How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance (for You and Your Pet)

So you’ve decided that you need insurance for your dog or cat. Now it’s just a matter of choosing which coverage you want to go with. For those new to the world of pet medical insurance, this can be no easy feat. After all, the amount of pet insurance providers (including alternatives to traditional plans) has grown considerably in recent years. They’re not all created equal, and making a hasty choice or decision based on price alone could end up costing you more in the long run. But with more pet insurance options to choose from than ever before, where does a modern pet parent such as yourself even begin?

Right here, as it turns out. Here’s a handy guide with some tips on how to choose the right pet insurance for your pet’s needs and your own peace of mind.

Does it matter which pet insurer I choose?

The short answer is yes, it matters quite a bit. Coverage levels are not equal between providers, nor are monthly cost rates, deductible amounts, or eligible conditions and treatments. Some providers even have strict breed restrictions and will not cover certain types of dogs and/or cats. For example, Trupanion covers hereditary conditions for all dog and cat breeds (as long as they are not considered pre-existing), but Nationwide does not cover hereditary conditions for any breed. ¹

Different providers also have their own business hours and customer service availability. While this may not seem very important now, it will matter a lot if you find your pet in a medical emergency after hours and need assistance with your coverage. As of 2025, only Trupanion offers 24/7 live customer service, every day of the year (including on holidays). ²

While the kind of coverage you want depends on your needs and those of your pet, it is a good idea to go with an established insurance provider with a long history of coverage and recognition within the veterinary community. Veterinarians do not get any financial incentive for recommending pet insurance (they can’t actually sell pet insurance legally), but many are nevertheless very familiar with how pet insurance works and the benefits of having it.

5 tips for choosing a pet insurance plan

Struggling to decide which pet insurance provider or plan is right for you? Obviously, you’re going to be comparing price quotes and reading reviews from your fellow pet parents. However, these are far from the only factors to consider.

Start by following these steps for a better idea of what kind of pet insurance coverage you’re looking for.

1. Assess your pet’s needs

No insurance provider is the same, and neither are pets. Before you even start comparing your options, look at your pet’s situation. Here are some things to consider:

• Pet age & breed — Different breeds are prone to specific health issues, and older pets may have higher monthly rates or premiums. And, as mentioned, some providers have breed restrictions.

• Pre-existing conditions — Most insurers don’t cover these. So, check exclusions and review your own pet’s medical history.

• Lifestyle — If your pet is adventurous or prone to incidents, getting good coverage for accidents is essential.

2. Decide what type of coverage you want

As if having to decide on a provider wasn’t tricky enough, there are different types of pet insurance to choose from. You’ll need to decide early on what kind of coverage best fits your pet’s medical needs in addition to your budget. For example, if you’re looking for just some bare-bones coverage to add in case your dog or cat gets injured, you may want an accident-only plan.

For many pet owners, however, a robust pet insurance plan that covers both accidents and illnesses is the way to go. After all, you can’t predict when your pet will get sick or how much it will cost. Either way, it’s important to review all your coverage options and decide what may benefit both you and your pet the most throughout their lifetime.

3. Look at limits and exclusions

Even once you narrow down the kind of coverage you want, it’s important to compare and contrast what each plan offers. They’re not all created equal, even when they fall within the same category of pet insurance coverage. For instance, a policy can be advertised as comprehensive, but it may exclude coverage for certain conditions you would like covered. While most providers already don’t cover pre-existing conditions, it’s still important to ensure your pet will be protected against as many new health surprises as possible.

Some plans also cap how much can be paid out for your pet’s treatment per condition or even per year. It’s important to look at the fine print closely to avoid unwelcome surprises — especially when your pet is facing a veterinary emergency.

4. Check coverage percentages and deductibles

Both of these items can affect the overall value of your coverage as well as your ongoing costs to maintain it. Coverage percentages typically range from 70% to 90% of vet bills. Note that this is just coverage of eligible costs — things like exam fees or routine care items that are included on your vet bill may not be eligible for pet insurance coverage.

Deductibles are meanwhile much more varied across insurers. Some insurance providers give you the choice of annual or per-incident deductibles, while others will let you choose your deductible amount. Having a higher deductible means that you’ll pay more out of pocket for your pet’s treatment, but it will also mean lower monthly premiums. Since it can be tough to know early on what kind of deductible best suits your needs, it’s a good idea to go with a provider that allows you to change your deductible later on.

5. Consider how vet bills are paid

The vast majority of pet insurance providers operate on a standard reimbursement model. This means that you pay your pet’s vet bill at the time of treatment, then submit a claim through your insurance provider, then wait for them to review your claim and reimburse you. Your wait time for reimbursement could be anywhere from days to months.

To avoid this process, some providers offer direct payment to veterinary practices. However, even this alternative is not created equal. With some insurers, you’ll still have to file a claim and request that they pay your vet directly or go through a lengthy set up process for them to do so. With others, you get a charge card that can be used to pay for your vet bills, with the insurer then depositing approved claim funds on it. You may also have to get pre-approvals. ³

As of 2025, only Trupanion is set up to pay participating veterinarians directly, with no additional setup required on your end. You can also still see veterinarians not set up for Trupanion VetDirect Pay^TM, following a more traditional reimbursement setup. Most claims with Trupanion are still processed within 24 hours.

Making the final decision

Yes, choosing a pet insurance policy can feel overwhelming — what if you end up feeling like you made a mistake? The good news is that you’re not locked in to any plan for eternity. You can still cancel, even with a pet insurance provider like Trupanion that’s designed to provide coverage for the life of your pet. That said, it’s important to note again that the vast majority of pet insurers do not cover pre-existing conditions. This includes anything that showed signs before the start of your coverage — even if you were covered under another provider at that time.

So, if you do decide that you chose the wrong pet insurance, anything covered under that provider will likely not be covered by a new plan under a different provider. In other words, you’ll essentially be starting back at the beginning when you switch insurers. Just all the more reason to take your time in choosing the best pet insurance for both you and your pet from the get-go.

Know you need coverage for your pet but still feeling a bit stuck as to which policy is best? Try asking yourself these pet insurance questions.

¹ Information on Nationwide coverage limits on hereditary conditions per breed is based on written documentation from each of the above companies’ public-facing websites and Policy Wordings as of March 1, 2025.

² Information on customer service hours based on comparing Trupanion hours to available live customer service hours listed on public-facing websites as of March 1, 2025 for Nationwide, Embrace, Spot, Fetch, Figo, Pets Best, Lemonade, and ASPCA Pet Insurance in the US and Petsecure, Figo, and Pets Plus Us in Canada.

³ Information on veterinarian direct pay options based on review of pay processes for Trupanion compared to Pets Best, Healthy Paws, Progressive, and CareCredit.

It is our intention at Trupanion to provide fair, accurate, and current comparison information to help consumers on their pet insurance research journey. That said, we acknowledge that coverage details for each provider can change at any time. If you spot any inaccuracies or changes in the information provided above, we invite you to let us know by emailing [email protected].