You’re right — there are TOO many pet insurance companies to choose from. You want peace of mind and protection against unexpected vet bills, but how do you really know which pet insurance is best for you?
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Google “best pet insurance” and you’ll see one list after another, each with a different top-rated plan. Sites will often rank pet insurance companies based on who pays them the most, and without any consideration of your pet’s breed, age, or location.
This is why veterinarians recommend Pawlicy Advisor. We specialize in pet insurance, and we do things differently. We objectively analyze your pet to help you find the best plan based on your pet’s breed-specific health risks and estimated lifetime costs using data across top providers.
We analyze the top pet insurance companies to provide you with an objective breakdown of how long it takes each to reimburse you, how long you have to make a claim, deductibles, reimbursement rates, coverage limits, what’s covered, and what’s not covered.
We also provide a concise review for each provider. All content has been checked by a licensed insurance expert. That said, we strongly recommend that you get a personalized recommendation based on your pet’s breed, age, and location.
Unlike other platforms, Pawlicy Advisor provides objective, data-driven advice. We also offer personalized plan recommendations based on breed-specific attributes and total cost predictions for the lifetime of the pet. Pawlicy Advisor is recommended by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) as the Preferred Business Provider for pet insurance.
Key reasons people trust Pawlicy Advisor:
Get expert guidance to find the best pet insurance for your best friend.
You may have seen ranked pet insurance recommendations on various review sites that use a scoring system. Many companies that rank certain pet insurance policies over others are being paid to do so.
Provider | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Accidents: 14 Days Illnesses: 14 Days | 9 Days | 270 days | $100 $250 or $500 | 70% 80% or 90% | $2,500 $5,000 $10,000 $15,000 or Unlimited | |
Accidents: 3 Days Illnesses: 14 Days Knee Conditions: 6 Months | 8 Days | 180 Days | $100 $250 $500 or $750 | 70% 80% 90% or 100% | $5,000 $10,000 or Unlimited | |
Accidents: 3 Days* Illnesses: 14 Days* Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 6 Months* *For most states | 7 Days | 180 Days | $100 $250 $500 or $1,000 | 70% 80% or 90% | $5,000 or Unlimited | |
Accidents: 15 Days Illnesses: 15 Days Hip Dysplasia: 12 Months | 2 Days | 90 days | $100 $250 or $500 | 70% 80% or 90% | Unlimited | |
Accidents: 2 Days Illnesses: 14 Days Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 6 months | 10 - 15 Days | 60 days | $200 $300 $500 $750 $1,000 | 70% 80% 90% | $5,000 $8,000 $10,000 $15,000 $30,000 | |
MetLife Pet Insurance (Formerly PetFirst) | Accidents: 0 Days Illnesses: 14 Days Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 12 months | 10 Days | 90 Days | $50 $250 or $500 | 80% or 90% | $5,000 or $10,000 |
Lemonade Pet Insurance | Accidents: 2 Days Illnesses: 14 Days Cruciate Ligament Conditions: 6 months | 18 days | 180 Days | $250 $500 $1,000 or $2,500 | 60% 70% 80% or 90% | $5,000 $10,000 $20,000 $50,000 or $100,000 |
Nationwide Pet Insurance | Accidents: 14 Days Illnesses: 14 Days | 30 Days | Not Listed | $250 | 50% or 70% | $7,500 |
Accidents: 5 Days Illnesses: 15 Days Hip Dysplasia, Cruciate Ligament Conditions, & Luxating Patellas: 6 Months | 2 - 6 Days | 90 Days | $250 $300 or $500 | 70% 80% or 90% | $5,000 $10,000 or $15,000 | |
Trupanion | Accidents: 5 Days Illnesses: 30 Days | 5 - 7 Days | 90 Days | $0 - $1,000 (in $5 increments) | 90% or 50%-90% (depending on your state) | Unlimited |
Accidents: 14 Days Illnesses: 14 Days | 9 Days | 270 Days | $100 $250 $500 $750 or $1,000 | 70% 80% or 90% | $2,500 or $5,000 | |
Spot Pet Insurance | Accidents: 14 Days Illnesses: 14 Days | 10 - 14 Days | 270 Days | $100 $250 $500 $750 or $1,000 | 70% 80% or 90% | $2,500 $3,000 $4,000 $5,000 $7,000 $10,000 or Unlimited |
Pumpkin Pet Insurance | Accidents: 14 Days Illnesses: 14 Days | 7 Days | 270 Days | $100 $250 or $500 | 90% | Dogs: $10,000 $20,000 or Unlimited Cats: $7,000 $15,000 or Unlimited |
NOTE: These companies are not ranked and apear in no specific order. See above for why we don’t believe in broad ratings or numerical scores. Use Pawlicy Advisor to get a personalized pet insurance recommendation for your unique pet, remarkably fast.
