Best Pet Insurance 2025: Find the Right Coverage for Your Pet

– Accident and illness coverage; wellness add-on available
– Option for up to $100k annual coverage, up to 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may be eligible for treatment if symptom-free for 12 months in some states
– 14-day waiting period for illnesses, 30-day waiting period for cruciate ligament events
– Exam fees covered with add-on
– Pets over 14 years of age can’t enroll
– Dental, alternative, physical and behavioral therapies, and end-of-life care covered with add-ons
– 5% multi-pet discount, 10% discount if you bundle home insurance
– No vet helpline available

– Accident and illness coverage
– Option for unlimited annual coverage, up to 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may be eligible for treatment if symptom-free for 12 months
– Up to 15-day waiting period for illnesses, 6-month waiting period for hip and knee issues (waivable with exam)
– Exam fees covered (when related to accident and injury)
– No upper age limit
– Excellent dental coverage; some coverage for behavioral and alternative therapies
– No multi-pet discount
– No vet helpline available

– Accident and illness coverage; wellness add-on available
– Option for unlimited coverage, up to 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– Waiting periods vary from state to state
– Exam fees covered by some but not all accident and illness plans
– No upper age limit
– Some dental and alternative treatment coverage, little to no behavioral treatment coverage
– 5% multi-pet discount when more than one pet is enrolled on BestBenefit plans
– 24/7 pet helpline
– Some direct vet pay available

– Accident and illness coverage; wellness add-on available
– Option for unlimited coverage, up to 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may be eligible for treatment if symptom-free for 12 months
– 14-day waiting period for illness, waivable 6-month waiting period for knee and ligament issues
– Exam fees are an add-on
– No upper age limit
– Strong end-of-life expenses coverage; some coverage for behavioral, dental, and alternative treatments
– 24/7 pet telehealth line

– Accident and illness coverage; two optional wellness add-ons available
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may become eligible for treatment if cured, symptom-free, and treatment-free for 180 days**
– 14-day waiting period for accidents, injuries, and illnesses, including knee and ligament conditions; no waiting period for preventive care
– Exam fees covered (when related to covered condition)
– No upper age limit or breed exclusions
– Covers dental diseases, behavioral issues, and alternative therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and rehabilitative therapy for covered conditions
– 10% multi-pet discount on all additional pets

– Accident and illness coverage; wellness add-on available
– Option for unlimited coverage, 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may be eligible for treatment if symptom-free for 6 months
– 15-day waiting period for illnesses, including hip and knee issues
– Exam fees covered (when related to accident and injury)
– No upper age limit
– Covers alternative therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and rehabilitative therapy, plus some dental and behavioral treatments
– 10% multi-pet discount on all additional pets

– Accident and illness coverage; wellness add-on available
– Option for unlimited coverage, up to 90% reimbursement, and deductible choices
– “Curable” pre-existing conditions may be eligible for treatment if symptom-free for 6 months
– 15-day waiting period for illnesses, including hip and knee issues
– Exam fees covered (when related to accident and injury)
– No upper age limit
– Covers alternative therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and rehabilitative therapy, plus broad dental and behavioral treatments
– 10% multi-pet discount on all additional pets
– 24/7 pet telehealth provided by VetAccess

Every pet parent’s needs are different—as are their pets’! The answer depends on what feels right for you. The factors at play are most often your pet’s age and breed, your location, and how you like to make financial decisions.

At its best, pet insurance is a peace-of-mind purchase that ensures you never have to make the choice between financial disaster and a life-saving treatment for your friend.

Need more help figuring out if pet insurance is right for you? See Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

Pet insurance is health insurance for pets. For the most part, it works a lot like human health insurance—it’s meant to protect you financially in the event of accidents or illnesses that require a veterinarian’s treatment.
But there are some key differences to be aware of. For example, pet insurance is typically a reimbursement program—meaning you’ll pay your vet, and your insurance company will pay you.

It’s also important to know that most pet insurance plans are built for emergencies and unexpected health issues, not regular wellness visits to a vet (though many offer wellness add-ons).

Last, virtually no pet insurance company will cover a pre-existing condition, but some have better policies than others when it comes to determining what a pre-existing condition is.

See What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

A typical pet insurance plan covers treatment when your pet is injured or ill. It usually doesn’t cover routine care like yearly exams, vaccinations, and dental care.

In some cases, you can purchase add-on coverage for preventive care or prescriptions and medication (usually part of a what’s called a “wellness plan”). Other plans cover alternative/holistic care or telehealth services, and a few offer pet boarding in the event of your own illness or incapacity.

Pre-existing conditions are never covered, and whether congenital issues go the same way can depend on your plan—which is why it’s a good idea to take a careful look at your policy’s fine print.

See What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

The best pet insurance for a dog will depend on your dog’s age and breed—plus your own financial preferences.

If you have a young dog, look for pet insurance plans that offer strong coverage for accidents and mischief, a 24/7 vet line for puppy questions, and a good wellness add-on for routine care. If you have an older dog, look for plans that let you scale back your coverage to avoid exceptions for pre-existing conditions and customize your deductible and reimbursement rate to keep expensive premiums low.

