5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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If you’re a pet owner in New Jersey, pet insurance can be a good thing to have. Pet insurance helps pay for your dog’s or cat’s vet bills if it gets sick or injured.
In New Jersey, the average cost of pet insurance is $71 per month. But cost is only one factor to consider when choosing the best pet insurance company for you. It’s also important to compare plan options, covered conditions, and more.
Here’s what you should know about pet insurance in New Jersey so you can find the best policy for your needs.
New Jersey pet owners pay an average of $75 per month for dog insurance and $41 per month for cat insurance.
New Jersey pet owners pay 6% more for pet insurance than the U.S. average.
Figo is the best pet insurance company for low rates.
Best pet insurance companies in New Jersey
New Jersey pet owners have a variety of options when it comes to pet insurance. To help you find the best pet insurance for your pet’s needs, here are some of the top pet insurance companies based on average monthly costs, deductible options, annual limits, waiting periods, discounts, and other factors.
Trupanion: Best for vet direct pay
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $98
Sample monthly quote for cats: $35
Plans available: Accident and illness
Trupanion is one of the only pet insurance companies that offers direct vet pay. When your pet visits the vet, your plan will immediately cover its portion of the bill, and you’ll pay the rest out of pocket. This means you don’t have to pay in full and file a claim for reimbursement.
Option to pay vet directly
Unlimited annual and lifetime coverage
24/7 customer service and live chat
Expensive rates compared to competitors
No wellness plan
No multi-pet discount
Lemonade: Best for customizable coverage
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $40
Sample monthly quote for cats: $31
Plans available: Accident and illness, wellness
Lemonade makes it easy to customize a pet insurance policy that meets your unique needs. The company offers a variety of endorsements, including exam fee coverage, dental illness coverage, behavioral conditions coverage, physical therapy coverage, and end-of-life coverage. Lemonade pet insurance also offers two routine wellness plans.
Many available add-on coverages
Seamless online experience
Several available discounts
No option for unlimited coverage
Upper age limits for certain pets
Not available in all U.S. states
Figo: Best for low rates
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $39
Sample monthly quote for cats: $22
Plans available: Accident and illness, wellness
Figo is a good choice for affordable pet insurance. It has the cheapest rates for dogs and cats in New Jersey, based on analysis of average rates from 14 different pet insurance companies. The company also offers a multi-pet discount and military discount, which could help you get an even lower rate.
Lowest rates for dogs and cats
Option for 100% reimbursement with higher deductibles
Offers wellness coverage and vet exam fee coverage
No accident-only plan
No option to pay vet directly
No 24/7 customer service
To find the best pet insurance companies in New Jersey, we collected rate quotes from 14 companies using a New Jersey address. For dog insurance quotes, we used the profile of a 2-year-old mixed-breed medium-sized male dog. For cats, we used the profile of a 2-year-old American shorthair female cat. Quotes were for accident and illness coverage with 80% reimbursement, a $500 deductible, and $10,000 or more in annual coverage.
In addition to cost, we also evaluated each pet insurance company based on plan options, deductibles, pet types covered, waiting periods, customer reviews, discounts, and online experience.
Cost of pet insurance in New Jersey
The average cost of pet insurance in New Jersey is $71 per month, but rates are different for dogs and cats. In New Jersey, the average pet insurance premium for dogs is $75 per month, and the average premium for cats is $41 per month.
Pet owners in New Jersey pay more for pet insurance than the average American. The U.S. national average pet insurance premium is $67 per month, according to Insurify data. That’s about 6% lower than the average rate in New Jersey.
Why pet insurance is important if you live in New Jersey
Pet insurance in New Jersey is important because dogs and cats face certain risks that can cause injuries and illnesses, including:
Parvovirus: Dogs in New Jersey may be susceptible to parvovirus — especially puppies. If your dog contracts parvovirus, pet insurance can cover its treatment.
Lyme disease: Several tick species exist in New Jersey, and some ticks can transmit Lyme disease to dogs. Depending on your policy, pet insurance can cover the cost of tick removal and medication.[1]
Toxic plants: New Jersey is home to a variety of toxic plants that can harm dogs and cats, like pokeweed and poison hemlock.[2] If your pet ingests a toxic plant, pet insurance can cover its veterinary care.
New Jersey pet regulations and laws
Like all states, New Jersey has unique pet regulations and laws. These are some of the most important laws that pet owners should know about:
Safe environments: It’s against the law to expose any domestic pet to adverse environmental conditions for more than 30 minutes.[3] This includes temperatures below 32 F and above 90 F. The only exception is if the pet has access to proper shelter.
