Best Pet Insurance in California 2022

Whether you enjoy taking your dog on a summer stroll through Los Angeles or a hike through one of the nine national parks in California, there are plenty of dangers that could threaten your pet’s health. Pet insurance can help ensure your furry friend gets the veterinary care it needs without affecting your savings account or running up your credit card bill.

We at the Home Media reviews team have researched the best pet insurance companies in California and compared them on factors such as customer care, customization options and covered treatments to help guide your decision on the best policy for you.

California’s 7 Top Pet Insurance Companies

Lemonade
Spot
Embrace
Fetch
Healthy Paws
Figo
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

Monthly Cost	Coverage	Star Rating
Lemonade	$24.92	Accident, Illness, Preventative, 5% Multi-Pet Discount	Read
Spot	$49.14	Accident, Illness, Preventative, 10% Multi-Pet Discount	Read
Embrace	$37.43	Accident, Illness, Wellness, 10% Multi-Pet Discount	Read
Fetch	$47.95	Accident, Illness,5% Multi-Pet Discount	Read
Healthy Paws	$64.13	Accident, Illness	Read
Figo	$49.42	Accident, Illness, Wellness, 5% Multi-Pet Discount	Read
ASPCA	$49.14	Accident, Illness, Preventative, 10% Multi-Pet Discount	Read

Lemonade

+ Consistently offers the most affordable premiums for accident and illness plans
+ Provides a 10% discount for bundling with Lemonade homeowners insurance or Lemonade renters insurance
+ Offers preventive care specifically for puppies and kittens

– Does not cover pets 14 years of age and older
– Excludes behavioral treatments from coverage

Coverage & Cost: Lemonade offers one plan that covers vet bills related to accidents and illnesses, such as diagnostic tests, hospitalization, surgery, injections and prescription medications. It doesn’t cover behavioral treatments, spay or neutering, cosmetic procedures and pre-existing conditions that occur until after the two-day waiting period for accidents and 14-day waiting period for illnesses.

Add-Ons: Lemonade also offers three add-ons: one for vet visit fees, one for physical therapy coverage and one for preventative care, which includes one wellness exam, three vaccines, one blood test, one fecal test and one heartworm test.

Sample Monthly Premiums: Here are some examples of monthly premiums from quotes we received in San Jose, Calif., for policies with $5,000 of annual coverage, 80% reimbursement rates and $250 deductibles:

Dogs: $14–$65 per month
Cats: $14–$31 per month

Although Lemonade faces a class-action lawsuit regarding its alleged collection of biometric data, we still consider it to be a legitimate and reputable provider with a streamlined quote process, competitive rates and a commendable charitable giveback program. You can read more in our Lemonade pet insurance review linked below.

Spot

+ Offers seven annual coverage limit options, ranging from $2,500 to unlimited
+ Provides affordable accident-only coverage plans
+ Includes coverage for exam fees and microchipping in standard policies

– Does not provide customer service on weekends
– Will not cover prescription pet food

Coverage & Cost: Spot has two plans available in California for either accident-only coverage on incidents such as injuries, swallowed objects and toxic ingestions or accident and illness coverage for those incidents plus other conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hip dysplasia, heart disease and behavioral issues. Pre-existing conditions, issues related to breeding and cosmetic procedures aren’t covered by either of Spot’s pet insurance plans.

Preventative Care Plans: Additionally, Spot provides two preventative care plans for extra coverage on routine care costs, such as dental cleanings, wellness exams, vaccinations, fecal tests and deworming. You can purchase the Gold Plan with a total of $250 of annual coverage or the Platinum Plan with a total of $450 of annual coverage.

Sample Monthly Premiums: To show you the value of Spot’s customizable accident-only coverage, here are some sample quotes — which don’t vary based on breed or age like other plans — we received for a policy with $2,500 of annual coverage, an 80% reimbursement rate and a $250 deductible on pets in San Jose, Calif.

Dogs: $17.84 per month
Cats: $12.01 per month

Embrace

+ Offers a 10% multi-pet discount, 5% military discount and 10% discount through its employee benefits program
+ Provides the unique Healthy Pet Deductible, which credits your deductible with $50 each year you don’t file a claim, decreasing your deductible to as low as $0
+ Features an online chat on its website for customer service

– Considers ligament (CCL) tears a preexisting condition and therefore will not cover CCL in one leg if previously diagnosed in the other
– Does not cover supplements or prescription pet food

Coverage & Cost: Embrace pet insurance offers one accident and illness plan to pet owners in California that covers conditions such as cancer, congenital conditions, dental trauma, allergies, genetic conditions and more. It pays for medically necessary treatments and exam fees related to those covered incidents. It doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, alternative treatments, boarding and a few other items.

