How many cats are insured, and what it costs
Only about 2.29% of US cats were insured at the end of 2025, compared with 5.99% of dogs, per NAPHIA. But cat coverage is the fastest-growing part of the market: insured cats rose 16.3% in 2025, to about 1.75 million, while insured dogs grew 6.8%.
| Plan type (cats) | Average annual premium, 2025 | About per month |
|---|---|---|
| Accident and illness | $435 (up 12.6%) | $36 |
| Accident-only | $112 (up 1.4%) | $9 |
| Insurance with embedded wellness | $859 | $72 |
Source: NAPHIA State of the Industry 2026 report highlights (2025 data). Monthly figures are our rounding.
Insurify's quote data shows how age moves the price for accident-and-illness cover: about $21 a month for kittens, $22 for adult cats, and $62 for seniors. Location matters too. Insurify's median cat quotes ranged from $11 a month in Mississippi to $34 in Washington, D.C. For the full breakdown of what drives premiums, see our pet insurance cost guide.
What cats actually get treated for, and what it costs
Nationwide's March 2025 analysis of more than 1 million insured pets ranked the most common cat diagnoses. Costs below are the 80th percentile of what owners reported, so a typical bill may be lower.
| Rank | Condition | Chronic? | Cost within 30 days | Full-year cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastroenteritis | No | $802 | – |
| 2 | Urinary tract disease | No | $943 | – |
| 3 | Kidney failure | Yes | $655 | $1,201 |
| 4 | Dental disease | No | $1,517 | – |
| 5 | Osteoarthritis | Yes | $439 | $1,274 |
| 6 | Hyperthyroid disease | Yes | $511 | $1,145 |
| 7 | Inflammatory bowel disease | Yes | $828 | $1,464 |
| 8 | Diabetes mellitus | Yes | $850 | $2,240 |
| 9 | Respiratory infection | No | $534 | – |
| 10 | Skin allergies | Yes | $318 | – |
Source: Nationwide, "Chronic vs. acute: the most frequent diagnoses and their costs," March 19, 2025.
Six of the ten are chronic, and that's the key point for cat owners. A chronic condition costs money every year, and if it shows up before you buy coverage it becomes pre-existing and is excluded for good. Trupanion's 20 years of cat claims point the same way: renal failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism and inflammatory bowel disease all rank in its top ten, and its record single cat invoice topped $53,000 for peritonitis treatment.
Other sourced costs from Insurify: a broken leg can run $2,000 or more, feline cancer treatment $5,000 or more, and diagnosing heart disease (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy) in a Maine coon around $2,000 for X-rays, blood tests and medication.
Does insurance pay off for a cat? A worked example
Say your cat develops diabetes and its first full year of care costs $2,240, the Nationwide figure. With a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement (deductible-first method):
- Insurer pays ($2,240 − $250) × 0.8 = $1,592.
- You pay $648 of the bill, plus a year of premiums. At NAPHIA's $435 average, that's $1,083 in total.
- Without insurance, you'd pay the full $2,240, and again the next year.
The flip side: in a year with no claims you've spent the premium. Dogs make 82% more unexpected vet visits than cats, according to Trupanion, so many cat owners go years without a claim. Insurance is a hedge against the large, recurring bills, not a way to save on routine care.
Indoor vs. outdoor cats
Indoor cats still need coverage; they just face different risks. Feline specialist Dr. Margie Scherk, as reported by dvm360, summarized the trade-offs:
| Outdoor access raises the risk of | Indoor living raises the risk of |
|---|---|
| Infectious disease (FeLV, FIV, rabies, parasites) | Lower urinary tract disease |
| Being hit by a vehicle | Obesity, diabetes and hyperthyroidism |
| Fight wounds and trauma | Inactivity and behavior problems |
| Getting lost, theft, poisoning | Skin conditions; household hazards such as falls and burns |
Source: dvm360, "Should cats stay or stray?" (2019), table adapted from Rochlitz (2005).
Scherk added that the common belief that indoor cats live longer has "no scientific evidence" behind it. In practical terms:
- Indoor cats mostly face illness risk, especially urinary, metabolic and dental disease. An accident-only plan would miss most of it.
- Outdoor cats face more injury risk on top of that, so a short accident waiting period and a solid annual limit matter more.
Kittens: why the first year matters most
Kittenhood is the cheapest time to buy and the time when the fewest conditions are on record. Embrace accepts kittens from 6 weeks old; ASPCA and Healthy Paws from 8 weeks. Insurify's average kitten quote is about $21 a month, roughly $252 a year.
The waiting period matters here. Most insurers make you wait about 14 days for illness coverage (15 at Healthy Paws), and anything that appears during that window is treated as pre-existing. Kittens often arrive with minor problems such as respiratory or digestive infections, so enroll before the first vet visit turns up something, or soon after a clean exam.
Once a condition is covered, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) pet insurance model law says it can't be reclassified as pre-existing at renewal, where your state has adopted that model.
Pre-existing conditions: the urinary problem
Urinary tract disease is the No. 2 cat diagnosis in Nationwide's data, and it often recurs. How an insurer treats a past episode makes a big difference:
- ASPCA may cover a curable condition again after 180 days with no recurrence or treatment.
