Originally published July 26, 2017. Updated September 2018.
Is pet insurance worth it? In a word, “Yes.” I bought insurance for both my cats when they were alive and found it to be a good investment and gave me peace of mind. Nowadays, some employers offer pet insurance as an option to opt into in addition to your own health, dental and 401K benefits.
I found that when I signed up for Pet insurance many years ago, the cost was a minimal to moderate expense. I found the earlier you purchased your pet insurance the better. So, if you buy a policy while your pet is young and healthy, the price of the policy will tend to be less than buying a policy on a senior pet. Also, be mindful if you purchase a policy very late in life or try to get insurance on your pet with a pre-existing condition, pet insurance providers may not even qualify your pet.
What does pet insurance cover? Check out this video clip below:
In my experience, I enrolled in a wellness pet insurance plan which covered preventative care like certain vaccines, cost of stool sample analysis and certain medications prescribed. My pet insurance also covered spay/neutering as well as my final expenses for cremation. The costs for these services would be reimbursed after I submitted my receipts first.
How much will it Cost?
Cost will vary based on your pets age, health, and your location. Many insurance companies do not cover pets with pre-existing conditions. As for cost the first time around with my cat Precious my monthly policy cost was about $20 a month or $5 a week. However, the second time around with Dusty, my policy cost per month was about $30 or about $1 day. Keep in mind, cats are cheaper to insure than dogs and cost also depends on other factors as mentioned before.
What type of policy do you think you’ll need?
Check out this video clip below:
Pin Me!
Final Thoughts
Overall, I would definitely recommend pet insurance. Just like family members, you never know what will happen and it’s better to have the coverage and have it, than need it and not have it. In the long run, it’s worth the investment. Although I didn’t have the Rolls Royce level of insurance coverage, I found my wellness pet insurance really beneficial when it came to 100% reimbursement of preventative services and also coverage of most the expenses when my cat passed away. Honestly, it was one of the positive surprises I learned in the process of pet loss. So if you are thinking about getting pet insurance, I’d recommend it. However, you don’t have to take my word for it. Do your own research and see what plan works best for you. I’ve included a link below to help you in the decision-making process.
What companies are the best?
Here is a great starting point for a list of the top companies that provide coverage in the USA. Click on the hyperlink below to get more information and summary about plans, rates and coverages.
Pet Insurance Quotes
Comment and share below. Do you have pet insurance on your pet?
Nali says
August 1, 2017 at 11:49 amGreat find! Thank you for the informative article!
Kamira Gayle says
August 1, 2017 at 3:26 pmAbsolutely. Hope it helps!
Shayla says
July 27, 2017 at 6:18 pmThis is super informative! I have digging around lately looking at various insurances after our pup passed a couple weeks ago. We have a Cane Corso and a Pit, and I want to make sure they are covered especially with joint issues in their later years.
Beth says
July 27, 2017 at 1:33 pmOne of my sisters has a great pet insurance policy and it has come in handy several times! I would like to have the peace of mind that pet insurance can provide, but so far I’ve been really lucky with my pets.
Talent Hounds says
July 27, 2017 at 12:22 pmI had insurance with my previous dogs and cat as one had an accident that cost thousands. I am now just doing a comparison in Canada to see costs for Kilo the Pug. You have reminded me to follow up and made some good points thanks.
Jana Rade says
July 27, 2017 at 11:39 amDepends on the plan, of course. I know people who picked plans because of the low premiums but then realized that don’t get anything for it. Gotta be careful. Having a plan with $25 monthly premium is great but having limits such as $150 annual coverage for arthritis not so much. It’s important to be careful when choosing a plan.
Dear Mishu says
July 27, 2017 at 7:29 amThis is a great post — it takes a complicated topic and explains it in the way even a dog can understand. I’m all in favor of pet insurance!
Shannon Adams says
July 26, 2017 at 10:09 pmI’ve had pet insurance for a while. I would definitely say it’s worth it. I think it’s awesome that some employers offer pet insurance! That’s so great! I’ll have to do a search and find out which ones!
