Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2025
Updated: March 14, 2025
Having pet insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection during a pet’s health challenges. For example, pet owner Matt Ezyk of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, experienced the benefits firsthand when his senior dog, Jack, became lethargic and stopped eating.
“The diagnosis was devastating—late-stage kidney failure, with only months to a year left to live,” says Ezyk. “The bill for the bloodwork and other tests came to around $1,000. My pet insurance policy covered about $800 of it.”
With pet insurance, pet owners can make healthcare decisions based on what’s best for their pets, rather than being limited by costs. This article identifies some of the best pet insurance policies to help owners find valuable coverage without breaking the bank.
Key Takeaways
- Pets Best is considered the best pet insurer based on our evaluation of 12 policies.
- An accident and illness policy is the most common type of pet insurance, covering vet expenses for issues like broken bones and infections.
- The average pet insurance cost is $66 per month for a dog and $34 per month for a cat for a policy with unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible, and 80% reimbursement.
Our Expert Picks
- Pets Best
- Figo
- Chewy
- Embrace
- Spot
The Best Pet Insurance Companies in More Detail
BEST OVERALL: Pets Best
- Maximum annual coverage: $5,000, Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for unlimited coverage: $52 for dogs; $24 for cats
- Deductible choices: $50, $100, $200, $250, $500
Our Expert Take
The Pets Best Elite policy is the top-rated plan in our analysis. It offers comprehensive coverage at competitive prices, and there’s a good range of deductible options. The Elite policy includes a wide array of coverages, including vet exam fees, dental illnesses, behavioral therapy, and alternative therapies. With Pets Best policies, customers also have access to a 24/7 pet telehealth line.
These policies also offer the option to buy wellness plans to cover routine expenses such as annual vet exams, vaccinations, microchipping, and neutering or spaying. Pets Best will pay your vet directly for approved claims if your vet signs its Veterinarian Reimbursement Release form—a benefit you won’t find at many pet insurers.
If you are a CareCredit cardholder, you can use the card to pay for vet bills. When your claim is approved, Pets Best can automatically reimburse directly to the CareCredit credit card. Pets Best’s Essential and Plus policies also scored well in our analysis (4.9 stars each). They have differences in coverage and price.
Based on our survey of Pets Best customers
- They are somewhat likely to recommend Pets Best to a friend or family member.
- They are very satisfied with their purchase. Among Pets Best customers who have made claims
- They were somewhat satisfied with the overall claims process.
Best for Wellness Plan Options: Figo
- Maximum annual coverage: $5,000, $10,000, Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for Unlimited coverage: $75 for dogs; $30 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750
Our Expert Take
Figo stood out in our evaluation thanks to its six tiers of wellness plan options. You can find plans that range from about $7 to $38 per month to cover vet expenses like routine exams, dental cleaning, vaccinations and spaying/neutering. We found that Figo’s prices for accident and illness plans were slightly above average compared to the top competitors in our analysis but you’ll also find some attractive features, including a 24/7 pet telehealth line and coverage for alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic treatment, and magnet therapy. There’s a good choice of annual maximum coverage and deductible options to customize a plan that fits your budget. There’s no upper pet age limit to buy a new policy from Figo, making it a viable option for senior pets.
Best For Paying The Vet Directly: Chewy
* Maximum annual coverage: Unlimited * Average monthly cost for unlimited coverage: $89 for dogs; $44 for cats * Deductible choices: $250, $500, $1,000 ($500 in California)
Our Expert Take
Chewy has partnered with Lemonade and Trupanion to offer pet insurance. Our rating is based on Chewy’s Essential Plus policy through Trupanion. This policy has different coverage details and pricing from the policy that’s available directly from Trupanion, and it scored much higher than the latter in our evaluation. Chewy’s Essential Plus policy stands out thanks to its ability to pay a vet directly (if the vet has Trupanion’s software). This makes Chewy’s vet payment system easier to use compared to other insurers that offer ways to pay a vet directly. Options from other pet insurers rely on pre-approval from the insurer or the vet waiting for payment. While the Chewy Essential Plus policy has higher-than-average costs it offers significant advantages. Notably, there are no upper pet age restrictions for purchasing a new policy and there’s no extended waiting period for problems such as hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament issues. Chewy offers two different tiers of wellness plans for expenses such as annual checkups, fecal tests, and pet vaccines. Chewy’s Essential Plus policy does have some drawbacks including: it offers only a 90% reimbursement level, while most insurers offer choices of 70%, 80% or 90%. Some insurers include coverage for vet exam fees and behavioral therapy in their base coverage, but you’ll have to pay extra for these benefits with Chewy. The policy also does not include a 24/7 vet telehealth line in its base coverage, but if you purchase a comprehensive wellness plan, you’ll have access to video consults with a vet.
Best for Healthy Pet Deductible: Embrace
* Maximum annual coverage: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, Unlimited * Average monthly cost for unlimited coverage: $75 for dogs; $63 for cats * Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000
Our Expert Take
We like Embrace because it offers a unique way to save on its accident and illness policy with its Healthy Pet Discount Program. 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. Embrace offers a comprehensive pet insurance policy with a variety of customizable options to fit a pet’s specific needs. You can choose among several annual maximum coverage limits and deductible amounts to tailor a policy. It also has an accident-only plan for budget-conscious pet owners. There’s coverage for behavioral therapy and alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic, and hydrotherapy. For conditions like tendon injuries, Embrace covers stem cell treatments. Embrace policies also provide financial assistance for end-of-life expenses. Additional benefits are provided, like a 24/7 pet telehealth line that can come in handy for late-night medical questions. Embrace’s rates for mixed breed dogs ($75 per month) are slightly lower than average ($76 per month) compared to the companies in our analysis. Its rates for purebred dogs ($119 per month) are well above the average of $90. However, Embrace still scored very well in our analysis thanks to the robust coverage provided.
