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U.S. dogs & catsEnglish onlyReviewed

Best Pet Insurance Companies for Dogs & Cats (2026)

Start by quoting Pets Best, Trupanion, and MetLife Pet Insurance. They earn different roles: familiar annual-plan controls, participating-hospital direct pay, and a shared Family Plan for multiple pets.

No company is best for every pet or state. This guide helps you choose which policies to read and quote; it does not select a policy for you.

Compare the shortlistLearn the policy terms

Before choosing

Is insurance the right tool?

Use insurance for

Large, uncertain bills

Accident-and-illness coverage is built for eligible events that are difficult to predict and expensive to absorb.

Keep cash for

The deductible and your share

Even direct-pay arrangements leave deductibles, coinsurance, exclusions, and non-covered charges with the owner.

Compare separately

Routine wellness care

Wellness add-ons usually reimburse listed preventive services. They are not a substitute for accident-and-illness coverage.

Start with these three

Three different answers to three different problems

This is a quote shortlist, not a universal ranking. Start with the structure that matches your cash-flow needs and household, then compare the issued state policies on equal quote settings.

Best starting quote for most households

Pets Best

The most conventional starting point in this shortlist: annual deductibles, several reimbursement choices, a limited or unlimited annual benefit choice, no upper enrollment-age limit, and a form-based direct-pay option.

Strong fit for

  • Households that want familiar annual-plan controls
  • Senior dogs or cats that still need a new-policy quote
  • Owners whose veterinarian will accept the Vet Direct Pay process

Watch-outs

  • Vet Direct Pay requires the veterinarian's agreement, a claim, and a reimbursement-release form.
  • Exam-fee coverage and waiting periods must be confirmed in the state quote and policy.

Underwriter: Independence American Insurance Company; confirm the underwriter on the issued policy. Source

Read policy documentsCheck availability & quote

Best when real-time direct vet payment matters

Trupanion

Its defining combination is unlimited eligible payouts, 90% coverage after a per-condition lifetime deductible, and integrated VetDirect Pay at participating veterinary hospitals.

Strong fit for

  • Owners whose regular or emergency hospital supports VetDirect Pay
  • Long-running treatment for one covered chronic condition
  • Households that prefer no annual payout ceiling

Watch-outs

  • Exam fees and routine care are not included in the core policy.
  • Each unrelated condition can have a separate deductible, and new enrollment is offered only through age 14.

Underwriter: American Pet Insurance Company in the United States; confirm on the state policy. Source

Read policy documentsCheck availability & quote

Best structure for two or three pets

MetLife Pet Insurance

The Family Plan can place as many as three dogs and cats on one policy with a shared deductible and shared annual limit, making it a distinct quote for multi-pet households.

Strong fit for

  • Households insuring two or three dogs, cats, or a mix
  • Owners who want one shared deductible
  • Shoppers who want a wide range of limit and reimbursement choices

Watch-outs

  • One pet can use a large share of the Family Plan's annual limit.
  • Compare the Family Plan with separate-policy quotes; shared coverage is not automatically cheaper.

Underwriter: Metropolitan General Insurance Company; policy administration and entity names can vary by jurisdiction. Source

Read policy documentsCheck availability & quote

Policy X-Ray

Compare the contract mechanics, not the mascot

Highlight a provider, then follow the same seven questions across every policy. Each answer links to the carrier material used for this review.

PB

Pets Best

Best starting quote for most households

Deductible basis
One annual deductible applies per policy term.
Carrier summarySource
Payout limit
$5,000 and unlimited annual-benefit choices are advertised; confirm availability in the quote.
Quote variableSource
Reimbursement
70%, 80%, and 90% reimbursement choices are advertised.
Quote variableSource
Exam fees
Plan-dependent. Confirm whether covered-condition exam fees are included in the selected quote.
Quote variableSource
How the bill is paid
Vet Direct Pay can send an eligible claim payment to a consenting veterinarian after the required form is submitted.
Carrier summarySource
Waiting periods
State and policy dependent. Check the policy declarations rather than relying on one national number.
State policy controlsSource
Prior conditions
The carrier says some fully healed curable conditions may cease to be pre-existing; the state policy definition controls.
State policy controlsSource

Also compare

Add one when its policy detail solves your problem

Also compare for policy clarity and annual customization

Embrace Pet Insurance

Embrace combines an annual deductible with customizable limits and reimbursement, a post-purchase medical-history review, and a clearly described path for some resolved prior conditions.

