Best Pet Insurance

Lemonade is the most affordable pet insurance company for dogs and the second-cheapest for cats in our study. It offers average monthly rates of $41 for dogs and $23 for cats, saving pet owners 33% and 28% compared to national benchmarks. Lemonade ranks first in affordability for the following pet profiles:

• Pet categories most often cheapest for: Puppies, Young Dogs, Middle-Aged Dogs, Senior Cats
• States/Regions most often cheapest in:
  • West: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington
  • South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
  • Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin
  • Northeast: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island

Lemonade provides the third-best customer experience for pet insurance nationwide. It holds a 3.9 out of 5 Trustpilot rating, with policyholders highlighting Lemonade's fast claim processing, user-friendly app and transparent coverage details. Some note that its AI-driven process requires complete documentation to avoid delays.

On Reddit, Lemonade earns 72% positive sentiment from 32 comments. Reddit users praise Lemonade's instant claim approvals through the mobile app and quick reimbursements, often receiving money within minutes of filing.

Lemonade has limited coverage compared to other providers, ranking sixth nationally for both pets. Here's what Lemonade covers:

• Coverage options: Lemonade only offers one customizable policy that covers both accidents and illnesses, with deductibles from $100 to $750, reimbursement rates between 60% and 90%, and up to $100,000 in annual limits.
• Coverage terms: Lemonade's coverage starts after a waiting period of two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, 30 days for orthopedic conditions and up to 6 months for cruciate ligament events. The company also only insures pets up to 14 years old, depending on breed.
• Coverage add-ons: Lemonade offers four preventative care packages that cover routine care, including wellness exams, vaccinations, routine diagnostics and spaying/neutering. It also has add-ons for physical therapy, dental illness, vet exam fees, behavioral conditions and end-of-life services. These often come standard with other providers.

If you're looking for affordable pet insurance, Rainwalk ranks outside the top five for affordability. It places 10th for dogs and eighth for cats in our analysis. At $60 per month for dogs and $30 per month for cats, Rainwalk provides only 1% and 5% savings compared to national averages.

Rainwalk earns a 4.7 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot. Customers praise responsive human support through phone, email, text and app rather than automated systems.

Rainwalk holds 71% positive sentiment from seven comments on Reddit, with users highlighting fast claim processing that often takes hours instead of days and direct deposit reimbursements through Venmo or bank transfer. Some report occasional claim processing delays and coverage gaps, but most appreciate the provider's transparent communication and personalized service from representatives who address pets by name.

Rainwalk's pet insurance coverage ranks fourth nationally, featuring free and unlimited virtual vet consultations, a curable conditions clause and optional coverage for breeding. Rainwalk's coverage options, terms and add-ons:

• Coverage options: Rainwalk only offers comprehensive accident and illness policies for dogs and cats, though its maximum annual limit of $20,000 may not be ideal for pet owners looking for unlimited coverage.
• Coverage terms: The company's coverage begins after 14 days for both accidents and illnesses, with no upper age or breed restrictions during enrollment. Rainwalk also covers curable pre-existing conditions after 180 symptom-free days.
• Coverage add-ons: Rainwalk offers add-ons for breeding, exam fees, alternative treatments and pet owner benefits. It doesn't have an add-on for routine care beyond vaccinations.

AKC is more expensive than most providers, ranking ninth based on our full 18-provider analysis for both pets. The company's monthly rates average $35 for cats and $59 for dogs, but you can lower your premium with AKC's multi-pet or breeder discounts.

AKC ties with Lemonade in third place for customer experience, earning strong positive sentiment on Reddit at 86%. It has six favorable comments out of seven, with Redditors praising AKC's responsive customer service representatives and clear policy language.

On Trustpilot, AKC has a 2.8 out of 5 rating, with users reporting frustrations with claim denials and longer response times when issues arise. AKC responds to 71% of negative Trustpilot reviews within a week, which shows engagement with customer concerns.

AKC's pet insurance coverage has unique features that rank it first in this category:

• Coverage options: AKC offers both accident-only and accident and illness policies, which you can customize with a broad range of options for deductibles (between $100 and $1,000) and annual limits (from $2,500 to unlimited).
• Coverage terms: AKC requires a waiting period of two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and 180 days for cruciate or orthopedic conditions. It's also the only major pet insurer that provides coverage for curable and incurable pre-existing conditions after 365 days of continuous enrollment.
• Coverage add-ons: AKC has an optional add-on for hereditary and congenital conditions, which often comes standard with other providers. AKC also has add-ons for exam fees, routine care, end-of-life services and breeding.