For big dogs, it’s important to choose a pet insurance plan with short orthopedic waiting periods, since large breeds are especially prone to conditions like hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament injuries. Small breeds, with their longer lifespans, can benefit from pet insurance plans that keep the long view in mind, with strong prescription coverage to manage chronic conditions.

See How To Choose the Right Pet Insurance for Your Pet

The best pet insurance for a cat will depend on your cat’s age and current health—plus your own financial preferences.

If you have a young cat, prioritize pet insurance plans that offer strong coverage for accidents and kitten mischief (think accidental ingestion of a foreign object). You may also benefit from a 24/7 vet line for kitten questions and a good wellness add-on for the routine care that young cats need so much of, like vaccinations and spaying/neutering.

If you have an older cat, consider plans that let you scale back your coverage to avoid exceptions for pre-existing conditions. You might also benefit from a highly customizable plan that lets you adjust your deductible and reimbursement rate to keep expensive senior-pet premiums low.

See How To Choose the Right Pet Insurance for Your Pet

Pre-existing conditions are health issues that have been detected (either through a formal diagnosis or a record of symptoms) before you purchased your pet insurance policy.

It can be difficult to know what might count as a pre-existing condition when you purchase insurance—so if you’re on the fence, prioritize a company that will (if requested) review your pet’s medical record at the time of purchase and tell you what they consider “pre-existing.”

The same goes for hereditary and congenital issues—like breathing problems in Pugs. Not all insurance companies cover those, so it’s worth considering health problems your pet might be predisposed to and comparing them against your prospective policy.

See How Does a Pre-Existing Condition Affect Pet Insurance Coverage?

“Curable” pre-existing conditions are health issues that predate your policy’s start date that can be satisfactorily resolved with no expectation of recurrence. A good example is an ear infection. Yes, your pet has had one before—but if a medicated cleanser or antibiotic resolved it, there’s no reason to anticipate your pet will get another one. The condition was cured!

Some pet insurance providers may cover a curable pre-existing condition if enough time has passed since its last appearance, but the definition of “curable” varies from provider to provider.

See How Does a Pre-Existing Condition Affect Pet Insurance Coverage?

A “waiting period” is the amount of time you have to wait between when your policy goes into effect and when your insurance will cover treatment for a given condition. There are typically three waiting periods:

Accidents. Injuries like sprains, broken bones, and scratches fall under this heading. The waiting period for accidents is usually very low, somewhere between one and three days.

Illnesses. This includes conditions like diarrhea and ear infections as well as more complicated diseases like diabetes and glaucoma. Waiting periods for these are typically around 14 or 15 days.

Hip and knee conditions. This usually includes injury or disease in cruciate ligaments and hips, like an ACL tear or hip dysplasia. Waiting periods vary from a rare 15 days to a more typical 6, 12, or even 18 months.

If your dog develops these conditions—or symptoms of them—during a waiting period, it will be considered a pre-existing condition, and treatment won’t be covered.

See How Does a Pre-Existing Condition Affect Pet Insurance Coverage? and What To Know About Waiting Periods and Pet Insurance

Pet insurance premiums vary widely based on the breed of your pet, their age, and your location (the latter because the cost of veterinary care differs significantly from state to state).

There are also different kinds of plans. A bare-bones policy that just covers emergencies, for example, will be cheaper than one that includes preventive care.

You can also make customizations to your deductible, maximum, and reimbursement rates to get higher or lower premiums:

If you pick a higher deductible, you’ll pay less each month.
If you pick a lower annual maximum (sometimes called the annual limit), you’ll pay less each month.
If you pick a lower reimbursement rate, you’ll pay less each month.

In short, pet insurance costs are determined by your pet’s particular circumstances, the plan you pick, and the customizations you make. The easiest way to figure out what you might pay is to get a quote.

See How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?

A wellness plan is an insurance policy or add-on that covers routine healthcare costs, like check-ups, exams, teeth cleanings, and some medications.

Since routine vet visits and costs are pretty predictable, it’s surprisingly easy to do the math on a wellness plan and see if it’s really going to save you money.

See The Best Pet Insurance Wellness Plans: How Preventive Care Add-Ons Work

Some pet parents prefer a pet savings account to pet insurance. The major perk of a savings account is control: unlike with an insurance plan, you know you’ll never pay more than you really need to.

The downside, though, is that making sure you’re always able to tell a vet “yes” to treatment requires substantial savings. Treatment for cancer, common in older pets, could easily exceed $10,000. And it’s not hard to accidentally drain a savings account when other emergencies arise.

Plus, there are scenarios where pet insurance saves pet parents money in the long run.

Ultimately, it doesn’t have to be one or the other. A pet savings account is a great way to pay for routine expenses, while an insurance plan can protect you financially against a sudden, disastrous financial burden.

See Savings Account Versus Pet Insurance: Which Is Better?