Pawzcrossed says
July 26, 2017 at 9:37 pmI never thought about having pet insurance until this post! I have to look more into it but it’s now something I am highly considering for my dogs. (They are accident prone)
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:08 pmI’m glad this post helped give you new perspective to consider for your pets. 😉
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:10 pm🙂
Dolly the Doxie says
July 26, 2017 at 8:51 pmGet pet insurance now! Don’t delay, you are right the earlier the better! I didn’t cover Dolly until she was at least 2, by then she’d been diagnosed with allergies and pancreatitis so none of that is covered now. As soon as I got Rhette the cat, I added him because he was so fat I was worried about diabetes (had 3 tumors removed $1200 covered), and as soon as I got my mom’s 7yr old Cocker I added her. The older the more it costs, and pedigrees cost more because of breed specific ailments. Taffy was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis earlier this year. It’s cost me in the thousands of dollars with out insurance I may have had to make a desperate decision. Of course, I know that when her policy is up for renewal the cost will quadruple or more and I don’t know what I am going to do then. Sandra and Dolly
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:09 pmWell said! Fingers crossed their renewal policy doesn’t jump too high.
Allison says
July 26, 2017 at 8:32 pmYes, we have pet insurance. After spending thousands on our last two pets, we decided it was time. As someone else said, I do wish that veterinarians filed for us. Maybe one day! So far, we haven’t really needed to use our insurance, but it gives us peace of mind to know that it’s there.
Jodi M. Clock says
July 26, 2017 at 8:18 pmI know I need to do this, I have been on the fence. I’d love to see a review of comparing the companies out there.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:14 pmJodi,
Check the hyperlink at the bottom of the post. or this is a good place to start too. Good luck https://www.consumersadvocate.org/pet-insurance/best-pet-insurance
Sandy Kubillus says
July 26, 2017 at 7:57 pmI wish I did. I had pet insurance twice, a long time ago. The first dog got killed by a snowmobile and the second one fell off a cliff – both times when I had insurance – so it seemed to bring me bad luck. The dog that fell off a cliff had her policy go into effect the day she fell, so it helped a lot. But then the company went out of business and I stopped looking into it. Over the past decade, I’ve had two illnesses that have cost $2 – 3 grand each, and insurance would have helped a lot! Unfortunately, my dogs are too old now to get a good rate on a policy.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:16 pmOh my goodness. So sorry for your losses. How horrible. 🙁 I understand. Yes, timing in getting insurance definitely makes all the difference.
Ruth Epstein says
July 26, 2017 at 7:57 pmThanks for this great post, I am blessed as Layla is covered by PAWS (Pets are wonderful support) so I do not have to worry. They are a fantastic organization that each client gets a credit with the vet each year, they have free visit vet days, plus her annuals are free too and I also do not pay for medications, so phew am blessed.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:16 pmNice!
Lola The Rescued Cat says
July 26, 2017 at 7:06 pmI know Pet Insurance is so important, but it’s something I can’t afford right now. I’m hoping that changes in the near future.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:17 pm😉
Sweet Purrfections says
July 26, 2017 at 6:54 pmI’ve had pet insurance on the girls since the day they came to live with me. My premiums are a little higher because I’ve chosen no deductible and less copay. I wish more vets were willing to file directly instead of me having to pay upfront. Luckily, Trupanion sends a check within a week of receiving the claim.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:17 pmQuick turnaround definitely helps, especially when you are on a budget. So true!
Tonya Wilhelm says
July 26, 2017 at 5:19 pmOMG YES! I am sooo happy Dexter has pet insurance. He’s 8 now, and over his lifetime, I have saved thousands of dollars. He has a lifelong medical condition that requires physical therapy, supplements, quarterly blood work etc. and it’s always covered.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:18 pmAwesome! One less thing to worry about. Glad your provider covers all his needs. 🙂
Joely Smith says
July 26, 2017 at 4:46 pmThis is something my husband and I have been looking into but had no idea which pet insurance company to trust! THANK you for the link! Looking over it next!
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:19 pm🙂
The Dash Kitten Crew says
July 26, 2017 at 4:46 pmAll of our cats are insured except one senior who came too late and they refused to insure him.
I can afford it so I have it, and I would not be without it.
Shelby says
July 26, 2017 at 3:21 pmIt’s something I’m looking into – heard lots of great things about it from those that have it. My problem with Benji is his pre-existing condition! Gah! haha
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:20 pmYes, that’s the caveat where they get you. Age & pre-existing conditions. It’s a shame because that’s when you tend to need help the most! Go figure.
