Best Pet Insurance in New York
The best pet insurance companies in New York have some things in common. Most have a variety of plan and coverage options, minimal waiting periods and speedy claims processing. We’ve gathered data from reputable sources such as Pawlicy and Care Credit to identify what makes our five pet insurance providers the best in the Empire State. Read on to see our top picks for the best pet insurance companies in New York.
Our Top Picks For Best Pet Insurance In New York
Best Pet Insurance in New York Reviews
Spot
- Unlimited annual coverage available
- No upper age limit
- 24/7 telehealth helpline
- Higher-than-average premiums for young pets
- Charges transaction fees for monthly, quarterly or semi-annual payments
Spot is the best choice for pet parents who want to bypass the usual limitations related to pet insurance, offering a full coverage option with no upper age limits. Spot also offers one of the lowest deductible options on the market ($100) for pet owners who want the policy's coverage to kick in fast. This move would increase your monthly premiums significantly, though it would reduce your out-of-pocket payments at the vet if your pet gets sick or injured. Spot’s prices are higher than the industry average for younger pets, which is especially relevant in New York, already one of the costlier states for pet care in the nation.
Healthy Paws
- No per-incident, annual or lifetime caps
- Quick claim processing
- Direct payments available under certain conditions
- Limited coverage options for senior pets
- Limited coverage for hip dysplasia
Healthy Paws covers a wide range of alternative therapies, including acupuncture, hydrotherapy and general physical therapy at no extra cost. The company’s one accident and illness policy has no per incident, annual or lifetime benefit caps. Healthy Paws claims that most claims are processed in just two days. Healthy Paws is best for young pets, as coverage options get more limited as pets get older.
Embrace
- 24/7 access to telemed pet health experts
- High upper age limit for enrollment
- High annual reimbursement limit option compared to other competitors with annual caps
- Limited wellness benefits
- Caps dental illness coverage at $1,000 a year
Embrace gets high marks from us for its partnership with PawSupport, the company’s exclusive pet telemed partner that provides 24/7 access to experts ready to help you with your pet health-related concerns. Access to PawSupport is included in every Embrace policy at no additional charge. Other benefits include that policyholders are free to use any licensed veterinarian worldwide and the company covers your pet care needs outside of the country for up to six months. Embrace’s Wellness Rewards’ plan allows you to set aside a specific dollar amount to cover preventive care expenses, although funds don’t roll over to the following year.
Fetch
- Covers emergency exam fees
- Covers veterinary-prescribed holistic and alternative therapies
- Up to $1,000 in virtual visits are covered
- No routine care or wellness plan available
- Medical exams required
Fetch covers some expenses that are indirectly related to pet health that some pet insurance options don’t, including coverage for pet boarding fees if the owner is hospitalized, advertising and reward costs for efforts to recover a pet who is lost and even non-refundable travel costs if your pet’s illness forces you to change your travel plans. The company also covers exam fees at no extra charge, for which other companies usually charge extra. The company also covers emergency expenses and high-cost veterinary care for serious health issues. Fetch has no upper age limit pets under its care and you can insure dogs and cats as young as six weeks old, which is younger than most pet insurance providers will allow.
Lemonade
- Quick claims processing
- Multiple discounts available
- A portion of payments go to charities
- Only available in 38 states
- Policies can only be adjusted at renewal
- Older pets may not be eligible for coverage
Lemonade’s speedy claims delivery through its app and AI-powered processing is a major factor when choosing it as one of the best pet insurers in New York. The company also offers customizable coverage, allowing you to add coverage for vet visit fees, dental illnesses and end-of-life services as you see fit, conceivably lowering or increasing your premiums in the process. Lemonade also enables you to direct a portion of your payments to go to charities, which may be appealing to pet owners.
Pet Insurance in New York Guide
Pet insurance coverage is an increasingly important consideration for a generation of New Yorkers who believe their pets should be treated with the highest respect and care at the time of an illness. While almost no pet insurance includes coverage for pre-existing conditions and some procedures can still be prohibitively expensive, pet insurance is a good option for pet owners who are looking to limit the amount they have to pay in case their pet suffers a sudden illness or accident.
Knowing how to buy pet insurance can sometimes be overwhelming. Before making a decision, you should research multiple insurance providers and compare quotes and the coverage benefits your pet requires. It’s rare but possible for your employer to provide pet insurance as part of the insurance benefits of your dependents.
To bring down the costs of pet insurance, which can sometimes be prohibitive, consider choosing a plan with a bigger deductible, which is one of the major factors on how much you’ll pay on your monthly premiums. Only the policy’s scope of what it covers and the pet’s species has a greater cost impact.
How much is pet insurance in New York
According to Pawlicy, the average pet insurance costs in New York for dogs and cats is $42.85 and $26.90, respectively. This makes Pennsylvania’s average pet insurance cost lower than the national average stated by NAPHIA’s State of the Industry Report of $49 a month for dogs and $29 a month for cats.
Cost of pet insurance in New York
Average cost of pet insurance by company
1-year-old female French Bulldog
1-year-old female Ragdoll
Spot
$147.51
$46.73
Healthy Paws
$88.71
$37
Embrace
$268.85
$74.81
Fetch
$235.69
$71.63
Lemonade
$77.18
$20.80
Costs of pet care in New York
The average cost of pet care in New York is $84.72 per vet visit, according to Care Credit. This average includes all pets and is not divided into cats and dogs.
Pet Laws in New York
It’s important for pet owners in New York to be aware of the state’s pet laws. New York has leashing laws preventing dog owners from having dogs in public places without a leash of a maximum of six feet long. Dog owners must also remove their own pet’s waste from public areas and dispose of it, unless the dog is a guide dog guiding a blind person. New York law also protects collared or identified pets from being enticed, transported or seized by any person except with the owner’s permission.
Consumer Protection for pet insurance in New York
The state of New York’s Department of Financial Services has an online consumer complaint form which you can fill out to file a complaint about an insurance company, including pet insurance claims.
Every state has its own specific laws regarding pet insurance protections but the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has passed the Pet Insurance Model Act to “establish appropriate regulatory standards for the pet insurance industry”.
The act codifies suggestions for consumer protections, limits on denial of preexisting conditions, differentiations between wellness and illness policies and training requirements.
How We Found the Best Pet Insurance in New York
As part of our methodology, we gathered New York based sample quotes and reviewed pet insurance plans based on the following factors:
- Plan and coverage options
- Cost and available discounts
- Policy benefits, exclusions and restrictions
- Waiting periods
- Customer service options and claims processes
For the average cost of each plan, we used pet profiles for the most popular breeds of both dog and cat nationwide with an age that would garner the lowest insurance premiums during the pet’s lifetime. We used Pawlicy to gather quotes and compare plan options.