How Much Is Pet Insurance?

Any pet owner can attest to the amount of joy a pet brings to their life. But they also know just how expensive a pet can be, too.  

From routine preventative medications and vet visits to food and flea and tick prevention, having a pet costs the typical dog owner between $610 and $3,555, according to online pet care marketplace Rover. And that figure doesn’t account for emergency veterinary care, which costs as much as $1,290. Cats cost slightly less, with the typical owner spending between $180 and $870 per year for routine costs and emergency veterinary costs ranging from $215 to $1,615. 

Fortunately, the right pet insurance policy can make ownership more affordable. On average, cat owners spent about $32 per month for accident and illness coverage in 2022, and dog owners spent about $53 per month for the same coverage according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). However, costs vary based on several factors about the coverage you choose, you and your pet.

Here’s what you need to know about the cost of pet insurance.  

Insuring a dog costs an average of $53.34 per month for accident and illness coverage, according to the NAPHIA. Accident-only coverage costs less at about $16.70 per month. While accident and illness coverage will help to pay for new accidents, injuries and sicknesses your pet faces, accident-only coverage doesn’t cover illnesses, though it can cover things like broken bones and swallowed objects. Wellness coverage can pay for routine expenses like preventative care.

However, several factors, including your dog’s age and breed, can influence the cost of insuring your pet.

Dog insurance cost by age 

Older dogs tend to cost more to insure than younger dogs. Here’s how much the owner of a medium male mixed breed dog would pay for coverage at different age levels for a plan with a $5,000 annual limit, an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible in New York City. We gathered quotes from two of our top picks for pet insurance companies, including Spot pet insurance, which was our overall top pick for its variety of plan options and no maximum age limit for coverage, and Embrace pet insurance, our top pick for dogs for its short two-day accident coverage waiting period and unlimited annual coverage option.

1-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $62.66 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $80.95 per month 

2-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $62.66 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $68.85 per month 

3-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $67.14 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $70.71 per month 

4-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $71.61 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $76.29 per month 

5-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $76.09 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $82.81 per month 

6-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $89.52 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $91.18 per month 

7-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance:  $107.42 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $100.48 per month 

8-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $125.32 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $110.72 per month 

9-year-old dog:  

• Spot pet insurance: $143.22 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $123.74 per month 

Dog insurance cost by breed 

Your dog’s breed will also affect the price you’ll pay for pet insurance coverage. Generally, pet insurance is cheaper for mixed breed pets, since they’re less likely to face hereditary issues and diseases like hip dysplasia, for example.  

Here are sample quotes for a 1-year-old dog living in New York City for a plan with a $5,000 annual limit, an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible for several popular breeds:  

Mixed breed 

• Spot pet insurance: $62.66 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $80.95 per month 

Golden Retriever 

• Spot pet insurance: $85.15 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $121.42 per month 

French Bulldog  

• Spot pet insurance: $108.51 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $186.31 per month 

German Shepard 

• Spot pet insurance: $74.14 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $121.42 per month 

Pembroke Welsh Corgi 

• Spot pet insurance: $74.14 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $114.44 per month 

Standard Poodle  

• Spot pet insurance: $85.15 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $140.96 per month 

Dachshund 

• Spot pet insurance: $57.34 per month 
• Embrace pet insurance: $98.39 per month 

In 2022, the average cat owner spent $32.25 per month to insure their cat with accident and illness coverage, and $10.18 for accident-only coverage.  

While cats may be cheaper than dogs to insure, their costs can vary based on the same age and breed factors.  

Cat insurance cost by age 

Cat insurance can get more expensive as your cat gets older. To give you an idea of how much premiums can increase, we gathered sample quotes for the same pet at different age limits from two of our top picks for pet insurance companies, including Pets Best, our top pick for cats for its affordable accident and illness and accident-only pet insurance prices.

Here are sample quotes for a male mixed breed cat living in New York City for an accident and illness plan with a $5,000 annual limit, an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible for the same sample cat at different ages from two of our top picks for cat insurance, Spot and Pets Best: 

1-year-old cat:  

• Spot pet insurance: $33.65 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $30.96 per month 

3-year-old cat:  

• Spot pet insurance: $33.65 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $30.96 per month 

5-year-old cat:  

• Spot pet insurance: $39.26 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $34.82 per month 

7-year-old cat:  

• Spot pet insurance: $50.48 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $47.69 per month 

9-year-old cat:  

• Spot pet insurance: $61.70 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $65.41 per month 

Cat insurance cost by breed  

Like dogs, mixed-breed cats are generally cheaper to insure. Here are the costs for 1-year-old male cats of several different breeds living in New York City for an accident and illness policy with a $5,000 annual limit, an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible.  

Mixed breed:  

• Spot pet insurance: $33.65 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $30.96 per month 

Maine Coon 

• Spot pet insurance: $42.68 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $39.29 per month 

Siamese 

• Spot pet insurance: $33.65 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $34.06 per month 

Ragdoll 

• Spot pet insurance: $33.65 per month 
• Pets Best pet insurance: $35.16 per month 

While you can’t change your pet’s age or breed, you can follow the below tips to help save on pet insurance:

• Skip wellness coverage. If you don’t need help covering routine costs like your pet’s annual exams or preventative care, you may not need wellness coverage. After all, these expenses are just part of owning a pet. Without this extra expense on your pet insurance costs, you can save for these expenses on your own.  
• Raise your deductible. A deductible is the amount you’ll pay before your pet insurance pays its part. A higher deductible generally means a lower monthly premium. However, you’ll want to make sure you can afford that amount if your pet needs care.  
• Get a discount. Many pet insurance companies offer discounts for enrolling multiple pets. Spot, for example, offers a 10% discount on any additional pets added to a policy, and ASPCA pet insurance offers a 10% discount on base plan premiums for additional pets. For those wanting to keep all of their insurance in one place, Lemonade offers a 10% bundling discount on policies when combined with a renters, homeowners, car or term life insurance policy.  
• Shop around. Each company will consider your pet differently, and the premiums you’ll pay and discounts you’ll qualify for could vary from insurer to insurer. Getting several quotes with the same features, coverage limits, deductibles and reimbursement levels can help you be sure you’re getting the best deal for your pet.  

Pet insurance is an affordable way to be sure you’ll always be able to cover the care your cat or dog may need. While the price will vary based on the age of the pet and your pet’s breed, you can save money on pet insurance by shopping around for coverage and looking for discounts. 

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every pet insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of pet insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.

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