Pet Insurance in California

Over 3 million pets are insured in the U.S. today with Californian pet owners taking out the most number of policies. This makes California our biggest pet-loving state in the U.S. If you want to find pet insurance quotes in California you can use our online quote tool or speak to one of our friendly licensed agents.

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Why do I need pet insurance in California?

California may be the sunshine state, but your outdoor-loving pets still need to be protected in the event of an emergency. Veterinary bills in California are among some of the highest, with emergency treatments costing anywhere from $500 to $10,000. A basic MRI scan for your dog or cat can cost over $2,000. Most accident and illness pet insurance policies will cover the cost of an MRI so this alone is worth you taking out a pet insurance policy.

In the U.S. pet owners spent a whopping $31.4bn on vet care and product sales in 2020.* This includes routine veterinary care, surgical procedures, and sales of pharmaceuticals or other products through veterinary clinics, excluding food and treats. However, the same pet owners spent only $1.9bn on pet insurance during the same period.**

Type of Cover in California

It’s important to get the correct level cover for you and your pet. Pet insurance cover can vary greatly, so try and imagine the worst-case scenario, such as an accident or illness that costs $5,000 or $8,000 to fix. Would you be in a position to cover the cost of this unexpected bill? Make sure that you select a level of cover that is affordable, and has a good level of protection from any unforeseen expensive bills.

Policy Excess or Deductible

When you see ‘Excess’ or ‘Deductible’ on a quote or policy document in California, this is the amount of money that you must pay on any claim you make. For example, if your veterinary bill comes to $5,000 and you have an excess of $500, you will pay the $500 amount and the insurance carrier will pay $4,500. The higher your deductible or excess, the lower your premium - so make sure you can afford to pay the excess as stated on your pet insurance policy.

Annual Limit California

The annual limit is the maximum amount of money your pet insurance carrier will reimburse you within one year. This varies depending on your pet insurance plan. Some pet insurance policies in California offer “unlimited” annual coverage limits, which will prevent you from hitting a reimbursement limit. Other insurance policies may have annual limits ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 for every year.

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*Data provided by AVMA and Packaged Facts. Excludes food and treat sales.

**Source NAPHIA