Wellness Plan: Embrace also provides the Wellness Rewards Plan for 100% reimbursement on your pet’s routine care, such as grooming, spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations and teeth cleaning, up to $250, $450 or $650 per year, depending on how much coverage you want.

Sample Monthly Premiums: Here are some sample monthly premiums from quotes we received on pets in San Jose, Calif., for accident and illness plans with $5,000 of annual coverage, a $200 deductible and an 80% reimbursement rate:

Dogs: $34–$58 per month
Cats: $17–$35 per month

Fetch by The Dodo

+ Covers non-routine veterinary exam fees
+ Includes accidents, illnesses, alternative medicine, behavioral treatments and a variety of perks and benefits in one comprehensive plan without the need to purchase add-ons
+ Can be used at all veterinary offices in the United States and Canada

– Does not offer a discount for enrolling multiple pets
– Requires annual medical and dental check-ups to maintain coverage

Coverage and Cost: Fetch offers one standard plan that covers injuries and illnesses. Fetch’s plan also covers chronic, hereditary and congenital conditions, provided they aren’t preexisting, and alternative medicine like hydrotherapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture. Fetch’s standard plan will pay all vet exam fees related to injuries and illnesses such as ultrasounds and diagnostic testing. Emergency and specialist vet visits are covered, as well.

The company includes comprehensive dental coverage with its standard plan and treatments for behavioral disorders and breed-specific conditions. Customers can modify their plan to include a payout option of $5,000, $15,000 or unlimited. Annual deductibles can be set at $250, $300 or $500, and reimbursement rates range from 70% to 90%.

Wellness Plan: Fetch’s standard plan does not include any wellness-related services or routine vet visits. This means preventive care like annual check-ups, teeth cleanings, spay and neuter surgeries and grooming are not covered.

Sample Monthly Premiums: Below are sample monthly premiums from Fetch for a plan in San Jose, Calif., with a $5,000 maximum annual payout, a $250 deductible and an 80% reimbursement rate:

Dogs: $47.95 per month
Cats: $28.47 per month

Healthy Paws

+ Offers plans with unlimited annual coverage that typically cost less than other providers’ unlimited coverage options
+ Has an annual limit of up to $15,000 for behavioral disorders
+ Provides a 30-day money-back guarantee

– Has limited coverage for hip dysplasia
– Gives lower reimbursements for older cats and dogs

Coverage & Cost: Healthy Paws offers one plan for accident and illness coverage with no lifetime, per-incident or annual coverage caps. The plan covers treatments, procedures and other costs, such as diagnostic treatments, emergency care, alternative treatments, specialty care and more. It doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, behavioral issues, exam fees, any preventative care of your pet and hip dysplasia within the first 12 months of the policy.

Deductibles: Although Healthy Paws typically limits customization options to two to three deductibles and reimbursement rates for customers in other states, we found that it offers more choices to pet owners in California who have animals less than 6 years old. We were able to choose from five deductibles between $100 and $1,000 and five reimbursement rates between 50% and 90%.

Sample Monthly Premiums: Here are some examples of monthly premiums from quotes we received in San Jose, Calif., for policies with a $250 deductible and an 80% reimbursement percentage when possible:

Dogs: $51–$101 per month
Cats: $24–$47 per month

Figo

+ Does not deny coverage based on age
+ Has a Pet Cloud app that includes 24/7 virtual vet visits
+ Includes an option for 100% reimbursement

– Does not offer preventive care
– Only covers pet eight weeks of age and older

Coverage & Cost: Figo has three plans: Essential, Preferred and Ultimate. Each plan covers illnesses and accidents but the plans vary in terms of annual coverage caps. The Essential Plan has a $5,000 limit, while Preferred comes with a $10,000 cap. There is no annual cap on the Ultimate Plan.

Figo’s plans all include coverage for surgeries, diagnostic testing and prescriptions. Chronic and hereditary or congenital conditions are included, provided they are not preexisting. Customers can choose a reimbursement rate of 70%, 80%, 90% or 100% rate on any of the company’s plans. Figo is the only provider on our list that offers a 100% reimbursement option.