Strong fit for

  • Owners who want a medical-history review after enrollment
  • Shoppers who prefer one annual deductible
  • People comparing a wide range of annual maximums

Watch-outs

  • Covered-condition exam fees can be optional rather than standard.
  • Dog orthopedic waits vary by state, and accident-and-illness enrollment is age-limited.

Underwriter: American Modern Insurance Group; confirm the issuing company on the state policy. Source

Read policy documentsCheck availability & quote

Also compare for a short accident wait

Figo Pet Insurance

Figo is the useful fifth quote when a one-day injury waiting period, an unlimited option, and the possibility of 100% reimbursement are important comparison points.

Strong fit for

  • Owners prioritizing a short advertised injury wait
  • Shoppers who want to price a 100% reimbursement option
  • People comfortable selecting optional Powerups

Watch-outs

  • The 100% option, Powerups, limits, and waits can vary by state and quote.
  • It is a reimbursement model, so the owner should still plan for the bill at checkout.

Underwriter: The issuing insurer varies by state; use the state document and issued policy. Source

Read policy documentsCheck availability & quote

Special case, not a general top pick

AKC Pet Insurance

AKC Pet Insurance says both curable and incurable pre-existing conditions may be eligible after 365 days of continuous coverage, where that feature is offered. This is not immediate coverage and should never be shortened to 'covers pre-existing conditions.'

Read the limitation first

  • The 365-day feature is not available in every state or policy.
  • Symptoms, treatment, continuous-coverage requirements, and other exclusions still matter.
Read the coverage terms

Apples-to-apples quotes

Hold six inputs steady

We do not label an insurer cheapest because premiums change with the pet, location, coverage settings, and date. Record the inputs below for every quote.

  1. 1

    Pet profile

    Use the same ZIP code, species, breed, age, and sex.

  2. 2

    Annual limit

    Match the same limit, or clearly separate unlimited options.

  3. 3

    Reimbursement

    Compare the same percentage and read how eligible cost is calculated.

  4. 4

    Deductible

    Keep annual deductibles equal; isolate per-condition structures.

  5. 5

    Included benefits

    Check exam fees, dental illness, prescriptions, rehab, and behavior.

  6. 6

    Policy form

    Save the state policy URL and quote date before choosing.

How we researched

Policy evidence before brand reputation

BestAnything reviewed current public materials on August 25, 2026. Carrier marketing pages summarize coverage; they do not replace the state policy, declarations, or claim decision.

  1. 01

    Read carrier documents

    We reviewed first-party coverage pages, waiting-period explanations, underwriter disclosures, and state-policy portals.

  2. 02

    Compare policy mechanics

    Recommendations are based on deductible basis, payout limits, reimbursement, exam fees, bill payment, waits, and prior-condition language.

  3. 03

    Assign a narrow role

    A provider appears only when its structure solves a defined household problem. Affiliate potential does not determine placement.

  4. 04

    Name what we did not test

    We did not buy these policies, file claims, rate customer service, or run a standardized price study for this review.

View all 29 first-party sources

Common questions

Pet insurance FAQ

Which pet insurance company should I quote first?

For a broad first pass, compare Pets Best, Trupanion, and MetLife Pet Insurance. Pets Best offers familiar annual-plan controls, Trupanion is structurally different because of its per-condition deductible and participating-hospital direct pay, and MetLife has a distinct shared Family Plan for two or three pets. Add Embrace or Figo when their specific features match your priorities.

Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Most policies exclude conditions that began, showed symptoms, or received treatment before coverage or during a waiting period. Some carriers describe limited paths for certain resolved or curable conditions, but the definition, symptom-free period, and exceptions vary by state policy. Read the actual policy before relying on a marketing summary.

Is a wellness plan the same as pet insurance?

No. Accident-and-illness insurance is designed for eligible unexpected veterinary costs. A wellness or preventive-care add-on generally budgets or reimburses listed routine services. Compare its allowance and price separately instead of treating it as broader insurance coverage.

What should I keep the same when comparing quotes?

Use the same pet profile, ZIP code, annual limit, reimbursement percentage, and deductible wherever possible. Keep Trupanion's per-condition deductible in a separate comparison because it is not equivalent to an annual deductible.

Does direct pay mean I never pay the veterinarian first?

No. Trupanion's VetDirect Pay depends on a participating hospital, while Pets Best requires the veterinarian's agreement and a release form. You remain responsible for deductibles, coinsurance, excluded charges, and any amount the insurer does not pay.