Best Pet Insurance in Florida

Florida is a wonderful state for animals. Between the fantastic weather, beaches, dog parks, and many pet-friendly locations, pets and their owners are sure to have a sun-filled time. Another part of being a great pet parent is ensuring that your pet receives quality veterinary care so that it can live its happiest and healthiest life. Unfortunately, stacked vet bills can quickly become expensive, especially for emergency visits or chronic illnesses. It’s even estimated that one in three pets will need emergency care each year. Even if your pet is young or healthy right now, dog or cat insurance can provide you with an important safety net should your pet need sudden care for an accident or illness.

Looking for pet insurance in the Sunshine State? Our team at 365 Pet Insurance has compared the following pet insurance companies for you so that you can quickly gather information about what each provider has to offer:

Spot:                              Best overall
Lemonade:                  Most affordable
ASPCA:                         Most experienced
Embrace:                     Best for deductibles
Healthy Paws:            Best for chronic conditions
Prudent Pet:               Best for dog and cat parents who want basic options
Figo:                              Most flexible reimbursement rates
Wagmo:                       Best for immediate reimbursement
Trupanion:                Most flexible deductible

Best Pet Insurance Companies In Florida

With so many pet insurance options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Every pet insurance agency is different and will have unique pet insurance plan options, reimbursement rates, coverage terms, deductibles, and exclusive features of its own, like built-in charitable initiatives and user-friendly mobile apps.

To help narrow down your options, we’ve put together a list of the best pet insurance companies in Florida so that you can see what each provider offers and where their strengths and weaknesses lay.
Provider Waiting Period Money-back Guarantee Maximum Enroll Age BBB Rating *Certain conditions, such as cruciate ligaments or orthopedic conditions, may have longer waiting period times, usually six months to a year. This is common among many pet insurance providers, but most illnesses will be covered after the waiting period listed above.

How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Florida?

Worthwhile pet insurance options are ample in the Sunshine State. Between Florida’s homegrown company Spot and the many other insurance companies that offer plans to Floridians, you are sure to find a plan that suits you and your pet. The average cost of pet insurance in Florida is around $40 per month for dogs and $21 per month for cats. Please keep in mind that these numbers will vary depending on your pet’s species, breed, age, health, and more. To recap what pet insurance may cost you month-to-month, we’ve summarized the average monthly cost of pet insurance for each company below.
Provider Sample Monthly Cost For Dogs Sample Monthly Cost For Cats Sample Monthly Wellness Cost Where you live in Florida also makes a difference in your rate each month. Fort Lauderdale is the most expensive city to insure your pet in, followed by Miami, Sarasota, Orlando, and Tallahassee, according to quote data we got from Figo Pet Insurance.
City Monthly Cost*
Miami                                     $29.75
Tallahassee                           $17.89
Orlando                                 $19.07
Fort Lauderdale                  $44.94
Sarasota                                $20.32

*Quotes are for $14,000 in annual coverage with a $250 annual deductible as well as 80% reimbursement. We used a sample dog of a 3-year-old mixed breed weighing between 21-70 pounds. Puppies, senior dogs, and various breeds can alter the above rates.

How Does Pet Insurance Work in Florida?

In Florida, pet insurance works by reimbursing you for out-of-pocket veterinary expenses covered under your pet insurance plan. The reimbursement is typically based on a percentage agreed upon in your plan, usually between 50 and 90%. Once your claim is approved, your pet insurance provider will reimburse you for the agreed-upon percentage.

Since your pet insurance provider works with you rather than directly through your vet’s office, you never have to worry about finding an in-network vet clinic. As long as you’re visiting a licensed veterinarian and your claim is covered under your policy, you’ll receive reimbursement for your pet’s treatment. In short, pet insurance works as a protective solution for unexpected accidents or illnesses that your pet might endure throughout its lifetime, providing you with peace of mind that your pet will be able to receive the treatments they need no matter the cost.

