We compared 10 major pet insurance providers on deductibles, reimbursement rates, waiting periods, and real claim data, so you can see exactly where each one is strong and where it falls short.
Best Pet Insurance Companies Compared
No single provider is objectively “best” for every pet owner. The right choice depends on your pet’s breed and age, your budget, and which specific policy mechanics matter most to you, a per-condition deductible versus an annual one, a fixed reimbursement rate versus a customizable one, a 14-day waiting period versus a 6-month one.
Unlike most pet insurance ratings and pet insurance rankings you’ll find elsewhere, this guide breaks down 10 major pet health insurance companies side by side using their actual published policy terms, not marketing claims, so you can see where each one genuinely excels among the top pet insurance carriers in the US market.
How we compared these providers
Every figure below comes directly from each provider’s published policy documents or from established independent comparison sources, cross-checked where possible. We did not accept payment from any insurer to influence rankings or placement, and where sources disagreed on a figure, we noted the range rather than picking one number silently.
Premiums vary by your pet’s age, breed, location, and the exact coverage you select, so treat every price here as a directional estimate, not a quote.
The comparison at a glance
| Provider | Deductible options | Reimbursement | Illness wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pets Best | Multiple tiers (Essential/Plus/Elite) | 70-90% | 14 days |
| Lemonade | $100, $250, $500, $750 | 60-90% | 14 days |
| ASPCA | $100, $250, $500 | 70-90%, up to 100% at $1,000 | 14 days |
| Trupanion | $0-$1,000 (increments of $50), plus $1,350-$1,750 | 90% standard (some states allow 50-90%) | 30 days |
| Healthy Paws | Customizable | Customizable | 15 days (varies by state) |
| Embrace | $100-$1,000 | 70-90% | 14 days |
| Figo | Customizable | Up to 100% at $1,000 deductible | 14 days |
| Spot | Customizable, 7 annual limit choices | 70-90% | 14 days |
| MetLife | Customizable | 70-90% | 14 days |
| Fetch | Single annual deductible | 70-90% | Up to 6 months for some conditions |
Provider breakdowns
Pets Best
Best for: owners who want tiered plans without overpaying for coverage they don’t need
Pets Best’s three-tier structure, Essential, Plus, and Elite, consistently earns top marks in independent evaluations, with the Elite plan rated 5 stars and Plus rated 4.7 in recent industry analysis. The tiered approach lets you match coverage to budget without the all-or-nothing structure some competitors use.
Trupanion
Best for: owners who want to avoid paying large bills upfront
Trupanion is the only major provider that can pay participating vets directly at checkout, often within seconds, rather than requiring you to pay in full and wait for reimbursement.
Its per-condition lifetime deductible model means once you meet the deductible for a specific condition, that condition is reimbursed at 90% for life with no coverage limit, which is unusually strong for chronic or recurring conditions. Sample premiums run around $63 a month for dogs and $29 for cats with a $500 deductible.
Among Trupanion competitors on this list, Healthy Paws and Fetch come closest on the unlimited-payout front, though neither matches Trupanion’s direct-pay-at-checkout feature.
Strengths
- Direct vet payment (VetDirect Pay)
- No annual or lifetime coverage cap
- No upper enrollment age limit
Tradeoffs
- Doesn’t cover exam fees
- No wellness add-on option
- No accident-only plan available
Healthy Paws
Best for: owners who want unlimited lifetime coverage with no annual cap
Healthy Paws has no per-incident or lifetime payout limit at all, a genuine standout in the industry. In 16 states, the company will waive illness and orthopedic waiting periods entirely if your pet completes a clinical exam shortly after enrollment, a flexibility few competitors offer. Hip dysplasia is covered specifically when enrolled before your dog’s sixth birthday.
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Best for: owners who want vet exam fees included, not just treatment costs
ASPCA plans cover veterinary exam fees, which appear on nearly every vet bill and are notably excluded by several competitors, including Trupanion. Reimbursement can reach up to 100% when paired with a $1,000 deductible, among the highest ceilings available. Independent comparisons consistently rank ASPCA among the top providers overall.
MetLife
Best for: owners insuring more than one cat or dog
MetLife’s Family Plan is genuinely unusual in this industry: it lets you insure up to three cats or dogs under a single policy with one shared deductible and one shared annual limit, rather than requiring a separate policy per pet.
This can mean meeting your deductible faster when any one pet needs care. MetLife is also the only provider in this comparison offering exotic pet coverage.
Lemonade
Best for: owners who want a simple, digital-first claims experience
Lemonade earns high marks for customer satisfaction and cost competitiveness, ranking No. 1 overall and No. 2 for cheapest premiums in recent U.S. News analysis. The plan is fully customizable across deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limit, and offers four wellness add-ons alongside coverage extras for dental illness, behavioral conditions, and physical therapy.
Figo
Best for: owners who want the highest possible reimbursement ceiling
Figo is one of only two providers in this comparison, alongside ASPCA, offering reimbursement up to 100% when paired with a $1,000 deductible. Combined with a fully customizable plan structure, Figo is a strong option for owners willing to accept a higher deductible in exchange for near-total reimbursement on covered claims.
