A vet bill you did not expect is the moment most people start asking how much pet insurance costs. There is no single price: a young cat on a basic plan and a senior large-breed dog on a comprehensive plan can be many times apart. This guide gives you the national averages from the industry’s own data, explains the five things that move a quote, and shows how the deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limit work together on a real bill.
How much does pet insurance cost per month?
The most reliable averages come from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), whose annual State of the Industry Report covers an estimated 99% of pet health insurance premium written in the US and Canada. Its 2026 report (2025 data year) gives these US average annual premiums:
| Plan type | Dogs (per year) | Dogs (per month) | Cats (per year) | Cats (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident only | $190 | about $16 | $112 | about $9 |
| Accident and illness | $836 | about $70 | $435 | about $36 |
| Accident and illness with embedded wellness | $1,414 | about $118 | $859 | about $72 |
Monthly figures are the annual averages divided by 12, rounded, across all ages, breeds, and locations — not quotes for a particular pet.
Dogs cost roughly twice as much to insure as cats, mainly because dogs generate more and larger claims. Prices also rose in 2025: the accident-and-illness average rose 11.5% for dogs and 12.6% for cats from 2024 ($749 a year for dogs, $386 for cats). Treat every figure here as a 2025 benchmark, not a price you can buy today. Pet insurance is still uncommon — only 5.99% of US dogs and 2.29% of cats were insured at the end of 2025.
How pet insurance works (in 60 seconds)
Unlike human health insurance, pet insurance has no network and usually no payment at the desk: you pay your veterinarian in full, submit the invoice, and the insurer reimburses you for the covered part.
Three numbers decide what comes back. The deductible is what you pay yourself each year before the insurer starts reimbursing you — commonly $100 to $1,000 a year, though some policies use a per-condition deductible instead. The reimbursement rate is the percentage of the covered bill the insurer pays after the deductible, usually 70%, 80%, or 90%. The annual limit is the most the policy will pay in one policy year, commonly $5,000 to unlimited.
A higher deductible, a lower reimbursement rate, or a lower annual limit all cut your monthly premium — and raise what you pay when you claim. That trade-off is the whole pricing game.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) backs policies that let you choose your own vet, are state-approved, and state limits, pricing, and exclusions plainly. AVMA policy on pet health insurance If a policy fails any of those tests, keep shopping.
What moves your price
Age. Premiums generally rise with age, because older pets claim more often and for more. Most insurers accept puppies and kittens from about 8 weeks old, and enrolling young usually means the lowest premium and fewest exclusions. Some insurers cap new enrolment around age 10 to 14; others have no upper age limit.
Breed and size. Large dogs and breeds prone to specific health problems cost more to insure. Mixed-breed dogs are often cheaper than purebreds with well-known inherited risks — but breed is only one factor.
Where you live. Veterinary costs vary by state and city, and premiums follow them. NAPHIA’s 2025 data shows insured pets concentrated in California (18.1% of US insured pets), New York (7.4%), Florida (6.2%), and Texas (6.1%).
Plan type. Accident-only cover is the cheapest tier because it only pays for injuries — broken bones, swallowed objects, bites, car accidents. Accident-and-illness cover, the most common choice, adds illnesses such as infections and cancer. Plans with embedded wellness add routine care on top. For a dog, the gap is plain: $190 a year for accident-only, $836 for accident-and-illness, $1,414 with wellness.
Your three numbers. The deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limit you pick move the premium directly. A $1,000 deductible with 70% reimbursement and a $5,000 annual limit will cost far less per month than a $100 deductible with 90% reimbursement and no annual limit — but the second policy pays far more when something big happens.
A worked example (made-up prices, not a quote)
Say your dog has a covered vet bill of $1,000, on a policy with a $250 annual deductible, 80% reimbursement, and a $10,000 annual limit, and you have not claimed yet this year.
First the deductible comes off: $1,000 minus $250 leaves $750, and the insurer pays 80% of that — $600. You pay the $250 deductible plus the remaining 20% ($150), $400 in total.
If you had already met your deductible, the same bill would return $800; if your annual limit were already used up, it would return nothing. That is why the annual limit matters most for long or repeated treatment.
For a rough sense of your own numbers, try the Pet Insurance Calculator, then get real quotes.
What pet insurance covers — and what it doesn’t
Washington State’s insurance regulator lists the services pet plans normally cover — accidents, surgeries, prescriptions, emergencies, illnesses, X-rays, hospitalizations — and what may not be covered: preventive care, dental care not tied to an accident, behavioral treatment, breed-specific hereditary and congenital conditions (limited benefits may apply), and elective procedures. Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, pet insurance
NAPHIA’s 2025 data lists the most common claims: for dogs, digestive problems, ear infections, skin conditions, allergies, and eye disorders; for cats, digestive problems, dental disease, urinary tract infections, kidney disease, and ear infections.
