Costco Pet Insurance Review

Offered through Figo pet insurance, Costco ranks fifth for cats (4.23 out of 5) and seventh for dogs (4.42 out of 5) out of 18 insurers in our analysis. These are based on a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and 7-year-old Ragdoll, each with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.

Consider Costco if you're a Costco member focused primarily on savings, but look into better alternatives if coverage and service quality matter more to you.

Costco's strengths and weaknesses across our three core categories are:

• Coverage (9th for dogs and cats): Costco has a well-rounded base plan that includes alternative therapy, plus rehabilitation and mobility devices, at no extra cost. Beyond that, it offers less flexibility for policy customization, specifically for annual limits.
• Affordability (5th for cats, 7th for dogs): Costco is among the cheapest for pet insurance, with premiums averaging 11% below the national average. It's competitively priced for younger pets, many cat breeds and pet owners in the Mountain West and Great Plains, though rates climb for large dog breeds, senior pets and residents of the Mid-Atlantic.
• Customer experience (13th for dogs and cats): Costco has one of the easiest claim submission processes, but it falls short on claims appeals and price transparency, so it's harder to resolve disputes or understand how your quoted rate changed after enrollment or medical history review.

Costco is a good fit if you're a Costco member looking for competitive premiums or fast accident coverage. It may not be ideal if you want highly customizable coverage or a stronger overall customer experience.

• Costco members looking to save on pet insurance: Gold Star, Business and Executive members who apply through Costco's pet insurance program get a 15% discount on new policies.
• Pet owners who want a short accident waiting period: Costco's accident coverage starts one day after the policy effective date, waivable if you live in California, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont or Washington.
• Mixed-breed pet owners who don't need high annual limits: Costco's annual limits are $5,000, $10,000 and unlimited. If you have a mixed-breed pet with low risk for expensive hereditary conditions, a lower annual limit paired with 100% reimbursement eliminates coinsurance once you've met your annual deductible.

• First-time pet insurance buyers: Costco lacks personalized support during the buying process, so it may not suit a first-time buyer who needs guidance before committing.
• Owners of breeds with a higher risk of parasite-related conditions: Costco excludes parasite treatments, making it less preferable for high-risk breeds like Border Collies, Bulldogs, Terriers and Persians.
• People who want a realistic path to appealing a denied claim: Costco performs worst for claims appeals, with outcomes rarely reversed when the appeal involves pre-existing condition determinations.

Compare Costco against major pet insurance providers:

Figo underwrites Costco's pet insurance coverage, and Figo ranks ninth for both dogs and cats. The base plan covers hereditary conditions, alternative therapy and rehabilitation and mobility devices right out of the gate. That default coverage fits a large breed like a German Shepherd or Labrador Retriever especially well, since these breeds have a higher risk of inherited joint conditions and need rehabilitation, mobility support and alternative treatments as a regular part of their care.

Costco members can also get 100% reimbursement by choosing $500 to $750 deductibles and $5,000 to $10,000 annual limits. But these full-reimbursement terms suit a mixed-breed pet not predisposed to costly conditions better than a purebred with higher risk.

Coverage starts after waiting periods of one day for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and six months for orthopedic conditions. Costco has no upper age limit at enrollment, so senior pets remain eligible for coverage.

*Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Review your policy documents and contact your insurance provider to understand coverage terms, exclusions, limitations and waiting periods before enrollment.

Costco offers two optional add-ons that expand your base coverage: routine care and vet exam fees. Both are serviceable, but neither has standout benefits that add more value if you expect to use routine care or exam fee coverage regularly.

Here's more on Costco's coverage add-ons:

Costco's support runs through phone, text, email or fax, and direct vet payment is possible on a case-by-case basis through a general policy provision, though it isn't guaranteed. Claims must be filed within 180 days through the Pet Cloud portal, phone, email or fax.

You can decrease your coverage anytime, but increases only happen at renewal, and canceling by phone, email or written notice gets you a full refund if done within 30 days with no claims filed.

Costco averages $29 a month for cats and $55 for dogs, based on my pet insurance cost analysis. These rates use a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.

Costco ranks fifth for cat insurance costs, though savings against the national average come to just 1%. It places seventh for dog insurance costs, with an average rate 8% above the national benchmark.

Costco members can save 15% through an exclusive pet insurance discount, with additional savings for insuring multiple pets.

Costco's service has recurring concerns around pricing communication, renewal transparency and rigid underwriting decisions. But it has one of the easiest claims submission processes, which matters most during emergencies. It ranks 13th for customer experience for dogs and cats.

Here's where Costco's service performs best and where it falls short:

To build our Costco rankings, my team and I analyzed more than 67,000 pet profiles across breeds, ages and states, collecting quotes, testing the buying and claims experience firsthand and reviewing policy documents line by line. Our national scores are based on a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, each with a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate. This profile reflects the most common pet owner scenario but won't apply equally to every pet, so we encourage you to use the breed, state and age breakdowns in this review to find where Costco lands for your specific situation.

We applied the same framework to Costco as every other provider in our study. For a full breakdown of how we score each category, visit our methodology page.

Get back to the main review:

• Ratings
• Competition vs. Costco
• Coverage
• Affordability
• Customer Experience