Average Pet Insurance Cost (2026 Report)

MoneyGeek's analysis found pet insurance averages $47 per month ($568 annually). This is based on a 6-year-old Labrador Retriever and a 7-year-old Ragdoll, each insured under a $5,000 annual limit, $500 deductible and 80% reimbursement rate.

Treat this this as a national benchmark, not a quote. Factors like coverage selection, breed, location and age all affect what insurers charge, and no two pets will cost the same because of them.

Use our tool below to find out the average pet insurance cost for your pet's specific profile.

Pet insurance premiums vary based on four factors: coverage selection, breed, geographic location and age. Each one signals something different to insurers about the expected cost and frequency of claims. The same policy can look very different in price depending on whether you're insuring a young mixed-breed dog in a rural state or an older purebred cat in a high-cost metro.

How you structure a policy determines where your premium lands within the full cost range. Average monthly costs can range from $32 to $125 based on the annual limit, deductible and reimbursement rate you choose. Each component is broken down in the sections below.

Pet owners selecting a $5,000 annual limit pay an average of $47 monthly. Adjusting this component changes the premium considerably: a $2,000 limit averages $40 per month, while unlimited coverage averages $125.

The relationship between limits and premiums isn't a straight line. The $2,500 tier averages $94 per month, higher than every other limit in our dataset except unlimited. The $15,000 limit also prices above the $50,000 and $100,000 tiers at $64 per month despite offering less coverage. This kind of pricing reflects how individual insurers structure and position their products, not a uniform rule that more coverage always costs more.

The chart below shows how average monthly costs distribute across various annual limit tiers.

Jump To: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Deductible

At a $500 deductible, pet insurance averages $47 per month. Moving to a $50 deductible pushes that figure to $83, while a $1,000 deductible brings it down to $32, a 157% difference between the two extremes that reflects how much of each claim the insurer absorbs before the policyholder contributes anything.

The path between those endpoints doesn't follow a predictable pattern. The $350 deductible averages $68 per month, higher than the $300 tier at $61 and the $400 tier at $51, despite sitting between them. Similarly, the $700 deductible averages $65 per month against the $750 tier's $36, a 78% gap between two thresholds just $50 apart. These irregularities point to differences in how individual insurers price and structure their deductible tiers.

See the chart below for the average monthly costs based on different deductibles.

Jump To: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Reimbursement Rate

Pet insurance with 80% reimbursement averages $47 per month, which means the insurer pays 80% of covered costs after you meet your deductible. Choosing 100% reimbursement raises that to $86 per month, since the insurer takes on every covered dollar with no cost-sharing from the policyholder.

The 50% tier doesn't follow that logic, though. At $46 per month, it prices almost the same as the 80% tier despite covering far less of each claim. The 60% tier comes in lower at $32 per month, meaning a policyholder gets less coverage at 50% for roughly the same price as 80%. Note that each insurer sets its own reimbursement tier pricing based on its claims data and product structure, which is why the 50% tier doesn't automatically cost less than the tiers above it.

The table below shows average monthly costs across all reimbursement rates.

Jump To: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Annual Limit

Breed is one of the stronger cost drivers in pet insurance because insurers price it based on the hereditary conditions and claim histories documented for each breed. Dog premiums range from $33 to $129 per month, while cat premiums run narrower, from $29 to $42 per month.

Dog breed premiums range from $33 per month for a Chihuahua to $129 for an Olde English Bulldogge. The breeds in our dataset fall into five cost tiers based on their distance from the national average:

• Lowest-cost breeds (20%+ below national average): Chihuahua, Shih Tzu, Maltipoo, Jack Russell Terrier, Morkie, Havanese, Cockapoo, Shiba Inu, Papillon, Miniature Poodle, Cavapoo, Husky, Yorkshire Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Maltese, Australian Silky Terrier, Toy Poodle, Dingo, Puggle, English Toy Terrier, Basenji, Coton De Tulear, Schnoodle, Lhasa Apso, Cavachon, Dachshund, Pomeranian, Japanese Chin, American Eskimo, Japanese Spitz, Border Collie, Groodle, Peruvian Hairless Dog, Pekingese, Miniature Pinscher, Shetland Sheepdog, Fox Terrier, American Hairless Terrier, German Spitz, Australian Terrier, Miniature Dachshund, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Border Terrier, Goldendoodle, West Highland White Terrier, Labradoodle, German Pinscher, Norwich Terrier, Bichon Frise, Miniature Schnauzer, Bearded Collie, Brussels Griffon, Australian Cattle Dog, Siberian Husky, English Foxhound
• Low-cost breeds (5% to 20% below national average): Norfolk Terrier, Italian Greyhound, American Foxhound, Boston Terrier, Finnish Lapphund, Cairn Terrier, Norwegian Elkhound, Whippet, Irish Terrier, Icelandic Sheepdog, Collie, Welsh Corgi Cardigan, Pointer, Foxhound, Affenpinscher, Keeshond, Alaskan Husky, Wire Fox Terrier, Standard Schnauzer, Beagle, Miniature Fox Terrier, Australian Kelpie, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Terrier, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, German Shorthaired Pointer, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Samoyed, Field Spaniel, Pug, Smooth Collie, Harrier, Belgian Shepherd Malinois, Vizsla, Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier, Tibetan Terrier, Saluki, Cocker Spaniel, Scottish Terrier, English Setter, Italian Spinone, Puli, Corgi, German Shepherd, Standard Poodle, Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Mid-cost breeds (within ±5% of national average): Chow Chow, Briard, Portuguese Water Dog, English Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla, Afghan Hound, Golden Retriever, Rough Collie, Labrador Retriever, Alaskan Malamute, Irish Setter, Akita, Bracco Italiano, Pit Bull, Old English Sheepdog, Clumber Spaniel, Airedale Terrier
• High-cost breeds (5% to 20% above national average): Lurcher, Basset Fauve de Bretagne, American Staffordshire Terrier, Greyhound, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Great Pyrenees, Bull Terrier, Komondor, Dalmatian, Miniature Bull Terrier, Kangal Shepherd Dog, Basset Hound, Estrela Mountain Dog, Weimaraner, Borzoi, Gordon Setter, Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Central Asian Shepherd Dog
• Highest-cost breeds (20%+ above national average): Boxer, Bloodhound, American Bulldog, American Bully, Scottish Deerhound, Shar Pei, French Bulldog, Tibetan Mastiff, Cane Corso, Newfoundland, Rottweiler, English Mastiff, Great Dane, English Bulldog, Saint Bernard, Bernese Mountain Dog, Dogue de Bordeaux, Doberman Pinscher, Bull Mastiff, Olde English Bulldogge

Most dog breeds we analyzed fall into the lowest-cost or low-cost tiers, meaning the majority of breeds price below the national average. The mid-cost tier is the thinnest, with only 17 breeds landing within 5% of the benchmark in either direction.

However, the skew toward lower-cost breeds in the dataset doesn't necessarily reflect what most pet owners will pay in practice. The most commonly owned breeds, Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, French Bulldogs, German Shepherds and Beagles, don't all sit at the low end. Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers land in the mid-cost tier, while French Bulldogs come in at $90 per month, well above the national average.

Jump To: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Cat Breed

Monthly premiums across cat breeds range between $29 for a Bombay and $42 for a Serengeti. The breeds fall into three cost tiers relative to the national average:

• Low-cost breeds (5%+ below national average): Bombay, Domestic Shorthair, Siamese
• Mid-cost breeds (within ±5% of national average): Russian Blue, Tonkinese, Norwegian Forest Cat, Chinchilla, Ragdoll, Devon Rex, Birman, Munchkin
• High-cost breeds (5%+ above national average): British Longhair, Burmese, Snowshoe, Himalayan, Bengal, Scottish Fold, Cornish Rex, British Shorthair, Persian, Siberian, Balinese, Savannah, Maine Coon, Sphynx, Exotic Shorthair, Abyssinian, Australian Mist, Serengeti

18 of the 29 breeds land in the high-cost tier, with only three sitting below the national average. The low-cost tier is also telling. The Domestic Shorthair, which is by far the most commonly owned cat in the U.S., prices at $29 per month, below the national average. 

