Best pet insurance 2026
Lemonade Pet is not sold in every state.
By the WhichPetPlan editorial team · Last verified 2026-08-17 · 8 insurers reviewed
The best pet insurance for most dog owners in 2026 is Healthy Paws (9.3/10 in our editorial scoring) because it has no annual payout limit and reimburses quickly, with no wellness add-on as a tradeoff, and premiums that climb steeply after age eight. If you prefer an app-based claims flow, Lemonade is our top pick for cats. If you cannot float a $5,000 vet bill while waiting for reimbursement, Trupanion is the only insurer here that routinely pays the vet at the desk. Compare current quotes using the same pet and coverage choices before deciding on price.
Lemonade is a paid quote option. Healthy Paws remains our editorial top pick for dogs.
The exclusions cheat sheet
A plain-English guide to waiting periods and key exclusions across eight insurers, with links to the full reviews.
All 8 insurers at a glance
Ranked by our editorial score for dogs. We do not have comparable current premiums; request quotes using the same pet and coverage choices. Scores are our own; see how we score plans.
| # | Insurer | Score | Annual limit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Healthy PawsTop pick | 9.3/10 | Unlimited | Most dogs |
| 2 | Lemonade | 9/10 | $100k | Puppies and app-based claims |
| 3 | Embrace | 8.8/10 | $2k to unlimited | Owners who rarely claim |
| 4 | Trupanion | 8.6/10 | Unlimited | Anyone who can't float a big bill |
| 5 | Spot | 8.3/10 | $2.5k to unlimited | Custom budgets |
| 6 | Pets Best | 8.1/10 | $5k to unlimited | Fast start |
| 7 | Figo | 7.9/10 | $5k to unlimited | Maximum payback |
| 8 | Fetch | 7.6/10 | $15k | Older dogs |
The rankings, with the catch for each
Healthy Paws
Best overall for most dogs9.3/10 · limit: UnlimitedBest for: Most dogs.
The catch: Unlimited payout and fast reimbursement; but no wellness add-on and premiums climb steeply after age eight.
Think twice if: Skip it if you want a wellness add-on for routine care, or if your dog is already eight or older, because premiums climb steeply past that age.
Lemonade
Top pick for cats9/10 · limit: $100kBest for: Puppies and app-based claims.
The catch: Claims settle in-app; but not sold in every state and dental is thin.
Think twice if: Skip it if it is not sold in your state, or if dental coverage matters to you, because its dental cover is thin.
Embrace
Best if you rarely claim8.8/10 · limit: $2k to unlimitedBest for: Owners who rarely claim.
The catch: Your deductible drops $50 every claim-free year. Accident and illness annual limits run from $2,000 to unlimited.
Think twice if: Skip it if you need the orthopedic wait gone on day one, because cruciate, IVDD and hip dysplasia wait 6 months unless a vet exam cuts that to 14 days. Accident and illness annual limits run from $2,000 to unlimited; there is no lifetime maximum.
Trupanion
Best if you cannot float a big bill8.6/10 · limit: UnlimitedBest for: Anyone who can't float a big bill.
The catch: The only insurer that routinely settles at the desk; check its current quote against reimbursement plans.
Think twice if: Skip it if month-to-month cost is your main concern. Get a live quote before weighing direct vet payment against the premium.
Spot
Best for custom budgets8.3/10 · limit: $2.5k to unlimitedBest for: Custom budgets.
The catch: More limit and deductible combinations than anyone; which also makes it the easiest plan to accidentally under-buy.
Think twice if: Skip it if you do not want to think about limits and deductibles, because the sheer number of combinations makes it the easiest plan to accidentally under-buy.
Pets Best
Fastest accident cover8.1/10 · limit: $5k to unlimitedBest for: Fast start.
The catch: Short 3-day accident wait (waivable with a qualifying vet exam), but cruciate ligament events wait 6 months unless a participating veterinarian certifies the pet.
Think twice if: Skip it if cruciate injuries are your worry (common in Labradors and other big breeds) unless a participating veterinarian can certify the pet, because the standard cruciate wait is six months.
Figo
Best for maximum payback7.9/10 · limit: $5k to unlimitedBest for: Maximum payback.
The catch: One of the few offering full reimbursement; and the app is where all service happens.
Think twice if: Skip it if you want to phone a human, because all service runs through the app.
Fetch
Best for older dogs7.6/10 · limit: $15kBest for: Older dogs.
The catch: Covers dental disease and behavioural care others exclude; but has a modest annual cap.
Think twice if: Skip it if you want the highest annual cap, because $15k sits mid-table.
Insuring a cat? The order changes
Coverage needs can differ for cats, so compare claims handling and payout limits. Our cat ranking puts Lemonade first (9.2/10, claims settle in the app) with Healthy Paws second (9.0/10, unlimited payout, which matters for long illnesses like renal failure). Pets Best is our pick for outdoor cats, though its illness waiting period is a full 14 days. Trupanion drops to seventh for cats; desk settlement is useful for emergency-prone cats. Current comparable prices are not available in our catalog.
Fetch is the outlier worth knowing for senior cats: it genuinely covers dental disease, which most insurers exclude, though the $15k annual cap is modest.
Match your situation to a plan
- Tight budget or a new puppy? Compare live quotes. Lemonade has app-based claims and a range of coverage choices. Check it sells in your state first.
- Cannot front a big vet bill? Trupanion. It is the only insurer here that routinely settles at the desk. Compare its live quote with reimbursement plans.
- Rarely visit the vet? Embrace. Your deductible drops $50 every claim-free year, so a healthy pet gets cheaper to cover over time.
- Own a breed with orthopedic risk? Read the waiting periods before anything else. Pets Best has the fastest accident start but a six-month cruciate wait unless a participating veterinarian certifies the pet. If you have a Labrador or German Shepherd, see our breed guides for what those injuries actually cost.
- Own a flat-faced breed? Breathing-surgery cover varies enormously. Start with our French Bulldog guide and whether any plan actually covers BOAS surgery.
- Older dog or senior cat? Fetch, because it covers dental disease and behavioural care that most others exclude. Just know the $15k cap is middling.
The honest tradeoffs
- No plan covers pre-existing conditions. Not one of the eight. The best time to buy is while your pet is young and healthy; waiting until something is wrong means that thing is never covered.
- Unlimited is not always worth it. Healthy Paws and Trupanion have no annual cap, which matters for worst-case years. Compare live premiums and limits before paying for unlimited coverage. A capped plan can be the smarter buy for a young, low-risk animal.
- A low quote can hide thin cover. Lemonade's dental cover is thin and it is not sold everywhere. Spot’s many limit combinations make it easy to under-buy without realising it.
- Waiting periods are where claims die. Accident waits are short almost everywhere; orthopedic and cruciate waits are not. If your breed is prone to cruciate injuries, the waiting period matters more than the premium.
- Our scores are editorial. Reputable outlets disagree about these same companies. We publish our methodology so you can judge the ranking rather than take it on faith.
Common questions
We do not publish insurer premiums here because we do not have comparable current quotes. Facts on this page were last verified 2026-08-17.