Best Pet Insurance In Oregon 2024

Here are the best pet insurance companies in Oregon:

• Pets Best – Great For Choices Of Deductible
• ManyPets – Best For Lowest Out-Of-Pocket Claims Costs
• Nationwide – Best For Unlimited Wellness Coverage
• Lemonade – Best Price For Kittens And Puppies
• TrustedPals – Great For Service Dogs

Oregon pet insurance costs with $5,000 annual maximum coverage

Company	Monthly cost in Oregon
Lemonade	$28
TrustedPals	$32
Pets Best	$33
Figo	$48
ASPCA	$51
Spot	$51
Embrace	$63

Costs are for a plan with a $5,000 annual coverage maximum ($4,000 for TrustedPals), a $250 deductible ($200 for Embrace) and 90% reimbursement level. Source: PetInsurer.com.

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Oregon pet insurance costs with unlimited annual maximum coverage

Company	Monthly cost in Oregon
ManyPets	$31
Nationwide	$31
Pets Best	$38
Lemonade	$41
TrustedPals	$47
Healthy Paws	$52
Figo	$68
Trupanion	$77
Embrace	$81
Prudent Pet	$90
Spot	$103

Costs are for a plan with unlimited annual coverage ($30,000 for Embrace and $100,000 for Lemonade), a $250 deductible ($200 for Embrace) and 90% reimbursement level. Source: PetInsurer.com.

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There are three main types of pet insurance plans, and each provides different types of coverage. Understanding what expenses they’ll cover and how coverage aligns with the risks you want to protect against can help you choose the best option for your pet.

Accident and illness plans

Almost all pet insurance plans fall into this category. Accident and illness plans cover things like surgery to repair your dog’s ruptured ACL and emergency veterinary treatment when she eats the chocolate your kids left out. They cover medicated drops for your cat’s ear mites, insulin for his diabetes and CT scans when your vet suspects a brain tumor.

Accident and illness plans don’t cover everything, though. You’ll likely pay out of pocket for routine exam fees and other forms of preventive care, like dental cleanings. They also may not cover medication for behavioral issues (yes, cats can take Prozac).

Accident-only plans

These plans will cover your expenses if your dog needs X-rays and tail surgery after the worst day ever at the dog park. But they won’t protect you against the crushing weight of deciding whether to drain your life savings for your pet’s cancer treatment or say goodbye because you can’t afford it.

Since accident-only plans offer far less coverage, you may save money on monthly premiums. Both accidents and illnesses can be expensive to treat, though. You’ll have to decide if the savings is worth the risk.

Wellness and routine care plans

These plans are better thought of as discount plans than insurance. They’re not protecting you against financial catastrophe from unpredictable and unforeseeable events. Instead, they can help smooth out the irregular (but predictable) expense of check-ups, vaccinations and heartworm medication throughout the year.

You can do the same with a savings account dedicated to pet care. But since wellness and routine care plans are usually offered as an add-on to an accident and illness plan, you might find that the nominal extra cost is worth it.

If you’ve never had pet insurance before, you’ll want to understand how it works. Knowing how much you’ll spend for coverage, when you’ll get reimbursed and how much of your eligible costs are covered by insurance is important for choosing the best plan for you.

You might be familiar with some of these terms from dealing with your own health insurance.

Deductible

This is the amount you’ll pay out of pocket on covered expenses each year before your pet insurance kicks in. However, while your own health insurance policy year might run from January 1 through December 31, your pet’s policy year might run from, say, February 28 through February 27, based on when you first purchased coverage.

It’s important to understand the coverage period so you know when your deductible will reset. Bunching covered procedures and medications within a single policy year can reduce your out-of-pocket costs, as long as you’re not compromising your pet’s care.

Reimbursement percentage

This is how much of a covered expense the insurer will pay you back for after you’ve met your deductible. It’s usually 70%, 80% or 90%, depending on the options your insurer offers and how much you’re willing to pay for premiums. Your premiums will be higher when you choose a higher reimbursement percentage.

Unlike your own health insurance policy, some pet insurers apply the reimbursement percentage before subtracting your deductible, which means it will take longer to meet your deductible. If you submit a receipt for $100 and your reimbursement rate is 80%, the insurer might only apply $80 toward your deductible.

Annual maximum

How much the pet insurer will pay toward your pet’s covered expenses each year. Some companies don’t have annual maximums, while others might cover just $5,000 in expenses. If you choose a policy with a limited annual maximum, you’ll need to be prepared to cover any costs that exceed it.