Florida Pet Insurance Resources

Pet Alliance Orlando: Located in both Orlando and Sanford, Florida, this Pet Alliance works diligently to provide supplemental dog and cat food to those in need. Pet food is available by appointment for individuals in need for up to six months.
Happy Trails Animal Rescue: The Happy Trails Animal Rescue has a pet pantry that offers pet food and other needed supplies to pet owners going through difficult times. It offers dry and wet dog and cat food, toys, treats, cat litter, and flea prevention for Orange, Osceola, or Seminole counties in Florida.
Spay Florida: Spay Florida is an organization that connects you to low-cost spay and neuter clinics in your community. All of these clinics offer high-quality spaying and neutering at a small cost. Visit its website for options near you.
Humane Society: The Humane Society offers free vaccinations and dog and cat food at their shelter.

Spot Pet Insurance

Located in West Palm Beach, Spot pet insurance is a local pet insurance provider with solid coverage and abundant wellness plan options. Spot’s partner, Cesar Millan, is a TV-famous dog trainer and works with Spot to encourage proper dog training for a stronger human-animal bond and prevent unfortunate accidents when your dog is unrestrained. Spot only offers pet insurance for dogs and cats at this time.

Spot offers an extensive spread of customization options for its policyholders. With a wide range of annual limits, reimbursement rates, and annual deductible options to choose from, you’ll have complete control over your pet’s plan. Such lax customizations will keep you from paying for unnecessary extras that you don’t want.

What Does Spot Cover?

Spot’s accident and illness plans cover numerous veterinary expenses related to emergency care, dental diseases, behavioral issues, hereditary conditions, poison control consultation fees, and more. Spot doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, cosmetic procedures, or breeding-related costs. However, these exclusions are standard among pet insurance providers and not unique to Spot.

Spot Pet Insurance Cost In Florida

Spot pet insurance plans average $40 per month for dogs and $22 for cats. While preventative care isn’t featured in its standard coverage, wellness add-ons are available for a few extra bucks a month. Costing $9.95 or $24.95 per month (depending on the tier you choose), these elective riders offer significant coverage for vaccines, heartworm tests, fecal tests, dental cleanings, vet exams, diagnostic tests, and more. Overall, these prices are competitive among its fellow providers and can save you a fair amount of money in the long run.

Pros

Excellent wellness plan options
No age restrictions for coverage
Comprehensive, customizable pet insurance plans
Covers behavioral issues

Cons

Doesn’t cover prescription food
Has a longer waiting period for accidents

2023’s Top Pet Insurance Providers

Looking to protect yourself against major vet bills in case your pet becomes injured or sick?

Our experts reviewed numerous pet insurance companies to find the top seven pet insurance options below. We chose these pet insurance policies based on monthly premiums, policy features, coverage options, and customer service that sets them apart from other providers in the marketplace.

Best Overall: Pumpkin Pet Insurance

Pumpkin Pet Insurance is our choice for the best overall pet insurance. Pumpkin offers both accident & illness coverage and wellness coverage without expensive add-on fees. The insurance coverage protects your pet when it is hurt or sick and does not have annual limits or per-condition deductibles. Plus, there are no 6-month or 1-year waiting periods for knee injuries or hip dysplasia. The Preventative Essentials Pack helps take care of routine care with full coverage for annual wellness exams, key vaccines, and lab tests. Discounts are also available when you have more than one pet insured.

With Pumpkin, you’ll also receive the best coverage for older pets because it has no upper age limits or breed exclusions. No matter how old your pet is, you can get approved with Pumpkin. Its policies let you choose your own vet and includes 90% reimbursement for all covered procedures and treatments, even as your pet ages.

Best for Multiple Pets: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

The best coverage for multiple pets is offered by ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. For every pet that you cover, it offers a 10% discount for each additional pet. Combine that discount with the ability to adjust your annual limit, deductible, and reimbursement percentage to find coverage that fits your budget. Accident-only plans are also available.

