ASPCA offers some of the most comprehensive pet insurance coverage on the market.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100-$750
Policy highlight
Broader coverage than most other plans.
Why we picked it: We chose ASPCA as our best overall insurer in California because it had the highest raw score of all the companies NerdWallet evaluated. Its policies include coverage that some other pet insurers charge extra for (or don’t cover at all). For example, plans can pay for prescription food and behavioral therapies.
Standout feature: We like that ASPCA has a straightforward 14-day waiting period for all accidents and illnesses. (A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage begins.) Some companies make you wait six months or more before covering issues like knee injuries.
Don’t choose ASPCA if: You’re hoping to use a mobile app to manage your policy. The ASPCA pet insurance app has low ratings in both the App Store and Google Play.
Sample rates
These sample rates are for pets living in Los Angeles with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Dogs:
Age 2: $43/month
Age 8: $96/month
Cats:
Age 2: $24/month
Age 8: $44/month
» READ MORE: ASPCA pet insurance review
Spot offers one of the most comprehensive accident and illness plans on the market.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,000
Policy highlight
Broad coverage, including microchip implantation.
Why we picked it: Spot is right behind ASPCA at the top of NerdWallet’s rankings. Its accident and illness plan is just as comprehensive, covering exam fees, dental illnesses, behavioral issues and microchipping. You can add a preventive care package to help with routine expenses, too.
Standout feature: Policyholders can access a variety of “Spot Perks,” including discounts on things like dog food, cat toys and pet DNA kits.
Don’t choose Spot if: You prefer to communicate with your insurer online. The company’s contact page has only a phone number, not an email address or live chat.
Sample rates
These sample rates are for pets living in Los Angeles with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Dogs:
Age 2: $43/month
Age 8: $96/month
Cats:
Age 2: $24/month
Age 8: $44/month
» READ MORE: Spot pet insurance review
Embrace stands out for its flexible wellness plan and its customizable accident and illness coverage.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,000
Policy highlight
Wellness plan is more flexible than most.
Why we picked it: Embrace offered the cheapest rates for most of our sample pets in Los Angeles. Its policies are fairly comprehensive, covering behavioral issues, complementary therapies and dental illnesses.
Standout feature: Embrace’s optional wellness plan can pay for a wider variety of services than many others. For example, you can get reimbursed for grooming, behavioral training and supplements.
Don’t choose Embrace if: You want a plan that includes everything without extra fees. Embrace charges more for prescription drug coverage, which most other insurers include in their standard policies. You’ll also have to pay extra if you want the company to reimburse you for vet exam fees.
Sample rates
These sample rates are for pets living in Los Angeles with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Dogs:
Age 2: $39/month
Age 8: $75/month
Cats:
Age 2: $17/month
Age 8: $30/month
» READ MORE: Embrace pet insurance review
Figo stands out for paying up to 100% of your vet bills after you meet your deductible.
Annual max coverage
Unlimited
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90%, 100%
Deductibles
$100 - $1,500
Policy highlight
Mobile app has lots of useful features.
Why we picked it: Figo offered reasonable rates for the older pets in our tests, and it has no upper age limit for enrollment. Figo’s plan can cover common issues that develop in senior pets such as arthritis, cancer and dental illness. (They must be diagnosed after you buy your policy.)
Standout feature: Most pet insurers offer to pay up to 90% of your vet bills, but Figo has a 100% reimbursement option for many pets.
Don’t choose Figo if: You want an accident-only plan, which the company doesn’t offer.
Sample rates
These sample rates are for pets living in Los Angeles with a $250 deductible, $2,500 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Dogs:
Age 2: $42/month
Age 8: $98/month
Cats:
Age 2: $21/month
Age 8: $41/month
» READ MORE: Figo pet insurance review
Compare the best pet insurance companies in California
Below you can compare our four top companies at a glance. The average monthly rate is based on four sample pets in Los Angeles. Embrace is the most affordable option, while ASPCA and Spot have the most comprehensive coverage of the four.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average monthly rate | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|
$52 | Best overall | ||
$52 | Best coverage | ||
$40 | Best value | ||
$51 | Best for older pets |
» MORE: The best pet insurance companies
Cheap pet insurance in California
Below are the cheapest insurers we found in California for dogs and cats, based on quotes we gathered in Los Angeles. Some of these companies didn’t make our list of the top picks above because they didn’t rate as highly for coverage or consumer experience. But they may be right for your pet, depending on your budget and coverage needs.