Wellness Plans: Figo has a Wellness Basic Plan and a Wellness Plus Plan. Both plans cover items like spaying and neutering, teeth cleaning, certain vaccines and annual exams but at different amounts. The Basic Plan is an additional $9.50 per month and provides up to $135 in total reimbursements, while the Plus Plan provides $250 in total reimbursements at an added monthly cost of $16.50. Figo’s optional Extra Care Pack pays a portion of burial costs (up to $250) and will compensate you for the cost to advertise for a lost or stolen pet.

Sample Monthly Premiums: The cost to cover pets in San Jose, Calif., are as follows, according to Figo’s online instant quote tool:

Dogs: $49.42 per month
Cats: $26.58 per month

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

+ Administered by Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, which has been in this industry since 1997
+ Includes coverage for exam fees and microchipping in standard policies, which isn’t typically provided by other pet insurance companies
+ Features helpful online resources about various pet breeds and their health conditions

– Has a lower maximum annual limit ($10,000) than most providers in this review
– Caps deductibles at $500

Coverage & Cost: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers two pet insurance plans to pet parents: the Accident-Only Coverage Plan and the Complete Coverage Plan. While the former covers only your pet’s accidents, such as broken bones, toxic ingestions and cuts, the latter covers both accidents and illnesses, including hereditary conditions and conditions like cancer, hip dysplasia, digestive illness and more. Neither plan covers pre-existing conditions, breeding costs or cosmetic procedures.

Preventative Care Plans: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance also provides two preventative care plans that can be added to your policy for reimbursement on items such as dental cleanings, wellness exams, deworming and fecal tests. You can choose coverage levels by selecting the Basic Plan totaling $250 per year or the Prime Plan totaling $450 per year.

Sample Monthly Premiums: Below are some sample monthly prices from quotes on pets in San Jose, Calif., with selected coverage of $5,000 per year, a reimbursement rate of 80% and an annual deductible of $250:

Dogs: $42–$99 per month
Cats: $23–$44 per month

Top Alternative to Pet Insurance in California: Pawp

While technically not pet insurance, Pawp is a way for pet owners to protect their cats and dogs in the event of emergency accidents or sudden illnesses. The company operates on a membership model in which subscribers pay a monthly fee. For that monthly charge, Pawp will provide up to $3,000 per year for vet bills related to unexpected life-threatening injuries or sickness.

Covered emergencies include choking, blockages, toxic ingestions and severe injuries. Pawp does not have any wellness or preventive coverage.

Which is the Best Pet Insurance Company in California?

There are a few things you should consider to help you decide on which of these California pet insurance companies is best for you and your pet.

For instance, if you’re looking for the most affordable policy, you should check out Lemonade for its affordable prices or explore Embrace and its unique savings opportunities.

On the other hand, if choosing a provider with unlimited coverage options is more important to you, you might lean toward Fetch, Spot or Healthy Paws.

Since pricing varies depending on your pet’s age, species and breed, our biggest recommendation is to get quotes from at least three companies to make your own comparison.

Types of Pet Insurance Plans

Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that you’ll be covered for expensive veterinary bills related to common but unexpected pet accidents and illnesses. Here are the different types of pet insurance plans offered by pet insurance companies:

Accident-only plans: These plans cover only vet bills and other costs related to accidents, such as broken bones, bite wounds, cuts, sprains, injuries, swallowed or lodged objects and toxic ingestions. Since this plan is limited to accidents, it’s typically cheaper than other, more comprehensive plan options.

Accident and illness plans: Every pet insurance provider that we reviewed offers these plans, and they cover accidents, illnesses and other conditions, typically including congenital conditions, genetic conditions, behavioral disorders, cancer, general illness, diabetes, heart conditions and more. Although more expensive than accident-only plans, these are recommended for pet parents who want the most inclusive coverage on most unexpected health conditions that arise in their pet.

Preventive care add-ons: These additional wellness coverage plans are offered by many top providers, including Lemonade, Embrace, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, and Spot. The add-ons typically cover up to a certain amount for your pet’s routine care, such as annual checkups, vaccinations and dental cleanings, to encourage its overall health and prevent any potentially life-threatening issues from occurring in the future.

You’ll also be able to customize your pet insurance plan’s coverage and pricing by choosing an annual deductible, a reimbursement rate and an annual coverage limit. Your annual deductible is the amount you owe during a claim before you’re reimbursed for the vet bill. Your reimbursement rate is the percentage of the vet bill your provider agrees to pay. Your annual coverage limit is the total amount your provider agrees to pay out in claims through one year of coverage.