Pets in Oregon, especially dogs, can suffer from encounters with cheatgrass, juniper pollen, porcupines, skunks, and ticks. When you’re shopping for pet insurance, here are some perks you might find valuable:

• 24/7 vet lines: When the emergency vet is closed or too far away—or you’re not sure if getting pricked by a porcupine is an emergency—your insurer may offer a free helpline you can call to get veterinary advice.
• Plans that will pay the vet directly: Having your insurer pay your vet directly is easier than submitting claims for reimbursement. While pet insurers don’t take nearly as long as human health insurers to process claims and reimbursements, if minimizing your up-front costs is important, you might consider plans with this feature.
• Plans with a multipet discount: If you’re insuring more than one pet, a multipet discount could be attractive. However, don’t assume that a company offering a multipet discount will be cheaper than a company not offering one. Get quotes from different companies and compare the value they offer for your premiums.
• Plans where you can add routine wellness coverage: Pets can be expensive, but if only rich people were pet owners, far fewer pets would have loving homes. Would paying for ordinary pet care strain your finances? If so, a plan that covers preventive care could be a good choice.

In Oregon, state law largely governs owners’ responsibility for their pets. Here are some of the most important laws pet owners, especially dog owners, should be aware of.

Oregon’s Pet Licensing Laws

In counties with dog control programs, Oregon law requires owners to get pet licenses for dogs that are six months old or have their permanent teeth, whichever comes first. To get a pet license, dogs must be current on their rabies vaccinations. Counties, not cities, issue these licenses.

Getting your pet licensed can be inconvenient and is an additional expense of dog ownership. However, licensing programs can reduce the risk of rabies infections from dog bites, support dog control programs and shelters and, along with microchipping, can make it easier for someone to reunite you with your lost dog. In fact, if someone finds a dog in Oregon, state law requires them to try to find its owner. You’ll get an identification tag with your license, which you should attach to your dog’s collar.

Oregon’s Approach to Problematic Pets and Owners

Oregon law takes a compassionate and practical approach to animal bites. If a cat, dog or ferret bites a human, the animal is to be confined and observed for 10 days, not euthanized. If the dog has rabies, it will die in that time. If it doesn’t, other measures can be taken if needed to reduce the risk of future bites.

Oregon law requires pets to receive a minimum standard of care, including a sufficient quantity and quality of food, access to drinking water, veterinary care when sick or injured, shelter against the elements and a clean and comfortable living environment. Violations can result in a misdemeanor or felony for animal neglect.

Oregon’s public nuisance laws apply to dogs that bark or make other noises excessively. Dog owners should use humane methods such as training, play, and companionship to curb this behavior. Barking dog complaints are handled at the city level.

Portland Pet Laws

Portland has designated dog off-leash areas for licensed and fully vaccinated dogs to play under an owner or caretaker’s supervision. Dogs must be leashed in all other park areas, as well as trails, pathways, gardens and playgrounds. Regardless of where you and your pet are getting fresh air, you must clean up their waste.

You can’t allow your dog to dig holes or chase wildlife, and dogs are never allowed on sports courts, tracks or fields. You also can’t allow your dog to enter any fountains, ponds, lakes or streams. You are liable for any injuries or damage your dog causes to people or other animals.

Minor violations are subject to fines of up to $150 per incident. Exceptions apply to service, police and rescue dogs.

Salem Pet Laws

Salem sits along the border of Marion and Polk counties, which both require pet licenses. If you’re new to the area or have recently become the pet’s owner, you have 30 days to get a license. Marion County offers senior pet owners a discount for licensing their altered (spayed or neutered) dogs.

Eugene Pet Laws

Eugene requires dog licensing but also has an ordinance specifically prohibiting unlicensed dogs in the downtown core. A local nonprofit offers basic veterinary care—including spaying, neutering and vaccination—for pets belonging to unhoused individuals. So do the Portland Animal Welfare Team and Pro-Bone-O in Eugene.

We used data provided by PetInsurer.com to score the best pet insurance companies in Oregon based on the following.

Average plan prices: Up to 40 points. We averaged pet insurance quotes for each insurer for a mixed-breed dog at two ages in Oregon.

Plan benefits: Up to 60 points. We scored plans based on the following important features: Annual coverage choices, whether the plan can pay a veterinarian directly, access to a 24/7 vet line, availability of routine wellness coverage, whether the plan pays the vet exam fee, pet dental illness coverage, end of life coverage and multipet discount.