Pet Insurance
The best pet insurance in California could save you thousands of dollars if your pet needs veterinary care. Plus, it can provide peace of mind that your pets will be covered in an emergency. Some plans even cover preventative care to ensure your pets are in good health.
We gathered data from pet insurance companies in California that serve the state’s top cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and more. This analysis helped us determine the cost of pet insurance in California as well as additional perks and benefits to help you find the best coverage to meet your furry friend’s needs.
The Best Pet Insurance Companies in California
MoneyGeek analyzed thousands of quotes in California, including reviewing policy and coverage details to determine the best pet insurance companies in California. The best pet insurance companies were determined based on affordability and product offerings. Pet insurance costs can vary depending on the breed, age, and medical history of your pets. As a result, it’s a good idea to compare quotes from multiple providers in order to ensure you’re getting the best policy for your budget and needs.
Best Overall Pet Insurance in California for Your Pet
pros
Flexible policy options
Exam fees covered
Covers dental and hereditary conditions
cons
No multi-pet discount
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Pet Plan is our top overall pick for the best pet insurance in California. Pet Plan combines affordable premiums with flexible policies that you can customize according to your budget and your pet’s needs. It costs an average of $37.72 per month to insure a pet with Pet Plan.
The insurer has coverage options ranging from $5,000 to unlimited coverage and deductibles ranging from $250 to $500. One nice feature of Pet Plan is that all exam fees and sick visit fees are covered. This means that you won’t have to pay for the vet to examine and diagnose your pet if they’re sick, which can save you anywhere from $50 to $250 per visit. Unlike some insurers, Pet Plan also covers comprehensive dental treatment and hereditary conditions linked to specific breeds.
Pet Plan doesn’t offer a discount for insuring multiple pets, so if you’re looking to score a deal by signing up more than one pet, Pet Plan might not be the best option for you. That said, it’s a great overall option for California residents looking to protect their pets.
Best Pet Insurance Company in California: Unlimited Coverage
pros
Unlimited coverage for all policies
Robust alternative care options
Covers chronic conditions
cons
No multi-pet discounts
Doesn’t cover exam fees
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthy Paws is MoneyGeek’s pick for unlimited coverage for California pets. In fact, all of their policy options come with unlimited coverage, which means that you’ll never max out your coverage limit, even if your pet requires significant medical care. A policy with unlimited coverage can provide extra peace of mind in case anything happens to your pet. However, unlimited coverage is typically more expensive than other policy options. An average policy from Healthy Paws costs $50.90 per month.
Plans from Healthy Paws cover everything, such as accidents, illnesses, cancer, genetic conditions and alternative care like acupuncture and physical therapy. The insurer covers chronic conditions and illnesses as long as they’re not preexisting conditions, so even if your pet has a recurring illness, they’ll still be covered. Healthy Paws doesn’t cover any exam fees and doesn’t offer a discount for multiple pets. They’re not the most affordable option on this list, but their unlimited coverage helps make up for the cost.
Best Pet Insurance Company in California: Affordable Coverage
pros
Flexible policy options
Exam fees covered
Covers dental and hereditary conditions
cons
No multi-pet discount
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
If you’re looking for affordable coverage for your furry friend, Pet Plan is our top pick. Pet Plan’s $5k coverage policy costs an average of $18.93 per month to insure a single pet. You’ll receive coverage for sick visits, illness and injury, dental care, hereditary conditions and more.
With Pet Plan, you can customize your policy to meet your needs. You can choose from different coverage limits and deductibles to suit your budget and coverage amounts you think your pet will need each year. This means that if you have a healthy pet with no major issues, you can choose a high deductible plan with an affordable premium. Or, if your pet is getting older or has health issues, you can purchase more robust coverage for a higher monthly premium.
For a low cost, Pet Plan also comes with plenty of extra coverage types that many other insurers do without. This includes full dental coverage, exam fees, coverage for hereditary conditions and alternative treatments like acupuncture.
Best Pet Insurance Company in California: Multiple Pets
pros
Easily file claims online
Potential annual pay discount
Choose your own licensed veterinarian
cons
Waiting period for coverage to kick in
Customer service phone line not available on Sunday
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
If you’re looking for affordable coverage for more than one pet, GEICO is MoneyGeek’s top pick. Offering multi-pet discounts, a pet insurance policy from GEICO costs around $30.78 per month. Policyholders will receive coverage for their pet’s accidents, illnesses, dental needs, cancer and more.
