Average pet insurance cost in 2026
NAPHIA's figures are the industry's average premiums actually paid in 2025, the most recent full year:
| Coverage type | Dogs, per year | Cats, per year |
|---|---|---|
| Accident and illness | $836 (about $70/mo; up 11.5%) | $435 (about $36/mo; up 12.6%) |
| Accident-only | $190 (about $16/mo; down 1.6%) | $112 (about $9/mo; up 1.4%) |
| Insurance with embedded wellness | $1,414 | $859 |
Source: NAPHIA State of the Industry 2026 report highlights (2025 data). Monthly figures are our rounding.
Two things stand out. First, accident-and-illness prices rose by double digits in a single year, so expect your renewal to go up. Second, accident-only coverage costs roughly a quarter of what full coverage does, but it excludes illnesses, which cause many of the largest bills.
Quote-based data comes in lower. Insurify's median accident-and-illness quotes were about $43 a month for dogs and $23 for cats, as of May 2026. Quotes are prices offered to shoppers at chosen settings; NAPHIA's averages reflect premiums paid across all policyholders.
The factors that set your price
1. Species and age
Age is the biggest driver after species. Insurify's monthly accident-and-illness averages:
| Life stage | Dog | Cat |
|---|---|---|
| Young (puppy/kitten) | $40 | $21 |
| Adult | $46 | $22 |
| Senior | $116 | $62 |
Source: Insurify, pet insurance cost, updated May 31, 2026.
A senior dog's $116 a month works out to $1,392 a year, nearly three times the puppy price. Some insurers also stop offering illness coverage to older pets or cap enrollment age.
2. Breed
Breeds with known health problems cost more. In NerdWallet's ASPCA quotes from Katy, Texas, a 2-year-old French bulldog was $78 a month versus $39 for a medium mixed-breed dog, and by age 8 the gap was $194 versus $98. For breed-by-breed risks, see our dog insurance guide and cat insurance guide.
3. Where you live
Vet prices vary by region, and premiums follow. Insurify's state medians for dogs ranged from $32 a month in Alabama to $66 in Alaska; for cats, from $11 in Mississippi to $34 in Washington, D.C.
4. Deductible
A higher deductible lowers the premium sharply. Insurify's Trupanion quotes for a 2-year-old mixed-breed dog in Hartford, Connecticut: about $137 a month with a $100 deductible, $79 with $500, and $47 with $1,000.
Moving from $100 to $1,000 saved about $90 a month, or $1,080 a year, while adding at most $900 of out-of-pocket risk. If you can cover a $1,000 bill from savings, a higher deductible often makes sense.
5. Annual limit
Unlimited coverage can cost about twice as much as a $5,000 cap. Insurify's breed examples:
| Breed | $5,000 annual limit | Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| French bulldog | $69/mo | $134/mo |
| Golden retriever | $59/mo | $115/mo |
| Maine coon cat | $30/mo | $58/mo |
| Ragdoll cat | $26/mo | $58/mo |
Source: Insurify, pet insurance cost, updated May 31, 2026.
6. Reimbursement rate and claim math
Plans commonly reimburse 70%, 80% or 90% after the deductible. A higher rate costs more each month. How the insurer applies the deductible also matters: ASPCA and Nationwide subtract the deductible first, while Healthy Paws applies the percentage first, which pays slightly less on the claim that meets your deductible.
7. Fees and discounts
Check for small add-ons. Pawlicy Advisor reports a $2 monthly processing fee at ASPCA and a $25 enrollment fee plus $1 monthly fee at Embrace. Common discounts include multi-pet (10% at ASPCA, 5%–10% at Nationwide), bundling with other Nationwide policies (5%), and PetSmart Treats Rewards at Healthy Paws (10%).
Same pet, different insurers
Prices for an identical pet vary a lot between companies. NerdWallet's quotes for a 2-year-old pet in Katy, Texas show the spread (settings noted, since they differ):
| Insurer | Medium mixed-breed dog | Domestic shorthair cat | Settings |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASPCA | $39/mo | – | $250 deductible, $5,000 limit, 80% |
| Nationwide | $43/mo | $19/mo | $250 deductible, $5,000 limit, 80% |
| Healthy Paws | $57/mo | $24/mo | $250 deductible, unlimited, 80% |
Source: NerdWallet reviews of ASPCA, Nationwide and Healthy Paws, May 1, 2026.
Healthy Paws' higher price here partly buys an unlimited annual limit, which the other two quotes don't include. Always compare like with like.
How your premium changes over your pet's life
The price you pay in year one isn't the price you'll pay in year six. In NerdWallet's Katy quotes, ASPCA's premium for the mixed-breed dog rose from $39 at age 2 to $98 at age 8, about 2.5 times. Healthy Paws' rose from $57 to $136, about 2.4 times, even with a higher deductible and lower reimbursement at the older age.
Budget for that curve before you buy, not after. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners' model law requires insurers to disclose whether premiums change with claims, age or location, and Healthy Paws says its increases are not based on your individual claims. Ask each insurer the same question and read the answer in the policy.
