Best Pet Insurance in North Carolina (2024)
Pets Best, AKC, and Figo are a few of the best pet insurance companies in North Carolina.
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Written byErin Gobler
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Más de 5 años de experiencia en redacción financiera
Certificado de planificación financiera por la Universidad de Boston
Erin es escritora y periodista especializada en finanzas personales. Sus artículos exploran inversiones, tarjetas de crédito, hipotecas, seguros y mucho más.
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Updated November 27, 2024
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Table of contents
Pet insurance can help you save thousands of dollars on your animal’s veterinary care in North Carolina. You can choose from many pet insurance policies to cover unexpected accidents and injuries, illnesses, routine vet bills, and more.
Pet insurance in North Carolina costs an average of $32 per month for cats and $61 for dogs, but policies are available for much cheaper.
Learn about the best pet insurance companies in North Carolina, the types of coverage available, and how to choose a policy.
Quick Facts
Pet insurance in North Carolina is cheaper than the national averages of $71 per month for dogs and $37 per month for cats.
Pets Best provides the best value for North Carolina pet owners, thanks to its low rates and comprehensive policies.
The different types of pet insurance coverage available include accident and illness, accident only, and preventative care.
Best pet insurance companies in North Carolina
When you’re shopping for pet insurance in North Carolina, it’s important to find an insurer that offers excellent value at an affordable price. Here, you’ll find three of the best pet insurance companies in North Carolina based on their average premiums and policy terms. You can learn more about these companies in the table and sections below.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Sample Monthly Quote for Dogs ▲▼ | Sample Monthly Quote for Cats ▲▼ | Deductible Options ▲▼ | Annual Limit ▲▼ | Reimbursement Options ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pets Best | $19.14 | $12.51 | $100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000 | $5,000, $10,000, unlimited | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| AKC | $26.63 | $18.63 | $100, $200, $250, $300, $400, $500, $600, $750, $1,000 | $2,500, $5,000, $7,500, $10,000 | 70%, 80%, 90% |
| Figo | $26.66 | $11.27 | $100, $250, $500, $750 | $5,000, $10,000, unlimited | 70%, 80%, 90%, 100% |
Pets Best: Best overall value
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $19.14
Sample monthly quote for cats: $12.51
Plans available: Accident and illness, accident only, preventative care
Pets Best offers the most affordable pet insurance coverage for dog owners in North Carolina by a significant margin. It has customizable plans that give pet owners the ability to get exactly the coverage they need, including the option for unlimited coverage.
The company has accident-only coverage and three tiers of accident and illness coverage. Additionally, you can add preventative care to your plan, with two different coverage tiers available. Pets Best also covers curable pre-existing conditions once they’re healed or cured.
Pros
Cheapest rates for dogs in North Carolina
Customizable policies
Option for unlimited annual coverage
Cons
Cheapest plan doesn’t include exam fees
Expensive preventative care plans
Lower multi-pet discount than competitors
AKC: Best for coverage add-ons
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $26.63
Sample monthly quote for cats: $18.63
Plans available: Accident and illness, preventative care
If you want a customizable policy with plenty of optional add-ons, AKC might be right for you. In addition to its accident and illness plan, it has various policy upgrades to choose from. These add-ons offer coverage for exam fees, hereditary and congenital conditions, pregnancy and breeding complications, end-of-life emotional support for pet owners, and two tiers of preventative care.
AKC is also the only insurer that offers coverage for pre-existing conditions, curable or incurable, once 365 days have passed.
Pros
Lots of coverage add-ons
Covers pre-existing conditions
Excellent customer reviews
Cons
High premiums for cats
No coverage for dental disease
Exam fee coverage requires an add-on
Figo: Best for cat owners
Sample monthly quote for dogs: $26.66
Sample monthly quote for cats: $11.27
Plans available: Accident and illness, preventative care
Figo has affordable rates for both dog and cat coverage, and it has the cheapest overall rates for cats. Figo also has the option for unlimited coverage for people who don’t mind paying a bit more. It’s also the only company ranked here that offers the option for 100% reimbursement.
Figo has two different wellness plans, which are more affordable than plans from many other companies. It also has an add-on for exam fees — unfortunately, the base plan doesn’t cover these fees.
Pros
Cheapest rate for cats in North Carolina
Option for unlimited annual coverage
Option for 100% reimbursement
Cons
Exam fee coverage requires an add-on
Low coverage limits for preventative care
No accident-only plan
When choosing the best pet insurance companies in North Carolina, we first got quotes from more than a dozen top insurers. For each quote, we used a North Carolina address.
For the sample quotes for dogs, we used a profile of a medium-sized 2-year-old mixed-breed male dog. For cats, we used a profile of a 2-year-old American shorthair female cat. Quotes for both species were for accident and illness coverage with 80% reimbursement, a $500 deductible, and $5,000 or more in annual coverage.
To identify the best companies, we researched each pet insurance company’s coverage options, deductible options, discounts, pets covered, waiting period, and customer reviews. And we chose the companies that offer the best value for the money.
Cost of pet insurance in North Carolina
Pet owners in North Carolina pay an average of $32 per month for cat insurance and $61 per month for dog insurance. But you might be able to get lower rates depending on your pet’s characteristics.
North Carolina’s average pet insurance premiums are slightly lower than the national monthly averages of $37 for cats and $71 for dogs.
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Why pet insurance is important if you live in North Carolina
Pet insurance is important no matter where you live because it can save you money on your pet’s veterinary costs.
