Chances are good that each year, you spend some time choosing the health insurance plan that will work best for your family. Many pet owners also maintain pet insurance for their four-legged family members. Pet insurance can make it less financially stressful to care for your pet in the event of an injury, accident, or illness. There are quite a few pet insurance companies out there and they all offer different options and features, so we’ve done some of the work for you in choosing our favorite five.
Embrace
- Diminishing deductible
- Quick claims processing
- Extra reimbursements available
- Wellness plan (optional)
Rating 4.6
Our top pick among pet insurance companies is Embrace Pet Insurance. Embrace’s pet insurance plans offer a great value for many families because the premiums are reasonable and the coverage level goes up to 90 percent, really minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses after the deductible is paid. And speaking of deductibles, Embrace offers a benefit called the “diminishing deductible.” Keep reading to learn more about that.
In This Article
We have looked at many different pet insurance companies, taking into consideration what they cover, what they don’t cover, how their deductibles work (more info on that is below), how many options they have, and much more. We’ve chosen companies that have different features that will be appropriate for different pet families so you can choose the one that makes sense for your dog or cat (or even your exotic pets if you have them).
The Best Pet Insurance Plans
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pet Insurance Company | Embrace Pet Insurance | 4.6 |
| Best High-Tech Pet Insurance Company | Figo Pet Insurance | 4.6 |
| Best Budget Pet Insurance Company | Petfirst Pet Insurance | 4.3 |
| Best Pet Insurance Alternative | Pet Assure | 4.3 |
| Best Pet Insurance With Direct Vet Payments | Trupanion Pet Insurance | 4.1 |
Best Pet Insurance Plan Overall: Embrace Pet Insurance
Learn More on Embrace Pet Insurance's secured website | Average Customer Rating What we like: |
|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | As low as $10 for cats and $16 for dogs |
| Deductible | $200, $300, $500, $750, or $1,000 |
| Benefits Limits | 70%, 80% or 90% of annual costs |
| Age Restrictions | As young as 6 weeks and as old as 14 years |
Visit the Embrace Pet Insurance website or get a quote for pet insurance Visit Insurer WebsiteGet Quote |
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Embrace Pet Insurance is our top pick overall when it comes to pet insurance plans. Because the company pays for exam fees and up to 90 percent of all covered fees, you will likely see a smaller out-of-pocket expense when using Embrace than you will with many other companies. Also, the monthly premiums are reasonable, starting at $10 per month for cats and $16 per month for dogs. Note that these costs will depend on where you live, how old your pet is, the breed of your pet, and other factors. The lowest premiums will be paid by those who choose a lower coverage amount (as low as 70 percent) and a high deductible (up to $1,000).
Deductibles range from $200 to $1,000, and they are set annually. A feature that makes Embrace Pet Insurance unique is its “diminishing deductible” policy. For every year that you do not submit any claims, your deductible will be lowered by $50. For example, if you sign up for a plan with a $500 deductible in 2021 and you do not make any claims, then in 2022, your deductible will be $450.
In addition to the regular coverage for injuries and illnesses, there is also an optional wellness plan. This would cover services such as routine vaccinations, hip dysplasia screenings, the cost of spaying or neutering your pet, or grooming, up to a specific dollar amount.
Important Features of Embrace Pet Insurance:
- Diminishing deductible
- Annual deductibles
- Coverage amounts up to 90 percent
- Covers office visits
- Quick claim processing
- Optional wellness plan available
- Offers discounts for multiple pets, military, and more
- Covers cats and dogs from 6 weeks to 14 years old
Best High-Tech Pet Insurance Company: Figo Pet Insurance
 Learn More on Figo Pet Insurance's secured website | Average Customer Rating What we like: |
|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | As low as $11 for cats and $17 for dogs |
| Deductible | $100 to $750 |
| Benefits Limits | 70, 80, 90, or 100% |
| Age Restrictions | No upper age limit |
Visit the Figo Pet Insurance website or get a quote for pet insurance Visit Insurer WebsiteGet Quote |
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If you are looking for an easy way to get your pet insured, to submit claims, to pay your premiums, and to get customer service, Figo Pet Insurance might be the pet insurance plan for you. Your account is managed on an app that is super user-friendly and useful. You can get help from the virtual assistant 24/7 or you can request live customer service via text, phone, email, or tweet. You can talk to a veterinarian through the app if you have an emergency or if you aren’t sure whether your pet’s condition warrants an in-person visit, and there’s even a reminder system that will help you keep your pet’s care on track. You’ll also submit claims through the app. You also don’t have to worry about in-network or participating veterinarians. With Figo, you can visit any licensed veterinary practice, emergency veterinary clinic, or veterinary specialist in the U.S., Canada, or Puerto Rico. This is probably the easiest pet insurance company to deal with overall.
