The best pet insurance plans for 2026: Cost and coverage

Do you need pet insurance?

Pet insurance is a wise investment for pet owners looking to safeguard against the high costs of veterinary care. The average cost of the most common veterinary emergencies ranges from $300 to $8,000 or more, according to pet insurer Healthy Paws. Pet insurance can prevent you from having to make a very difficult decision when faced with the high cost of lifesaving treatment in an emergency.

Pet owners with enough savings to cover an unexpected bill may not need pet insurance, but it can also safeguard those savings so you don't have to deplete them.

What is pet insurance?

Pet insurance is health insurance for pets that reimburses covered vet costs. Because pets are legally considered property, pet insurance is actually more like car or homeowners insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). Insurance for pets falls under the "property and casualty" insurance classification and functions as indemnity insurance.

Buying pet insurance isn’t just a matter of caring for your pet. It’s a way to shield your wallet. An American Pet Products Association (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey found that 82 million households in the U.S. reported owning a pet, projecting spending of $165 billion on food, vet care, and other pet needs in 2026.

“In North America, the scope of coverage is slightly different than in other parts of the world," said Janet Ruiz, a spokesperson with III. "Here, it is commonly referred to as pet health insurance (PHI). Pet health insurance is a unique, specialized coverage designed to reimburse pet owners for unforeseen veterinary fees and related expenses."

What are the best pet insurance companies in 2026?

The top pet insurance companies include Trupanion, Nationwide and Fetch, each standing out in specific categories. Trupanion is the best choice for direct payments to the vet, Nationwide is best for bundling coverage, and Fetch is best for breeds with hereditary conditions.

The table below offers an overview of the best pet insurance companies and their plans.

Trupanion: Best for direct payments to the vet

Trupanion pays veterinarians directly at the time of check-out, often in seconds, which "eliminates the cumbersome reimbursement model,” according to the company. That makes it a top pick for those who want quick, direct claim payment, but it's limited to vets that are within the network, so it's important to verify availability before you buy or visit the vet.

Other plan benefits may include no payout limits, reimbursement of up to 90% of covered claims, and a per-condition deductible that doesn’t reset annually.

Nationwide: Best for bundling

Nationwide is unique in that the company also offers coverage for avian and exotic pets, as well as cats and dogs. Because Nationwide also writes home, auto and many other types of insurance, it's a good pick for those who prefer to keep all of their insurance in one place.

Nationwide's most robust plan, Whole Pet with Wellness, covers 90% of eligible veterinary expenses. It’s the only pet health insurance plan in the U.S. to offer coverage for injuries, illness, and wellness care under a single plan. The plans also offer unlimited lifetime benefits.

Fetch: Best for breeds with hereditary conditions

Fetch, formerly known as Petplan, offers pet insurance that reimburses you for up to 90% of covered claims. If you add wellness coverage, you can also receive up to $1,200 for eligible routine care. Plans also cover injury and disease in your pet’s teeth and gums.

Fetch pet insurance plans include coverage for hereditary and congenital conditions that may occur in certain breeds, like hip dysplasia in German Shepherds and cerebellar hypoplasia in cats, with no breed restrictions or upper age limits. Sick visits, medications, diagnostics, and surgery are covered up to 90%.

Healthy Paws: Best for holistic and alternative treatment

Healthy Paws offers coverage for a range of holistic and alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, laser therapy, massage, and hydrotherapy, when performed by a licensed vet. That makes it a good pick for those who like to explore more natural options for their pet's health.

Healthy Paws pet insurance reimburses you for up to 80% of covered claims, such as injuries, accidents, treatment for cancer, ultrasounds, alternative treatments, and X-rays. Claims can be paid directly to the vet or as a reimbursement to you.

MetLife: Best for virtual care

MetLife offers dog and cat pet insurance and reimbursement of up to 90% of covered vet bills. Unlike other insurers, there are no breed restrictions or upper age limits for insured pets. Multiple pets can be covered under one policy, and you can add a wellness plan. 

MetLife also offers an app that allows you to manage your pet’s medical records, track claims, find pet services, and chat with a licensed vet 24/7.

Pet insurance plans include coverage for exam costs, surgeries, and illness-related costs. You can also add a wellness plan that covers flea & tick prevention, vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and teeth cleaning.

Figo: Best for adding a wellness plan

Figo offers wellness and accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats. Wellness plans are add-ons called Powerups and cover exams, vaccines, dental, and routine care.

While pre-existing conditions aren’t covered, Figo coverage plans include chronic conditions, emergency situations, cancer, and hereditary and congenital disorders. Figo boasts that most claims are closed within three days.

Lemonade: Best for puppies and kittens

Lemonade’s Puppy/Kitten Preventative Care package covers spaying/neutering, microchipping, two wellness exams, up to six vaccines, wellness testing, and heartworm and flea medication.