It’s easy to budget for your pet’s preventative care, and those services aren’t typically cost-prohibitive for most pet owners. But emergency veterinary services, including injuries and illnesses, can cost thousands of dollars. And chronic conditions that require lifetime treatment could easily come with price tags of upwards of $10,000.
While pet insurance can cover any number of minor or severe health issues, the most common claims in North Carolina include skin conditions, gastrointestinal issues, heart conditions, and ear infections, according to pet insurance company Healthy Paws.
North Carolina pet regulations and laws
North Carolina has several state and local laws that regulate pets:
Rabies laws: All pet owners must have their dogs, cats, and ferrets vaccinated against rabies by the time they’re 4 months old and must maintain that vaccination throughout their lifetimes.[1] If you have preventative care in your pet insurance plan, it’ll cover your rabies vaccination each year.
Spay/neuter laws: North Carolina doesn’t require you to spay or neuter your pet, but it has a program that helps low-income individuals get spay/neuter surgery for their pets.[2] Additionally, many pet insurance policies with preventative care cover this procedure.
Leash laws: While the state doesn’t have any laws that address leashes, individual cities often have strict leash laws for dogs. State law also holds pet owners liable for dog attacks, including criminal and civil penalties.[3]
Types of pet insurance coverage
The two most popular types of pet insurance plans are accident-only and accident illness plans. Accident-only plans are the most affordable, while accident and illness plans offer the most comprehensive coverage. Additionally, while you can’t typically purchase wellness or preventative care plans as stand-alone policies, they’re available to add to most pet insurance policies.
Accident and illness plan
Accident and illness plans cover the diagnosis and treatment of both illnesses and injuries that result from accidents. They cover minor and severe illnesses, from ear infections to cancer. And if your pet has any injuries, the policy should cover it. Depending on your plan, you may also have coverage for alternative treatments, including holistic or alternative therapies, behavioral therapy, chiropractic care, and more.
Most policies exclude coverage for non-curable pre-existing health conditions (though you can usually get coverage for curable conditions). Many policies also have other exclusions, including pregnancy and breeding conditions, hereditary conditions, prescription dog food, and more.
Accident-only plan
An accident-only plan covers the diagnosis and treatment of your pet’s injuries. For example, if your dog breaks its leg or swallows something dangerous, this type of policy would pay. These plans usually have waiting periods, but they be as short as a day or two for accidents.
But accident-only plans don’t cover any illnesses. Unfortunately, this means you could still be on the hook for thousands of dollars in emergency medical care, depending on your pet’s diagnosis.
Wellness plan
Wellness plans, also known as preventative care plans, aren’t usually stand-alone pet insurance plans. Instead, they’re available as add-ons for regular plans. These plans cover routine veterinary care, including annual exams, routine vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, and more. In some cases, the wellness plan add-on can be as expensive as the base pet insurance plan itself, but that’s not always the case.
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How to find the best pet insurance in North Carolina
When you’re looking for pet insurance for your furry friend in North Carolina, it’s important to shop around for the best policy. Here are a few steps to follow when you’re shopping:
1. Consider different coverage options
Start by deciding what type of policy you want, whether that’s accident only or accident and illness. Plus, think about whether you want to add a preventative care plan. You can also decide on the right policy terms, including your annual deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual coverage limit.
2. Compare quotes
Most pet insurers make it easy to get an online quote in just a few minutes. Getting quotes from several companies can help you compare rates and find the most affordable one for the coverage you need.
3. Research other perks
Depending on the companies you’re considering, you may have access to other policy perks, including 24/7 veterinary support lines, direct pay to your veterinary provider, multi-pet discounts, and more.
4. Sign up for your policy
You can sign up for your policy online, and it’ll be effective the same day or the next day. But pay attention to any waiting periods because it could be weeks or months before you have coverage for certain conditions.
North Carolina pet insurance FAQs
If you’re considering buying pet insurance in North Carolina, check out this additional information below.
Is pet insurance more expensive in North Carolina?
No. It’s actually a bit cheaper to buy pet insurance in North Carolina than it is to purchase in many other states. But it may be more or less expensive for you based on your pet’s personal characteristics, such as its breed, age, and health history.
What is the average cost of pet insurance in North Carolina?
The average cost of a pet insurance policy in North Carolina is $32 per month for cats and $61 for dogs. But many pet owners will be able to find cheaper coverage.
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions in North Carolina?
Pet insurance in North Carolina may cover certain pre-existing conditions. For example, most policies cover curable conditions, including ear infections, once a certain number of days have passed since the last occurrence. But most insurers don’t cover incurable conditions (although AKC is an exception).
Is Lemonade pet insurance available in NC?
Yes, Lemonade pet insurance is available in North Carolina. Before signing up for a policy, get quotes from Lemonade and several other companies to make sure it’s the most cost-effective option for you.
Sources
- North Carolina Department of Public Health. "Vaccination Requirements and Guidelines."
- North Carolina General Assembly. "Spay/Neuter Program."
- North Carolina State Legislature. "Dangerous Dogs.."
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Erin Gobler
Erin Gobler is a personal finance writer and journalist based in Madison, Wisconsin. With more than five years of experience, Erin has covered topics such as investing, credit cards, mortgages, insurance, and more. Her work has been featured in major publications like Business Insider, Fox Business, and Time. Erin received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2013, studying journalism and political science. She also received a certificate of financial planning from Boston University in 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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