As for the coverage itself, that’s easy too! It’s very flexible. You can choose coverage amounts up to 100 percent of your vet’s actual bill. You can also choose no annual maximum if you like. The deductible is annual and ranges from $100 to $750 per year. There’s also optional office visit coverage: For a few more dollars each month, office visits will be covered. By choosing the lowest annual maximum ($5,000) and the highest deductible, you might pay as little as $7 per month for a cat or $15 for a dog.
Important Features of Figo Pet Insurance Insurance:
- Easy-to-use app
- Talk to a vet 24/7
- Fast, easy claims submission process
- Flexible coverage
- Up to 100% coverage
- Pays based on vet’s actual bill
- Optional office visit coverage
Best Budget-Friendly Pet Insurance Plan: Petfirst Pet Insurance
 Learn More on Petfirst Pet Insurance's secured website | Average Customer Rating What we like: |
|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | Varies, from $6 for cats and $12 for dogs |
| Deductible | $50 to $500 |
| Benefits Limits | 70 to 90 percent |
| Age Restrictions | From 8 weeks, no upper limit |
Visit the Petfirst Pet Insurance website or get a quote for pet insurance Visit Insurer WebsiteGet Quote |
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Veterinary care can be pricey, but that doesn’t mean that your pet insurance has to be. Petfirst Pet Insurance made the top of our list as the most budget-friendly insurance for cats and dogs. Their monthly rates start at just $6 for cats and $12 for dogs (this is when you choose the highest deductible and a lower coverage rate). The rate is also customizable; you can tinker with the different options available to get the coverage level you want with the monthly premium you need.
One thing to note about Petfirst Pet Insurance is that their deductibles are per-incident rather than per-year. That means that if your pet has three separate illnesses or injuries throughout the course of the year, you will pay the deductible three times. It also means that if a particular illness lasts longer than one year, you will still only pay the deductible once.
Petfirst pays claims within two weeks in most cases, which is convenient for pet owners who are watching their budgets.
Important Features of Petfirst Pet Insurance:
- Budget-friendly premiums
- Very customizable
- Per-incident deductibles
- Quick claims processing
- No exam needed
- Yearly maximums
- Optional care rider
Best Pet Insurance Alternative for Pets With Pre-existing Conditions: Pet Assure
 Learn More on Pet Assure's secured website | Average Customer Rating What we like: |
|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | From $8 for cats and $10 for dogs. A multiple pet discount applies. |
| Deductible | None |
| Benefits Limits | 25% of covered services |
| Age Restrictions | None |
Visit the Pet Assure website or get a quote for pet insurance Visit Insurer WebsiteGet Quote |
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Pet Assure is a pet insurance alternative. Rather than functioning as a pet insurance plan, it is a discount plan that lets you pay a lower price for all services provided by participating veterinarians. The discount is 25 percent, and it applies to all services provided in-house. So office visits, examinations, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, and many other normally non-covered services are covered with this plan. If bloodwork needs to be sent out or if you are referred to a non-participating veterinary specialist, however, that will not be covered.
The nice thing about Pet Assure is that it can be used with all pets, including birds, lizards, snakes, goats, llamas, chickens, and so on. If you have any type of animal that you take to a participating veterinarian, their care is covered. The costs begin at $8 monthly for cats and $10 monthly for dogs, and there are discounts for families who have multiple pets. So if you have a couple of cats and dogs, your family plan will also cover your exotic animals who live in the same household.
Important Features of Pet Assure:
- Pet insurance alternative
- Covers all in-house services
- Must use participating veterinarians
- Can be used for all types of pets
- Multiple-pet discount
Best Pet Insurance Plan with Direct Vet Payments: Trupanion Pet Insurance
 Learn More on Pet Assure's secured website | Average Customer Rating What we like: |
|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | As low as $22 for cats and $36 for dogs |
| Deductible | $0 to $1,000 |
| Benefits Limits | 90% |
| Age Restrictions | Up to 14 years |
Visit the Trupanion Pet Insurance website or get a quote for pet insurance Visit Insurer WebsiteGet Quote |
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Trupanion Pet Insurance is one of our favorites because unlike most pet insurance companies, Trupanion offers direct veterinary payments. That means that instead of paying your vet bill and waiting for reimbursement, the company will pay your participating veterinarian directly. This way, you’ll only be responsible for your deductible and any coinsurance at the time of your appointment. They also pay 90 percent of every eligible claim (once your deductible has been satisfied, that is), minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses. Trupanion’s payments are based on your vet’s actual fees.
Trupanion’s deductibles are per-incident or per-condition, not per-year. As explained above, this means that you could be paying out several deductibles per year, depending on whether your pet has several health issues or accidents. One nice feature is that Trupanion covers half of the cost of prescription pet food, which is usually not a covered expense with most pet insurance companies. There are also no payout limits, which will be reassuring if your pet develops cancer or another condition requiring costly and ongoing treatment.
