MyHow Much Does Pet Insurance Cost Per Month
Pet insurance in the US costs about $25 to $90 per month for a dog and $15 to $50 per month for a cat in 2026, for accident and illness cover on a young healthy pet. A French Bulldog or a Golden Retriever costs more, about $45 to $95 a month, while a healthy mixed breed dog often costs $30 to $60 a month. Older pets cost more, often $70 to $150 a month, and accident only cover is cheaper, often $12 to $35 a month. The monthly price is only part of the cost. The deductible, the reimbursement rate, and the yearly limit change what you actually pay when your pet is ill.
Pet insurance works like health insurance for your pet, but you usually pay the vet first and claim the money back. You pay a monthly premium, you pay a deductible each year before the insurer pays, and the insurer then pays a percentage of the bill, often 70 to 90 percent, up to a yearly limit. If your pet has a $5,000 vet bill, a $250 deductible, and 80 percent cover, you pay the first $250 plus 20 percent of the rest, which is $950, and the insurer pays $3,800. That is the maths that matters, not the monthly price alone. In Semrush in Nov 2026, pet insurance cost calculator had only 110 searches a month in the US at KD 15 percent, but a CPC of $3.84, the highest of any keyword in this set, which tells you insurers pay a lot to reach owners asking this question. This page gives you the numbers to decide for yourself, without selling you a policy.
Every price here is a range checked in Nov 2026. Published sources disagree because the price depends on breed, age, location, and the cover you choose. The North American Pet Health Insurance Association and Insurify 2026 breed tables give the ranges we use here, and each breed guide on this site gives the insurance range for that breed. Use the ranges to plan, then get a quote from at least three insurers for your own pet.
Pet insurance cost per month by pet
| Pet | Accident and illness, young and healthy | Accident only |
|---|---|---|
| Dog, mixed breed | $30 to $60 | $15 to $30 |
| Dog, large breed | $45 to $80 | $20 to $35 |
| Dog, French Bulldog | $55 to $95 | $25 to $45 |
| Cat, domestic shorthair | $15 to $35 | $10 to $20 |
| Cat, Maine Coon or Persian | $25 to $50 | $12 to $25 |
| Senior dog, 10 years plus | $70 to $150 | $30 to $60 |
| Senior cat, 10 years plus | $40 to $90 | $20 to $40 |
Accident only cover is cheaper because it pays only for injuries, such as a broken leg or a swallowed toy. It does not pay for illness, such as cancer, kidney disease, or skin allergies, and illness is where the big bills come from. Most owners who buy insurance choose accident and illness cover, and that is the price we focus on in this guide.
How much is pet insurance per month by breed
Breed is the biggest price factor after age, because some breeds get ill more often and cost more to treat. French Bulldogs cost the most to insure in our guides, at $55 to $95 a month, because of breathing, skin, spine, and eye problems. Golden Retrievers cost $45 to $75 a month, because of cancer and joint problems. German Shepherds cost $55 to $75 a month, because of hip dysplasia and bloat. Labradors cost $45 to $65 a month. Poodles cost $30 to $75 a month by size, with Standard Poodles costing more than Toy Poodles. Maine Coon cats cost $25 to $50 a month, and Persian cats cost $25 to $50 a month, because of heart, kidney, and breathing problems. A healthy mixed breed dog often costs $30 to $60 a month, and a domestic shorthair cat often costs $15 to $35 a month.
Check the breed guides for the full breakdown. Our French Bulldog cost guide explains why insurance matters most for that breed, our Golden Retriever cost guide gives the cancer cost risk, and our Maine Coon cost guide gives the heart screening cost. If you are choosing a breed, look at the insurance price before you commit, because a breed that costs $30 a month more to insure costs $360 a year more, or $3,600 over 10 years.
How much is pet insurance per month by age
Age is the second biggest price factor. A puppy or kitten under 1 year old is cheapest to insure, often $20 to $50 a month for a dog and $12 to $30 a month for a cat, because young pets are usually healthy. An adult dog of 2 to 6 years costs about $30 to $80 a month, and an adult cat costs about $15 to $45 a month. A senior dog of 10 years or more costs about $70 to $150 a month, and a senior cat costs about $40 to $90 a month. Some insurers raise the price each year as your pet ages, and some stop offering new policies for very old pets.
Buy insurance when your pet is young and healthy if you can. A health problem diagnosed before the policy starts is usually treated as a pre existing condition and is not covered. A dog diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 2 years old, then insured at 3 years old, will often find hip treatment excluded. A puppy insured at 8 weeks old, before any problem is found, is covered for problems that appear later. That timing difference is worth more than a small saving on the monthly price.
What the monthly price does not tell you
Three details change the value of a policy more than the monthly price. The deductible is what you pay each year before the insurer pays anything. A $250 deductible is common, but some policies have a $500 or $1,000 deductible, which makes the monthly price lower and the bill you pay higher. The reimbursement rate is the percentage the insurer pays after the deductible, often 70, 80, or 90 percent. A 90 percent policy costs more per month than a 70 percent policy, but it pays much more on a big bill. The yearly limit is the most the insurer will pay in one year. A $5,000 limit is common, but a $10,000 or unlimited limit costs more per month and matters most for cancer or a long hospital stay.
