birthday, like other services may. Unlike other pet insurance companies, Trupanion doesn’t offer a discount for multiple pets. So, if you have a gang of cuddly buddies at home, you may be better off with another company that can save you more cash.
There are also limits to Trupanion’s coverage. This insurance does not cover routine wellness visits but will aid you if your pet has an accident or illness that needs treatment.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: 5 days for accidents; 30 days for illnesses
Discounts: None
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 – Unlimited
Deductibles: $100, $250, $500 and $1,000
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
Pumpkin’s pet insurance offers comprehensive coverage that will reimburse you for many conditions other pet insurance companies deny, including dental disease, behavioral issues, parasite infection and hereditary disorders. The tradeoff? You’ll also pay slightly higher monthly premiums in exchange. That said, if you’re visiting the vet frequently, this insurance offers a higher maximum annual coverage than most.
Pumpkin offers between 80% and 90% reimbursement coverage for dogs and cats with a deductible that ranges between $100 and $1,000. Opting for a lower deductible will raise your monthly bill. You can also join Pumpkin’s Wellness Club –which starts at $14.95 for cats and $19.95 for dogs — to save some cash on checkups, vaccinations, routine dental cleanings and more.
Like most pet insurance, pre-existing conditions are not covered. However, a curable condition like a fractured paw or UTI will be covered if your pet remains symptom- and treatment-free for six months, with some exceptions for knee and hind leg ligament conditions.
One drawback: Pumpkin’s 14-day waiting period applies to accidents, too, which is longer than many competitors.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: 14-day period for accidents and illnesses
Discounts: 10% for multiple pets
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 to unlimited
Deductibles: $100 to $750
Pets covered: Dogs, cats
Figo pet insurance offers the chance to get 100% of your vet expenses reimbursed and comes with $5,000, $10,000 or unlimited annual benefits. It’s also a good company for owners with older pets: There is no upper age limit to take out a new policy. Like other carriers, preexisting conditions, preventative dental care, elective procedures and routine wellness are not covered unless you purchase a separate rider.
You can create your own custom plan to include coverage for veterinary exam fees and other wellness care. Figo also offers an extra care pack with coverage for lost pet advertising, vacation cancellation for pet emergencies, boarding fees, pet theft or loss, up to $10,000 per policy for third-party property damage liability and cremation or burial expenses.
Like most traditional pet insurance policies, you’ll need to pay for your vet bills up front and then file for reimbursement through the Figo Pet Cloud mobile app, online or by faxing or emailing your paid invoice. Reimbursements are issued within 10 business days, though the company says most claims are closed within 2.6 days. The Figo Pet Cloud app also offers access to 24/7 telehealth with a licensed vet, lets you store your pet’s vet records online and connects you with other pet parents in your area.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: One day for accident coverage; 14 days for illnesses; ability to get an orthopedic conditions waiver that eliminates the typical six-month waiting period
Discounts: 15% discount for Costco members; 5% multiple pet discount
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 – Unlimited
Deductibles: Up to $1,000
Pets covered: Dogs and cats
More than 70% of cats and 80% of dogs show signs of dental disease before they’re three years old, according to the American Veterinary Dental Society. While many pet insurance plans have an optional add-on policy for dental issues, Embrace automatically covers up to $1,000 of dental illnesses and injuries per policy term with all of its accident and illness coverage options (excluding routine cleanings).
This benefit can be very valuable and save you from paying the thousands it can cost to treat periodontal disease in pets. Plus, Embrace offers the assurance of no waiting period for accidents: When you confirm your policy, your pet is immediately covered in the event of an unexpected mishap.
Embrace also offers wellness coverage that does apply to routine dental cleanings, as well as other standard illness and accident protection.
“Embrace’s average individual claim cost in 2024 was $445, but pet emergencies are unpredictable and can cost tens of thousands of dollars,” said Dr. Liza Cahn, a veterinary consultant for Embrace Pet Insurance.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements: Immediate coverage for accidents; 14-day period for illnesses; orthopedic conditions vary by state
Discounts: 10% for multiple pets; 5% for military members (excluding those who live in TN or NY)
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Coverage type: Accident, illness, wellness
Maximum annual coverage: $7,500 – $10,000 depending on your plan
Deductibles: $250
Pets covered: Dogs, cats, birds, exotic pets
Nationwide is one of the few pet insurance companies offering reimbursement coverage for birds and exotic pets. To get quotes for your exotic pets, you’ll have to call Nationwide directly, but you can purchase pet insurance for a dog or cat online. Nationwide’s wellness features are robust and include annual exams, vaccinations, blood work, urinalysis and flea and heartworm preventatives.
Each plan comes with a $250 annual deductible, and 50% to 80% reimbursement (excluding the major medical plan). Most also offer defined annual benefits per condition, which is different from most pet insurance plans. The whole pet plan, which includes accident and illness coverage, has a cap of $10,000 in annual benefits and pet owners can choose from a 50% or 70% reimbursement level. Pet parents have access to a 24/7 vet customer service line you can call for advice and quick help.
You can file a claim online, through the app, or email, mail or fax a state-specific claim form along with your paid veterinarian invoice. Some plans are also only offered through workplace benefits.
Waiting period and eligibility requirements:
Most plans have a 14-day waiting period before coverage kicks in.
Discounts:
You get a 5% discount for enrolling more than one pet and a 10% discount if you enroll four or more pets. You may also be eligible for a 5% discount if you’re an existing Nationwide policyholder.
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