The Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2025
Choosing pet insurance can feel overwhelming. To help, we’ve evaluated various pet insurers across the country, focusing on coverage, financial stability, customer experience, and plan options. Here are the companies we recommend as the best in the U.S., all of which earned a 5-star rating.
At a Glance:
- ASPCA: Best for broad coverage.
- Embrace: Best flexible wellness plan.
- Hartville: Best for straightforward waiting periods.
- MetLife: Best for discounts.
- Pets Best: Best pet insurance for dogs.
- Spot: Best pet insurance for cats.
ASPCA: Best Pet Insurance for Broad Coverage
ASPCA offers comprehensive coverage, often considered among the best by pet parents.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, 90%
- Deductibles: $100, $250, $500
- Policy highlight: Broader coverage than most other plans
Pros:
- Covers horses in addition to cats and dogs.
- Standard plans cover alternative therapies, behavioral issues, and congenital conditions.
- Shorter waiting period than most plans for cruciate injuries (14 days).
Cons:
- You must call to get a quote for unlimited annual coverage.
Bottom line: ASPCA provides generous coverage and various plan options, including an accident-only policy.
Why it’s the best: ASPCA likely covers just about anything, including:
- Dental illnesses
- Behavioral issues
- Alternative treatments
- Prescription food
- Microchipping
They also include coverage for accident or illness exam fees, which some competitors don’t offer.
If you want a lower rate, consider their accident-only policy. If you need more coverage, a preventive care plan is available for services such as dental cleaning, heartworm tests, and vaccinations.
ASPCA even offers pet insurance for horses.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.*
- Dogs (Age 2): $36/month | Dogs (Age 8): $86/month
- Cats (Age 2): $20/month | Cats (Age 8): $37/month
ASPCA at a glance
- Age restrictions: No maximum age for enrollment (pets must be at least 8 weeks old).
- Plans available: Accident and illness, accident-only, wellness.
- Waiting periods: 14 days for accident and illness coverage. Coverage for preventive plans starts immediately.
Embrace: Best Flexible Wellness Plan
Embrace is recognized for its flexible wellness plan.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, 90%
- Deductibles: $100 – $1,000
- Policy highlight: Many ways to save on your policy.
Pros:
- Covers curable pre-existing conditions.
- Many ways to customize your plan.
- Orthopedic waiting period can be reduced with a vet exam.
Cons:
- Doesn’t cover prescription food or supplements unless you buy a wellness plan.
Bottom line: Embrace has many ways to customize your plan and offers coverage for curable pre-existing conditions.
Why it’s the best: Embrace’s Wellness Rewards has a broader scope than most pet wellness plans. You can use it for things such as:
- Checkups
- Vaccinations
- Grooming
- Nutritional supplements
- Medicated shampoos
Embrace provides a wide array of deductibles and annual coverage limits. Their accident and illness plan includes:
- Chiropractic care
- Acupuncture
- Physiotherapy
- Other alternative therapies
They also reimburse for behavioral treatments when provided by a vet.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
- Dogs (Age 2): $36/month | Dogs (Age 8): $67/month
- Cats (Age 2): $20/month | Cats (Age 8): $35/month
Embrace at a glance
- Age restrictions: The minimum age is 6 weeks. Pets up to age 14 are eligible for accident and illness coverage, which can be maintained throughout their lives. If you’re enrolling a pet for the first time at age 15 or above, it’s eligible only for accident coverage.
- Plans available: Accident and illness, accident-only, wellness.
- Waiting periods: Two days for accidents and 14 days for illnesses. There’s also typically a 180-day waiting period before Embrace will cover a dog’s orthopedic injuries; this can be reduced to 14 days with a vet exam.
Hartville: Best Pet Insurance for Straightforward Waiting Periods
Hartville offers simple and easy-to-understand waiting periods.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, 90%
- Deductibles: $100, $250, $500
- Policy highlight: Covers most curable pre-existing conditions.
Pros:
- Unlimited annual coverage is available.
- Offers a 24/7 vet helpline.
- Covers most curable pre-existing conditions if they’ve been symptom-free for 180 days.
Cons:
- Doesn’t cover herbal supplements.
Bottom line: Hartville provides multiple coverage options, including accident-only and wellness coverage.
