Best Pet Insurance Companies in Illinois
Choosing pet insurance can be a smart move for Illinois pet owners. The right policy can help manage veterinary costs, ensuring your pet gets the care they need. Here’s a look at the top pet insurance providers in Illinois:
- Pets Best: Known for its comprehensive coverage and direct payment options.
- Embrace: Offers unique discounts and covers vet exam fees.
- Spot: Provides a variety of coverage options and no waiting periods for many conditions.
- Healthy Paws: Stands out for its unlimited annual coverage.
Our Expert Picks
- Pets Best
- Embrace
- Spot
- Healthy Paws
- Figo
Table of Contents
- Compare the Best Pet Insurance Companies in Illinois
- How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Illinois?
- How To Find the Best Pet Insurance in Illinois
- Veterinary Costs in Illinois
Compare the Best Pet Insurance Companies in Illinois
Rates are based on plans with unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement, or the closest option available.
Source: Forbes Advisor research.
Pets Best
- Maximum annual coverage: $5,000 or Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for Unlimited coverage: $49 for dogs; $28 for cats
- Deductible choices: $50, $100, $200, $250, $500 or $1,000
Our Expert Take: Check out the Pets Best Plus plan for its range of solid basic coverage and good prices for unlimited annual coverage.
More: Pets Best Pet Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Covers the vet exam fee for trips for accidents and illnesses. A 24/7 pet telehealth line is included.
- Possible to pay the vet directly if the vet agrees.
- Watch out for the 6-month waiting period for cruciate ligament coverage. The Pets Best Plus plan does not cover alternative therapy, but its Best Elite plan covers acupuncture and chiropractic care if the pet needs rehabilitation.
Embrace
- Maximum annual coverage: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000 or Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for Unlimited coverage: $73 for dogs; $40 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750 or $1,000
Our Expert Take: We like Embrace for its Healthy Pet Discount Program, a unique way to save on accident and illness plans. If your claim reimbursements are less than $300 per pet in the year prior to the discount period, you’ll qualify for a 5% discount in the first year and 10% in the second year for each pet. Embrace will automatically apply the savings to your annual payment or monthly bill.
More: Embrace Pet Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Embrace covers the vet exam fees. There’s a 24/7 pet telehealth line and optional wellness plan.
- Paying the vet directly is possible—but generally in cases of very large claims where it would be very expensive to pay and wait for reimbursement.
- The waiting period of 6 months for orthopedic conditions can be waived if your pet has an orthopedic exam soon after you purchase a plan.
Spot
- Maximum annual coverage: $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000 or Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for unlimited coverage: $92 for dogs; $43 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750 or $1,000
Our Expert Take: We like that Spot has an excellent selection of annual coverage choices and deductibles.
More: Spot Pet Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Coverage for behavioral and alternative therapy is included. There are no extended waiting periods for problems like cruciate ligament conditions.
- Includes a free 24/7 pet telehealth line.
- Spot can be pricey, but there’s a 10% multipet discount.
Healthy Paws
- Maximum annual coverage: Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for Unlimited coverage: $53 for dogs; $20 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750 or $1,000
Our Expert Take: Check out Healthy Paws for its unlimited annual coverage at a lower-than-average cost compared to many top competitors
More: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Pays a vet directly if you make a request to Healthy Paws before treatment. 24/7 pet telehealth line is included.
- Choices for deductibles and reimbursement levels are related to your pet’s age and other factors, but Healthy Paws does not disclose the exact deductible schedule. You have to get a quote to find out your choices.
- Lacks routine care coverage option. Doesn’t pay for vet exam fees for accidents or illnesses.
Figo
- Maximum annual coverage: $5,000, $10,000 or Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for Unlimited coverage: $69 for dogs; $29 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 or $1,500
Our Expert Take: Figo has a decent range of coverage for a good price.
More: Figo Pet Insurance Review
Pros & Cons
- Optional wellness plan is available. Has a 24/7 pet telehealth line. Nice 100% reimbursement option available.
- Extra charge for coverage for vet exam fees. Some top competitors include this coverage. 6-month waiting time for orthopedic problems, but it can be waived if your vet signs a waiver for orthopedic conditions within the first 30 days of the policy.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Illinois?
In Illinois, the average cost of pet insurance varies depending on your pet’s species.
- For dogs, the average monthly cost is $81 with unlimited annual coverage.
- For cats, the average monthly cost is $39 with unlimited annual coverage.
These costs are based on a policy with unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible, and 80% reimbursement. These figures can fluctuate depending on the specific plan details and the pet’s individual characteristics.
How To Find the Best Pet Insurance in Illinois
When searching for the best pet insurance in Illinois, consider these factors:
- 24/7 Helpline: Many insurers offer a 24/7 helpline for pet health questions.
- Direct Vet Payments: Determine if the insurer allows direct payment to the vet, which helps with out-of-pocket costs.
- Multi-Pet Discount: Check if the insurer offers a discount for insuring multiple pets.
- Wellness Coverage: See if you can add wellness or routine care coverage for preventive care costs.
- Waiting Periods: Be aware of waiting periods before the insurance starts, and if there are extended periods for certain conditions.
- Vet Exam Fees: Determine if the policy covers vet exam fees for accidents or illnesses.
Veterinary Costs in Illinois
Veterinary costs in Illinois can vary by city. Here’s a look at average costs for a vet visit:
- Aurora: $75
- Bolingbrook: $77
- Chatham: $68
- Crest Hill: $74
- Des Plaines: $74
These costs are for a veterinary visit for one dog. Additional treatments will increase overall costs.
Methodology
To determine the best pet insurance companies in Illinois, our assessment scored each company based on the following factors:
- Pet insurance rates (40% of score)
- Special waiting periods (10% of score)
- Direct payment to vet (10% of score)
- 24/7 vet health line (10% of score)
- Routine wellness plans (10% of score)
- Pays veterinary exam fees (10% of score)
- Euthanasia or end-of-life expenses (5% of score)
- Multipet discount (5% of score)
The factors were weighted to reflect the different ways a potential customer might assess the value of a pet insurance policy.
Illinois Pet Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-
Is pet insurance more expensive in Illinois?
- Illinois has cheaper average pet insurance compared to other states such as California, Georgia, and Indiana, But pet owners in Arizona, Connecticut, and Florida pay more.
-
What is the cheapest pet insurance in Illinois?
- ASPCA has the lowest average insurance price for dogs in Illinois, among the companies in our analysis. Its cost averages $33 per month for dogs for unlimited coverage. For cats, ASPCA has the cheapest Illinois pet insurance, at an average of $18 per month for unlimited coverage.
-
Is pet insurance worth it in Illinois?
- The best way to determine if pet insurance is worth it is to examine how a large vet bill could impact your personal finances. For example, if you’ve been paying about $50 per month for pet insurance for three years, you’ve paid $1,800 in pet insurance premiums. Let’s say your dog swallows a tennis ball and treatment costs $3,500. If you have a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level, your out-of-pocket cost for the surgery would be $900 ($250 deductible + 20% of $3,250 = $900). Adding up the premium for three years and what you’ve paid toward treatment, you’ve paid $2,700 and avoided paying $800 by having pet insurance.