ASPCA offers illness and accident insurance with optional preventative care for regular wellness visits and vaccinations. Plus, you can choose any vet that you like. Unlike some other pet insurance policies, ASPCA covers exam fees, alternative therapies, behavioral issues, and microchipping as part of its Complete Coverage Plan.

Best for Accident & Illness Only: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Our choice for the best accident and illness coverage is Healthy Paws. You can choose any vet or emergency clinic that you like rather than being restricted to in-network vets. There are no limits on claims with no per-incident, annual, or lifetime caps on payouts. And it offers quick reimbursement of vet bills with 99% of claims paid within two days.

Healthy Paws policies cover accidents, illnesses, cancer, emergency care, genetic condition, and alternative care. Policies start at $15 per month for cats and $20 per month for dogs. This low price does mean that its policies do not cover preventative care, vaccinations, or dental exams. Additionally, age restrictions do apply for pets older than 8 years old and pets 6 years and older must have a physical exam prior to approval. For every pet insurance quote, Healthy Paws makes a donation to a homeless pet’s medical care.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin covers annual wellness exams, screenings, and vaccines
No upper age limits or breed exclusions
90% reimbursement at your choice of vet

ASPCA

Customizable plans to meet your needs and budget
Visit any vet in the U.S. or Canada and receive up to 90% reimbursement
30-day money-back guarantee

Healthy Paws

Most claims are processed within 2 days
No per-incident, annual, or lifetime caps on claim payouts
Use any U.S. licensed vet or emergency clinic

Spot

Comprehensive coverage for your pet
Plans offering thousands in coverage with options starting at less than a cup of coffee per day
Discounts available to reduce the cost of insurance

What is pet insurance?

Pet owners love their pets because of the joy and companionship that they provide. However, when a pet becomes sick or injured, the veterinary bills can be overwhelming. One of the methods people use to reduce the cost of major vet bills is by purchasing a pet

insurance policy.

Pet insurance typically helps to pay for routine care, like vaccinations and wellness visits, while also protecting against major expenses for injuries and illnesses. What’s included in your policy varies on the insurance provider, the type of policy purchased, and the options you select.

Why is purchasing pet insurance important?

Purchasing pet insurance is important for people who are worried about unexpected veterinary bills. While most pet owners are capable of covering typical vet expenses, like wellness visits and vaccinations, the big bills when something goes wrong can quickly overwhelm their finances. Buying a pet insurance policy eliminates that worry because most policies cover 90% or more of covered exams, treatments, and procedures.

When should you buy pet insurance?

Like most insurance policies, it can be very expensive when you try to buy coverage after an injury or illness strikes. In most cases, the application won’t be approved or the injury or illness that you’re trying to get covered will be excluded. For this reason, it is best to buy pet insurance as soon as possible. This will offer financial protection and peace of mind for a fixed price in case of anemergency or illness.

Additionally, some policies won’t cover pets once they reach a certain age. Because of this, buying pet insurance when your pet is young will increase the chances that their insurance application will be approved.

Benefits of pet insurance

The benefits of pet insurance go beyond the health of your pet. Many of the benefits of pet insurance address how your finances are affected by unexpected accidents and illnesses that occur. The purpose of insurance is to convert an unknown expense that can be overwhelming into a more manageable monthly payment.

Here are a few of the benefits that pet insurance can provide you and your pet:

Wellness visits and vaccinations covered
Protection in case of accident or illness
Converts an unknown expense into a fixed monthly cost
Allows you to focus on your pet’s health, not what the procedure will cost
Increases treatment options for your pet that are normally cost-prohibitive
Saves money on expensive treatments and follow-up care
Peace of mind knowing that a financial risk is covered
Helps you budget for the care of your pet
Keeps you from using savings or going into debt in case of emergency

The pet insurance process and timeline

When shopping for pet insurance, most companies provide instant quotes online after answering a few questions. Once you’ve found the policy and options that work best for you, you’ll approve the quote and submit payment to purchase the policy.

