Average Cost of Pet Insurance
Pet insurance costs an average of $53 per month for dogs and $32 per month for cats, while overall pet insurance rates can range from $9 to more than $100 per month.
These averages are for plans that cover accidents and illnesses. Accident-only pet insurance is cheaper, costing $17 per month for dogs and $10 per month for cats, on average. Among the top pet insurance companies, Figo offers the cheapest pet insurance rates on average for dogs and cats at $25 and $13 a month respectively.
Average pet insurance costs
Most pet owners can expect to pay between $20 and $50 per month for accident and illness pet insurance.
Pet insurance rates can range from as low as $9 per month to more than $100 per month. Your pet's age, species and breed, as well as where you live and the coverage you choose, all factor into your insurance rates.
Find the Cheapest Pet Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Dogs cost about 65% more to insure than cats for accident and illness policies. You'll also pay more to insure older pets and larger animals, as these pets tend to have the most health issues.
What affects how much you pay for pet insurance?
- Your pet is large or older
- The pet breed is prone to illness
- You choose better coverage, such as a lower deductible or higher policy limit
- Your pet is a mutt or mixed breed
- You shop around for quotes to find cheap rates
- The plan pays less for vet bills or has a higher deductible
Is the cost of pet insurance going up?
In 2024, it costs about $80 more per year to insure a dog than it did five years ago. And it costs about $27 more per year to insure a cat.
In the past five years, the average cost of pet insurance has increased between 8% and 14% for accident and illness policies. The largest increase is for accident-only insurance policies for dogs, which went up by 27% over five years.
Five-year increase in average pet insurance rates
Pet | Accident & illness policies | Accident-only policies |
|---|---|---|
| Dogs | 14% | 27% |
| Cats | 8% | 5% |
Average cost of dog insurance
The average monthly cost of dog insurance is $43 across the top pet insurance companies.
The cheapest pet insurance companies for dogs are Figo, American Kennel Club (AKC) and MetLife, all of which have rates of less than $30 per month.
Cost of dog insurance by company
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Figo | $25 |
| AKC | $29 |
| MetLife | $29 |
| ASPCA | $30 |
| Spot | $32 |
Quotes can vary by more than $75 per month for the same pet, location and coverage.
You'll pay more to insure your dog if vet bills are high where you live or you have an injury-prone dog. You'll also pay more if you increase the policy's coverage or lower the deductible. All of these mean the insurance company could have to pay more to care for your dog, so the policy costs more.
Cost of pet insurance by dog breed
It generally costs less to insure smaller dogs and mixed breeds, rather than large, purebred dogs.
Breed | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Dachshund | $21 |
| Mutt (mixed breed, up to 50 lbs) | $25 |
| Mutt (mixed breed, up to 100 lbs) | $30 |
| Pembroke Welsh corgi | $30 |
| Beagle | $30 |
Dachshunds are the cheapest dogs to insure, at $21 per month. The most expensive dogs to insure are French bulldogs, rottweilers and Doberman pinschers.
Even though French bulldogs are small, they are prone to health problems. Pet insurance companies expect higher vet bills, so they set higher rates for insurance policies.
Average cost of cat insurance
For cats, the average monthly cost of pet insurance across the largest pet insurance companies is $21.
Pet insurance quotes for your cat can vary by as much as $30 per month between companies.
Cost of cat insurance by company
The cheapest companies for cat insurance are Figo, American Kennel Club, ASPCA and Spot. Cat insurance policies from these companies can cost $15 per month or less.
Company | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Figo | $13 |
| AKC | $14 |
| ASPCA | $15 |
| Spot | $15 |
| 24PetWatch | $19 |
Cat insurance cost by breed
As with dogs, the cost to insure a cat varies by breed. Mixed breeds tend to have cheaper pet insurance quotes, including the most common domestic shorthair or DSH.
Breed | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Domestic shorthair | $15 |
| Domestic longhair | $15 |
| Ragdoll | $15 |
| Siamese | $15 |
| Devon rex | $15 |
Average cost of medical treatments for pets
If you're trying to decide if pet insurance is worth it, consider the cost of vet bills without insurance. Minor treatment, for an ear infection or upset stomach, for example, will often cost less than a year of insurance, but multiple conditions or something more serious will usually cost more than a full policy.
The most common dog treatments cost $254 on average, while the most common cat treatments cost $267, according to MetLife claims data.
Even more common issues, such as treating parvo in puppies, can be expensive — the average claim is over $1,100. And serious conditions like cancer are rarer, but diagnosis and treatment are also much more costly — chemotherapy alone can cost thousands of dollars.
Cost of common dog health problems
Rank | Condition | Cost of vet visit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ear infection | $149 |
| 2 | Allergies | $249 |
| 3 | Skin infection | $175 |
| 4 | Upset stomach | $385 |
| 5 | Diarrhea | $203 |
In most cases, paying for treatment out of pocket for the most common dog and cat medical conditions is less expensive than the annual cost of insurance.
Pet insurance won't pay for all your pet's medical costs, but it could help lower the burden of expensive and surprising vet bills, like for fracturing a limb or getting cancer.
In these cases, pet insurance will help lower the financial costs of an expensive procedure. It can also help you choose the right treatment for your pet without worrying about how you'll pay for an emergency vet bill, treatment or ongoing care.
Cost of common cat health problems
Rank | Condition | Cost of vet visit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urinary tract condition (UTI) | $295 |
| 2 | Upset stomach | $385 |
| 3 | Kidney failure | $485 |
| 4 | Diarrhea | $203 |
| 5 | Allergies | $235 |
Frequently asked questions
How much is full coverage pet insurance?
Full coverage pet insurance that pays for accidents and illnesses costs an average of $53 per month for dogs and $32 per month for cats. If you add on wellness coverage to pay for routine or preventive care, the average cost of pet insurance increases to $95 per month for dogs and $51 per month for cats.
Does the cost of pet insurance go up every year?
Yes, in most cases you'll pay more for pet insurance each year. But the increase is usually small. Each year, the cost of pet insurance increases an average of $1 per month for dogs and about half a dollar for cats. Insurance also costs more for older pets because they are more likely to be injured. If you have a large increase in pet insurance rates, compare quotes from different companies to find a better deal.
Methodology and sources
Average rates for pet insurance are from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association pet industry report.
Rates from different breeds are from ASPCA pet insurance. Procedure prices come from MetLife internal claims data.
Pet insurance rates by company are based on quotes from 12 top insurance companies for a male dog and cat, both 4 years old, in Charlotte, N.C. Quotes used a typical policy with:
- $500 deductible
- $5,000 annual maximum coverage
- 80% reimbursement for vet services
Company policy options vary based on availability. PetsBest and Healthy Paws have no annual coverage limit. Trupanion has no annual coverage limit and a 90% reimbursement rate. Fetch's cat insurance rates are based on a $400 deductible.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.