The best affordable pet insurance options for 2025.

Having pet insurance can be beneficial when your pet gets injured or has a serious illness, but it's an additional monthly cost that increases as your pet ages.

CNBC Select has identified the most budget-friendly pet insurance companies. (For more details on our selection process, please refer to our methodology)

Best for multiple pets: Spot

This discount is for pet parents who add more than one fur baby to their policy.

Spot's wellness plan, which includes spaying/neutering and dental treatments, is a standout benefit that many other pet insurers exclude.

Best for older pets: Pets Best

If you have a senior dog or cat, Pets Best is a good choice because it doesn't have an upper age limit for coverage.

Pets Best's unlimited coverage option ensures that you never have to worry about exceeding an annual limit.

Best for Costco members: Figo

What discounts does Figo Pet Insurance offer for Costco members?

Figo offers a 100% reimbursement option, unlike most insurers who cap reimbursement at 80% or 90%.

Best for speedy claims: Lemonade

This service is for those who want an affordable and convenient way to settle their insurance claims quickly. With an AI-powered interface, Lemonade settles nearly 40% of claims in seconds. You can upload your claim on the website or mobile app, and your reimbursement will be wired directly to your bank account.

You can save up to 10% on your pet insurance policy if you bundle it with your renters, homeowners, or car insurance from Lemonade.

Best for birds, lizards and other pets: MetLife

Which insurers cover exotic pets, such as birds, snakes, turtles, and rabbits? MetLife is one of the few that do.

Accident coverage has no waiting period, and your deductible can decrease by up to $50 annually without filing a claim.

Best for prescription coverage: CarePlus by Chewy

What is CarePlus by Chewy? It reimburses up to 100% of costs for prescription medication, food, and supplements.

With CarePlus, you can enjoy direct vet pay underwritten by Trupanion, eliminating the need for waiting to be reimbursed.

Best for pre-existing conditions: AKC Pet Insurance

What is AKC Pet Insurance known for? It is the only pet insurance company that covers incurable pre-existing conditions. However, you must have your policy for 12 months before the benefit becomes effective.

AKC offers breeding expenses coverage, which is not typically included in most pet insurers.

More on our top cheap pet insurance companies

Spot

In 2019, Spot was established and provides accident-only, accident and illness, and preventative care plans. Enrolling multiple pets earns a 10% discount. Accident and illness plans cover vet exam fees, microchipping, prescription pet food, and end-of-life expenses.

Pets Best

Pets Best, founded in 2005, has insured over 750,000 animals with policies underwritten by American Pet Insurance Company and Independence American Insurance Company. The company offers annual deductibles as low as $50 and allows pet owners to choose an unlimited annual coverage limit. Additionally, Pets Best provides a 5% multi-pet discount.

Figo

Figo, a Chicago-based online provider, generated $77 million in premiums in 2023. For every year without a claim, your deductible decreases by $50. Additionally, Figo offers a 5% military discount and a 5% multi-pet discount.

Lemonade

Lemonade provides pet insurance in approximately 29 states and Washington, D.C. As a reward for bundling pet insurance with Lemonade's auto, renters, homeowners, or other policies, customers can receive a 10% discount. However, new enrollments are limited to dogs under the age of 14, with some high-risk breeds having lower limits.

MetLife

In 2020, Metlife began offering pet insurance through its acquisition of PetFirst, which covers exotic pets such as birds and lizards. A 5% multi-pet discount is available, and up to three animals can be enrolled on a single plan with a single deductible.

CarePlus by Chewy

In 2022, Chewy introduced CarePlus, which offers accident-only and accident and illness plans underwritten by Trupanion and Lemonade. Members of Costco receive discounts, and the plans also provide unlimited access to telehealth services and discounts on supplements purchased from Chewy.

AKC Pet Insurance

AKC Pet Insurance offers exceptional coverage for pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous coverage, although it does not cover dental procedures and some common illnesses. Registered purebreds may receive the first 30 days of coverage for free. Dogs over 9 years old are only eligible for accident-only policies.

How much is pet insurance?

In 2023, the average monthly cost of accident and illness pet insurance for a dog was $56.30, while for a cat it was $31.94. On the other hand, accident-only pet insurance was more affordable, costing $17 per month for a dog and $9.68 for a cat.

The average monthly cost for an accident and illness plan for a dog was $42.04, while for a cat it was $26.15, based on the pet insurance companies we chose.

What does pet insurance cover?

Rewritten: Pet insurance policies can cover injuries, illnesses, and routine care, and there are three primary types of plans available.

Accident-only policy

This policy covers injuries and accidents, including broken bones, bites, swallowed objects or substances. It may pay for hospitalization, blood work, x-rays, ultrasounds, laboratory tests, surgery, and prescriptions, depending on the plan.

Accident and illness policy

Typical pet insurance policies cover common diseases such as respiratory infections, cancer, arthritis, hypothyroidism, ear infections, and urinary tract infections. However, these conditions are usually only covered if they are diagnosed after your pet has been enrolled. Alternative and holistic therapies may be included in some policies, but it's important to read the fine print to confirm.

Wellness plan

A wellness plan typically includes coverage for routine care such as vaccines, checkups, microchipping, preventative care, and teeth cleaning. Some wellness plans also cover spaying and neutering for new pets.

What doesn't pet insurance cover?

Pet insurance typically does not cover pre-existing medical conditions that were present before enrollment and the waiting period. However, some companies may cover cured conditions, meaning they have been symptom-free or treatment-free for a specified timeframe. AKC Pet Insurance covers incurable and chronic conditions after one year.

Pet insurance typically does not cover elective procedures such as ear cropping, tail docking, or declawing, and most insurers do not cover costs associated with pregnancy or breeding. It's important to review your policy to determine if it covers end-of-life care, including pain management, euthanasia, and burial/cremation.

Why trust CNBC Select?

Our goal at CNBC Select is to deliver top-notch service journalism and in-depth consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions when it comes to their finances. Each pet insurance review we publish is the result of thorough reporting by our team of expert writers and editors, who possess extensive knowledge of pet insurance products. At CNBC Select, we take pride in our journalistic standards and ethics, and we ensure that our content is free from any commercial influence or external third-party input. While we do earn a commission from our affiliate partners on many offers and links, our editorial team remains independent and uninfluenced by any commercial considerations.

Our methodology

Based on cost, CNBC Select analyzed 15 top pet insurance companies to determine affordability.

In New York City, we gathered quotes for two pets, a 1-year-old 50-pound mixed-breed dog and a 1-year-old domestic shorthair cat.

In addition to prioritizing cost, we evaluated various other data points such as policy types, nationwide availability, claims process, waiting periods, coverage limits, deductibles, and reimbursement levels. We also took into account providers' policies on pre-existing conditions and age limits.

We took into account CNBC Select audience data, including demographics and engagement with our content and tools, when possible.

Our recommendations are categorized according to the best options for multiple pets, senior pets, Costco members, quick claims, prescription coverage, pre-existing conditions, and exotic pets.

The policies and premiums for pet insurance companies may vary and are subject to change based on company policy.

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