BEST FOR BREADTH OF COVERAGE: Spot
- Maximum annual coverage: $2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, Unlimited
- Average monthly cost for unlimited coverage: $93 for dogs; $45 for cats
- Deductible choices: $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000
Our Expert Take
Spot pet insurance stood out in our analysis due to its impressive breadth of coverage. It scored the highest for breadth of coverage, including coverage for behavioral therapy, alternative therapy, prescription food and supplements, stem cell therapy, dental illnesses, vet exam fees, and end-of-life expenses, including euthanasia, burial, and cremation. If you’re looking for the broadest coverage possible, check out Spot.
Spot sells accident and illness plans, accident-only plans, and two tiers of optional wellness plans for vet expenses like annual exams, vaccinations, and pet dental cleaning. You’ll also find an excellent range of annual coverage and deductible choices to customize a plan that fits your budget. There’s no upper age limit to buy a new policy, making Spot a worthy choice for senior pets. If you insure more than one pet, you’ll be able to snag a 10% multi-pet discount. Spot’s pet insurance prices for mixed breed dogs ($93 per month) and purebred dogs ($117 per month) were well above average ($76 per month for mixed breed dogs and $90 per month for purebred dogs) compared to the companies in our analysis. You can find cheaper pet insurance elsewhere, but you won’t find the same range of coverage included in a base policy. Another downside besides price is that Spot lacks the ability to pay a veterinarian directly, which means you’ll have to wait for claim approval and reimbursement.
Our Analysis of the Best Value in Pet Insurance
Pets Best’s Essential policy provides strong value in our analysis of coverage versus cost. While some policies offer more coverage (like Pumpkin and Spot), Pets Best has a high ratio of coverage relative to cost. Pet insurance costs are determined, using a combination of factors:
- Annual maximum, deductible, and reimbursement levels
- Pet’s age, breed, and gender
- Location
The graph below illustrates the relationship between cost and coverage. Companies with higher costs appear towards the top, while those with broader coverage are on the right. Pets Best’s Essential plan provides the best value.
Pet Insurance Rate Increases in 2025
Whether you’re a new or existing pet insurance customer, be aware that double-digit increases in pet insurance rates have become common. Pet insurers must file all rate changes with the insurance departments in states with affected customers. We’ve analyzed filings made for rate increases so far in 2025 to find the average increases.
Double-Digit Rate Increases Are Common
We’re currently seeing over 230 rate increases for 2025 filed for the pet insurance companies we track. These increases usually apply to both new and existing customers. Overall, the average increase coming for pet insurance customers is 17%, with wide variation depending on the company and state. The highest increase we’ve seen is 2,060% for certain Embrace customers in California, although that appears to be an anomaly.
If you’re shopping for pet insurance, locking in a rate now will be a temporary win because you could face a steep rate increase at renewal time. Based on our analysis, Pets Best remains a top choice due to its low rates and rate increases that are at the industry average (17%).
How to Choose the Right Pet Insurance
When considering a pet insurance policy, it is helpful to select options with the most important benefits based on individual needs and compare prices.
- Plan Type
We recommend a comprehensive pet insurance policy that covers accidents and illnesses.
- Accident and illness plan. This covers vet bills for accidents (like broken bones) and illnesses (such as cancer, allergies, and skin infections).
- Accident-only plan. This covers accident-related vet expenses, such as broken bones, bite wounds, and ingested foreign objects.
- Pet wellness plans for routine care. This is typically an add-on policy that covers routine vet expenses like annual wellness exams, flea and heartworm prevention, and vaccinations.
- Coverage Levels
Annual maximum coverage, deductibles, and reimbursement levels should be chosen based on comfort levels rather than price.
- Annual maximum coverage. The maximum amount that will be paid out for pet insurance claims during the policy period. Common annual maximum coverage amounts include $5,000, $10,000, and unlimited.
- Deductible. The amount you’ll pay toward vet bills before your coverage kicks in. Common deductible choices include $100, $250, and $500.
- Reimbursement percentage. This is the reimbursement you’ll get back if you make a pet insurance claim. Common reimbursement levels include 70%, 80%, and 90%.
- Waiting Periods A waiting period is the time between the policy purchase and the coverage start. If you have a dog, we recommend taking a hard look at any special waiting periods, such as those for cruciate ligament issues. Many policies have a six-month waiting period for this, however, some insurers will waive this waiting period if you have an orthopedic exam done. If a long waiting period is a concern, I recommend looking at insurers like ASPCA, Pumpkin, Spot, and Trupanion.
- Pet Insurance Discounts
Pet insurance discounts are a good way to save. Here are the discounts that may be available, but they will vary by company:
- Multi-pet discount. Many companies offer a discount if you insure more than one pet.
- Spay/neuter discount. Some insurers offer discounts to pet owners who have their pets spayed or neutered.
- Annual pay discount. You can often reduce costs if you pay your annual premium in a lump sum.
- Military discount. Some insurers offer discounts for military members and veterans.
- Group discount at work. Some employers offer pet insurance as a voluntary benefit, which could get you a 5% to 10% discount.
- Bundle discount. You can get up to a 10% discount when you bundle Lemonade pet insurance with a Lemonade renters or homeowners insurance policy.
- Additional factors
- Exam fees. When you take your pet to the veterinarian for an accident or illness, you pay an exam fee, which typically costs $100 or more, depending on your veterinarian and visit type. Ensure your policy covers these exam fees as not all do.
- Benefits. Look for extra benefits like a 24-hour vet helpline in case your pet gets sick outside of veterinarian operating hours.
