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.

Costco is worth considering for pet insurance if you're a Costco member focused primarily on savings, but you'll need to look into better alternatives if you value coverage and service quality more.

Below I've summarized Costco's performance at a high level, focusing on its strengths and weaknesses across our three core categories:

• Coverage (9th for dogs and cats): Costco has a well-rounded base plan that includes alternative therapy as well as rehabilitation and mobility devices at no extra cost, but other than those coverages, it doesn't stand out as much as some competitors. It also doesn't have as much flexibility for policy customization, specifically for annual limits.
• Affordability (5th for dogs and cats): Costco is among the cheapest for pet insurance, with premiums averaging 11% below the national average. It offers competitive pricing for younger pets, many cat breeds and pet owners in Mountain West and Great Plains states, though rates tend to increase for large dog breeds, senior pets and residents of the Mid-Atlantic region.
• Customer experience (13th for dogs and cats): While it has one of the easiest claim submission processes, Costco falls short in claims appeals and price transparency, making it harder for policyholders to resolve disputes or understand how their quoted rate changed after enrollment or medical history review.

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

• Costco members looking to save on pet insurance: Costco Gold Star, Business and Executive members who apply through Costco's pet insurance program can 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, which can be waived if you live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, California, Nebraska, Washington, Mississippi, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Delaware, Maine, Vermont, Maryland and Hawaii.
• Mixed-breed pet owners who don't need high annual limits: Costco's annual limits are limited to $5,000, $10,000 and unlimited. If you have a mixed-breed pet with low risks for expensive hereditary conditions, you can opt for a lower annual limit and access 100% reimbursement, eliminating coinsurance once you've met your annual deductible.

• First-time pet insurance buyers: Because Costco lacks personalized support during the buying process, it may not be ideal for first-time buyers who need guidance before committing.
• Owners of breeds with a higher risk to parasite-related conditions: Costco excludes parasite treatments in its coverage, which makes it less preferable for high-risk breeds like Border Collies, Bulldogs, Terriers and Persians.
• Those who want a realistic path to appealing a denied claim: Costco performs the worst for claims appeal, with rare outcome reversals when the appeal involves pre-existing condition determinations.

Compare Costco against major pet insurance providers to identify the best option for your specific situation.

Costco’s pet insurance coverage is offered through Figo, which ranks ninth for both dogs and cats. Its base plan covers hereditary conditions, alternative therapy, and rehabilitation and mobility devices by default, ideal for large breed pets, like German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers, whose increased risk of inherited joint conditions can make rehabilitation, mobility support and alternative treatments a more common part of their care.

Costco members also have the option for 100% reimbursement if they choose $500 to $750 deductibles and $5,000 to $10,000 annual limits. However, the available terms for full reimbursement are better suited for owners with mixed-breed pets that aren’t predisposed to conditions that are costly to treat or manage.

Coverage starts after waiting periods of one day for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and six months for orthopedic conditions. Costco doesn’t have upper age limits during enrollments, so senior pets are still eligible for coverage.  

The table below further breaks down Costco's coverage options and terms:

*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.

With Costco, you have two optional add-ons that can expand your base coverage to include routine care and vet exam fees. They're both serviceable, but neither has standout benefits that can provide more value for pet owners who expect to use routine care benefits and vet exam fee coverage regularly.

Learn more about Costco's coverage add-on below.

A policy's coverage is important, but so is the experience of using it. Knowing how to reach Costco's customer support and how it handles claims and cancellations before enrolling can help you evaluate whether it's a good long-term fit for your situation.

Based on my pet insurance cost analysis, Costco has an average monthly rate of $29 for cats and $55 for dogs. These are based on 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 compared to the national average is only 1%. Meanwhile, it places seventh for dog insurance costs through its average rate that's 8% above the national benchmark.

Costco members can save 15% through a pet insurance discount exclusive for them, with additional savings if they insure multiple pets.

Costco finishes 13th in customer experience for dogs and cats, reflecting a service with recurring concerns around pricing communication, renewal transparency and rigid underwriting decisions. That said, it has one of the easiest process for submitting claims, which matters most during emergencies.

Learn where Costco's service performs best and where it falls short for pet owners below.

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