- Paw Protect — Best for Paying Covered Vet Bills Instantly
- Embrace — Best for Superior Benefits
- ManyPets — Best for Unlimited Annual Coverage
- Spot — Best for Annual Coverage Choices
As a former claims handler and fraud investigator, Jason Metz has worked on a multitude of complex and multifaceted claims. The insurance industry can be seemingly opaque, and Jason enjoys breaking down confusing terms and products to help others make well-informed decisions.
Jason Metz
As a former claims handler and fraud investigator, Jason Metz has worked on a multitude of complex and multifaceted claims. The insurance industry can be seemingly opaque, and Jason enjoys breaking down confusing terms and products to help others make well-informed decisions.
Ashlee is an insurance editor, journalist and business professional with an MBA and more than 17 years of hands-on experience in both business and personal finance. She is passionate about empowering others to protect life's most important assets. When Ashlee isn't spreading insurance knowledge or solving television murder mysteries, she enjoys spending time with her family (including the furry and feathery ones) on their farm in Kentucky.
Reviewed
Ashlee Valentine
Ashlee is an insurance editor, journalist and business professional with an MBA and more than 17 years of hands-on experience in both business and personal finance. She is passionate about empowering others to protect life's most important assets. When Ashlee isn't spreading insurance knowledge or solving television murder mysteries, she enjoys spending time with her family (including the furry and feathery ones) on their farm in Kentucky.
Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.
Accidents are bound to happen with a cat or a dog. An incident like a dog fight, eating something poisonous or getting struck by a car could lead to a visit to an emergency veterinary clinic. Expenses such as X-rays, blood tests and surgeries could quickly add up into the thousands.
Pet insurance is a good way to pay for large emergency vet bills. We evaluated 13 plans to help you find the best emergency pet insurance.
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Show Summary
- The Best Emergency Pet Insurance Plans
- Summary: Best Pet Emergency Pet Insurance Ratings
- Do You Need Emergency Pet Insurance?
- How Much Does Pet Insurance For Emergencies Cost?
- Common Pet Emergencies
- What’s Covered by Emergency Pet Insurance?
- What Is Excluded From Emergency Pet Insurance?
- Methodology
- Emergency Pet Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
- Next Up In Pet Insurance
The Best Emergency Pet Insurance Plans
Summary: Best Pet Emergency Pet Insurance Ratings
Reimbursement and deductible choices may vary by state.
Do You Need Emergency Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance is a good way to cover emergencies such as broken bones, ingested foreign objects or an illness. Without pet insurance, you would need to pay for emergency-related pet expenses out of pocket.
For example, if your dog swallows a toy and you take them to an emergency vet clinic for X-rays, your pet insurance plan can cover the vet visit, X-rays and any procedures, such as surgery.
There are generally two types of pet insurance plans that cover emergencies:
- Accident and illness plan: This type of plan covers accident-related emergencies (such as bite wounds) and illness-related emergencies (such as vomiting or lethargy). This also covers non-emergency illnesses, such as ear infections, skin allergies, cancer and diabetes.
- Accident-only plan: This type of plan only covers accident-related emergencies, like broken bones. It won’t cover illness-related emergencies. Accident-only plans are less expensive than accident and illness plans since they cover fewer problems.
Some insurers offer the option to add a pet insurance wellness plan for routine care to an accident and illness plan. This type of plan does not cover emergency expenses, but it covers routine wellness expenses such as annual exams, vaccinations, and flea, tick and heartworm prevention.
How Much Does Pet Insurance For Emergencies Cost?
The average cost of pet insurance for emergencies for a dog is $44 per month and $30 per month for a cat, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance costs. That’s for a policy with $5,000 of annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 80% reimbursement level.
Your pet insurance costs will vary depending on factors such as:
- Type of pet
- Breed
- Age of pet
- Where you live
- Coverage amount, deductible and reimbursement percentage
The best way to find cheap pet insurance for emergencies is by getting quotes from several different insurance companies. When you compare pet insurance quotes, make sure it’s for plans with similar policy details and plan benefits. For example, not all plans have a 24/7 vet healthline, which could be very helpful in emergency situations.
