Best Emergency Pet Insurance Of 2024 (2024)

• 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

Company	Company - Logo	Forbes Advisor Rating	Forbes Advisor Rating	Deductible choices	24/7 vet healthline available?	Learn More CTA text	Learn more CTA below text	View More
Paw Protect		5.0		$100, $250, $500	Yes	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Embrace		4.0		$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000	Yes	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
ManyPets		4.0		$500	Yes	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website
Spot		4.0		$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000	Yes	Compare Plans	Via PetInsurer.com's Secure Website

Reimbursem*nt and deductible choices may vary by state.

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.

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% reimbursem*nt 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 reimbursem*nt 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.

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

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.

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.

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% reimbursem*nt 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.