Amanda Genovese says
July 26, 2017 at 2:20 pmMy mom just adopted her first puppy, and she was recently asking me about pet insurance. You make some great points! I’m definitely going to share this with her. The videos are super helpful.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:21 pmGlad this post helped you. You can always start with a basic wellness package or upgrade plans to suit other anticipated needs. Good luck and congrats on the new puppy!
Kristen @ My 3 Little Kittens says
July 26, 2017 at 12:01 pmI had pet insurance for my cats years ago when we lived in the states. I know that it has improved so much over the years and hear a lot of great things about insuring your pet compared to how rare it was back in the day!
Debbie Bailey says
July 26, 2017 at 11:14 amPet insurance is one of those things that I keep going back and forth about. With 4 dogs and a cat, insurance for all 5 of them would be pretty expensive, especially as my dogs keep getting older. Then again, costs for an injury or surgery can arise at anytime. My dogs have been pretty healthy, but maybe I’m taking unnecessary risk by not having it. I’ll check out that link and look at some plans. Thanks for the info!
Cathy Armato says
July 26, 2017 at 10:56 amThis is really wonderful, thanks for sharing! I really liked these two videos, they’re both so informative. I won a year’s worth of pet insurance when my Husky was a puppy but I never used it at all. Not only because Icy was always healthy but because the plan required I use their Vets and I was very happy with my own Vet & wouldn’t change. My dogs are older now and I do think about pet insurance a lot – what if one of them gets really ill, it will end up costing me a fortune!
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:25 pmCathy,
happy this post helped you. Yep. You are speaking the truth. It’s a potential reality. You just do the best you can with what you got. I had insurance on both my girls however it was a basic wellness plan so although some things were covered, cancer surgery was not, so I still was faced with that reality of expenses. Insurance isn’t a 100% guarantee to avoid expenses however it definitely helps ease the blow to your bank account.
Sheri says
July 26, 2017 at 10:38 amWe have pet insurance for both of our dogs in our country and the rest of the EU. I think it is so important to have because you just never know. The price we pay monthly is minimal and when you really and truly need it, you will be happy to have it. That puppy in the picture is so cute. I was wondering if there was a way I could pick him up off the screen to cuddle him!
Paroma Chakravarty says
July 26, 2017 at 10:36 amWe don’t have pet insurance but our Babu is getting old (he turns 14 this year) and vet bills can quickly rake up! So yes, thank you for these suggestions and we will definitely take a look and see what works for us.
Heather Wallace says
July 26, 2017 at 9:46 amWe have been reconsidering this recently. Both my dogs have pet insurance and have had since they were first adopted. But it’s so frustrating because they keep raising the rates every year even though they haven’t had issues. Large breed mixes result in high premiums, I guess. But as they are aging I am hesitant to remove them from coverage. Your post was very timely.
Rochelle says
July 26, 2017 at 9:21 amI think pet insurance is SO important and always recommend it to new dog owners. I know that it isn’t always the right choice (I’m the only person in my extended family with it), and, of course, the cost will vary with your pet’s age and size. I love our Figo plan: we have a $200 deductible with unlimited coverage after, and it even covers the vet visit fee (which our last insurance plan did not). It’s a lot easier on my anxious brain knowing that I should only pay the deductible (and monthly premium) in the case of sickness or disaster. It makes me feel so much better! I don’t want to have to make a life-saving decision for Henry based on my credit limit or bank account balance.
Sonja of Montecristo Travels says
July 26, 2017 at 8:57 amI use to have pet insurance. But no longer. Only because I am not always on North American soil and so my biggest issue is the lack of international pet insurance. I need coverage not just when I am home or on a road trip, but with 16 countries in 7 years under our belt … my BIGGEST costs will always be if he is ill overseas or heaven forbid, if something happens to both of us and someone has to fly to where we were to pick him up and bring him home. Those are the types of things I would look for and no one has it.
Kamira Gayle says
July 26, 2017 at 10:07 pmSonja,
You have an excellent point…international coverage should be an option pet parents can buy. I’m surprised this doesn’t already exist.