ASPCA, Hartville, Spot, and Pumpkin Pet Insurance are the best pet insurance companies for those concerned about how much time they have to file a claim. These companies allow up to 270 days after the incident to submit a reimbursement claim, which is well above the industry standard of 90 to 180 days. They also happen to all have the same insurance underwriter (Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group).
The reimbursement rate is the percentage of covered vet expenses your insurance provider will repay after you've met your deductible. FIGO is the only pet insurance provider on our list that offers reimbursement rates up to 100%. That means they will cover the eligible expenses on your vet bill in full, up until you reach your annual payout limit.
Pets Best Pet Insurance, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, FIGO, Healthy Paws Pet Insurance, Spot Pet Insurance, Pumpkin Pet Insurance, and Trupanion all offer unlimited payouts on their policies, which means there's no ceiling on how much money you can receive in reimbursement.
Use Pawlicy Advisor to create your own pet insurance comparison charts and search for plans filtered to your personal preferences.
Before choosing a pet insurance plan, it’s important to understand what will be covered by your policy. Though all providers offer Accident & Illness coverage for sick or injured pets, the services and treatments eligible for reimbursement vary by provider.
Know that no pet insurance company will cover a pre-existing condition, though that will not exclude you from getting coverage for future, unrelated conditions (and some providers will cover “curable conditions” if there are no recurring symptoms).
Here’s an overview of the coverage offerings from some of the best pet insurance providers.
Provider | Dental | Alternative Therapies | Bilateral Conditions | Congenital Disorders | Behavioral Disorders | Other | Routine/Wellness Care Add-On |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ASPCA | Yes | Yes |
Yes (excluding cruciate ligament & knee conditions) |
Yes | Yes | Exam Fees, Euthanasia, Cremation/Burial |
Yes |
Figo | Accident-Related Extractions Only |
Some | No | Yes | No | Euthanasia, Cremation/Burial |
No |
Pets Best | Yes | Yes (Elite plans) |
No | Yes | No | Euthanasia | Yes |
Healthy Paws | Accident-Related Extractions Only |
Some |
Yes (excluding cruciate ligament conditions) |
Yes | No | Some Specialty Care |
No |
Embrace | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Exam Fees, Prescriptions, Microchipping |
Yes |
MetLife | Yes | Yes | Yes (excluding pre-existing conditions) |
Yes | No |
Lost Pet Advertising & Reward, Euthanasia, Cremation/Burial |
No |
Lemonade | No | No |
Yes (excluding cherry eye, glaucoma, cataracts, cruciate ligament & knee conditions) |
Yes | No | Euthanasia, Cremation/Burial (as add-on) |
Yes |
Nationwide | No | Some | Yes | No | No | Supplements | Yes |
Fetch by The Dodo | Yes | Yes | Yes (excluding pre-existing conditions) |
Yes | Yes |
Virtual visits, Supplements, Boarding Fees, Lost Pet Advertising & Reward |
No |
Trupanion | Yes | Yes (as add-on) |
Yes | Yes | Yes (as add-on) |
Breeding, Lost Pet Advertising & Reward, Boarding, Cremation/Burial, Holiday Vacation Cancellation |
No |
Hartville | Yes | Yes |
Yes (excluding cruciate ligament & knee conditions) |
Yes | Modification Therapy, Behavioral Disorders |
Euthanasia, Cremation/Burial |
Yes |
Spot | Yes | Yes |
Yes (excluding cruciate ligament & knee conditions) |
Yes | Yes |
Exam Fees, Microchip Implementation, End of Life Expenses (related to a covered condition) |
Yes |
Pumpkin | Yes | Yes |
Yes (excluding cruciate ligament & knee conditions) |
Yes | Yes |
Exam Fees, Microchip Implementation, Prescription Medications, Euthanasia |
Yes |
Pets Best, Embrace, and Fetch by The Dodo all offer great dental coverage — and they don’t restrict coverage to only accident-related extractions.
MetLife, ASPCA, Hartville, Spot, Pumpkin Pet Insurance, and Trupanion all offer full Accident & Illness coverage of your pet’s dental health.