- Healthy Paws may treat a condition as cured after 365 straight days with no signs and no treatment.
- Other insurers may exclude it permanently. Ask before you buy.
Healthy Paws' own claim example shows the stakes: a cat with a urinary blockage ran up about $699 in covered charges, and the insurer paid $309.32 after an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible.
Senior cats
Premiums climb steeply with age. Insurify's averages jump from $22 a month for an adult cat to $62 for a senior, about $744 a year. NerdWallet's Healthy Paws quotes for a domestic shorthair in Katy, Texas rose from $24 a month at age 2 to $58 at age 8, even with a higher deductible.
Enrollment rules also tighten:
- Nationwide doesn't offer illness coverage for cats enrolled at age 8 or older.
- Embrace offers only accident-only coverage to cats 15 and up.
- Spot and ASPCA list no upper enrollment age.
Any condition your senior cat already has will be excluded. If your cat is older and already has kidney disease or hyperthyroidism, a dedicated savings fund may do more for you than a new policy. Our emergency fund guide explains how to size one.
Insurers' cat plans: published facts
| Insurer | Reimbursement | Annual limit | Median cat price | Cat-relevant detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | 70%–90% | $2,500–unlimited | $13/mo | No upper age limit; 14-day wait; won't pay vet directly |
| Figo | 70%–100% | $5,000–unlimited | $14/mo | 1-day accident wait, 14-day illness wait |
| Pets Best | 70%–90% | $5,000–unlimited | $28/mo | Covers congenital and chronic conditions |
| Embrace | 70%–90% | $5,000–$30,000 | n/a | Kittens from 6 weeks; accident-only at 15+ |
| Trupanion | 90% | Unlimited | n/a | Exam fees not covered |
| Healthy Paws | 50%–90% | $5,000, $7,000 or unlimited | $41/mo | No wellness; exam fees excluded |
Source: Insurify Best Cat Insurance (May 31, 2026) and cheapest pet insurance medians; Healthy Paws FAQ. Medians are Insurify's one-year rolling medians for cats.
Breed matters less for cats than dogs, but it does matter. NerdWallet's Healthy Paws quotes at age 2 in Katy, Texas: domestic shorthair $24, ragdoll $30, Persian $37 and Maine coon $45 a month. Read our Healthy Paws review and ASPCA review for full plan details, or compare all major insurers in our best pet insurance guide.
How to choose cat insurance
- Pick accident and illness, not accident-only, unless your cat is senior and illness cover is unavailable or unaffordable. Most big cat bills are illnesses.
- Favor a high or unlimited annual limit. Chronic diseases bill year after year; a $2,500 cap can run out quickly.
- Check dental illness coverage. Dental disease had the highest 30-day cost on Nationwide's list, at $1,517.
- Read how curable conditions are handled. A past urinary infection could be excluded forever under some policies and covered again after a symptom-free period under others.
- Enroll early. The cheapest years to buy are kittenhood and early adulthood, before anything is on the vet record.
Frequently asked questions
How much is cat insurance per month?
NAPHIA's 2025 average for cat accident-and-illness coverage was $435 a year, about $36 a month. Accident-only plans averaged $112 a year. Insurify's quote data shows about $21 a month for kittens, $22 for adult cats and $62 for seniors.
Is pet insurance worth it for an indoor cat?
It can be. Indoor cats face fewer injuries but higher risk of urinary disease, obesity, diabetes and hyperthyroidism, which are chronic and costly. If you buy, an accident-and-illness plan matters more than accident-only for an indoor cat.
What are the most common cat insurance claims?
Nationwide's March 2025 analysis ranks gastroenteritis, urinary tract disease, kidney failure, dental disease and osteoarthritis as the top five cat diagnoses. Trupanion's claims show renal failure, vomiting, diarrhea, diabetes and hyperthyroidism at the top.
Can I insure an older cat?
Often, but options narrow. Spot and ASPCA list no upper enrollment age, Embrace offers only accident-only coverage at 15 and older, and Nationwide doesn't offer illness coverage for cats enrolled at 8 or older. Existing conditions are excluded.
Does cat insurance cover dental disease?
Many accident-and-illness plans cover dental illness, but routine cleanings usually need a wellness add-on. Check the dental section of the policy, since dental disease cost up to $1,517 within 30 days in Nationwide's data.
Which breed of cat is most expensive to insure?
In NerdWallet's Healthy Paws quotes, a 2-year-old Maine coon cost $45 a month versus $24 for a domestic shorthair in the same city.
Sources
- NAPHIA – State of the Industry 2026 report highlights
- Nationwide – Chronic vs. acute: the most frequent diagnoses and their costs
- dvm360 – Feline health trends revealed through insurance claims (Trupanion)
- dvm360 – Should cats stay or stray?
- Insurify – Best cat insurance companies (2026)
- Insurify – Cheapest pet insurance
- Insurify – Average pet insurance cost by state
- NerdWallet – Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review
- NerdWallet – ASPCA Pet Insurance Review 2026
- Healthy Paws – Frequently asked questions
- NAIC – Pet Insurance Model Act (#633)
- Healthy Paws – Claim reimbursement examples
Rates, fees and terms change often. Figures were checked in October 2026; confirm current details with the provider before you apply.