What vet care costs
To judge a premium, compare it with what treatment costs. Nationwide's March 2025 analysis of its insured pets reported these 80th-percentile costs within 30 days of diagnosis:
| Condition | Dogs | Cats |
|---|---|---|
| Dental disease | $1,284 | $1,517 |
| Gastroenteritis | $702 | $802 |
| Trauma (dogs) / urinary tract disease (cats) | $708 | $943 |
| Chronic condition, full year | Valvular heart disease $1,203 | Diabetes $2,240 |
Source: Nationwide, "Chronic vs. acute: the most frequent diagnoses and their costs," March 19, 2025.
A routine visit averaged $147 in 2024 (AVMA data as cited by Insurify), and foreign-body removal surgery about $1,260 (CareCredit, as cited by Insurify).
Worked example: one bad year for a dog
Suppose your adult dog has a dental problem ($1,284), an injury ($708) and a bout of gastroenteritis ($702) in one year, for $2,694 in vet bills. You pay the NAPHIA-average premium of $836 and have a $500 deductible with 80% reimbursement (deductible-first):
- Insurer pays ($2,694 − $500) × 0.8 = $1,755.
- You pay $939 of the bills plus $836 in premiums = $1,775.
- Uninsured, you'd pay $2,694. Insurance saved about $919.
Now a quiet year: no claims. You pay $836 and get nothing back. Over several years, insurance usually costs more than it pays for a healthy pet; that's how insurers stay in business. What you're buying is protection against the rare $5,000 or $10,000 year.
Is it worth it, or should you self-insure?
An alternative is to put the premium into a dedicated savings account. At about $70 a month you'd have $840 after one year and $2,520 after three, plus interest; see our high-yield savings guide.
| Insurance tends to make more sense if... | Saving tends to make more sense if... |
|---|---|
| A surprise $3,000–$5,000 bill would go on a credit card | You already have a sizable emergency fund |
| Your pet is young and has no pre-existing conditions | Your pet is older and its likely problems are already excluded |
| Your breed is prone to costly hereditary problems | You'd decline expensive treatment regardless of cost |
| You want to say yes to specialist or emergency care | Premiums for your pet are close to the cost of likely care |
A middle path is a cheaper plan with a high deductible and savings to cover it. That keeps premiums down while protecting you from the worst case.
How to lower your premium
- Enroll young. Prices are lowest and nothing is pre-existing yet.
- Raise the deductible to an amount you could pay from savings.
- Pick the limit you need. A $5,000–$10,000 cap costs much less than unlimited, but make sure it would cover a serious illness.
- Pay annually where it avoids monthly fees.
- Skip wellness add-ons unless the allowance clearly exceeds their cost.
- Use the free-look period. Where your state follows the NAIC model law, you get 15 days to return a policy for a full refund if you haven't filed a claim, which gives you time to read the exclusions and check that the price still makes sense.
- Compare at least three quotes with identical settings. Our best pet insurance comparison lists the main insurers' options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of pet insurance per month?
NAPHIA's 2025 averages work out to about $70 a month for dog accident-and-illness coverage and $36 for cats. Accident-only plans averaged about $16 for dogs and $9 for cats.
Why did my pet insurance premium go up?
Premiums rise as pets age and as vet costs climb. NAPHIA's average accident-and-illness premium rose 11.5% for dogs and 12.6% for cats in 2025. Some insurers also reprice by region.
Does a higher deductible lower pet insurance cost?
Yes, often a lot. In Insurify's Trupanion quotes for a young dog in Connecticut, the premium fell from about $137 a month at a $100 deductible to $47 at $1,000.
How much more does unlimited coverage cost?
In Insurify's examples, unlimited coverage cost about twice as much as a $5,000 annual limit, for example $134 versus $69 a month for a French bulldog.
Is pet insurance cheaper for cats?
Yes. NAPHIA's 2025 average cat accident-and-illness premium was $435 a year, about half the $836 dog average.
Is pet insurance worth the cost?
It depends on your savings and your pet. It's most valuable if an unexpected $3,000 or more vet bill would strain your budget and your pet is young and healthy. If you have a solid emergency fund, saving the premium may be a reasonable alternative.
Sources
- NAPHIA – State of the Industry 2026 report highlights
- Insurify – Pet insurance cost
- Insurify – Pet insurance guide
- Insurify – Average pet insurance cost by state
- Insurify – Trupanion review
- Insurify – Pet ownership statistics
- Nationwide – Chronic vs. acute: the most frequent diagnoses and their costs
- NerdWallet – ASPCA Pet Insurance Review 2026
- NerdWallet – Healthy Paws Pet Insurance Review
- NerdWallet – Nationwide Pet Insurance Review 2026
- Pawlicy Advisor – ASPCA Pet Insurance Review
- Pawlicy Advisor – Embrace pet insurance
- NAIC – Pet Insurance Model Act (#633)
- Healthy Paws – Frequently asked questions
Rates, fees and terms change often. Figures were checked in October 2026; confirm current details with the provider before you apply.