Why it’s the best: Hartville simplifies things with a 14-day waiting period for both accidents and illnesses, without exceptions for cruciate ligament issues. They also offer a wellness plan that goes into effect the day after you enroll.
Their standard pet insurance plan includes alternative and behavioral therapies, dental illness, microchip implantation, and diets prescribed to treat a covered condition. You can customize your policy in several ways, including various annual coverage limits and a multipet discount.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
- Dogs (Age 2): $36/month | Dogs (Age 8): $86/month
- Cats (Age 2): $20/month | Cats (Age 8): $37/month
Hartville at a glance
- Age restrictions: The minimum age for coverage is 8 weeks.
- Plans available: Accident and illness, accident-only, wellness.
- Waiting periods: 14 days for both accidents and illnesses, no exception for cruciate ligament issues.
MetLife: Best Pet Insurance for Discounts
MetLife stands out with a range of discounts.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 50% – 90%
- Deductibles: $0 – $2,500
- Policy highlight: No age restrictions for enrollment.
Pros:
- Deductible decreases each year you don’t make a claim in some states.
- Accident coverage starts immediately, with no waiting period.
- Includes coverage for holistic and alternative care.
Cons:
- No option to have the company pay your vet directly.
Bottom line: MetLife sells customizable plans for dogs, cats, and other animals in some states.
Why it’s the best: MetLife offers numerous ways to save on your policy, including discounts for:
- First responders
- Health care workers
- Veterans
- Current members of the military
- Staff at animal care facilities
You may also save if your employer offers MetLife pet insurance as a benefit.
MetLife has no extended waiting period before they pay to treat orthopedic issues for dogs, which is a major plus. The website is user-friendly and offers a sample policy.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
- Dogs (Age 2): $38/month | Dogs (Age 8): $80/month
- Cats (Age 2): $18/month | Cats (Age 8): $36/month
MetLife at a glance
- Age restrictions: None.
- Plans available: Accident and illness, wellness.
- Waiting periods: Accident and wellness coverage take effect immediately. There’s a 14-day waiting period for illness coverage.
Pets Best: Best Pet Insurance for Dogs
Pets Best is a top choice, particularly for dog owners.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, 90%
- Deductibles: $50 – $1,000
- Policy highlight: May be able to reimburse your vet directly.
Pros:
- Lots of options to customize plans.
- Unlimited annual coverage option available.
- No upper age limit for enrollment.
Cons:
- Includes exam fees and certain therapies only with more expensive plans.
- Doesn’t cover food or supplements.
Bottom line: Pets Best offers numerous options and the ability to pay your vet directly.
Why it’s the best: Pets Best offers some of the most affordable rates for dog insurance. They make it easy to customize your rate with three tiers of accident and illness coverage, two wellness add-ons, and an accident-only plan. For larger expenses, you can work with Pets Best to pay your vet directly, reducing your upfront cost.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
- Dogs (Age 2): $32/month | Dogs (Age 8): $71/month
- Cats (Age 2): $20/month | Cats (Age 8): $41/month
Pets Best at a glance
- Age restrictions: The minimum age is 7 weeks, with no upper age limit.
- Plans available: Accident and illness, accident-only, wellness.
- Waiting periods: In most states, the waiting periods are three days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and six months for cruciate ligament issues.
Spot: Best Pet Insurance for Cats
Spot is a solid choice, especially for cat owners.
- Annual max coverage: Unlimited
- Reimbursement rates: 70%, 80%, 90%
- Deductibles: $100 – $1,000
- Policy highlight: Broad coverage, including microchip implantation.
Pros:
- Covers things some insurers don’t, such as prescription food and behavioral modification.
- Covers some pre-existing conditions if they have been cured and treatment-free for 180 days.
- Unlimited annual coverage option available.
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer the option to pay your vet directly.
Bottom line: Spot offers a wide range of coverage choices but won’t pay your vet directly.
Why it’s the best: Spot consistently offers affordable cat insurance rates. Their plans are comprehensive, covering:
- Alternative treatments
- Behavioral therapies
- Dental illness
- Microchip implantation
- Diets prescribed to treat a covered condition
Spot’s policies are customizable, with many annual coverage limits, reimbursement rates, and deductibles.
