--- title: Is Pet Insurance Worth It in 2026? What the Data Shows description: Pet insurance is helping owners save money and stress less, new data shows. authors: - name: Mallika Mitra role: Contributing Editor url: https://money.com/author/mallika-mitra/ bio: Mallika Mitra is a contributing editor for Money, based in Chicago. She has covered investing and retirement for seven years and her work has appeared in CNBC, Bloomberg, Kiplinger, AARP, Barron’s, Bankrate, The Daily Upside, ETF.com, The Bond Buyer, PLANADVISER, PLANSPONSOR and Investopedia. education: Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Kalamazoo College at_money_since: 2020 articles: 395 covers: - Insurance - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - CNBC - Bloomberg - Kiplinger - Barron's - Bankrate - WGN-TV - CBS News Radio - This Morning With Gordon Deal - Everyone's Talkin' Money social: - https://twitter.com/mitra_mallika - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallika-mitra-4577a386/ updaters: - name: Andrea Agostini Ferrer role: Lead Staff Writer url: https://money.com/author/andrea-agostini/ bio: Andrea has been our in-house insurance expert since 2021. She's dedicated hundreds of hours to researching and evaluating a wide range of insurance products — from niche plans like pet insurance to everyday essentials like auto and homeowners coverage — and applies her knowledge to help readers understand the ins and outs of these policies. education: University of Puerto Rico at_money_since: 2020 articles: 62 covers: - Insurance - Banking - Business - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Education - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Pets - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes published: '2026-08-25T23:26:43.000Z' modified: '2026-08-25T23:26:43.000Z' section: Insurance tags: - Pet Care - pet insurance - pet insurance costs - Sponsored - sponsorship word_count: 582 canonical: https://money.com/is-pet-insurance-worth-it/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![Female vet doctor examining a cat](https://img.money.com/2026/03/Explainer-Pet-Insurance-Is-It-Worth.jpg) Sponsored by: ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/35945/1bb92553-9c42-4ba8-bff9-9da0ab7ac8f1.webp) Offer your life companion a pet insurance that nearly half a million pet parents trust: Healthy Paws. [Go to HealthyPawsPetInsurance.com](https://money.com/pr/l2c756a36c31?ap_referrer=%2Fis-pet-insurance-worth-it%2F) ## Key Takeaways - Vet costs are up 43% since 2021, making pet care much more expensive. - Pet insurance has clear benefits: 3 in 4 owners report significantly lower vet costs, and 84% recommend it, according to survey data. - Whether pet insurance is worth it depends on your budget, since you’ll pay monthly premiums and some out-of-pocket costs. No pet owner wants to consider the worst-case scenarios that can take place when caring for a furry family member. But if your four-footed loved one gets bitten, breaks a bone or contracts a disease, it’s best to be prepared. The cost of veterinary care has jumped roughly 43% from January 2021 to January 2026, according to data from the Department of Labor. To help cope with those rising expenses — and protect wallets and emotions from the stress of a surprise vet bill — more people are turning to pet insurance. For many, it's paying off. Owners with pet insurance have been able to save money and enjoy peace of mind, according to a [recent survey](https://www.healthypawspetinsurance.com/pet-insurance-research/soaring-pet-costs-are-pushing-household-budgets-to-the-limit.html) of 1,590 U.S. dog and cat owners published by [Money.com](http://Money.com) and [Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.](https://money.com/pr/v9c164099706?data-trk-company=healthy-paws-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=v9c164099706&encoded_id=) “Pet insurance can absolutely be worth it, especially when you think about the moments that people hope never happen,” says Dr. Parva Bezrutczyk, a veterinarian who owns Arizona Animal Wellness Center and is president of the American Animal Hospital Association. “If your pet is sick or injured, the last thing you want is to feel torn between what they need and what you can afford.” ## Pet insurance offers protection as vet bills soar Medical care for a pet can take a major bite out of your savings. Roughly 29% of pet owners said they spent at least $100 monthly on veterinary care, while 16% reported spending $100 or more on medications and supplements, according to the survey. [Healthy Paws Pet Insurance’s](https://money.com/pr/v9c164099706?data-trk-company=healthy-paws-review&data-trk-imp=true&data-trk-pcu-type=direct_link&data-trk-pcu-uuid=v9c164099706&encoded_id=) claims data shows the typical vet bill has climbed steadily as of late, reaching about $392 per claim in 2025 — a 32% increase from 2020. Pet insurance can help keep costs manageable and put owners at ease. Fully 3 in 4 survey respondents who have pet insurance said this coverage has “significantly reduced” their out-of-pocket veterinary expenses. The vast majority (87%) reported that it has provided peace of mind when it comes to their pet's health, and another 84% would recommend pet insurance to other pet owners. The difference becomes especially clear when it's time to make treatment decisions at the vet's office. In a [follow-up survey](https://www.healthypawspetinsurance.com/pet-insurance-research/love-vs-limits-the-new-economics-of-pet-care.html), 50% of pet owners with insurance said that they were more likely to pursue all recommended treatment, regardless of cost, compared to 34% of pet owners overall. ## Should you get pet insurance? Whether to get pet insurance depends on your financial situation and preferences. “Some owners might prefer to set aside savings while others might value predictability and the protection that insurance offers,” Bezrutczyk says. Pet insurance doesn’t eliminate all pet health care costs, since plans typically don’t cover routine visits and vaccines. Plus, it’s an extra regular expense: Premiums add up to around $69 per month for dogs and $36 for cats, on average, according to the [North American Pet Health Insurance Association](https://naphia.org/industry-data/section-3-average-premiums/) (NAPHIA). Most plans also require deductibles or copayments, which means you’ll have to foot the bill for at least some out-of-pocket expenses before insurance kicks in. But Bezrutczyk says that when a pet becomes ill or injured, families often need to make decisions very quickly. Insurance can give them the freedom to say “yes” to advanced diagnostic surgery and other urgent treatments without financial strain. ## FAQs ### What are the downsides of having pet insurance? Cost and pre-existing condition clauses are the main drawbacks of having pet insurance. Premiums increase significantly as your pet ages, and, unlike your own health insurance, the policy won't cover any illnesses or injuries that showed symptoms before you got coverage. ### What is the most expensive dog breed to insure? Mastiffs, French bulldogs and Bernese mountain dogs are some of the most expensive breeds to insure because they have a higher risk of illnesses. Monthly premiums range from $60 to $100. ### Is $5,000 enough for pet insurance? It may be enough for minor emergencies and illnesses. However, a $5,000 limit can fall short if your pet suffers a traumatic injury or gets a serious illness, like cancer. The average cost to treat cancer in dogs is around $5,000, and surgery to remove a colon tumor costs almost $9,000, according to Care Credit, a financial services company. ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/is-pet-insurance-worth-it/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/is-pet-insurance-worth-it/", "name": "Is Pet Insurance Worth It in 2026? What the Data Shows", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2026-08-25T23:26:43.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/is-pet-insurance-worth-it/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "dateModified": "2026-08-25T23:26:43.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "Is Pet Insurance Worth It in 2026? 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