How to choose a pet insurance annual limit
By Raúl Vaquerizo · Published · Editorial policy
The largest dog claim NAPHIA members paid in 2025 was $66,600, for a 3-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog with a chronic illness that was never fully diagnosed. The largest cat claim was $51,600, for a 4-year-old cat with cancer. Most claims are nowhere near that. But those numbers are the reason the annual limit exists, and the reason it’s worth a few minutes of thought.
The annual limit is the most your insurer will pay in one policy year. Once you hit it, you pay everything else until the policy renews.
What insurers offer
Limits vary more than most people expect. As listed by MoneyGeek in 2026:
| Insurer | Annual limit options |
|---|---|
| Healthy Paws, Trupanion | Unlimited only |
| Wagmo | $20,000 |
| Lemonade | $5,000 to $100,000 |
| Rainwalk | $5,000 to $20,000 |
| Pumpkin | $5,000, $10,000, $20,000 or unlimited |
| Embrace | $2,000 to $15,000, or unlimited |
| ASPCA, Spot | from $2,500, up to unlimited |
| Fetch, Figo, Pets Best | $5,000, $10,000 or unlimited |
| Prudent Pet | $2,500, $10,000 or unlimited |
| AKC | $2,500 to $10,000 |
| Liberty Mutual | $5,000 to $15,000 |
| MetLife, Nationwide | $2,500 to $10,000 |
Watch for two other kinds of cap. A per-incident limit caps what the insurer pays for one condition, sometimes over the pet’s whole life. A lifetime limit caps the total the policy will ever pay. A policy can have a generous annual limit and still run out because of one of those.
When $5,000 isn’t enough
All the estimates on this site use a $5,000 limit, because that’s the profile behind the quote data. It’s a common choice, and many single treatments go past it:
| Treatment | Published US cost |
|---|---|
| Cruciate ligament (knee) surgery and follow-up | $5,459–$12,738 |
| Hip dysplasia treatment | $3,330–$26,629 |
| Spinal disc (IVDD) surgery, all-in | $10,000–$15,000 |
| Bloat (GDV) surgery | $2,000–$7,500 or more |
| Lymphoma treatment in cats | $3,639–$18,198 |
| Cat urinary tract disease (FLUTD) | $859–$6,875 |
If one of these hits in the same year as a couple of smaller claims, a $5,000 limit can run out early in the policy year.
What a higher limit costs
There’s no public dataset that isolates the price of each limit for the same pet. MoneyGeek’s rough guidance is that going from $5,000 to $10,000 “might add $10 to $20 monthly”, and unlimited could add “$20 to $40 more”. That’s $120 to $480 a year, which is small next to the gap between a $5,000 payout and a $12,000 bill.
A sensible way to pick
- Large and giant breeds, or breeds prone to joint problems or cancer: $10,000 or more, ideally unlimited. Check your breed’s page for documented risks: Labrador, Rottweiler, Bernese Mountain Dog, Golden Retriever.
- Breeds with one well-known expensive problem: set the limit above the top of that cost range. For a Dachshund, that means at least $15,000 because of disc surgery.
- Young cats and small low-risk dogs: $5,000 to $10,000 is a reasonable floor, if the premium difference matters to you.
- Whatever you choose: read the policy for per-incident and lifetime caps too.
The payout calculator shows how different limits change what you’d get back on a large bill.
Estimates only, not a quote. Not financial or veterinary advice. We are not an insurer, agent or broker. Prices come from public data and change by insurer, ZIP code, policy options and your pet's medical history. Always read the policy and ask your veterinarian about your pet's health. Full disclaimer.