Sample Rates:
Source: Insurer website. Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
- Dogs (Age 2): $32/month | Dogs (Age 8): $75/month
- Cats (Age 2): $18/month | Cats (Age 8): $32/month
Spot at a glance
- Age restrictions: The minimum age is 8 weeks. There’s no upper age limit.
- Plans available: Accident and illness, accident-only, wellness.
- Waiting periods: Spot’s waiting period is 14 days for both accidents and illnesses, including cruciate ligament issues.
Compare the best pet insurance companies
Still unsure which insurer suits you? Compare these companies at a glance.
Rates for accident and illness coverage
Below are sample monthly rates from each insurer for mixed-breed, medium-sized dogs living in Katy, Texas.
- Company | Age 2 | Age 8
- ASPCA | $36 | $86
- Embrace | $36 | $67
- Hartville | $36 | $86
- MetLife | $38 | $80
- Pets Best | $32 | $71
- Spot | $32 | $75
*Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Below are sample monthly rates from each insurer for domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats living in Katy, Texas.
- Company | Age 2 | Age 8
- ASPCA | $20 | $37
- Embrace | $20 | $35
- Hartville | $20 | $37
- MetLife | $18 | $36
- Pets Best | $20 | $41
- Spot | $18 | $32
*Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
What’s covered
Certain companies include coverage that others charge extra for — or don’t offer at all.
Waiting periods
A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when coverage takes effect.
How to find the best pet insurance for dogs
Since most pet insurance is for dogs, there’s little difference between the best dog insurance companies and the best pet insurance overall. But if you want the right plan for your pup, consider a few things.
- Conditions common to your dog’s breed: Make sure the plan covers them. For example, small breeds might be more likely to develop bladder stones. Breeds like German shepherds and Labrador retrievers are prone to hip dysplasia.
- Your dog’s energy and activities: An active dog might be more prone to injuries. Consider a plan that covers physical and rehabilitative therapies.
- Wellness expenses: Research which insurers offer wellness plans.
How to find the best pet insurance for cats
Cats make up a smaller piece of the market, but here’s what to consider:
- Decide whether your cat needs insurance: Cats often visit the vet less than dogs. However, insurance can provide peace of mind and a safety net.
- Wellness expenses: Many pet insurers have add-on wellness plans that may cover vaccinations and screenings. Be sure you’d use all the benefits.
How much is pet insurance?
Pet insurance for dogs costs about $676 per year, while cat insurance costs about $383 per year. This goes up to around $56 a month for a dog and $32 a month for a cat. Accident-only policies are much cheaper.
Your pet’s price varies depending on location, age, breed, and chosen deductibles, coinsurance, and coverage limits.
How to compare pet insurance companies
Costs and types of pet insurance plans vary. Here are some tips:
- Check whether your pet is eligible: Puppies and kittens often need to be at least 6 to 10 weeks old to be insured, depending on the company.
- Research what’s covered: Plans usually cover expenses like surgery and medication for sickness or injury.
- Decide how much coverage you want: Most plans cap the annual payout.
- Understand reimbursements and deductibles: Most plans reimburse a percentage of the vet bill. You can usually choose a reimbursement level. Most plans also have a deductible, so decide how much you’ll pay out-of-pocket before your plan pays.
- Check waiting periods: Most plans have short waiting periods after you buy the policy.
- Examine extra costs: Some companies offer coverage for routine services. Determine if it’s worth the additional expense.
- Compare quotes: Dig into plan details and get quotes from several plans.
Frequently asked questions
Here are answers to some common questions:
- Which pet insurance can you use right away? MetLife’s accident and wellness coverage kicks in right away, and many other companies have immediate preventive care packages.
- What is the best pet insurance? ASPCA, Embrace, Hartville, MetLife, Pets Best, and Spot earned 5 stars out of 5 in our analysis. But the best plan for you depends on your budget and pet’s needs.
- Can you get pet insurance after a diagnosis? Most plans won’t pay for an illness or injury diagnosed before the effective date of your coverage.
- Do all vets take pet insurance? You pay your vet upfront and then file a claim for reimbursement. You can take your pet to any licensed clinic.
- What pet insurance covers pre-existing conditions? Most plans won’t cover pre-existing conditions. Some will pay for problems that haven’t shown symptoms for a set time.