For owners of mixed-breed or non-pedigree cats, the benchmark is likely to overstate what they'll pay. But for owners of popular pedigree breeds, like Ragdolls, Maine Coons, Persians and British Shorthairs, the national average is a floor, not a ceiling.

Jump To: Average Pet Insurance Cost by Dog Breed

The average cost of pet insurance run from $37 monthly in Alabama to $71 monthly in Washington, D.C., showing a 90% gap driven entirely by where the pet lives, not what it's covered for. The 50 states and Washington, D.C. fall into three cost tiers based on their distance from the national average:

• Low-cost states (10%+ below national average): Alabama, Arkansas, North Dakota, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Montana, New Mexico, Iowa, Nebraska, Rhode Island and Maine
• Mid-cost states (within ±10% of national average): Kansas, Mississippi, Wyoming, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, South Dakota, Vermont, Nevada, Florida, Ohio, Utah, Arizona, Oregon, Maryland, Texas, Georgia, Delaware, Alaska, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
• High-cost states (10%+ above national average): New Hampshire, Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, Connecticut, Hawaii, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Washington and Washington, D.C.

25 of the 51 jurisdictions analyzed price within 10% of the national average in either direction. Only 11 land in the high-cost tier, and they're clustered in the Northeast, West Coast and Washington, D.C. The low-cost tier, by contrast, is made up almost entirely of Southern and Midwestern states where lower veterinary practice overhead keeps regional pricing closer to, or well below, the national benchmark.

At the extremes, the gap is substantial. Alabama sits 21% below the national average, while Washington, D.C. runs 50% above it. The 90% difference between the two endpoints reflects how much local veterinary costs, specialty care infrastructure and cost of living can move a premium for the exact same coverage.

Explore our state-specific resources below for more detailed information.

At age 1, pet insurance costs an average of $31 per month. By age 15, that figure reaches $135, a 332% increase for the same coverage terms.

Premiums stay relatively flat through the first few years of life. Ages 1 through 3 all average between $31 and $33 per month. The rate of increase picks up at age 4 and accelerates steadily through the senior years, with the sharpest dollar jumps occurring between ages 9 and 12, a window where annual claim costs tend to rise as chronic conditions and complex medical needs become more common in older pets.

Our data also shows a ceiling effect at age 16. Premiums plateau at $131 per month from age 16 through 20, suggesting insurers cap their age-based pricing at a certain point rather than continuing to increase it indefinitely.

Use our dedicated resources below to learn more about the average pet insurance cost based on different age groups.

Breed, age and location all affect what you pay, but you can't change them. Coverage selection is where you have room to adjust, and the right changes can lower your premium without giving up the coverage that counts.

Pet insurance costs depend on factors like breed, age, location and the coverage terms you choose. The $47 monthly national average is a useful starting point, but it's based on a specific pet profile and specific coverage limits. Your quote will reflect your own pet's profile and it may land well above or below that number.

Three questions help put your quote in context:

1. Does your pet's breed and age put you above or below the national average?
2. Which coverage choices are driving your premium up?
3. What changes to your deductible, annual limit or reimbursement rate would bring it closer to where you want it?

The average tells you where most quotes cluster. These three questions tell you where yours fits and what's driving it there.

If you're ready to get quotes, use your pet's breed, age and location alongside your preferred coverage limits to gather quotes from multiple insurers. Comparing at least three quotes using identical terms is the most reliable way to see where pricing lands for your pet's profile.

If you're still weighing your options, the decision points below cover the most common cost-related concerns pet owners run into.