Read the policy before you buy. Check whether the policy covers hereditary conditions, such as hip dysplasia in a German Shepherd or heart disease in a Maine Coon. Check whether it covers dental illness, or only dental accidents. Check the waiting period, which is often 14 days for illness and 6 months for cruciate ligament problems. Check whether the insurer pays the vet directly, or whether you pay first and claim back. A cheap policy with a $1,000 deductible, a 70 percent rate, and a $5,000 limit can pay less on a $5,000 bill than a more expensive policy with a $250 deductible, an 80 percent rate, and a $10,000 limit.
Pet insurance break even worked example
Take a Golden Retriever with insurance at $60 a month, a $250 deductible, and 80 percent cover. The premium costs $720 a year. If the dog has no vet bills that year, you pay $720 and get nothing back. That is the cost of peace of mind. If the dog has one $2,000 vet bill, you pay the $250 deductible plus 20 percent of the remaining $1,750, which is $350, so you pay $600 in total plus the $720 premium, or $1,320, and the insurer pays $1,400. If the dog has one $5,000 vet bill, you pay the $250 deductible plus 20 percent of $4,750, which is $950, so you pay $1,200 plus the $720 premium, or $1,920, and the insurer pays $3,800. The break even point is simple. At $60 a month, insurance costs $720 a year, or $7,200 over 10 years. One cancer treatment course can cost $5,000 to $20,000. One cruciate ligament surgery can cost $3,000 to $6,000. One emergency hospital stay can cost $3,000 to $8,000. If you can keep $10,000 in savings for emergencies and you will actually keep it aside, self insuring can work. If you would spend the savings on other things, insurance is the safer choice.
Try the same maths for a cat. A domestic shorthair at $25 a month costs $300 a year, or $3,000 over 10 years. One emergency surgery for a blocked bladder can cost $1,500 to $3,000. One year of kidney disease care can cost $1,000 to $3,000. Insurance for a cat is cheaper than for a dog, and the break even point is lower, but the same rule applies. If you have savings set aside and you will not touch them, you can self insure. If not, insurance is the safer choice.
How to lower the monthly cost
You can lower the monthly price by raising the deductible, lowering the reimbursement rate, or choosing a lower yearly limit, but each of those makes the policy pay less when you need it. A better way to save is to buy when your pet is young, because the price is lower and pre existing conditions are less likely. Compare at least three insurers, because the same dog can cost $40 a month with one insurer and $70 a month with another. Ask about a discount for paying yearly instead of monthly, and ask about a discount for insuring more than one pet. Keep your pet at a healthy weight, because an overweight pet costs more to treat and some insurers charge more. Do not buy add ons you do not need, such as routine care cover, if the add on costs more per year than the routine care itself. Routine vet care costs about $300 to $600 a year for a dog, and an add on that costs $400 a year for routine care is not a saving.
Pet insurance cost in the UK
In the UK in 2026, pet insurance costs about £20 to £60 a month for a dog and £12 to £35 a month for a cat, for accident and illness cover on a young healthy pet. A French Bulldog costs about £45 to £90 a month, a Golden Retriever about £35 to £70 a month, and a mixed breed dog about £25 to £50 a month. Older pets cost more, often £50 to £110 a month for a senior dog. UK policies come in four types. Accident only is cheapest. Time limited cover pays for one year only. Maximum benefit cover pays up to a set amount per condition. Lifetime cover is the most expensive and the most complete, because it pays for a condition for the whole life of the pet. If you buy a UK policy, lifetime cover is usually the best choice for a pet with a long term condition, such as diabetes or kidney disease, because the other types stop paying after a year or after a set amount.
Frequently asked questions
How much does pet insurance cost per month for a dog?
About $25 to $90 a month in the US in 2026 for accident and illness cover on a young healthy dog. Breed and age change the price a lot, with French Bulldogs at $55 to $95 a month and mixed breed dogs at $30 to $60 a month.
How much does pet insurance cost per month for a cat?
About $15 to $50 a month in the US in 2026 for accident and illness cover on a young healthy cat. A domestic shorthair costs $15 to $35 a month, and a Maine Coon or Persian costs $25 to $50 a month.
Is pet insurance worth it?
It is worth it if one vet bill of $3,000 would be hard to pay at once. At $60 a month, insurance costs $720 a year, and one cancer treatment or one major surgery can cost $3,000 to $20,000. If you have $10,000 in savings set aside for emergencies and you will not touch it, self insuring can work.
What does pet insurance not cover?
Most policies do not cover pre existing conditions, routine care such as vaccines and flea treatment, breeding costs, or cosmetic surgery. Read the policy before you buy, and check the waiting period and the yearly limit.
When should I buy pet insurance?
When your pet is young and healthy, ideally as a puppy or kitten. A health problem diagnosed before the policy starts is usually excluded, so buying early protects you against problems that appear later.
Related guides and calculators
Sources and how we priced this
Prices in this guide are ranges, not single facts, because published sources disagree. We used the American Pet Products Association 2025 and 2026 industry figures, Rover 2026 cost of dog ownership reports, the PDSA PAW Report and PDSA cost guides for the UK, the American Animal Hospital Association and the National Research Council feeding guidance, and published insurer and vet price lists in the US and the UK. All prices were checked in Nov 2026 and are shown in US dollars unless a UK section says pounds. Where a source gave one number, we widened it into a range to reflect size, breed and location.