Best Pet Insurance for Dogs, Cats, and More in 2025
Pumpkin, Nationwide, and Lemonade provide the best pet insurance for cats, dogs, and exotic animals, from puppies and kittens to senior pets.
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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.
Quick Facts
The average monthly cost of pet insurance is $42 for dogs and $23 for cats.
Most pet insurance companies exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions, including conditions that occur during the waiting period before coverage kicks in.1
Some pet insurers have an upper age limit for enrollment, but other companies, like Pumpkin, provide coverage for senior dogs.
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
Insurify analyzed more than 250,000 pet insurance quotes, sourced by Fletch, from its proprietary database. Quotes come from Insurify’s network of 10+ partner pet insurance companies, operating across all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
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.
Best pet insurance FAQs
The following information can help you find the best pet insurance coverage for your pet.
Do most pet owners have insurance?
No. The majority of pet owners don’t have policies for their dogs or cats and pay for all their pets’ medical care out of pocket. About 91 million U.S. families have a pet, but only 4.8 million pets had pet insurance coverage in 2022.
What are the best pet insurance companies?
Fetch, Pumpkin, Lemonade, and Healthy Paws are the best pet insurance companies for dogs and cats. Each insurer offers different coverage, like Lemonade’s special package for puppies and kittens or Pumpkin’s coverage for prescription food and supplements. Nationwide is the best pet insurer for exotic animals, covering a variety of small mammals, birds, and reptiles.
Which is the cheapest pet insurance for dogs?
On average, Pets Best offers the cheapest dog insurance premiums. Dog insurance policies with Pets Best cost an average of $22 per month.
Which is the cheapest pet insurance for cats?
Spot provides the cheapest pet insurance policies for cats, on average. Coverage for a cat through Spot costs an average of $12 monthly.
What is the best type of pet insurance to get?
The best pet insurance depends on your pet’s age, breed, health, and lifestyle. Some pet insurance companies have restrictions on senior pets or certain breeds, but other insurers, like Pumpkin, cover pets of all breeds and life stages.
To find the best pet insurance for you, consider how you plan to use your policy. Choose a coverage level that fits your budget and needs, from an accident-only plan to a comprehensive accident and illness policy with a wellness add-on.
What is the most cost-effective pet insurance?
The most cost-effective pet insurance for you will depend on your pet’s overall health, age, and lifestyle. If you have a healthy, active dog with a high risk of injury on outdoor adventures but would rather use personal savings for any future illness, an accident-only plan might make the most sense for your budget.
An accident and illness policy covers more health conditions, but its premiums are typically higher. Likewise, adding on wellness coverage will increase your premium, but it could be the right policy if you want reimbursement for preventive care.
What is the typical monthly cost of pet insurance?
Pet owners pay an average of $42 monthly for dog insurance and $23 for cat insurance. Pet insurance premiums vary by coverage level, pet age, location, breed, and other factors.
Is pet insurance worth it?
Pet insurance allows owners to choose the best treatment options for their pets without worrying as much about finances. As you compare pet insurance policies, consider which pet health conditions you would want to pursue treatment for, the average cost, whether the policy covers what you need, and the average monthly premium to determine if it’s worth it for your pet.
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