Common Pet Emergencies
A pet emergency requires a trip to a vet clinic and immediate care. Here are some of the most common pet emergencies to be aware of:
- Bleeding from the mouth, nose or rectum
- Blood in urine
- Choking, difficulty breathing or nonstop coughing or gagging
- Coughing up blood
- Fractured bones, inability to move leg(s) or severe lameness
- Heat stress or heatstroke
- Injuries to your pet’s eye(s)
- Inability to urinate or pass feces, or obvious pain associated with urinating or passing feces
- Refusal to drink for 24 hours or more
- Seizures and/or staggering
- Severe bleeding or bleeding that does not stop within five minutes
- Severe diarrhea or vomiting (more than two episodes in a 24-hour period, or either of these symptoms combined with an illness or any other problem)
- Signs of pain or extreme anxiety
- Unconsciousness
- You suspect (or know) that your pet has eaten something poisonous such as antifreeze, chocolate or rodent poison
What’s Covered by Emergency Pet Insurance?
The types of problems covered by pet insurance depends on what type of plan you buy. An accident and illness plan covers emergencies and common problems such as:
- Accidents and injuries such as broken bones, lacerations and poisonings
- Common illnesses such as diarrhea, ear infections and vomiting
- Serious illnesses such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease
- Hereditary conditions such as blood disorders, eye disorders and hip dysplasia
- Diagnostics and testing such as blood work, CT scans and X-rays
- Procedures such as chemotherapy and surgeries
- Holistic and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and chiropractic
- Prescription medication
An accident-only plan will only cover veterinary expenses related to accidents, such as diagnostics, surgery and prescription medication.
What Is Excluded From Emergency Pet Insurance?
Here are some common exclusions typically found in a pet insurance policy:
- Boarding and kennel fees. Most pet insurance plans do not cover these types of expenses, but some insurers will cover this cost if you are hospitalized, such as the Pet Owner Assistance Package from Trupanion pet insurance.
- Breeding costs.
- Exam fees. Some insurers do not cover vet exam fees, even if it’s related to an emergency. If you want these fees covered, make sure you pick a plan that pays for exam fees.
- Expenses not related to veterinary care. This includes costs such as administrative fees and taxes.
- Food and supplements. This includes your pet’s regular food and supplements, but some insurers cover prescription pet food.
- Grooming. This includes expenses such as grooming, nail trims and shampooing.
- Pre-existing conditions. This includes health problems that occur before your coverage kicks in. Some pet insurers cover pre-existing conditions that are considered curable, such as an ear infection.
- Preventative and elective procedures. This includes procedures like declawing, ear cropping and tail docking.
- Vaccinations. A standard pet insurance policy does not cover vaccines and booster shots, but you may be able to add a wellness plan to your plan to cover vaccinations.
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Methodology
To find the best pet insurance we used data provided by PetInsurer.com to score each pet insurance company based on the following:
Pet insurance rates: 40% of score. We calculated average rates for dogs for plans with unlimited coverage, a $500 deductible and a 90% reimbursement level, or the closest options available.
24/7 vet health line: 20% of score. Insurers that provide access to a 24/7 vet health line scored in this category.
Direct payment to vet: 20% of score. Pet insurance companies that have the ability to pay a vet directly earned points.
Pays veterinary exam fees: 20% of score. Not all insurers cover exam fees, even if the fee is for an illness or accident-related visit. Plans that cover the vet exam fee scored in this category.
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Emergency Pet Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
Does pet insurance cover emergency visits?
Yes, pet insurance accident and illness plans cover emergency visits for problems like broken bones, injuries to your pet’s eye or an emergency related to an illness, such as diabetes. An accident-only plan covers emergency visits for accidents, such as poisonings, bite wounds or severe bleeding.
Is there emergency pet insurance with no waiting period?
All pet insurance plans have a waiting period, which is the amount of time before your coverage kicks in for an accident or illness. Common pet insurance waiting periods are 14 days for accidents and illnesses. Some insurers have an extended waiting period of six to 12 months for orthopedic problems like knee injuries and hip dysplasia.
While pet insurance plans don’t offer immediate coverage, you can find pet insurance companies that offer short waiting periods. For example, Figo pet insurance has a one-day waiting period for accidents and ManyPets pet insurance has no extended waiting period for orthopedic conditions.
What is considered accidental in pet insurance?
Pet insurance companies consider accidents as sudden, unpreventable incidents that cause a physical injury to your pet, such as getting hit by a car, dog bites or ingesting a tennis ball. Veterinary expenses for accidents are covered by both accident and illness plans and accident-only plans. For example, if your dog ingests a toy, your pet insurance plan will cover the cost of treatment.