Unless otherwise stated, our sample pets were mixed-breed dogs and cats with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. Your own prices may be different.
Below are the lowest monthly rates we found for 2-year-old mixed-breed dogs.
Company
NerdWallet star rating
Sample monthly rate
$34
$39
$42
$43
$43
$43
$43
$45
$45
$48
*The Prudent Pet quote is for $2,500 of annual coverage.
Below are the lowest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old mixed-breed dogs.
Company
NerdWallet star rating
Sample monthly rate
$75
$85
$96
$96
$96
$96
$98
$99
$100
*The Prudent Pet quote is for $2,500 of annual coverage.
These are the cheapest monthly rates we found for 2-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats.
Company
NerdWallet star rating
Sample monthly rate
$17
$21
$23
$24
$24
$24
$24
$25
$27
$27
These are the cheapest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats.
Company
NerdWallet star rating
Sample monthly rate
$30
$41
$44
$44
$44
$44
$47
$49
$50
What to know about buying pet insurance in California
According to California law, pet insurers must clearly tell consumers:
What’s not covered, including pre-existing conditions, hereditary/congenital disorders or chronic issues.
Coverage limitations such as waiting periods, deductibles and annual or lifetime limits.
How the company determines claim payments.
Whether a vet exam is required to get coverage.
Policyholders must have at least 30 days to cancel their plan for a full refund, as long as they haven’t yet filed any claims.
Watch your wallet
Vet care in California can be expensive. The average cost of a vet visit for a dog in California is $110, behind only Hawaii and Washington, D.C. For cats, the average cost was $85 per visit. These numbers are based on 2023-2024 data from CareCredit.
» MORE: Is pet insurance worth it?
How to choose the best pet insurance
Look beyond price. Cost is important, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration. Say Plan A costs $10 more a month than Plan B, but it includes coverage for exam fees and alternative therapies. If you have to pay extra to get these types of coverage with Plan B — or they’re not available at all — you might find Plan A a better value. See the table below to get an idea of which services are typically covered.
Expense | Covered? |
|---|---|
Alternative or behavioral therapies | Sometimes. Some companies charge extra for this coverage or don't offer it at all. |
Checkups and vaccines | No, unless you have a wellness plan. |
Congenital and hereditary conditions | Usually. Most companies cover these issues, but occasionally there are limits or restrictions. |
Dental care | It depends. Dental coverage varies widely. See our guide to pet dental insurance. |
Emergency care | Yes. You can generally count on pet insurance plans to cover emergencies. |
Prescription medicine | Usually. A handful of pet insurers charge extra for this coverage, but most companies include it in their standard plans. |
Prescription food and supplements | Sometimes. There may be limits or extra charges for this coverage. Learn more about pet insurance and prescription food. |
Pre-existing conditions | Usually not. If your pet was sick or hurt before you bought the plan, the condition typically won't be covered. See our guide to pre-existing conditions. |
Spaying or neutering | No, unless you have a wellness plan. Learn more about spay and neuter coverage. |
Surgery and hospitalization | Usually. It depends on the underlying condition, but pet insurance often covers these expenses. Learn more about pet insurance and surgery. |
Vet exam fees | Sometimes. It can be an unpleasant surprise to find that some companies will cover other treatments but not the vet's exam fee for a sick visit. |
» MORE: What does pet insurance cover? Read our complete guide
Learn about the claims process. If one pet insurer generally processes claims within two days while another takes up to a month, you may want to go with the quicker one. That way you’re not waiting for weeks to get reimbursed. Even better, keep an eye out for pet insurers that can pay your vet directly.
Read reviews. NerdWallet has researched dozens of pet insurance companies so you don’t have to. Read our pet insurance reviews to see our star ratings and get coverage details.
Understand your policy options. The following elements of your plan determine how much of your vet expenses your pet insurer covers. You can usually customize these options when you first buy your plan.
Most plans have a limit on how much they'll reimburse each year. It's often a fixed amount such as $5,000 or $10,000, though many companies also offer an unlimited option. If you spend more than the limit in a given year, you'll have to cover the rest yourself.
