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Average Pet Insurance Cost

Average Cost of Pet Insurance

The average cost of pet insurance in the U.S. is $49.51 per month or $594 per year for dogs and $28.48 per month or $342 per year for cats. This coverage is becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S., particularly as pet ownership has boomed during the coronavirus pandemic. According to recent reports, the number of insured pets has grown at an annual rate of 23.2% over the last five years.

Average Cost of Pet Insurance

Pet insurance premiums vary widely depending on a number of factors, including your location, the breed of pet, the age of the pet, prior health history, and more. Nationally, the average monthly premium for dogs is $49.51 for a policy covering both accidents and illnesses and $18.17 for a policy covering accidents only. For cats, the average monthly premium is $28.48 for an accident and illness policy and $11.13 for an accident-only policy.

Coverage TypeAverage Annual Growth Rate202020192018201720162015
Dog (Accident & Illness)5.1%$594.15$585.40$558.93$544.85$517.63$465.02
Cat (Accident & Illness)1.6%$341.81$349.93$349.34$342.37$321.27$316.30
Dog (Accident Only)6.0%$218.13$194.09$190.02$190.08$168.35$164.16
Cat (Accident Only)0.0%$133.61$126.08$140.87$152.66$149.51$135.85

The average annual growth rate of premiums over the last six years is 3.2%, with 3.3% growth in dog insurance premiums and 3% growth in cat insurance premiums. 

Average Cost of Pet Insurance for Dogs

While nationally, the average pet insurance premium for dogs is $49.51 per month, this cost can vary significantly depending on a number of factors. In order to better understand how different variables—including the insurer you choose, your location, and your dog’s breed—impact the premiums you end up paying, we conducted a study using quote estimates from a variety of insurers.

We used a sample dog profile for our study, which was a male, 5-year-old labrador retriever in good health with no pre-existing conditions located in Chicago, Illinois. We sampled the top twelve pet insurers and found premiums ranged from a low of $49.08 to $165.11 per month. Premiums were based upon $10,000 in annual benefits, a 70% reimbursement level, and a $250 annual deductible.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for dogs by insurer. 

InsurerAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
24PetWatch*$824$68.68
ASPCA$1,096 $91.31
Embrace*$766$63.85
Figo$626$52.19
Healthy Paws*$830$69.13
Lemonade$589$49.08
Nationwide$1,455 $121.21
PetFirst$1,108 $92.35
PetPartners$741$61.79
PetPlan*$968$80.63
Pets Best*$744$62.03
Trupanion*$1,981 $165.11

*Quote estimates based on slightly different plan options: 24PetWatch used an 80% reimbursement rate, Embrace used a $300 deductible, Healthy Paws and PetsBest used an unlimited annual maximum benefit, PetPlan used a $15,000 max benefit, and Trupanion used an unlimited max benefit and a 90% reimbursement rate.

Pet Insurance Cost for Dogs by Breed

Depending on the breed of dog you own, your insurance premiums can vary widely. Some breeds may be more prone to health issues than others, and pricing typically reflects this risk. In our analysis, we found prices differed from a low of $52.47 per month for a Yorkshire terrier to a high of $124.12 per month for a Rottweiler.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for dogs for 15 of the most popular breeds in the U.S.

BreedAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
Australian Shepherd$706$58.81
Beagle$862$71.81
Boxer$1,238 $103.19
Dachshund$771$64.29
Doberman Pinscher$1,347 $112.24
English Bulldog$1,395 $116.29
French Bulldog$1,328 $110.70
German Shepherd$958$79.84
German Shorthaired Pointer$827$68.93
Golden Retriever$994$82.80
Labrador Retriever$1,022 $85.15
Pembroke Welsh Corgi$909$75.77
Poodle$899$74.89
Rottweiler$1,489 $124.12
Yorkishire Terrier$630$52.47

Pet Insurance Cost for Dogs by City

Location also plays a large role in the pricing of pet insurance. We found large variances in pricing, from a low of $47.52 per month in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to a high of $87.53 per month in New York, New York.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for dogs in 25 of the most populated cities in the U.S.

CityAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
Austin, Texas$830$69.15
Charlotte, North Carolina$738$61.49
Chicago, Illinois$1,022 $85.15
Columbus, Ohio$710$59.13
Dallas, Texas$849$70.78
Detroit, Michigan$803$66.94
El Paso, Texas$816$67.98
Fort Worth, Texas$812$67.69
Houston, Texas$799$66.61
Indianapolis, Indiana$611$50.90
Las Vegas, Nevada$579$48.28
Los Angeles, California$848$70.65
Memphis, Tennessee$693$57.72
Nashville, Tennessee$693$57.72
New York, New York$1,050 $87.53
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma$570$47.52
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$716$59.64
Phoenix, Arizona$776$64.68
Portland, Oregon$785$65.41
San Antonio, Texas$802$66.86
San Diego, California$799$66.60
San Francisco, California$854$71.19
San Jose, California$728$60.65
Seattle, Washington$692$57.70
Washington, D.C.$908$75.67

Average Cost of Pet Insurance for Cats

The average pet insurance premium for cats is $28.48 per month, but this cost varies across a wide range of factors. In our analysis, we looked at quote estimates from different insurers to understand how your pricing may vary depending on which company you purchase from.

The sample cat profile we used was a male, 5-year-old exotic in good health with no pre-existing conditions located in Chicago, Illinois. We sampled the top twelve pet insurers and found premiums ranged from a low of $19.83 to $80.84 per month. Premiums were based upon $10,000 in annual benefits, a 70% reimbursement level, and a $250 annual deductible.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for cats by insurer. 

InsurerAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
24PetWatch*$481$40.12
ASPCA$590$49.19
Embrace*$496$41.36
Figo$306$25.53
Healthy Paws*$327$27.29
Lemonade$238$19.83
Nationwide$819$68.23
PetFirst$475$39.56
PetPartners$289$24.11
PetPlan*$470$39.15
Pets Best*$350$29.20
Trupanion*$970$80.84

*Quote estimates based on slightly different plan options: 24PetWatch used an 80% reimbursement rate, Embrace used a $300 deductible, Healthy Paws and PetsBest used an unlimited annual maximum benefit, PetPlan used a $15,000 max benefit, and Trupanion used an unlimited max benefit and a 90% reimbursement rate.

Pet Insurance Cost for Cats by Breed

We also took a look at the variances in cost by cat breed. Some breeds may be more prone to certain health conditions, and different breeds have different average lifespans, which results in variability in pricing. We found average premiums ranged from a low of $26.23 per month for a domestic shorthair to a high of $44.03 per month for an exotic.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for cats for 15 of the most popular breeds in the U.S.

BreedAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
Abyssinian$473$39.41
American Shorthair$365$30.39
Bengal$425$35.44
Bombay$407$33.89
British Shorthair$434$36.15
Devon Rex$513$42.77
Domestic Shorthair$315$26.23
Exotic$528$44.03
Maine Coon$462$38.50
Persian$435$36.29
Ragdoll$394$32.86
Russian Blue$405$33.76
Scottish Fold$438$36.47
Siamese$360$29.97
Sphynx$440$36.65

Pet Insurance Cost for Cats by City

Our analysis found that pricing for pet insurance differed significantly by location, from a low of $24.44 per month in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to a high of $46.24 per month in New York, New York.

Below you’ll find our analysis of the average cost of pet insurance for cats in 25 of the most populated cities in the U.S.

CityAverage Annual CostAverage Monthly Cost
Austin, Texas$431$35.88
Charlotte, North Carolina$407$33.89
Chicago, Illinois$528$44.03
Columbus, Ohio$385$32.06
Dallas, Texas$438$36.51
Detroit, Michigan$422$35.21
El Paso, Texas$425$35.38
Fort Worth, Texas$423$35.26
Houston, Texas$418$34.84
Indianapolis, Indiana$334$27.86
Las Vegas, Nevada$312$26.04
Los Angeles, California$435$36.27
Memphis, Tennessee$378$31.48
Nashville, Tennessee$378$31.48
New York, New York$555$46.24
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma$293$24.44
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$389$32.45
Phoenix, Arizona$401$33.40
Portland, Oregon$426$35.48
San Antonio, Texas$419$34.92
San Diego, California$416$34.65
San Francisco, California$438$36.48
San Jose, California$387$32.23
Seattle, Washington$399$33.22
Washington, D.C.$495$41.26

Common Health Conditions for Dogs

While pet insurance may seem like another additional cost, for some pet owners, the investment ends up being well worth it. If your dog ends up suffering an accident or illness, veterinary costs can run incredibly high.