Safe transportation: If you’re bringing your pet in the car with you, it must be in a crate for the duration of the ride or tethered to a seat belt with a harness.[3]
Vaccinations: Dogs must be vaccinated against rabies by 7 months of age.[4] The vaccine is optional for cats and other domesticated animals.
Dog bite liability: In New Jersey, pet owners are liable if their dog bites another person — even if it’s the first time the dog has bitten or shown aggression, and regardless of whether the owner used proper restraint and warned others about potential bites.
Types of pet insurance coverage
Pet insurance companies in New Jersey offer several different types of coverage, including accident and illness, accident-only, and wellness plans.
Accident and illness plans provide the most comprehensive coverage but also have the highest monthly premiums. Insurance companies typically offer wellness plans as an optional add-on to an accident-only or accident and illness plan.
Accident and illness plan
Accident and illness pet insurance covers your pet’s veterinary care if it gets sick unexpectedly or gets injured in an accident.
A standard accident and illness plan covers the following:
Behavioral health
Bite wounds
Broken bones
Cancer treatment
Congenital problems
Dental emergencies
Diabetes treatment
Hip dysplasia
Hospitalization
Joint issues
Prescription medications
Surgery
Toxic ingestions
X-rays
While accident and illness plans are the most robust type of pet insurance, they do have some exclusions. Most accident and illness plans don’t cover the following:
Breeding
Cosmetic procedures
Experimental treatments
Incurable pre-existing conditions
Pregnancy
Routine dental care
Routine wellness visits
Accident-only plan
As the name suggests, accident-only pet insurance plans only cover veterinary care related to accidents. These plans cover emergencies like:
Bee stings
Car accidents
Diagnostic testing
Eye injuries
Exam fees
Fractures
Lacerations
Snake bites
Sprains
Toxic ingestion
Wellness plan
Wellness pet insurance plans cover routine care and preventative care. These plans are often available as an add-on to another pet insurance plan.
These are some of the services that wellness plans typically cover:
Annual vet exams
Flea/tick prevention
Heartworm prevention
Microchipping
Spaying/neutering
Teeth cleaning
Vaccines
How to find the best pet insurance in New Jersey
Many reputable insurance companies sell policies in New Jersey, but the best insurer for you will depend on your unique circumstances.
Here are some tips for finding the best pet insurance in New Jersey:
Consider your pet’s medical needs
Your pet’s medical needs should help inform the type of plan you purchase. For example, if you only want coverage for unexpected emergencies, an accident-only plan might be sufficient. But if your pet’s breed is predisposed to certain health issues as it gets older, an accident and illness plan could offer better financial protection.
Look for discounts
Many pet insurance companies offer discounts, which can help reduce your premium. You can commonly find discounts for insuring multiple pets, being a military service member, and belonging to certain membership-based organizations.
Understand the waiting periods
Most pet insurance plans have a waiting period for accidents and illnesses before you can use your benefits. Some policies might also have longer waiting periods for cruciate ligament problems.
Read the fine print
When you’re shopping for pet insurance, make sure to read the fine print of the policy and check for exclusions. For example, some pet insurance plans cover alternative therapies, like acupuncture, while others don’t.
Compare quotes
The cost of pet insurance depends on a variety of different factors. To find the most affordable pet insurance for your situation, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from a few insurance companies.
New Jersey pet insurance FAQs
Pet health insurance can be extremely valuable for pet parents in New Jersey. Here’s some more information about pet insurance in New Jersey that can be helpful as you shop for plans.
Is pet insurance more expensive in New Jersey?
Yes. Pet insurance in New Jersey is more expensive than the national average. The average pet insurance plan (for dogs and cats combined) in New Jersey is $71 per month. To compare, the U.S. national average pet insurance premium is $67 per month.
How much is pet insurance in New Jersey?
The average cost of pet insurance in the Garden State is $75 per month for dogs and $41 per month for cats. But pet insurance premiums are based on various factors, including your ZIP code, plan type, pet age, and pet breed.
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions in New Jersey?
Many of the best pet insurance companies in New Jersey cover pre-existing conditions if your pet has been symptom-free and treatment-free for a certain amount of time (usually at least six months). Pet insurance companies almost never cover incurable pre-existing conditions.
What is the best pet insurance for dogs in NJ?
Dog owners in New Jersey have different pet insurance needs, so there isn’t one insurer that’s the best for all dogs across the board. When finding the best dog insurance, you should research several insurers based on plan types, covered vet services, discounts, customer service, and average cost.
Sources
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. "Other Invertebrate Species."
- Bayshore Veterinary Hospital. "Plants Toxic to Dogs in Holmdel, NJ."
- New Jersey State Bar Foundation. "New Jersey Law Concerning Necessary Care of Pets and Certain Animals."
- Rabies Aware. "New Jersey."
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Elizabeth has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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