Alternative therapies include rehabilitative, chiropractic, acupuncture, and hydrotherapy treatments. Several companies offer this type of coverage, including Pets Best, Figo, and others.
However, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Hartville, MetLife, Spot Pet Insurance, and Pumpkin Pet Insurance include coverage for even more alternative therapies like homeopathy and naturopathy.
Few pet insurance providers cover any breeding-related costs as part of their standard plans. If the company offers it, you typically have to purchase breeding covers as an add-on.
Trupanion is the first and one of the few pet insurance providers that offers coverage for conditions related to breeding, pregnancy, whelping, or nursing as a part of its pet insurance plans. That makes it a great option if you want to cover potential breeding complications through your pet insurance provider.
When an owner loses their pet, they typically have to pay out-of-pocket or crowdfund to provide a reward. They may also need to pay to create and post lost pet posters around town. Fetch by The Dodo is one example of a pet insurance provider that offers coverage for these types of expenses.
A handful of pet insurance providers will offer you a discount for bundling an insurance policy with a pet wellness plan, including Pets Best, Embrace, Lemonade, Nationwide, ASPCA, Hartville, Spot Pet Insurance, and Pumpkin Pet Insurance.
FACT: There is no one-size-fits-all pet insurance plan that's universally better than the rest. The “best pet insurance” is the one that covers your pet's breed-related health risks, meets your personal preferences, and has availability in the location where you live.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance consistently ranks high on “best-of” lists because of its high level of coverage, affordable prices, and years of industry experience. Its parent company, Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, was founded in 1997, making it one of the original pet insurance providers in the United States.
Crum & Forster eventually partnered with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in 2006 to offer its ASPCA Pet Health Insurance product.
ASPCA plans offer fast reimbursement times for claims compared to other providers. It also gives customers plenty of time to file a claim after visiting the vet: 270 days, or about nine months. Some providers require you to file a claim in just 90 days.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance also allows customers to select low annual deductibles. It offers a wellness plan alongside its considerable coverage.
ASPCA customers can get dental coverage, alternative therapy coverage, coverage for congenital disorders, and coverage for some behavioral therapies. The brand also offers coverage for LASER therapy and end-of-life care.
Figo was founded in 2013 by Rusty Sproat. It has since become one of the largest pet insurance providers in the market and has won multiple awards for its coverage.
The key feature of a Figo Pet Insurance is the optional3 100% reimbursement rate that pays for all vet costs covered by your policy after you've met your deductible. You’ll get comprehensive Accident & Illness coverage with any policy you choose, including both their lower- and higher-tiered plans. The only difference between plans are customizable aspects like deductibles, reimbursement rates, and annual limits.
Figo won’t reduce your coverage when you visit a specialist either. That makes it a great option if you want to ensure you have complete coverage for serious illnesses or injuries.
However, if you want to save money by purchasing Accident-Only coverage, then Figo may not be the best pet insurance solution for you. This brand also does not offer supplemental wellness plans to offset routine care costs.
Related: Figo Pet Insurance Review 2023
Pets Best Pet Insurance offers considerable coverage compared to ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Hartville Pet Insurance, although it doesn't offer as much coverage for behavioral health. Pets Best will only cover behavioral consults with a licensed veterinarian and any behavioral medication prescribed by them. You can also get coverage for alternative therapies, but only through Pets Best's "Elite" plans.
Nonetheless, Pets Best does offer a range of deductible options comparable to Hartville Pet Insurance. Its lowest monthly premiums are also significantly lower than other companies, making Pets Best an affordable option for budget-conscious pet owners. The company has received great reviews from its customers on Trustpilot. Waiting periods vary by location, as seen below:
For Most States :
*For Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, & Washington:
*For North Dakota:
Related: Is Pets Best Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation was founded by Steve Siadek and Rob Jackson in 2009. It’s one of the oldest pet insurance companies in the country, so it has significantly more experience than many of the latest providers on the market.
Healthy Paws provides accident and illness coverage, but no wellness plan. Its coverage is comparable to other providers. It also provides coverage for congenital conditions and some alternative care options.
The most unique thing about Healthy Paws is that it offers no payout limits on any plan and that it can reimburse claims faster than most of the insurance companies out there. You could get reimbursed for claims in as little as two days.
Related: Is Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
MetLife was originally founded in the 1800s and is one of the largest insurance providers in the world. The company began offering pet insurance after it acquired PetFirst in 2021.