Besides the standard level of coverage and puppy and kitten care, Lemonade offers plenty of extras. They include two optional preventative care plans:

• Basic Preventative which includes an annual wellness exam, heartworm or FeLV/FIV test, up to 3 vaccines, a parasite or fecal test, and a blood test.
• Preventative+ adds routine dental cleanings and heartworm medication.

You can also upgrade the coverage to include vet visit fees, physical therapy, dental illness, and even end-of-life and remembrance. However, Lemonade doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. Keep that in mind if your pet has health issues already.

Pumpkin Pet: Best for quick payment of emergency claims

Pumpkin Pet's PumpkinNow urgent pay service allows policyholders to submit and get paid for urgent, emergency care before the vet bill comes due, making it good for people who can't front the cost and wait for reimbursement. Claims of $500 or more are eligible if submitted during the company's service hours, with payment in as little as 15 minutes.

Accident, illness, and wellness plans are all available with no upper age limits or breed restrictions. There's a 10% discount for multiple pets.

Embrace: Best for customizable coverage

Embrace plans are customizable, with the option to include coverage for wellness, grooming, training and vet exam fees. Embrace offers a full coverage policy as well, which covers a wide variety of conditions; wellness is an add-on.

While Embrace doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, it distinguishes between curable and incurable pre-existing conditions, covering curable conditions after 12 months symptom-free and with treatment.

ASPCA Pet Health: Best for pets with behavioral issues

With comprehensive plans and the option for accident-only and wellness care, the ASPCA's pet health insurance also covers the treatment of behavioral issues such as destructive chewing and scratching, and vocalization.

Choose from reimbursement rates ranging from 70% to 90% and deductibles ranging from $100 to $500 to meet your budget.

Which pets can get pet insurance?

Most household pets can be insured, including dogs, cats, and critters. Some carriers have age restrictions, but may offer plans specific to puppies/kittens or senior pets.

It’s typical for your pet insurance company to require a check-up of your animal by a veterinarian to determine any pre-existing conditions. This exam is to prevent owners from buying insurance when their pet is already sick.

"If you take out a policy when your pet is younger, it can usually be continued with the same provider for the lifetime of your pet," said Ruiz.

The good news, though, is that once you get coverage, you can usually remain covered as your pet ages. If your pet has a pre-existing condition, coverage is typically still issued with the pre-existing condition excluded.

How does pet insurance work?

Pet health insurance is simpler than a human health plan. For instance, there are generally no in-network or out-of-network veterinarians that you have to worry about. You can use your pet insurance as long as your vet is licensed.

To use pet insurance:

• Enroll in a pet insurance plan
• Pay the vet for services, medications, and other related costs
• File a claim through your pet insurance company
• Your deductible and reimbursement percentage will be applied when the claim is processed
• Your insurance company reimburses you for the covered portion of the bill

There are a few pet insurance plans that do pay the vet directly. It's unusual and may limit where your pet can be treated. These plans may be linked to a specific chain of veterinary clinics, such as Banfield Pet Hospitals, which offers its own pet insurance plans. Other insurers, like Trupanion, pay vets in their network directly, eliminating the need for reimbursement.

Pet insurance waiting periods: What you need to know

Most pet insurance plans have a waiting period before coverage begins. A waiting period is the number of days after enrollment before coverage activates and can vary significantly by insurer and need. Insurers impose waiting periods to prevent pet owners from enrolling a sick pet and immediately filing a claim. 

Typical waiting period ranges are indicated below.

What does pet insurance cover?

Pet insurance plans vary greatly, and the options are expanding. You’ll find cat health insurance options, pet health insurance for dogs, pet insurance with wellness, and more. To find the best pet insurance for routine care and all the extras, read the fine print carefully — policies can limit coverage for pre-existing conditions or alternative treatments.

The NAPHIA’s 2024 State of the Industry Report shows that dogs comprise 75.6% of the 7.6 million insured pets, followed by cats (23.5%). Although the most popular types of coverage are for dogs or cats, the top pet insurance companies typically cover a variety of household pets. There are three main types of pet health insurance coverage:

• Accident: Coverage for veterinary treatment for unexpected injuries.
• Illness: Coverage to treat sickness, disease, and any changes to your pet's normal healthy state.
• Wellness: May include vaccinations, tests, and dental work. This is sometimes called "routine" or "preventative" care.

Some pet insurance plans may include special coverage, such as:

• The cost of emergency veterinary treatment when traveling out of the country.
• Third-party liability coverage if your dog injures someone or damages someone else's property.
• The cost of advertising a reward for the return of a lost or stolen pet, and the cost of the reward itself, if the pet is found and recovered (up to a pre-set amount).
• The cost of looking after a pet if the policyholder is hospitalized or requires emergency medical treatment.
• The cost of a vacation if it’s canceled because the policyholder's pet needs emergency surgery.