Below is data on some of the most common conditions that dogs are brought into the vet for, along with the highest covered claim amount for that ailment in 2019. It’s clear that in a worst-case scenario, you can end up paying upwards of $20,000 for treatment for your dog.

RankDog Health Condition% of Top 10 ClaimsHighest Covered Claim Amount
1Stomach issues26.0% $29,086
2Skin conditions17.0% $4,138
3Pain14.0% $11,425
4Ear infections10.0% $12,954
5Eye conditions7.7% $7,637
6Growths (lumps)5.8% $13,692
7Cancer5.0% $21,644
8Cranial cruciate ligament injury4.8% $12,972
9Urinary tract conditions4.8% $9,115
10Heart conditions4.5% $18,027

Common Health Conditions for Cats

Costs to treat cat ailments vary widely, from a few hundred dollars to treat a skin condition like folliculitis to tens of thousands of dollars to address congestive heart failure. Below, we’ve included data on some of the most common conditions that cats are brought into the vet for, along with the highest covered claim amount for that ailment in 2019. 

RankCat Health Condition% of Top 10 ClaimsHighest Covered Claim Amount
1Stomach issues31.8% $24,402
2Urinary tract conditions12.5% $12,587
3Cancer8.4% $11,643
4Heart conditions8.1% $7,606
5Skin conditions7.2% $1,695
6Eye conditions7.1% $4,080
7Pain6.8% $5,815
8Kidney conditions6.5% $14,737
9Diabetes6.5% $9,610
10Ear infections5.2% $3,094

What’s covered by pet insurance and what’s not?

Pet insurance coverage differs significantly depending on the insurer and the particular product package you purchase. Each insurer has a variety of options and endorsements that you can add to your pet insurance policy and packages the policies differently, so when shopping for pet insurance, you’ll need to examine closely what an insurer may be offering you.

Broadly, however, pet insurance typically covers the following:

A common option that pet insurers provide is the choice between an “accident-only” and an “accident and illness” plan. Accident and illness plans are typically the most common plans, and they include coverage for when your pet suffers an injury or illness, while accident-only plans are less expensive and don’t offer coverage for illnesses such as digestive issues, allergies, and cancer.

In terms of exclusions, pet insurance typically does not cover pre-existing conditions and cosmetic procedures. Pet insurance also does not cover liability, in the case that your pet injures someone else or damages someone’s property. Pet liability coverage is more typically found in a homeowners or renters insurance policy.

What determines the cost of pet insurance?

Pet insurance pricing can vary widely depending on a number of variables. Your best bet is to understand the type and level of coverage you’re looking for and gather quotes from a variety of insurers. To better understand what impacts the premium you’re quoted, the following are a few factors that affect pet insurance cost:

Methodology

AdvisorSmith used data published by the North American Pet Health Insurance Association on the average premiums paid for pet insurance on cats and dogs between the years 2015 and 2020. This data was published in the NAPHIA’s State of the Industry Report 2021

We also used quote estimates from 12 different insurers across 25 of the most populated U.S. cities and for 15 of the most popular breeds of dog and cat in the U.S. Quote estimates also made use of a sample dog and cat profile. 

For the sample dog profile, we used a male, 5-year-old labrador retriever in good health with no pre-existing conditions located in Chicago, Illinois. For the sample cat profile, we used a male, 5-year-old exotic in good health with no pre-existing conditions located in Chicago, Illinois.

Coverage options were set at $10,000 in annual benefits, a 70% reimbursement level, and a $250 annual deductible, wherever applicable.

AdvisorSmith also used data published by the Healthy Paws Pet Insurance & Foundation on the most common dog and cat health conditions. This data was published in their 2019 Cost of Pet Health Care Report.

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