Best Emergency Pet Insurance Companies (2024)
Figo, Pets Best, and Nationwide offer some of the best emergency pet insurance.
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Written byKim Porter
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Co-authored the book “Future Millionaires’ Guidebook”
13 years writing personal finance content
A former chief copy editor at Bankrate and past managing editor at Macmillan, Kim specializes in writing easy-to-understand, actionable personal finance content.
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Edited byAshley Cox
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7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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Updated August 9, 2024
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Table of contents
Emergency pet insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers the costs of unexpected vet services for your dog or cat. These plans typically cover pet accidents, injuries, and illnesses.
Without pet insurance, you might be on the hook for paying thousands of dollars out of pocket after a visit to the emergency vet. It’s important to buy pet insurance soon after welcoming your furry friend into your home since most policies have waiting periods before they become active.[1]
Finding a policy with the right company can make all the difference in keeping your pet healthy for an affordable price. Here’s what you should know about the best emergency pet insurance companies.
Quick Facts
The best emergency pet insurance companies start policies around $27 for a 2-year-old dog and $11 for a 2-year-old cat.
Emergency pet insurance doesn’t cover routine services like annual exams and vaccines.
Without pet insurance, an emergency room exam can cost $100–$200, and emergency surgery can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000.[2]
What emergency pet insurance covers
Emergency pet insurance pays for the costs of accidents, injuries, and sudden illnesses for your dog, cat, or other type of pet. These policies usually won’t cover pre-existing conditions or routine services.[3]
Here are some examples of what emergency pet insurance commonly covers:
Allergies
Broken bones or fractures
Cuts and wounds
Diagnostic tests, such as X-rays
Follow-up visits after emergency care
Gastrointestinal issues
Hospitalization
Infectious diseases
Ingesting foreign objects
Injuries
Lab testing and blood work
Medical treatments
Poisoning
Prescription medicines
Rehabilitation
Specialty vet exams
Surgery
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Best companies for emergency pet insurance
When it’s time to choose the best pet insurance company, you need to look for a plan that works with your budget and offers features you might use. Here’s a rundown of the best companies for emergency pet insurance and the areas in which they excel.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Best for ▲▼ | Average Monthly Cost for a Dog ▲▼ | Average Monthly Cost for a Cat ▲▼ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figo | Low premiums | $27.11 | $11.48 |
| Pets Best | Direct vet payments | $30.10 | $19.66 |
| Nationwide | Exotic pet coverage | $33.31 | $18.57 |
| Healthy Paws | Unlimited annual coverage | $48.05 | $18.48 |
| MetLife | Discounts | $50.51 | $25.89 |
Best for low premiums: Figo
Figo offers some of the lowest prices, on average, for pet insurance policies. You’ll pay $27.11 per month to insure a dog and $11.48 for a cat. The company also covers some pre-existing conditions if your pet hasn’t shown signs or symptoms within 12 months of its last treatment.
Pros
Fast claims processing
May cover some pre-existing conditions
5% discount for insuring multiple pets and 5% military discount (in most states)
Cons
Customer complaints on Trustpilot about claims denials
Company doesn’t determine pre-existing conditions until you file a claim
No accident-only plan
Best for direct vet payments: Pets Best
Pets Best is one of the few pet insurance companies that offers to pay your vet directly for any claim reimbursement amount. The company offers six ways to customize your pet’s accident and illness coverage and two optional wellness add-ons. You can also enroll your pet in accident-only coverage for a set price of $6 per month for cats and $9 per month for dogs ($7 for cats and $10 for dogs in Washington state).
Pros
Can pay your vet directly
No breed or upper age restrictions
Multiple options to customize your policy
Cons
Doesn’t determine pre-existing conditions until you file a claim
Could deny your claim if you can’t provide your pet’s entire medical history
Cruciate ligament issues have a six-month waiting period
Best for exotic pet coverage: Nationwide
Many pet insurance companies limit coverage to standard pets like cats and dogs. But Nationwide covers exotic pets like birds, mini pigs and goats, reptiles, and small mammals. You also get unlimited 24/7 access to a vet hotline.
Pros
Wide variety of available plan options
Free and unlimited vet support 24/7
Many other types of insurance products available
Cons
Long claims-processing timeline
Excludes many breed-specific hereditary conditions
Negative customer reviews on Trustpilot
Best for unlimited annual coverage: Healthy Paws
Healthy Paws offers affordable premiums without per-incident, annual, or lifetime payout limits. That means the company will reimburse you for covered items, regardless of how expensive your bills get. This feature could provide peace of mind that you won’t need to choose between expensive veterinary bills and your budget after a costly incident.