What does pet insurance not cover?

Like most insurance policies, even the best dog insurance doesn’t cover everything. Here’s what isn’t usually covered:

• Elective and cosmetic surgery
• Pregnancy-related veterinarian costs
• Orthodontic procedures
• Pet foods
• Shampoos
• Supplements
• Preventative or planned treatments, such as flea, worm, or tick treatments, vaccinations, grooming, claw clipping, dental maintenance, spaying and castration (unless covered by a wellness plan).
• The purchase price of your pet if your pet dies after a certain age, typically nine years, is likely to be excluded.
• Pre-existing conditions

Pre-existing conditions may include issues specific to the animal or even breed-specific problems. Most insurers consider pre-existing conditions to be an illness or injury to your pet before the waiting period ended. Insurers will ask for your pet’s medical records when you file a claim so they can tell if an illness or injury is pre-existing. 

Coverage also depends on whether an illness or injury is curable (condition can resolve) or incurable (lifelong). Some insurers may cover curable conditions after a specified symptom-free period, while incurable or chronic conditions are typically excluded if they were pre-existing. 

Your pet’s breed can also affect coverage. Some insurers exclude certain conditions that are common in particular breeds, while others may cover them if they weren’t pre-existing. For example, hip dysplasia is common in German shepherds, while breathing problems are common in some bulldog breeds. Check with the insurer about breed-specific exclusions and coverage restrictions before purchasing a policy.

How much does pet insurance cost?

Pet insurance for dogs averages $16-$62 per month, and coverage for cats averages $9-$32 per month, with accident-only coverage on the lower end and accident-and-illness plans on the higher end, per NAPHIA.

If you consider that pet insurance is basically health insurance for your pet, you can apply the same functions to how these costs, procedures, and deductibles work.

"You can liken it to dental, vision, or health insurance you carry for yourself," said Ruiz. "Insurance coverage varies widely depending on what you purchase. Deductibles and out-of-pocket limits work the same as they do on your health insurance. It is the amount you pay before your benefits apply."

Much like other types of insurance, pet insurance doesn’t cost everyone the same. Multiple factors go into how much pet insurance costs, including:

• Whether it’s a cat or dog
• Number of animals
• Coverage package
• Age, sex and breed of animal
• Where you live

"Veterinary charges influence the premiums you are charged. Generally, in urban centers, the cost of veterinary treatment and overhead is higher than in rural areas, so premiums will reflect this,” Ruiz said.

If your pet is relatively healthy, you may consider a larger deductible to keep the overall cost down. The deductible should be an amount you can easily afford if you need to visit the veterinarian.

Coverage limits and deductibles vary between plans and companies, too. For instance, Petplan's annual coverage limits range between $2,500 and $25,000, with the deductibles ranging from $100 to $1,000. Most insurance plans usually reimburse you after you reach the deductible between 70 and 90%.

How do you file a pet insurance claim?

To file a claim, submit the claim documentation to the carrier and it will be reimbursed in accordance with your plan. Most plans require you to pay the bill up front and then submit for reiumbursement.

For most pet insurance companies, the process for filing a claim is similar:

1. You pay the vet upfront for all costs.
2. You file the claim with supporting documentation from your vet.
3. The pet insurance company reviews the claim and approves or rejects it.
4. The approved amount is usually sent to you either by direct deposit or by check, minus your deductible.

Here's an example based on various plans and coverage levels for a $5,000 emergency vet bill.

How to choose the best pet insurance plan

When looking for a pet insurance policy, make sure you understand what the policy covers. Get multiple quotes so you can compare which plan is best for your situation.

• Compare annual deductibles, not just monthly premiums: a $1,000 deductible may cost more in a claim year than a higher-premium plan with a $250 deductible.
• Read your policy and insurance documents for details of the benefits and significant exclusions of the policy: Today, most companies offer their policy document in plain English, rather than "legalese." You can even review them in advance of enrollment.
• Answer the insurer's questions honestly: Failing to do so is considered fraud, and the insurer may refuse to pay your claim.
• Ask your vet: Your veterinarian is an ethical professional who may be able to help you understand the benefits of pet insurance coverage -- and the costs of veterinary medical care today.
• Check waiting periods: Compare waiting period lengths before enrolling, particularly for orthopedic conditions.
• Check for direct vet payments: If you want to avoid paying the full bill upfront, confirm whether their shortlisted carriers offer direct vet payment.

"When choosing a policy, it is important to check the type of product and the level of veterinary fees covered to ensure it will continue to meet your financial needs, now and in the future," said Ruiz.