Once your application is approved and payment is made, you must wait for the coverage to begin. Each company’s waiting period for illness and accidents vary, but it is typical to have to wait 14 days for coverage to begin. If your pet has an eligible pre-existing condition, you may have to wait 180 days after the last treatment or symptom before coverage begins for that condition.

When your pet needs veterinary care, visit your eligible veterinarian to receive service. Most policies allow you to choose your own vet. Since most pet insurance plans reimburse you for eligible treatments, you’ll need to pay the vet bill, then submit your receipts for reimbursement. The insurance company will then process your claim and send a check to your home or electronic deposit to your bank for your pet’s covered treatments.
How to compare pet insurance providers

When comparing pet insurance providers, don’t just look for the lowest insurance premium. While cost is a big factor, so are the coverages, waiting periods, exclusions, deductibles, and more. Below are many of the questions you should ask when comparing pet insurance options:

What are the annual/monthly premiums?
What discounts are available?
Are there different plans available?
Which optional add-ons are available?
Can I visit any vet or do I have to stay within a network?
Are wellness visits covered?
Is preventative care included?
Are annual screenings and vaccinations covered?
Is there a deductible?
What is the reimbursement percentage on approved claims?
Are claims reimbursed or paid directly to the vet?
Is there a waiting period for illness or injury?
Are pre-existing conditions covered?
If so, what is the waiting period?
Is there an age limit on new policies or renewals?
Are all breeds accepted for coverage?
Do you offer a money-back guarantee? If so, for how long?

How much does pet insurance cost?

Pet insurance premiums vary depending on the coverage that you purchase and the benefits of the policy. Typically, the higher the premiums paid, the more expansive your coverage is. An emergency-only policy is just $24 per month with Pawp, while more robust policies start at just $1 per day with GEICO Pet Insurance. As with other types of insurance, when you increase the deductible or qualify for discounts, your premiums can be reduced.

Types of pet insurance

When comparing pet insurance options, there are three categories of policies – accident only, accident & illness, and comprehensive coverage.

Accident only. Covers your pet for harm or injuries due to accidents.
Accident & illness. Includes accidents plus illness caused by sickness or disease.
Comprehensive coverage. Covers accidents, illness, and routine care, which usually includes vaccinations, worming treatments, de-sexing, microchipping, and dental.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it worth it to get pet insurance?

For most pet owners, it is worth it to buy pet insurance. The insurance policy protects them against major vet bills and, if they buy a comprehensive policy, it also covers routine wellness visits, exams, and vaccinations in one easy monthly payment.
What is the cheapest pet insurance alternative?

The lowest-priced pet insurance alternative that we found was $24 per month from Pawp. This plan offers unlimited video chats with a veterinarian and includes a $3,000 emergency protection fund for your pet.

What are the best pet insurance plans?

The best pet insurance plan is one that offers the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Our choice for the best pet insurance plan is Pumpkin Pet Insurance because it covers all breeds 8 weeks and up with no upper age limits. It includes discounts for multiple pets and offers optional preventative care for comprehensive coverage. You can choose your own vet and receive up to 90% reimbursement on covered vet bills without sneaky add-on fees, per-condition deductibles, or confusing annual limits.

Does pet insurance cover routine vet visits?

Yes, depending upon the type of policy and options that you choose, your routine vet visits for checkups, vaccinations, and more are covered. This coverage is commonly referred to as a comprehensive pet insurance policy.

What is not covered by pet insurance?

While pet insurance typically covers injuries, illness, and wellness visits, it does not cover every vet bill. If your pet has a pre-existing condition, most pet insurance policies will not cover those bills. Additionally, cosmetic procedures (e.g. cropping ears or docking tails), grooming, and other elective procedures are typically not covered. Congenital or hereditary disorders may be excluded as well, depending upon the insurer.