Two exclusions deserve attention. First, pre-existing conditions: almost no policy covers a condition your pet had — or showed symptoms of — before the policy started, or during the waiting period. Some insurers reconsider a curable condition, such as an ear infection, after a symptom-free period (often around 180 days), but chronic conditions such as diabetes or arthritis are excluded permanently. Second, routine and preventive care: standard plans do not cover vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, annual exams, dental cleanings, or spay/neuter surgery — only a wellness add-on covers those. Also check whether the exam fee is covered: some policies pay it, others reimburse treatment only.
Waiting periods: coverage does not start on day one
Every policy has a waiting period — the time between the policy start date and when coverage begins. Typical ranges: 0 to 14 days for accidents, about 14 days for illnesses, often 6 to 12 months for orthopedic conditions such as cruciate ligament injuries and hip dysplasia. A condition appearing during the wait usually counts as pre-existing.
This is the detail behind the most denied claims: if your dog tears a ligament two weeks after you enroll and your policy has a six-month orthopedic wait, that claim will be denied and the condition may be excluded permanently. Read the waiting periods in the sample policy before you buy. Some states limit or remove certain waiting periods, so the same insurer’s policy can differ by state.
How to choose a plan (and lower the cost honestly)
Start with your pet, not with a price: a young, healthy pet can use almost any policy, while an older pet, or one with a condition on the record, needs a policy whose exclusions you have read line by line.
Then compare like with like — same deductible, reimbursement, and limit — and check five things in every sample policy: waiting periods (especially orthopedic), pre-existing-condition rules, hereditary and congenital cover, whether the limit is per year or per condition, and exam fees.
To lower the premium, raise the deductible before you cut the annual limit — a higher deductible costs a fixed amount once a year, while a low limit can run out mid-treatment. Ask about a multi-pet discount and annual payment, and read the sample policy itself: a plan you cannot read before buying is a plan you should not buy.
Is pet insurance worth it?
That depends on your finances and your pet, not on the average premium. If a sudden vet bill of several thousand dollars would force you to choose between your savings and your pet’s treatment, insurance lets you say yes to the vet’s recommended care. If you have a dedicated emergency fund you will not touch for anything else, self-insuring can make sense.
Rare bills can be very large: NAPHIA’s 2025 data shows the largest single dog claim paid in North America was about $66,600, and the largest cat claim about $51,600. Most claims are far smaller — but insurance exists for the rare large one, not the routine small ones. The right question is not whether the average owner “comes out ahead” — most will not — but whether you could pay the worst bill without it.
The short version
- In 2025, accident-and-illness cover averaged about $70 a month for a dog and $36 for a cat (NAPHIA); accident-only averaged about $16 for dogs and $9 for cats.
- Age, breed, location, plan type, and your three numbers decide your quote.
- Most policies reimburse you after you pay the vet; pre-existing conditions are generally excluded, and waiting periods apply.
- Compare identical terms, and read the sample policy before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How much is pet insurance per month?
On the 2025 industry averages, accident-and-illness cover cost about $70 a month for a dog and about $36 a month for a cat; accident-only cover averaged about $16 for dogs and $9 for cats. Your price depends on your pet’s age, breed, and location, and on the deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limit.
How much does pet insurance cost for a dog or a cat?
For a dog, the 2025 US average was $836 a year, or about $70 a month; for a cat, $435 a year, or about $36 a month. Young, small, mixed-breed dogs in lower-cost areas usually cost less; older, large, or at-risk-breed dogs usually cost more.
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Almost never. A condition your pet had or showed symptoms of before the policy started, or during the waiting period, is generally excluded — chronic conditions permanently, though some insurers reconsider curable ones after a symptom-free period.
A note before you decide
This article explains pet insurance pricing in general terms, using the industry association’s published averages. It is educational information, not personal insurance advice. Prices, waiting periods, and exclusions vary by insurer, by state, and by policy. Get quotes for your own pet, read the sample policy, and check your state’s insurance regulator if a term is unclear.
Sources
Sources, opened November 5, 2026, except where noted:
- NAPHIA, State of the Industry Report 2026 Highlights (PDF, June 21, 2026; 2025 data year) — US average annual premiums (accident-only $190 dogs / $112 cats; accident-and-illness $836 / $435; with wellness $1,414 / $859); US insured pets 5.23M dogs, 1.75M cats; penetration 5.99% dogs, 2.29% cats; largest 2025 claims (dog about $66,600; cat about $51,600). https://naphia.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/NAPHIA_SOI2026_Report_HIGHLIGHTS_26-06-24.pdf
- NAPHIA, industry data page — 7.6 million pets insured in North America at the end of 2025, up 8.5% from 7.03 million in 2024. https://naphia.org/industry-data/
- AVMA, “Pet health insurance” policy page — AVMA supports policies that let holders choose their own veterinarian, are approved by the state regulator where sold, and are clear about limits, pricing, exclusions, and reimbursement. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/avma-policies/pet-health-insurance
- Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, “Pet insurance” — services normally covered and services that may not be covered. https://www.insurance.wa.gov/insurance-resources/pet-insurance/pet-insurance