GEICO partners with Embrace Pet Insurance to offer dog and cat insurance. When you purchase a policy with GEICO, you get to choose your own licensed veterinarian and receive up to 90% of your veterinary bill reimbursed. The insurer provides comprehensive coverage to ensure your pet has adequate protection when needed. It’s also possible to get an annual pay discount for paying for your entire policy in full, reducing your costs even further.
Depending on your pet's medical needs, there are certain waiting periods for your coverage to kick in once you purchase a policy. However, you can manage your coverage over the phone. You can also file a claim online.
Best Pet Insurance Company in California: Cats
pros
Multi-pet discount
Covers exam fees
Behavioral therapy and training is covered
cons
No unlimited coverage options
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS
Embrace is MoneyGeek’s top choice for pet insurance for cats in California. Cats tend to be less expensive to insure than dogs, so if you have a furry feline friend, it’s a good idea to shop around for coverage that’s focused on cats. It costs an average of $15.76 per month to insure one cat in California with a policy from Embrace.
Embrace offers robust coverage for your cat, including covering exam fees, illness and injury, congenital and chronic conditions, diagnostic testing, prescription drugs and more. Unlike some other providers, they also cover behavioral therapy.
Embrace also offers a multi-pet discount. If you have multiple kitties in your household, you can save money while making sure that they all have the proper coverage. One downside to Embrace is that they don’t have an unlimited coverage option. Coverage tops out at $30,000 annually. However, you probably won’t exceed this coverage limit in most cases.
Best Pets Insurance in California Ranking Summary
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- RankingWinnerAvg. Monthly Cost
- OverallPet Plan$38
- Unlimited CoverageHealthy Paws$51
- Affordable CoveragePet Plan$19
- Multiple PetsGEICO$31
- CatsEmbrace$16
What Is the Average Cost of Pet Insurance Cost for Dogs and Cats in California?
Pet insurance in California varies depending on your location, your coverage levels and your pet’s age and breed. The average cost to insure a dog in California is $30.82 per month for a $5,000 coverage limit, $54.12 per month for a $10,000 coverage limit, and $71.39 per month for an unlimited coverage limit. Cats are typically less expensive to insure, costing $16.54 per month for a $5,000 coverage limit, $27.41 for a $10,000 coverage limit, and $42.35 per month for unlimited coverage on average.
Aside from the coverage limit, how old your pet is, how high your deductible is and whether or not you choose any extra features or treatments also impact the cost. Since every insurer weighs these factors differently, it’s a good idea to get a few personalized quotes before deciding on a policy.
Average Monthly Cost of Pet Insurance in California
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- Pet Insurance Policy$5k Coverage$10k CoverageUnlimited
- Average Cost for a Dog$31$54$71
- Average Cost for a Cat$17$27$42
HOW MUCH PET INSURANCE DO YOU NEED IN CALIFORNIA?
For the average pet insurance buyer in California, we recommend an $8,000 to $20,000 coverage limit and a reimbursement rate of 80% or more. This will help to ensure that, should your pet get into an accident or have a medical emergency, you’ll be able to afford the associated costs.
Compare the Cheapest Pet Insurance Quotes in California
MoneyGeek wants to help pet owners in California understand the typical options most companies in California offer in their pet insurance policies. These include:
- Annual reimbursement limits: Ranges from $3k to Unlimited
- Deductible: $250 to $500, but some companies have higher or lower options
- Bill Reimbursement percentage: 70-90%
Some pet owners in California will be looking for cheaper policies with lower coverage amounts so they can either manage their monthly expenses or because they don’t feel like they need as much insurance coverage. However, other pet owners in California will be looking for policies with high coverage limits to ensure their pet has enough coverage. Policies with higher coverage limits typically are more expensive, and the average pet owner may not need “unlimited” protection. That said, these policies offer maximum protection for your furry family member. MoneyGeek generally recommends the average coverage amount below for pet insurance shoppers in California.
Cheapest Pet Insurance in California by Coverage Level
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- Maximum Policy CoverageWinner: Cheapest PolicyAvg Cost
- $5,000Pet Plan$19
- $10,000GEICO$40
- UnlimitedHealthy Paws$51
If you’re trying to keep your costs low, consider a plan with a low annual maximum, high deductible and low reimbursement percentage. In the below table, we’ve compared California pet insurance policies with a $5,000 coverage limit, $500 deductible, and 80% reimbursement.