MetLife offers more coverage than some other providers, including coverage of dental, alternative, and congenital care.
MetLife is notable because it offers some specialty coverage as well. You can get lost pet advertising and reward costs covered through a MetLife plan as well as end-of-life care.
The biggest drawback to MetLife is that they don’t offer the option to select an unlimited annual reimbursement limit. The maximum annual reimbursement limit you can choose is $10,000. MetLife doesn’t offer a wellness add-on either.
Related: Is MetLife Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Lemonade originally offered homeowners and renters insurance. It began offering pet insurance in 2020 after it discovered that the vast majority of its existing customers owned pets, many of which were uninsured.
Lemonade’s accident and illness coverage is comparable to other plans. However, it doesn’t cover dental, alternative therapies, or behavioral disorders. It does cover congenital conditions and you can get coverage for euthanasia and burial at the end of your pet’s life.
The biggest benefit of Lemonade’s pet insurance product is how customizable it is. Lemonade offers plenty of options for your annual deductible, your reimbursement rate, and your annual reimbursement limit. Although Lemonade doesn’t offer an unlimited annual reimbursement limit, you can get a plan with a limit as high as $100,000.
Related: Is Lemonade Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, commonly known as Nationwide, represents a large group of U.S. insurance and financial services companies. It offers a variety of insurance options, including pet insurance.
Nationwide offers complete coverage of accidents and illnesses like most pet insurance companies, as well as a wellness plan. Its plans also cover some alternative treatments and supplements. Most notably, Nationwide plans cover bilateral conditions, which isn’t always offered by other pet insurance providers.
Every Nationwide policy comes with a low annual deductible of $250, so it might be a good option if you don’t want to pay too much out of pocket.
Related: Is Nationwide Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
The Dodo is a media brand focused on telling animals’ stories and advocating for animal welfare. In 2020, The Dodo acquired a minority stake in Petplan and rebranded it as “Fetch by The Dodo.”
Fetch earns mention here because of its high level of coverage compared to other plans. It also offers something unique: coverage of some bilateral conditions, even if those conditions present themselves on one side of the animal before the policy takes effect. This means The Dodo could potentially cover some pre-existing bilateral conditions, which is something rarely offered in pet insurance.
Fetch also offers considerable levels of coverage for other treatments, including dental, behavioral therapy, and alternative care. Fetch is relatively affordable compared to other providers and receives high reviews from customers.
Related: Is Fetch Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Embrace Pet Insurance was rated the #1 Pet Insurance Provider by Forbes in 2022. The company also says that it paid out 92% of the claims submitted in 2021 and that customers can get up to 90% back on their vet bills.
Embrace covers dental illnesses, congenital conditions, and orthopedic conditions after a six-month waiting period.
Related: Is Embrace Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Trupanion was founded in 1999 as “Vetinsurance” in Canada and expanded into the United States in 2005. That makes it one of the oldest pet insurance providers in the market. It’s also one of the most popular.
Trupanion offers considerable coverage compared to many other pet insurance providers. Plans cover dental and bilateral conditions, as well as microchipping and prescriptions. Trupanion is also the first pet insurance company to offer coverage of breeding-related costs. You can also get coverage for alternative treatments and behavioral disorders, but only as add-ons to your accident and insurance plan.
Every Trupanion plan comes with an unlimited annual reimbursement limit. You can even get a $0 annual deductible, so you won’t have to pay much out of pocket for veterinary care. This makes it a great option if you’re concerned about your pet having expensive health issues down the road.
Related: Is Trupanion Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Hartville Pet Insurance offers comparable coverage to ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. A comprehensive Hartville plan can include a wellness add-on, and it will cover dental, alternative therapies, congenital disorders, and some behavioral therapies.
Hartville also receives excellent marks from its customers on Trustpilot. Its lowest monthly premiums are very affordable compared to other providers as well.
What makes Hartville unique is its varying choices for annual deductibles. Customers can choose a deductible as low as $100 to ensure their coverage kicks in as quickly as possible. However, they can also choose a deductible of $250, $500, $750, or $1,000 depending on how much they'd like to pay out of pocket.
This range is notable because it means customers can choose a plan that fits their monthly budgets and their out-of-pocket costs perfectly.
Spot Pet Insurance offers comparable coverage to other companies, including coverage of alternative therapies like acupuncture, microchipping, and behavioral issues. This coverage is baked into its core insurance product, whereas other brands sometimes offer them only as add-ons.
