Cheap Pet Insurance Companies of September 2024 (2024)

What Is the Best and Most Affordable Pet Insurance?

Figo offers the most affordable pet insurance plans for dogs and cats at an average of $22 per month. We obtained quotes for 10 sample pets across 50 states to determine the following average costs for Figo plans:

The second cheapest offering for dog insurance specifically is ManyPets, with the following sample quote averages.

• 3-month-old puppy: $36
• 1-year-old medium mixed-breed dog: $33
• 5-year-old medium mixed-breed dog: $44

The second cheapest offering for cat insurance specifically is Healthy Paws.

• 3-month-old kitten: $14
• 1-year-old domestic shorthair cat: $15
• 2-year-old Siamese cat: $21
• 5-year-old mixed-breed cat: $26
• 8-year-old domestic shorthair cat: $32

How Can I Pay Less for Pet Insurance?

There are more ways to find the cheapest pet insurance than simply shopping for the lowest premiums. We surveyed 1,000 pet owners with pet insurance to learn more about how much pet insurance costs, what customers look for in a policy and how to save money.

Here, we offer tips to help you lower your monthly premium without significantly reducing your furry friend’s coverage if they need unexpected vet care.

Consult a Veterinarian on Which Plan Your Pet Needs

Your veterinarian can help you determine which affordable pet insurance plan best fits your pet’s needs without exceeding your budget. For example, a vet can help you pinpoint common conditions your pet’s breed faces and ensure they are covered in the plan you buy.

“Any pet at any age can have medical problems, so I recommend pet insurance for almost all pets, but especially young animals who are otherwise healthy and without preexisting conditions,” says Dr. Dani Rabwin, DVM and CEO of Ready, Vet, Go. “This will allow for the least expensive and most comprehensive insurance.”

Insure Your Pet Early

No pet insurer will cover pre-existing conditions, which are injuries or illnesses a vet notices before your coverage starts. Insuring your animal at an early age is the best way to maximize your coverage and avoid denied claims.

Our 2022 pet insurance survey showed that 77% of pet owners insured their pets before age two, but we recommend insuring your pet even earlier if possible. For example, Fetch offers an advantage by allowing coverage to start when your pet is just six weeks old — typically before many health issues present.

Consider an Accident-Only Plan

According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association’s (NAPHIA) 2022 State of the Industry Report, you can expect to pay $29 monthly for dogs and $11 for cats with accident-only coverage. That amounts to monthly savings of about $20 for dogs and $9 for cats compared to accident and illness coverage.

Although accident-only plans have limited coverage, they are ideal for some pet owners’ needs and budgets. For example, if you have a vaccinated indoor cat, you may not be as worried about the probability of illness. An accident-only plan would still cover accidental injuries from chewing cords, falling from heights, eating poisonous houseplants and more at a lower cost.

Adjust the Coverage Levels

Most pet insurers allow you to customize components of your policy, enabling you to adjust the amount of coverage you receive and the cost. Here are the key components of pet insurance policies and how they affect your bottom line:

• Deductible: This is the amount you are responsible for before your coverage kicks in.
• Annual coverage limit: This is the maximum amount the pet insurer will reimburse you annually for unexpected vet fees. Selecting a higher coverage limit will also increase your premium.
• Reimbursem*nt rate: This is the percentage of each covered claim the insurer will pay after your deductible is met. Rates usually range from 70% to 90%.

When customizing your coverage, be mindful that you don’t make changes that will drastically limit your coverage’s effectiveness.

“Keep in mind that a lower coverage level means a lower premium, but it also means less protection for your pet and more out-of-pocket costs if your pet becomes ill or injured,” said Becky Simmonds, professional dog trainer and behaviorist at Breed Advisor.