Cheapest Low Coverage: $5k Annual Maximum / 80% / $500 Deductible
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- Pet Insurance CompanyLow Coverage Monthly Cost
- Pet Plan$19
- Embrace$28
- Spot$29
Cheapest Average Coverage: $10k Annual Maximum / 80% / $250 Deductible
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- Pet Insurance CompanyAverage Coverage Monthly Cost
- GEICO$40
- Embrace$40
- ASPCA$55
Cheapest Unlimited Coverage: Unlimited Maximum / 90% / $250 Deductible
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- Pet Insurance CompanyUnlimited Coverage Monthly Cost
- Healthy Paws$51
- Pets Best$55
- Pet Plan$57
The Best Cheap Pet Insurance by City in California
In addition to individual factors like your pet’s age and breed, where you live can also influence how much pet insurance costs. This is because treatment costs may be more expensive in your location. For example, many cities in California have a higher-than-average cost of living, which means higher veterinary medical costs and higher policy costs as a result. Some cities may also have more accident risks for your pets due to weather, traffic or other hazards. This can also raise your premiums. The type and level of coverage you choose can also impact your monthly pet insurance payments.
Best Cheap Pet Insurance Companies by City
- CityCoverage Level and Average Monthly Rate
- Anaheim$5k: Pet Plan, $21
$10k: Embrace, $39
Unlimited: Pets Best, $45 - Bakersfield$5k: Pet Plan, $18
$10k: Embrace, $33
Unlimited: Healthy Paws, $41 - Chula Vista$5k: Pet Plan, $23
$10k: Embrace, $39
Unlimited: Healthy Paws, $49 - Fresno$5k: Pet Plan, $18
$10k: Embrace, $39
Unlimited: Pets Best, $47 - Irvine$5k: Pet Plan, $23
$10k: Embrace, $46
Unlimited: Healthy Paws, $54
MoneyGeek used city-based data in California by gathering quotes for $10k coverage, 80% reimbursement, and $250 deductible for a 1-year-old Goldendoodle.
What Factors Impact Pet Insurance Cost in California?
The cost of pet insurance is determined by a variety of factors, including what kind of pet you have, your pet’s age, what coverage you choose, where you live and more. Most policies allow you to customize your coverage limits to create a policy that works for you and your pet.
Annual reimbursement limits
The annual reimbursement or coverage limit refers to how much the insurance company will pay towards your pet’s medical expenses each year. Coverage options range from as little as $3,000 up to unlimited coverage.
Deductible
Deductibles generally range from $250 to $500. The lower your deductible is, the higher your monthly premium tends to be. The higher your deductible, the lower your monthly pet insurance cost.
Bill reimbursement percentage
This refers to the amount that the insurance company will reimburse you for medical bills for your pet. For example, if you reach your deductible and receive a bill for $1,000 with a bill reimbursement percentage of 90%, you still have to pay $100 to the vet.
Breed
Dogs tend to be more expensive to insure than cats, and insurance for larger breeds or breeds with known congenital health issues might also cost more.
Animal age
The older your furry friend is, the more expensive their insurance tends to be. This is because many pets develop health issues as they age.
Location
Where you live can also affect the cost. If you live in an area with a higher cost of living or where there are additional environmental concerns like traffic or severe weather, your costs could be higher.
Multi-pet discounts
Some insurers offer discounts if you insure more than one pet with them.
FAQ’s About Pet Insurance in California
MoneyGeek's Rating Methodology for Pet Insurance
MoneyGeek believes that data helps us make better financial decisions. For pet insurance, our data team spent countless hours gathering thousands of pet insurance quotes across the 13 largest providers to ensure you find the most affordable policy to meet your pet’s needs.
To determine the best pet insurance companies in California, MoneyGeek built a detailed rating system by analyzing each company’s product offerings and costs. For the MoneyGeek rating score, we weighted affordability by coverage level at 50% of the total score and weighted our 24 qualitative research policy option data points at 50%.
To determine the cheapest pet insurance companies in California and to determine our affordability scores for our best rankings, MoneyGeek gathered quotes by company across many zip codes in California for four pet types with the following coverage levels:
- Low Coverage: $5,000 Coverage, $500 Deductible, 80% reimbursement
- Average Coverage: $10,000 Coverage, $250 Deductible, 80% reimbursement
- High Coverage: Unlimited Coverage, $250 Deductible, 90% reimbursement
About Mark Fitzpatrick
sources
- Care Credit. "Average Costs: Veterinary Care." Accessed November 4, 2021.
- AVMA. "AVMA Pet Ownership and Demographic Sourcebook." Accessed November 4, 2021.
Pet Insurance