A pet insurance deductible is the amount of vet expenses you need to pay before you’re eligible for reimbursement. For example, if you have a $500 deductible but spend only $300 at the vet one year, your insurer won't reimburse anything. Most companies have an annual deductible that resets each year.
Once you've met your deductible, you and the insurance company will split your vet bills. The insurer will typically reimburse 70%, 80% or 90% of your bill, while you pay the rest. The amount you pay is sometimes called your coinsurance.
How we choose the best pet insurance companies
👋 I’m Sarah Schlichter, a senior writer and content strategist covering pet insurance. I built NerdWallet’s pet insurance rubric and did the research for this page to find the best pet insurance options. I gathered and analyzed data across three major categories:
Companies score higher if they include more types of coverage in their standard plans.
We evaluate pet insurance plans based on their default accident and illness coverage, which types of coverage cost extra and which types of coverage aren't available at all.
Plan types
In addition to accident and illness plans, we look at whether companies also offer accident-only and wellness plans.
Animals covered
Companies get extra credit for insuring animals besides just dogs and cats.
Coverage for specific services and conditions
Some of the biggest differences between pet insurance plans have to do with how they cover the following services and conditions. Companies rank higher if they offer more of these types of coverage, especially if they're included at no extra cost:
Vet exam fees.
Congenital and hereditary conditions.
Behavioral therapies.
Prescription food.
Supplements.
Alternative and complementary treatments.
Dental illnesses.
Pre-existing conditions
Pre-existing conditions are medical issues your pet had before you bought your policy. We reward companies that will cover certain pre-existing conditions after a waiting period.
Companies score well when they have consumer-friendly features such as live chat or the ability to pay your vet directly.
We evaluate each pet insurer's customer experience based on the following factors:
Direct vet pay
Most pet insurance companies reimburse you for vet bills you've already paid, but some are able to pay your vet directly. That means you'll have to put out less of your own money upfront.
Live chat
Pet insurers get extra credit if they offer a live chat for customer service.
Vet helpline
We reward companies that have a 24-hour vet helpline for questions about your pet's health.
Claim calculation
The way a pet insurer calculates your claim payouts can influence how quickly you meet your deductible and start getting paid. We reward companies that use a more generous method.
Companies earn points based on how customizable their pet insurance plans are.
Being able to customize your plan makes it easier to find the coverage and price that are right for you. We look at the following factors:
Deductibles
A deductible is the amount of vet care you need to pay for before your insurer will start reimbursing you. We reward companies that offer more deductible options.
Reimbursement rates
Once you've met your deductible, the insurance company will reimburse a certain percentage of your vet bills, such as 70% or 80%. The more options for your reimbursement rate, the better.
Coverage limits
Most pet insurers will reimburse you up to a certain annual limit, such as $5,000 or $10,000. Some offer plans with no limit. We reward companies with a broad range of limits to choose from.
Frequently asked questions
Your first step is to shop around with at least three insurers. Ask about discounts for things like serving in the military or insuring more than one pet. You can also adjust your coverage limits. Choosing a lower annual limit or raising your deductible can help you save money.
We got quotes ranging from $17 to more than $100 a month for pets living in Los Angeles. However, your own rates will vary based on where you live in the state, how much coverage you want, and your pet’s age and breed.
You can usually take your furry pal to any licensed veterinarian. In most cases, you’ll pay the vet bill yourself and then send it to your insurer for reimbursement. So you don’t have to worry about vets being in or out of network the way you do with human health insurance.
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.CareCredit. Veterinary Exam and Procedure Costs. Accessed May 1, 2026.
Pet insurance star rating methodology
NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including consumer experience, scope of coverage and the ability to customize your plan. We give higher ratings to companies that cover a wide range of medical treatments and that offer perks such as live chat support and direct vet pay. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around. Comparing several insurance quotes can help you find the best rate for your pet. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Pet insurance sample rate methodology
To find sample rates, NerdWallet gathered quotes for the base level of accident and illness coverage on each insurer’s website. Quotes reflect the monthly cost of a policy and don't include wellness coverage or other optional add-ons.
Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. We customized the plans as necessary when those limits weren’t available. Our sample pets were a medium-sized, mixed-breed dog and a domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cat. We gathered rates for pets aged 2 and 8 years old.
These are sample rates gathered for specific pets in a select ZIP code. Your own rates will be different.
