Short answer: In the US, the average accident-and-illness pet insurance policy cost $836 a year (about $70 a month) for dogs and $435 a year (about $36 a month) for cats in 2025, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association’s 2026 State of the Industry Report. Accident-only cover is far cheaper, at roughly $16 a month for dogs and $9 for cats.
Pet insurance costs vary more than most first-time buyers expect, and comparing plans by monthly premium alone often leads to a misleading picture of actual value.
What Are Typical Monthly Costs?
NAPHIA, the industry body whose data covers roughly 99% of US and Canadian pet insurance premiums, publishes the average annual premium US policyholders actually pay. The 2025 figures, converted to a monthly amount:
| Plan type (US average, 2025) | Dogs per year | Dogs per month | Cats per year | Cats per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident only | $190 | ~$16 | $112 | ~$9 |
| Accident and illness | $836 | ~$70 | $435 | ~$36 |
| Insurance with embedded wellness | $1,414 | ~$118 | $859 | ~$72 |
Source: NAPHIA State of the Industry Report 2026 (2025 calendar-year data). Monthly figures are the annual average divided by 12 and rounded.
Accident-and-illness is the plan type most people mean by “pet insurance”: it covers injuries plus illnesses such as cancer, infections and digestive problems. Accident-only plans cover things like swallowed objects, lacerations, poisoning and ligament tears, but not illness. Plans with embedded wellness add routine care such as vaccinations and screening.
These are averages, not quotes. A young mixed-breed cat and a senior large-breed dog can land far apart — and an earlier version of this article gave ranges ($25–70 a month for dogs, $15–40 for cats) that now understate the typical dog policy, which sits at the very top of that old range.
Why Have Premiums Gone Up?
Prices have climbed quickly. NAPHIA’s data show the average dog accident-and-illness premium rising from $640 a year in 2022 to $836 in 2025, including an 11.5% jump in 2025 alone; cat premiums, flat for several years, rose 12.6% in 2025. NAPHIA notes that total premium volume keeps growing faster than the number of insured pets because the average premium rises every year.
Insurers point mainly to the rising cost of the care being insured — Embrace lists veterinary cost inflation alongside pet age. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics measured a 7.4% increase in veterinarian-services prices over the 12 months to August 2026, against 3.4% for overall consumer prices. For what a typical older dog’s care actually costs, see what senior dog vet bills look like.
What Actually Drives the Price?
Insurers publish the same core rating factors. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance says premiums “may increase or decrease due to the age of your pet, the species or breed of your pet, and your home address,” and Embrace lists age, breed, location and coverage selections.
| What moves the price | Effect on your monthly premium |
|---|---|
| Species | Dogs average roughly twice the cost of cats ($836 vs. $435 a year for accident-and-illness in 2025) |
| Coverage type | Accident-only is cheapest; accident-and-illness costs several times more; built-in wellness adds more again |
| Age | Many insurers reprice at renewal as pets age; Embrace says premium “may increase due to the age of your pet at renewal” |
| Breed and size | Larger breeds and breeds prone to chronic conditions may cost more, per ASPCA |
| Location | Regional vet prices feed into rates, so the same pet costs more to insure in some ZIP codes |
| Deductible | A higher deductible lowers the premium but raises what you pay before cover starts |
| Reimbursement % | Plans typically offer 70%, 80% or 90%; a lower percentage lowers the premium |
| Annual limit | A lower yearly payout cap lowers the premium, but can leave you short on a big claim |
Not every insurer uses age the same way. Trupanion’s policy disclosure states that its premiums “will not increase based on Your claim history or the age of Your covered Pet” but may change if you move to a new ZIP code — though insurers can still raise rates across their whole book of customers.
For how much breed alone changes the price, see the pet insurance price gap between popular dog breeds; for the age curve, see how dog insurance costs change with age.
How Much Does It Cost for an Older Pet?
More, and it can be harder to get. Because premiums are based on the pet’s current age, a policy that starts cheaply for a puppy or kitten will usually cost more each year it renews. Some plans also stop accepting new pets past a certain age — Trupanion, for example, enrolls pets under 14 — so waiting until a pet is older can narrow your options as well as raise the price.
Enrolling young doesn’t freeze the premium, but it does mean fewer conditions are excluded as pre-existing, since insurers generally won’t cover anything with signs or treatment before the policy started. See does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions.
Why Is Comparing Premium Alone Misleading?
Two plans at the same monthly price can pay out very differently. Many insurers apply the reimbursement percentage first and then subtract the deductible — Trupanion’s own disclosure shows a $1,000 bill at 90% becoming $900, minus a $250 deductible, for a $650 payout.
Applied to a $3,000 emergency bill with a $500 annual deductible (illustrative only):
- At 80% reimbursement: $3,000 × 80% = $2,400, minus $500 = $1,900 back; you pay $1,100
- At 90% reimbursement: $3,000 × 90% = $2,700, minus $500 = $2,200 back; you pay $800
Exclusions matter too. Pre-existing conditions are almost universally excluded, some plans don’t reimburse exam fees, and standard accident-and-illness plans don’t cover routine care. Annual caps can also bite on a single large claim — see annual limit vs. per-incident pet insurance and high-limit vs. standard pet insurance.
How Do You Compare Plans Meaningfully?
- Compare the full structure — premium, deductible, reimbursement percentage and annual cap — at the same settings across insurers
- Check the exclusions, especially hereditary or breed-specific conditions relevant to your pet, and whether exam fees are covered
- Confirm the waiting period before cover begins, which varies by insurer and condition type — see pet insurance waiting periods explained
- Ask how the premium changes with age at renewal, and whether there’s a maximum enrollment age
- Enroll while your pet is healthy, since conditions that appear before the policy starts are excluded going forward
What About Pet Insurance in India?
Indian pet insurance is structured differently: instead of a US-style reimbursement percentage, policies pay up to a chosen sum insured for sections such as surgery, hospitalisation and third-party liability. Premiums are much lower in absolute terms. Bajaj General Insurance, for example, quotes a starting premium of ₹169 a year for a one-year-old small dog with ₹10,000 of surgery cover, and names age, sum insured, the sections chosen and breed as the main price drivers. Entry ages are strict — typically up to 7 years for most dogs and 4 for giant breeds — which matters for older pets. More in is pet insurance worth it for senior pets in India.
Is Pet Insurance Worth the Monthly Cost?
For many owners the value only becomes clear when a serious illness or injury happens. NAPHIA’s 2026 report lists single 2025 claims of more than $40,000 for conditions such as kidney disease, heart disease and cancer — a scale no monthly premium comes close to. Those are the extremes, though, and a young, healthy pet may cost more in premiums than it claims for years.
Whether it’s worth it depends on your pet’s breed-related risk, your savings buffer for a surprise bill, and how much certainty you want. Our average pet insurance cost comparison for dogs and cats and dog insurance cost per month go further into both sides.
This article is general information, not insurance or financial advice. Premiums, terms and exclusions vary by insurer, plan and state — check the policy documents and get a quote for your own pet before buying.
Sources
- NAPHIA — State of the Industry Report 2026 (Highlights), June 2026
- ASPCA Pet Health Insurance — Is pet insurance affordable? How to find the best plan for your budget, August 2025
- Embrace Pet Insurance — Why pet insurance premiums rise with age, September 2025
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Price Index news release (August 2026 data), September 2026
- Trupanion — Insurer disclosure of important policy provisions (Florida)
- Bajaj General Insurance — Pet insurance
