3 Cheapest Pet Insurance Companies Of 2025

For affordable dog insurance:

• Lemonade has cheap dog insurance at $32 monthly on average for $5,000 in annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level for dogs, based on our analysis.
• Pets Best Essential has cheap pet insurance for dogs with an average monthly cost of $46 for unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.

For affordable cat insurance:

• Lemonade has cheap cat insurance at $18 monthly on average for $5,000 in annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level for cats, based on our analysis.
• Pets Best Essential has the cheapest cat insurance at $22 monthly on average for unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.

When you’re looking for an affordable pet insurance policy, make sure you understand how the pet insurance deductible works, says Dr. Alison Mason, a Forbes Advisor Advisory Board member.

“Does the plan have an annual deductible that is reset every year or is there a deductible per medical issue for life? Both have benefits, though I prefer the latter for my own pets. But most importantly, it’s best to have a plan that has unlimited illness and emergency coverage after your deductible is hit,” says Mason.

	Review the Pet Insurance Policy With Your Vet Discuss the breed’s potential health issues before you buy a policy. It’s a good idea to also discuss common pet emergencies and illnesses in which a pet insurance plan can be helpful.
	Compare Pet Insurance Plans The best way to find the most affordable pet insurance is to compare pet insurance quotes among multiple insurers. Make sure you compare coverage details (such as annual maximum limit, and deductible type and amount) so you’re comparing plans in an apples-to-apples way.
	Adjust Your Deductible, Reimbursement and Coverage Levels The details of your policy will affect your cost. For example, unlimited annual coverage costs more than a plan that provides only $5,000 of annual coverage. You can also lower costs by choosing higher deductibles and lower reimbursement levels.
	Ask About Discounts The most common type of pet insurance discount is a multipet discount, which is generally between 5% to 10%. You can also find other types of pet insurance discounts such as annual pay discount, military discount and spay/neuter discount.

EXPERT TIPS

Ways To Save With Pet Insurance

Jason Metz

Insurance Lead Editor

Ashlee Valentine

Insurance Editor

Michelle Megna

Insurance Lead Editor

Buy When Pet Is Young

I recommend buying a pet insurance policy as soon as possible. If your pet develops a condition like arthritis or heart disease before you buy pet insurance, those conditions won’t be covered and you’ll have to foot the vet bill yourself.

Jason Metz

Insurance Lead Editor

Get Coverage for Vet Exam Fees

I would look for pet insurers that include coverage for vet exam fees in the base coverage. Not all insurers include this coverage. Without it, you’ll have to pay the vet exam fee for visits for accidents and illnesses.

Ashlee Valentine

Insurance Editor

Look for a 24/7 Helpline

I would consider choosing a pet insurer that offers a 24/7 vet telehealth line. If your pet gets sick in the middle of the night, the ability to talk with a vet could save you an expensive trip to the emergency room.

Michelle Megna

Insurance Lead Editor

Pet insurance for a dog costs an average of $46 per month for $5,000 of annual coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement, based on our analysis of pet insurance rates. Unlimited coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level costs an average of $66 per month.

The average pet insurance cost for cats is $23 per month for $5,000 of annual coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% deductible. Unlimited coverage with a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level costs an average of $34 per month.

Your own pet insurance cost will depend on the type of plan you select, the annual coverage limit, deductible amount, reimbursement level and other factors, such as your pet’s breed and age.

Pet insurance companies use a variety of pricing factors when setting rates, such as the factors below.

	Type of pet: Dogs are generally more expensive to insure than cats.
	Pet breed: Certain breeds that are predisposed to hereditary problems (such as a French bulldog) will typically mean higher vet costs. Also, larger dogs are generally more expensive to insure.
	Age of pet: Older pets are more likely to require veterinary care than younger pets and are more expensive to insure.
	Your location: The cost of vet care where you live will impact your pet insurance costs.
	Your coverage selections: Annual coverage limit, deductible amount and reimbursement level will affect your cost. For example, a lower deductible will result in a higher cost.

While finding a good price for pet insurance is a top priority, it shouldn’t be your only consideration. You can find pet insurers that offer a plan that’s below average cost, but they don’t all offer the same benefits. Before you settle for cheap pet insurance, make sure you look at the coverage benefits that are included in the base plan.

For example, a policy from Lemonade with $100,000 in annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level costs about $48 per month, which is a very competitive price. But you’ll have to pay extra for coverage for vet exam fees, behavioral therapy or alternative therapy (such as chiropractic care or acupuncture). It also lacks a 24/7 vet telehealth line.

But a company such as Embrace offers a similar policy with unlimited annual coverage for about $75 per month, including coverage for vet exam fees, behavioral therapy, alternative therapy, and a 24/7 vet telehealth line, which can be invaluable if your pet gets sick in the middle of the night. If these benefits are important to you, Embrace may be the better choice.

To find the cheapest pet insurance, we collected data and scored each pet insurance company across several categories. Only pet insurers offering annual maximum coverage of $100,000 or unlimited were scored so that comparisons were fair among companies. If a company has more than one top-scoring policy, we show only the policy with the highest score.

• Pet insurance rates for mixed breed dogs (30% of score): We calculated average rates for medium-sized mixed breed dogs ages 3 months, 2 years, 5 years and 7 years for plans with unlimited coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level, or the closest options available. Lower costs earned more points in our analysis.
• Pet insurance rates for purebred dogs (30% of score): We calculated average rates for French bulldogs, German shepherds, golden retrievers, labrador retrievers and poodles ages 3 months and 3 years for plans with unlimited coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level, or the closest options available. Lower costs earned more points in our analysis.
• Direct payment to vet (5% of score): Pet insurance companies that have the ability to pay a vet directly earned points. In order to receive points, this feature must be stated on the pet insurer’s website.
• Routine wellness plans (5% of score): Insurers that offer optional wellness plans earned points.
• Multipet discount (2% of score): Many pet insurance companies offer a discount if you insure more than one pet. Insurers that offer a multipet discount earned points.
• Behavioral therapy (2% of score): Insurers that cover behavioral therapy in their base policies earned points.
• Alternative therapy (2% of score): Insurers that include alternative therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic care and hydrotherapy in their base policies earned points.
• Dental illness (2% of score): Insurers that include coverage for dental illnesses, such as gingivitis and periodontal disease, earned points.
• Pays veterinary exam fees (2% of score): Policies that cover the vet exam fee received points. Not all insurers cover exam fees, even if the fee is for an illness or accident-related visit that’s covered by insurance.
• Likelihood to recommend pet insurers to others; satisfaction with customer service and price; satisfaction with claims process (20% of score): We surveyed 1,300 American pet owners with insurance who have purchased a new policy within the last 12 months, 100 per company. This online survey was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from October 11-29, 2024. The margin of error is ± 1.5 point with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). We surveyed 1,300 American pet owners who have filed a pet insurance claim within the past 12 months. This online survey was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from October 11 to November 4, 2024. The margin of error is ± 1.9 point with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Pet Insurance Companies