Spot customers can customize their coverage in much the same way Pawlicy Advisor users can. They can choose their reimbursement percentage, annual limit, and annual deductible.
Related: Is Spot Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
Founded in 2020 by Zoetis, a leading global animal health company, Pumpkin quickly made a name for itself and was awarded "Best Pet Insurance For Comprehensive Coverage" by Businessinsider.com in both 2022 and 2023. This tech-forward provider based out of NYC offers extensive Accident & Illness coverage to dogs and cats of all breeds at least eight weeks-old with no upper age limits.
Pumpkin offers some of the best pet insurance plans (underwritten by the U.S. Fire Insurance Company) with deductibles as low as $100 — meaning you won't have to pay much out-of-pocket before coverage kicks in — as well as an unlimited annual payout option. Insurance coverage kicks in after a short, 14-day waiting period and includes the most advanced diagnostics and treatments for sick or injured pets. They also offer an optional wellness package was created alongside vets to help keep pets healthy by refunding costs related to routine care.
Related: Is Pumpkin Pet Insurance Good? Here’s How It Stacks Up
TIP: Use Pawlicy Advisor to make your own comparison chart so you can quickly see how popular pet insurance plans stack up against each other.
Choosing a pet insurance policy is a personal decision. However, there are a few factors every pet parent should consider before making a choice.
Before deciding which pet insurance is best, use Pawlicy Advisor to get a personalized recommendation and see quotes from multiple providers all in one place. Pawlicy Advisor makes it easy to compare coverage and pricing. Pawlicy Advisor will also explain the coverage details of each policy in language that’s easy to understand so you know exactly what’s covered and what’s not.
Get expert guidance to find the best pet insurance for your best friend.
One of the most important things to consider when selecting a pet insurance policy is your premium rate. This is the amount of money you’ll need to pay each month (or upfront each year) to keep your policy active.
It can be tempting to choose the option with the lowest rate because it will add the least to your monthly expenses. But sometimes, the cheapest pet insurance plan today is not the cheapest plan in the long run - so it's crucial to consider “lifetime pricing” when finding the best pet insurance for your budget. Remember that insurance premiums are a general reflection of the strength of your plan.
Sometimes, the cheapest pet insurance plan today may not be the cheapest plan in the long run...
Kari Steere, Licensed Insurance Producer, Pawlicy Advisor
Monthly premiums can be higher or lower based on several factors. A few variables include your plan’s type of coverage, annual deductible, reimbursement rate, and payout limit. Your pet’s breed, age, and location can also affect the cost of your insurance premium.
For example, if a policy allows you to opt for a lower reimbursement rate nd you choose to do so, you’ll likely pay less in premiums. However, you might have to pay more out-of-pocket each time your pet visits the vet. Conversely, a plan with a low deductible may come at a higher premium, but you can count on insurance coverage for vet bills sooner than later.
The best pet insurance plans allow you to customize the policy terms, so you can find a coverage solution that both satisfies your budget and provides sufficient financial protection.
For pet parents who want to instantly compare the best pet insurance companies for rates, coverage, and more, Pawlicy Advisor is the place. We're the leading pet insurance marketplace that helps you find a great plan at the lowest guaranteed price.
Give it a try to see just how fast you can get peace of mind.
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No pet insurance product is more widely accepted than another because there are no health networks as there are with human health insurance companies. You can file a claim to get reimbursed for eligible expenses that occurred at any licensed veterinary practice in the U.S.
You can know which pet insurance is best for you by identifying your pet’s breed-specific health risks and comparing top providers to ensure the policy will cover the issues your pet is most likely to encounter. You’ll also want to compare how each provider changes premiums as your pet ages to ensure you get the best lifetime value. This is made easy with Pawlicy Advisor.
Related: How to Compare Pet Insurance Plans and Evaluate Top Providers
The cheapest pet insurance seemed to be offered by Pets Best Pet Insurance. Its monthly premiums go as low as $11 for dogs and $9 for cats. However, the cheapest plan will ultimately depend on your pet’s breed, age, and location - and the deductible, reimbursement, and coverage limit you select.
Related: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Breed, Age, and State
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Kari Steere is a licensed P&C insurance agent in all 50 states and has focused entirely on pet insurance since 2019. As an animal lover with a rescued Terrier named Barry, when she's not helping pet owners find the perfect plan on Pawlicy Advisor, she runs a ranch in Oregon and rehabilitates any animals that come across her path.