Spot
Best for: owners who want an accident-only option alongside full coverage
Spot stands out for offering both accident-only and accident-and-illness policies, plus two tiers of optional wellness coverage, giving owners more structural choice than most competitors. It also offers seven different annual coverage limit options, more granularity than Healthy Paws, which doesn’t allow annual limit customization at all.
Embrace
Best for: owners who want a healthy-pet discount incentive
Embrace offers deductible options from $100 to $1,000 and a distinctive Healthy Pet Deductible feature that lowers your deductible by $50 each year you don’t file a claim, rewarding preventive care. Optional add-ons include wellness rewards and prescription drug coverage.
Fetch
Best for: owners who prioritize claims support over fast eligibility
Fetch is worth including for balance, since it also has real drawbacks worth knowing upfront. Unlike Trupanion’s simple 5-day accident and 30-day illness waits, Fetch requires up to a 6-month wait specifically for cruciate ligament, patella, and other soft tissue knee conditions, though this can be waived with a qualifying vet exam within 30 days of enrollment.
Fetch also uses a single annual deductible rather than Trupanion’s per-condition model, and does not offer deductibles below $100.
How to actually choose between these
- If your pet has a breed-specific orthopedic risk (hip dysplasia, CCL tears), prioritize Healthy Paws or Trupanion, both offer shorter or waivable waiting periods for these conditions specifically, while Fetch’s 6-month orthopedic wait is worth avoiding for at-risk breeds.
- If you have more than one pet, MetLife’s Family Plan is worth a direct look before assuming separate policies are your only option.
- If avoiding upfront payment matters most, Trupanion’s direct vet pay is currently the strongest option in the industry for this specific need.
- If you want the simplest possible comparison shopping experience, Lemonade and Spot both offer highly customizable, transparent online quote tools.
- If exam fees are a recurring cost concern, confirm this specifically. ASPCA covers them; Trupanion does not, and this detail alone can meaningfully change your real out-of-pocket cost over a policy year.
A number worth remembering
NAPHIA’s 2026 data puts the industry average dog premium at $836 a year. One insurance comparison platform separately reports that users who purchased policies through its own platform paid an average of $628.13, roughly 24% less, though this reflects self-selected users of that specific platform rather than the broader market.
That gap, even accounting for the fact that this specific figure describes one platform’s users rather than shoppers generally, is a reasonable illustration of why comparing quotes before buying is worth the extra 20 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Rankings vary by publication: some independent comparisons place ASPCA, Spot, and MetLife at the top, others rank Lemonade or Pets Best highest depending on the year, while some highlight Trupanion for comprehensive accident-and-illness coverage.
There is no single universally agreed “best,” which is exactly why comparing based on your specific pet’s needs matters more than any one ranking.
Among the names of pet insurance companies most commonly cited in the US market, Trupanion, Healthy Paws, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Nationwide, MetLife, Lemonade, Fetch, Pets Best, Spot, Figo, and Embrace consistently appear across independent comparisons. Market share and brand recognition vary significantly, and several smaller providers also compete regionally.
An annual deductible resets every policy year regardless of how many conditions your pet has. A per-condition deductible, used by Trupanion, is met once for each specific condition and then that condition is reimbursed at your set rate for the life of the policy, which can be more favorable for a pet with one ongoing chronic issue.
No. ASPCA is a notable example that does cover exam fees, while Trupanion explicitly does not, even when the exam relates to an otherwise covered condition. Always check this specific detail, since exam fees appear on nearly every vet visit.
Most major providers use a standard 14-day illness waiting period. Trupanion uses 30 days for illness but only 5 days for accidents. Fetch has the longest standout wait, up to 6 months for certain orthopedic conditions, though it can sometimes be waived with an early vet exam.
Most providers require a separate policy per pet, though many offer a multi-pet discount. MetLife is distinct in this comparison for allowing up to three pets under a single shared policy with one deductible and one annual limit.
The bottom line
The differences between these providers are genuinely material, not just marketing language. A per-condition versus annual deductible, a covered versus excluded exam fee, a 14-day versus 6-month orthopedic wait, each of these can be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars over a policy’s life depending on what happens to your pet.
Compare at least three quotes using your pet’s actual breed and age before deciding, and read the specific policy document rather than relying on marketing pages alone. Before you commit, it’s also worth checking a provider’s complaint history, since regulators track this data even when it’s not always easy to find.
For breed-specific guidance on which conditions matter most for your pet, see our dog breed guides and cat breed guides, or learn how pre-existing condition rules work across providers. You can also learn more about how we research every guide on our About page.
Sources
- U.S. News, Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2026
- Forbes, Best Pet Insurance Companies of 2026
- Bankrate, Best Pet Insurance Companies for 2026
- Healthy Paws, 2026 Pet Insurance Comparison Chart
- U.S. News, Trupanion Pet Insurance Overview 2026
- ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, ASPCA vs. Trupanion Comparison
- Trupanion, Trupanion vs. Fetch Comparison