Pros
No payout limits
Flexible options for premiums and deductibles
Quick claims processing
Cons
Wellness plans not available
No coverage for pre-existing conditions
Not many discounts or add-ons
Best for discounts: MetLife
MetLife advertises several discounts and options to help lower your monthly premiums. You can save 10% if you’re a veteran, first responder, or healthcare worker; you work or volunteer at an animal care facility; or your employer offers MetLife pet insurance as a benefit. MetLife can also insure up to three pets on the same plan with a single annual deductible.
Pros
Several available discounts
Insures up to three pets on one policy with a single deductible
Doesn’t exclude breeds or impose age limits
Cons
Can’t pay your vet directly
Slower claims process than some other insurers
Negative customer reviews on Trustpilot
Petcube: Pet insurance alternative for emergencies only
Petcube is a company that designs smart devices for pets, like cameras that allow you to monitor your dog and dispense treats. The company also provides a subscription for emergency medical care that acts as an alternative to insurance. If you need to bring your dog or cat to an emergency room, the Petcube plan pays up to $3,000 for one visit each year.
The $29 monthly subscription covers up to six pets. If you read Petcube’s educational pet blogs, you’ll receive a discounted subscription rate of $21 per month. As a member, you can also talk to a veterinarian online 24/7.
This type of plan may be a good option if you have pets that may be excluded from pet insurance policies. For example, some insurance companies won’t provide coverage for older animals or ones with pre-existing conditions. Petcube’s plan doesn’t consider age, pre-existing conditions, or breed when offering coverage. But if you have one or two relatively healthy pets, a traditional pet insurance policy will be more comprehensive and customizable for about the same price.
To identify the best emergency pet insurance companies, Insurify’s writers and editors requested sample quotes from 10 insurers. The sample profiles were for a 2-year-old mixed breed, medium-sized male dog and a 2-year-old American shorthair female cat living in Hartford, Connecticut.
Quotes were for accident and illness coverage with 80% reimbursement, a $500 deductible, and $10,000 or more in annual coverage.
We also researched each pet insurance company’s available coverage options, deductible options, discounts, pets covered, waiting period, and customer reviews.
Why you might need emergency pet insurance
When your pet needs emergency care, you may have to go to a specialty 24-hour clinic that charges different rates than your regular vet. A pet emergency exam typically costs $100–$200, while an overnight stay can cost $1,000–$2,000.
Pet insurance can help cover the costs of these visits. Without it, you’d be on the hook for emergency-related pet expenses out of pocket.
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How pet insurance waiting periods work
The waiting period is the amount of time between buying an insurance policy and when you can start using the coverage. Some insurers start coverage on the day you buy a policy, but others set waiting periods of a few days to a couple of weeks.
During this waiting period, you won’t be able to submit claims and receive payouts. Waiting periods prevent people from buying insurance only when their pet needs immediate medical attention. That’s why it’s important to buy pet insurance when your furry friend is healthy.
Emergency pet insurance FAQs
Want to learn more about how emergency pet insurance works? The following information should help you navigate finding the best emergency pet insurance coverage for you.
Is pet insurance effective immediately?
No. Most pet insurance plans have waiting periods between the day you buy the plan and when coverage begins. Waiting periods usually last a few days. Some issues, like orthopedic conditions, have longer waiting periods.
What is the Petcube emergency fund?
The Petcube emergency fund is an alternative to pet insurance. For a flat monthly fee, pet owners can chat with a vet anytime and receive up to $3,000 for one vet bill each year when a pet has a life-threatening medical situation.
The $29 fee covers up to six pets. Coverage is more limited compared to insurance plans, but Petcube has more flexible eligibility requirements.
What does the PAWP emergency fund cover?
PAWP is an online service that offers virtual vet appointments for emergencies, pet advice, and regular checkups. The company also has an emergency fund add-on that’s similar to Petcube’s offering. Pet parents get up to $3,000 for one vet bill each year when a pet is having an unexpected, life-threatening emergency.
What is accident-only pet insurance?
An accident-only pet insurance policy pays for accidents and injuries but won’t cover illnesses or diseases your pet may develop over time. This type of policy provides less protection than accident and illness pet insurance, so it comes with cheaper premiums. This could be a good option if you want to ensure your pet receives emergency care after an accident.
Sources
- North American Pet Health Insurance Association. "Pet Insurance Buying Guide."
- CareCredit. "How Much Does a Vet Visit Cost?."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts about pet insurance."
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Kim Porter
Kim Porter is a writer and editor who's been creating personal finance content since 2010. Before transitioning to full-time freelance writing in 2018, Kim was the chief copy editor at Bankrate, a managing editor at Macmillan, and co-author of the personal finance book "Future Millionaires' Guidebook." Her work has appeared in AARP's print magazine and on sites such as U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, NextAdvisor, Credit Karma, and more. Kim loves to bake and exercise in her free time, and she plans to run a half marathon on each continent.
7+ years in content creation and management
5+ years in insurance and personal finance content
Ashley is a seasoned personal finance editor who’s produced a variety of digital content, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, and consumer lending products.
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