Pet insurance quotes: what you need and how to compare them

Many insurers quote online. Embrace, for example, says its quote takes about a minute (checked October 29, 2026). The steps are about the same everywhere:

1. Gather your pet’s facts (see the list below).
2. Get quotes from two or more insurers.
3. Set every quote to the same deductible, payback share and yearly limit.
4. Read each sample policy for limits, exclusions and waiting periods.
5. Buy the one that fits, then use the free look period to check it.

Goodsurance does not sell pet insurance. We explain how it works so you can compare on your own. If you are new to this, start with how pet insurance works.

Quote forms are short. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance starts with your pet’s name, species and a ZIP code. Embrace says its price depends on species or breed, age and home address (both checked October 29, 2026).

Have your pet’s health history handy too. You may not need vet records to buy. But insurers use them to decide what counts as a pre-existing condition, and they need them to pay claims. Lemonade, for example, says it requires a medical record that covers the last 12 months of your pet’s life, plus the 14-day illness waiting period on your policy. For a pet under one year old, the record should cover the time from birth through that waiting period.

Tip: ask your vet for a copy of the records now. It can make your first claim go faster. See how pre-existing conditions work.

The NAIC, the group of state insurance regulators, says price depends on species, breed, gender, age and location. It also depends on the coverage and deductible you choose. So a quote for your pet can be far from the average.

For reference, NAPHIA’s 2025 averages for an accident and illness plan were $836 a year for a dog and $435 for a cat. Our page on how much pet insurance costs breaks those numbers down. The NAIC also notes that some insurers will not accept pets over a certain age, so an older pet may get fewer quotes.

Each quote is built on three choices:

• Deductible: the part of the bill you pay first, before the plan pays.
• Payback share: the part of each bill the plan pays you back after the deductible. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Embrace both offer 70%, 80% or 90%.
• Yearly limit: the most the plan pays in a year.

Change any one of them and the price changes. Here is example math with round numbers, not real quotes. Quote A looks cheaper each month. But see what happens on one $2,000 vet bill:

Quote B pays you back far more on this bill. That is why a lower monthly price alone tells you little. Match the three settings first, then compare prices. Our guide to deductibles, reimbursement and limits goes deeper.

Use the list below for each quote you get. Write the answers side by side. Most of them are in the sample policy. If one is not clear, ask the insurer and keep the answer in writing.

A few of these are easy to miss. Some plans pay from a set benefit schedule instead of a share of your real bill; the NAIC notes that some insurers work this way. Some do not pay exam fees. For a full walk-through, see how to compare pet insurance.

Waiting periods. Coverage does not start the same day for everything. In states that adopted the pet insurance model law, such as Rhode Island, there is no waiting period for accidents. The wait for illness and bone or joint problems can be no more than 30 days. Other states may differ. See pet insurance waiting periods and pet insurance laws by state.

Free look. The model law gives you 15 days after you receive the policy to return it for any reason. If you have not filed a claim, you get a full refund. Some states give you longer: California and Florida give you 30 days. See how to cancel pet insurance.

Changes later. Some insurers, such as Embrace, let you lower your coverage to lower the price. Raising it later is harder. Embrace says it reviews the pet again, new waiting periods apply, and earlier problems may be excluded.

• A price with no deductible, payback share or limit shown. You cannot compare it.
• A wellness program sold as insurance. Under Rhode Island law, for example, a wellness program cannot be marketed as pet insurance, cannot be required to buy a policy, and must be priced apart.
• No word on price changes with age. Rhode Island requires insurers to disclose whether they raise prices based on your pet’s age or claims. Ask any insurer that does not say.
• Pressure to buy today. A fair quote will still be there tomorrow.
• “Covers everything.” Every policy has exclusions, waiting periods and limits. Read them.