Review Available Discounts

Whether you have multiple furry friends or a history of military service, you can save money on pet insurance by selecting a provider with discounts that match your situation. The following are common pet insurance discounts:

• Annual payment discount: Some providers, like Pets Best, will reduce the cost of your plan if you pay for an entire year rather than quarterly or monthly.
• Bundle discount: If an insurance company offers multiple lines of insurance, it might offer a discount for purchasing more than one. For example, Lemonade provides a 10% discount when you bundle its pet insurance with one of its renters or homeowners insurance policies.
• Employee discount: You might get a discount if you work at a company that offers pet insurance through your chosen insurer. For example, Embrace Pet Insurance offers a 10% reduction to employees of companies that provide its policies as a voluntary benefit.
• Military discount: Some pet insurance companies offer discounts for military members.
• Multi-pet discount: One of the most common discounts that reduces your overall plan cost for enrolling multiple pets.
• Spay or neuter discount: Spaying or neutering your cat or dog can trigger a discount with some providers.

Compare Quotes for Similar Plans

Every pet insurance plan will have different costs, coverage options and features, so it’s important to take your time and research which provider is the best fit for you. We recommend you get a quote from at least three pet insurance providers on this list.

In addition to price, consider other features that may be important to you, like a mobile app, a 24/7 emergency vet line, or a robust wellness plan. Dr. Jamie Whittenburg, veterinary director with Senior Tail Waggers, emphasized the importance of learning about each policy’s finer details.

“Understanding what is and is not covered, claim procedures and turnaround times, and reimbursem*nt policies are especially important,” Whittenburg said.

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Pet insurance can save you money if your pet experiences an emergency accident or illness and requires expensive veterinary care. Unless it is a pre-existing condition, pet insurance may pay a significant portion of this bill — typically between 70% and 90% — allowing your pet to receive needed care for a much lower fee.

Here is an example. Suppose you have an accident and illness plan for your dog, costing $584 per year, based on NAPHIA’s pet insurance averages. After two years of coverage and $1,168 in premiums, your dog swallows a bone and needs emergency vet care.

According to Care Credit, treating a foreign object in a dog’s stomach costs $3,262. You consent to the treatment and file a claim.

Your insurance company pays $2,436 once the claim is approved, leaving you with a bill for $826 (your $500 deductible plus 10% of $3,262).

In this example, you pay a total of $1,994 for pet insurance and the cost of the claim. That’s $1,268 cheaper than the out-of-pocket expenses for this emergency without pet insurance.

The following chart shows the amount an average pet owner can expect to save each year when they enroll in a comprehensive pet insurance plan that covers vet visits, medication, emergency care, vaccines, and spaying or neutering.

We found the monthly pet insurance costs in each state by averaging the price of four pet care plans for 11 providers, getting 38 quotes total. We calculated the cost to own a pet through a review of the annual recurring costs of pet care. Our team only considered the pet care costs covered by pet insurance in calculating yearly savings.

Simply put, the younger your pet is, the cheaper it is to insure. Pet insurance plans are typically the most affordable when your pet meets the minimum pet age requirement, which for most companies is 8 weeks. Puppies and kittens are less likely to experience health complications than older animals and, therefore, present less of a risk to insurers. Some insurers even impose an age cutoff for coverage or charge more for senior pets.

Additionally, it can be financially advantageous to enroll your animal before pre-existing conditions develop and exclude your pet from insurance coverage.

Pet insurance was worth the cost for over 85% of respondents in our 2024 survey of 1,000 pet owners, up 3% from our 2023 study. However, whether cheap pet insurance is worth it for you depends on your needs and the methods you use to reduce the cost of coverage. An accident-only plan may be worth it for a pet parent of an indoor cat but it might not offer enough coverage for an energetic puppy that frequently goes outdoors.

Becky Simmonds, dog trainer and behaviorist at Breed Advisor, said: “Unexpected veterinary expenses can be very costly, and pet insurance can help cover these costs. If you are worried about being able to afford unexpected veterinary bills, pet insurance can provide financial protection for your pet.”ide financial protection for your pet.”

Additionally, cheap pet insurance is not inherently inferior to more expensive options in terms of coverage and plan details. Our top picks in this article all offer full-service accident and illness plans that can protect pet parents financially after a wide variety of pet emergencies. We recommend carefully reading through a pet insurance policy before enrolling to ensure it covers any breed-specific dental or other health conditions you’re particularly concerned about.