Is Pet Insurance Worth It for Dogs?

How Pet Insurance Works

Most US pet insurance works by reimbursement. You pay the vet bill, send a claim, and the insurer pays you back for the covered part.^2,3 Because you pay the clinic yourself, you can usually use any licensed vet, but ask each insurer whether you can choose your own veterinarian.² Three settings decide how much you get back:³

• Deductible: the part of the bill you pay before the insurer pays anything. An annual deductible is paid once per policy year. A per-incident or per-condition deductible is paid again for each new problem. Cheaper policies are more likely to use the per-incident kind.
• Reimbursement rate: the share of the bill the insurer pays after the deductible, commonly 70%, 80% or 90%.
• Annual limit: the most the insurer will pay in one policy year. Choose a limit that would cover the worst realistic year for your dog.

A worked example

Emergency and specialty hospitals often ask for a deposit of 50% to 75% of the high end of the estimate before treatment, so you may still need cash or credit up front while you wait for the claim.⁷

What Pet Insurance Covers and Doesn't Cover

Policies come in three main types:^1,3

• Accident only: injuries such as broken bones, cuts or swallowed objects.
• Accident and illness: the most common type. It adds illnesses such as ear infections, stomach upsets and skin disease.
• Wellness add-on: extra money toward routine care such as vaccines and screening tests.

In 2025, the most common dog claims were for stomach and gut problems, ear infections and skin conditions.^1,5

Common exclusions

• Pre-existing conditions. Most policies exclude them. A few insurers will cover a curable problem after a long symptom-free period, but chronic conditions stay excluded.³ Under the model law written by state insurance regulators, a condition is pre-existing if a vet advised on or treated it, or it showed signs, before coverage started or during a waiting period. A condition the policy has already covered can't be called pre-existing when you renew, and the insurer has to prove an exclusion applies.⁸
• Waiting periods. Illnesses that start in the first days or weeks aren't covered. The model law allows no more than 30 days for illness or non-accident orthopedic problems and no waiting period at all for accidents. It also requires a way to waive the wait after a vet exam (you usually pay for the exam).⁸ One insurer's example: 14 days for illness and 30 days for orthopedic conditions.³
• Hereditary conditions. Some insurers cover inherited problems, such as hip dysplasia, only at extra cost or with limits.^3,8
• Breeding, pregnancy, grooming and boarding are usually excluded.³
• Some breeds. Some insurers exclude or limit "high risk" breeds, so ask before you buy.²

Wellness plans are not insurance

A wellness plan pays for planned, routine care such as vaccines, parasite preventives, screening tests and sometimes dental cleanings.⁷ The model law requires stand-alone wellness programs to say clearly that "wellness programs are not insurance," and an insurer can't make you buy one to get a policy.⁸ Consumer Reports treats wellness-only plans more like a flexible spending account for the vet and leaves them out of its insurance ratings.¹³ See our dog vaccination schedule for the routine care these plans pay toward.

How Much Is Pet Insurance for a Dog?

These are US averages for dog policies in 2025, from the industry association that tracks nearly all North American premiums:¹

A Consumer Reports member survey found an average of about $47 per pet per month, but that figure didn't separate dogs from cats, and cat policies cost much less.^4,1

What changes the price

• Age is the biggest driver, and premiums usually rise every year as your dog gets older.³ Ask how premiums change with age or after a claim.²
• Breed and size. Large breeds and breeds with more health problems cost more to insure.⁹
• Your choices. A higher deductible, a lower reimbursement rate or a lower annual limit lowers the premium, but you'll pay more when your dog gets sick.³

Breeds that cost more (and less) to insure

One comparison site lists these average monthly premium ranges. It doesn't explain its method, so treat them as a rough guide:⁹

The largest single dog claim paid in North America in 2025 was $66,600, for a 3-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog with a long-term illness.^1,5 See healthiest dog breeds and breed health problems.

What Big Vet Bills Cost

Insurance is really about the large, unplanned bills. These are examples from insurer and hospital data, so check the year: costs rise over time and vary by clinic and region.

Back problems such as IVDD and joint disease can also mean surgery and long-term care, and costs tend to climb as dogs age. See senior dog health.

Is Pet Insurance Worth It?