You’ll find that the monthly premiums for Trupanion start a bit higher than the premiums for some other pet insurance companies because they offer 90 percent coverage for everyone, and that isn’t customizable. Costs start at about $22 per month for cats and $36 per month for dogs.
Important Features of Trupanion Pet Insurance:
- Direct payments to participating veterinarians
- 90 percent coverage
- Payments based on the vet’s actual fee
- Per-incident deductible
- Covers prescription pet food
- No payout limits
How We Found the Best Pet Insurance Plans
With so many pet insurance plans out there to choose from, you might be wondering how we narrowed down this list of the five top pet insurance plans. There were several criteria we looked at. Here’s a look at some of the most important factors we evaluated.
Monthly Premiums
One of the first criteria we looked at was monthly premiums. We chose companies encompassing a range of different monthly costs, because some people would rather pay more and have more coverage, while others would prefer to enjoy fewer benefits at a lower cost. It’s completely up to you which works best for your fur-family.
Per-Incident and Annual Deductibles
In addition to considering the actual dollar amounts of the deductibles, which can generally be customized, we also looked at the two different types of deductibles.
Some companies use the annual deductible model. This is the one we generally prefer because it results in no surprises. If you take your dog to the vet, you will pay toward the deductible until it is satisfied that year, and then you will not pay another deductible until the next year.
Other companies, however, use the per-incident model. In this case, you might end up paying more than one deductible each year if your pet suffers multiple injuries or illnesses. On the other hand, you might pay less this way, particularly if your pet has a chronic condition that spans several years, because you’ll only pay the deductible for that particular condition once. Again, it’s up to you which you prefer, and you’ll find both options among our top five pet insurance plans.
Benefit Limits
Some pet insurance companies have an annual maximum or a lifetime maximum. In addition, some will cover 70, 80, 90, or even 100 percent of eligible claims. Plans that have no maximum and/or that cover 90 or 100 percent of each claim got higher ratings from us. Those plans can be more expensive in some cases, though, so we also looked at more affordable options that have annual maximums or that cover a lower percentage of each claim.
Exclusions
Some pet insurance plans have age limits, some won’t cover certain types of care, and most (except for Pet Assure, which is an insurance alternative) do not cover pre-existing conditions. Most pet insurance plans do not cover routine wellness care but some offer an optional rider, and many do not cover prescription medications. We tried to choose companies that at least offer the option of coverage for various services even if they charge more for them.
Tips on Choosing the Best Pet Insurance Plan
If you have narrowed down your options (or even if you haven’t), here are some tips on choosing the best pet insurance plan for you and your furry loved ones.
Find Out the Out-of-Pocket Cost Each Month
To find out what your monthly premium will be, go to the website of the pet insurance company you’re interested in and fill out the questionnaire to get a quote. This is always free, and there’s no obligation; if you’re not interested once you see the price, you can simply decline coverage. Most of the time, you’ll be able to customize your coverage. If the monthly premium seems too high, try reducing the coverage amount, reducing the annual maximum, or increasing the deductible. Just keep in mind that paying less each month will usually result in you needing to pay more if and when your pet needs care.
Consider What’s Covered (and What’s Not)
Next, look at the list of exclusions. If your dog’s breed is prone to hip dysplasia, eye conditions, or ACL injuries, for example, you will want to make sure those conditions are covered. Some plans will have limitations or waiting periods on certain types of conditions, so be sure to read the information carefully. You should also be able to chat with or email the company to ask any questions you have before you sign up.
You will also want to consider services that are or are not covered. Many plans don’t cover office visits, and no traditional plan will cover pre-existing conditions. In some cases, you can purchase a rider to cover wellness services or alternative treatments. Think about what’s important to you as well as what you expect to pay out of pocket for (for example, annual vaccines), and then look for a pet insurance plan that covers what you need.
Keep in Mind the Vet Fees You May Need to Pay
Some pet insurance plans will pay up to a set amount for various procedures, and you will need to pay what is left of your vet’s fee. Others will pay based on the veterinarian’s actual fee.
For example, if a company pays 80 percent of the vet’s actual fee and the fee for a procedure is $1,000, then assuming you have already met your deductible for the year or for the condition, you will pay $200 and the insurance will pick up the other $800.
If the insurance company pays only up to 80 percent $800 for that procedure, however, then they will pay a maximum of $640 and you will be paying $360 (your 20 percent co-insurance plus the additional $200 of the vet’s bill).
If you are on a tight budget, it might be in your best interest to choose a plan that covers the vet’s actual fee if all other things are equal.
The Final Verdict
Choosing a pet insurance company is personal, so you will need to look into each of the plans available to figure out which will be best for your pet. Our top recommendation is Embrace Pet Insurance for many pet owners because it is relatively inexpensive and it covers a lot. All of the other companies we reviewed above are also excellent choices, however! The most important tip we have is to sign up for a pet insurance plan as soon as you can, as the older your pet is, the higher your premiums are likely to be.
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