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If you want the best care for your pet but have concerns about rising veterinary costs, pet insurance can help you avoid unexpected expenses and keep your pet healthy.
The best pet insurance for you depends on your budget and your pet’s health history, age, breed, medical needs, and other factors. Compare multiple pet insurance companies below to find the best dog, cat, and exotic animal policies.
Best pet insurance companies in 2025
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 offers the right 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.
Fetch: Best for wellness coverage
Pumpkin: Best for older pets
Healthy Paws: Best for budget-conscious pet owners
Nationwide: Best for exotic pets
Lemonade: Best for puppies and kittens
How to choose the best pet insurance plan
Choosing a pet insurance policy that suits your pet’s needs and your budget depends on several factors that are unique to each animal and owner.
Your pet’s breed, age, pre-existing conditions, and lifestyle all factor into the type of coverage you need and the cost of your premium. Your financial situation and monthly budget are also important factors you should consider.
Follow these steps to find the best pet health insurance for your situation:
Determine your pet’s needs. Every pet has a unique medical history. If you have a puppy or kitten, consider insurers that offer coverage for spay and neuter surgery, vaccinations, and foreign object ingestion. Senior pets may need an insurer without an upper age limit and coverage for hereditary conditions, cancer, or arthritis.
Understand coverage options. Pet insurers offer different types of coverage, including accident-only plans, accident and illness policies, and wellness or preventive care.2 Select a policy that fits your pet’s needs.
Read policyholder reviews. Read reviews from real policyholders on Trustpilot or other online forums to determine how satisfied customers are with their coverage. Online testimonials can help you gauge how quickly insurers resolve claims and how likely they may be to deny coverage for certain conditions.
Compare quotes. Once you know the type of coverage you need and a few companies that provide it, obtain quotes from multiple pet insurers and compare deductibles, coverage limits, and exclusions to find the most cost-effective pet insurance policy for you.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies generally fall under one of three main types of coverage: accident only, accident and illness, and wellness and preventative care.
Most pet insurers don’t cover pre-existing conditions, regardless of policy type. Pet insurers may also exclude alternative treatments like acupuncture, hereditary conditions, behavioral issues, and breeding- or pregnancy-related issues. Read your policy closely to understand which exclusions apply to your pet.
Pet insurance policies typically begin coverage after a 14-day waiting period. Some conditions, like knee injuries, have a waiting period of six months or longer, depending on the insurer. Typical reimbursement rates range from 70% to 90% and apply to covered medical conditions after you pay your deductible.
What pet insurance doesn’t cover
Just like human health insurance, pet insurance doesn’t cover everything. It typically excludes:
Pre-existing conditions: Health issues discovered during the waiting period or that existed before purchasing the insurance policy
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.
Cosmetic procedures
Breeding, training, or experimental treatments
Some hereditary conditions specific breeds are prone to
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 to what it does cover.
Best pet insurance quotes in your state
Pet insurance premiums vary by state because the cost of veterinary care differs by location. Insurify’s data science team analyzed the average cost of pet insurance across the U.S. Find out how much pet owners pay in your state by exploring the map below.