It depends on your dog and your budget. In a healthy year, you'll likely pay more in premiums than you get back. That's why Consumer Reports suggests a dedicated savings account as one alternative.⁴ Insurance earns its keep in the bad year: a swallowed sock, a torn ligament or a cancer diagnosis.^6,14

Reasons it may be worth it

• Your dog is young and healthy, so more future problems can be covered.^8,3
• You couldn't easily pay an emergency deposit, which is often 50% to 75% of the high estimate.⁷
• You want the freedom to choose advanced tests or treatment. Insured owners in one survey were more likely to choose treatment over euthanasia when the bill was $1,000.¹⁰

Downsides

• Pre-existing conditions usually aren't covered, and waiting periods leave early gaps.^3,8
• Premiums go up as your dog ages, just as health problems become more likely.³
• Deductibles, your share of the bill and annual limits mean you still pay part of every claim.³
• You usually pay the vet first and wait to be reimbursed.²

The AVMA supports the idea of pet health insurance, as long as policies don't interfere with your vet's medical decisions.¹⁷ It lists providers but doesn't endorse any.²

Alternatives to Pet Insurance

• A pet savings account. Put the money you'd spend on premiums into a separate high-yield savings account.⁴ It works best if you start early and don't dip into it, because a big bill could come before the account has grown.
• A clinic wellness plan for routine care. These spread routine costs into monthly payments, but many are usable only at that clinic and often leave out emergency and specialist visits.⁷ In one survey, dogs on wellness plans had about 20% more vet visits.¹⁰
• Veterinary school clinics, which may offer lower-cost checkups and spay or neuter surgery.⁴
• Vet financing and medical credit cards. Many hospitals accept third-party vet financing.⁷ Read the terms. With "deferred interest," if you don't pay the full balance by the end of the promotional period, you owe interest on the whole original amount. The typical medical credit card rate was 26.99%, and about 1 in 5 deferred-interest purchases ended up charged interest.¹⁸
• Talk to your vet ahead of time about payment options, so you aren't sorting out money during an emergency.²

State Rules That Protect You

In 2022, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners wrote a model pet insurance law. Among other things, it limits waiting periods, bans a waiting period for accidents, puts the burden on the insurer to prove a condition is pre-existing, and gives you 15 days to return a new policy for a full refund if you haven't made a claim.⁸ States choose whether to adopt it. As of June 2025, 14 states had laws based on or similar to it: California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington. New York wasn't on that list, and the count may have changed since.¹⁹ Wherever you live, read the policy's own terms.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy

The AVMA suggests asking:²

• What are the limits and exclusions for emergency care and for wellness care?
• How do premiums change as my dog ages, or after I make a claim?
• How do you define a pre-existing condition?
• Are any breeds excluded or limited?
• What are the deductibles, co-pays and fees?
• Can I use any veterinarian?
• Are there multi-pet discounts or add-ons, such as dental or travel cover?

Also ask whether the deductible is annual or per condition, and what the waiting periods are for illness and orthopedic problems.^3,8

Frequently Asked Questions

How does pet insurance work for dogs?

You pay the vet, send a claim, and the insurer pays you back for covered care after your deductible. Most plans pay 70%, 80% or 90% of the rest, up to an annual limit.

How much is pet insurance per month for a dog?

In 2025, the US average for a dog accident-and-illness policy was $836 a year, about $70 a month. Accident-only plans averaged about $16 a month. Your price depends on your dog's age, breed, location and the deductible you choose.

What are the alternatives to pet insurance?

A dedicated savings account for vet bills, a clinic wellness plan for routine care, lower-cost care at veterinary school clinics, and vet financing. Read financing terms carefully, because deferred interest can be costly.

Is a vet wellness plan worth it?

A wellness plan isn't insurance. It spreads the cost of routine care, such as vaccines and checkups, over the year. It's worth it only if the plan costs less than the services you would buy anyway, and it won't help with an emergency.

What are the downsides of pet insurance?

Pre-existing conditions aren't covered, waiting periods leave early gaps, premiums rise with age, and you still pay a deductible and part of each bill. In a healthy year, you may pay more in premiums than you get back.

Do all vets accept pet insurance?

Most US plans pay you, not the vet, so you can usually use any licensed vet. You pay the clinic as normal and claim afterward. Check with the insurer before you buy.

Which dog breeds are most expensive to insure?

Large and giant breeds and breeds with more health problems cost the most, such as Mastiffs, French Bulldogs, Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs and Great Danes. Mixed breeds and many small breeds cost less. Some insurers limit or exclude certain high-risk breeds.