Pet insurance cost by state
In 2025 the average US accident and illness policy cost $836 a year for a dog and $435 for a cat (NAPHIA). Where you live moves that by about 31% down to 18% up.
Estimates only, not a quote. Not financial or veterinary advice. Full disclaimer.
Estimate for your pet and state
$36 /month typical
Likely range $21–$51 a month ($249–$610 a year)
- Average dog premium at the reference age$52.83/mo
- Age 3 years×0.68
- Breed not listed (all-breed median)×1.00
- National average (no state selected)×1.00
- Accident & illness plan×1.00
Breed not selected or not in our data, so this uses the median of all breeds.
Estimates only, not a quote. Not financial or veterinary advice. Based on a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement and $5,000 annual limit. Actual prices depend on the insurer, ZIP code and your pet's history.
All states compared
| State | Factor | Dog | Cat | Law | Precision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 1.18 | $42 | $30 | No specific law | State |
| Connecticut | 1.18 | $42 | $30 | No specific law | State |
| California | 1.1 | $39 | $28 | Model Act law | State |
| New York | 1.09 | $39 | $28 | No specific law | State |
| Maryland | 1.09 | $39 | $28 | Model Act law | State |
| New Jersey | 1.08 | $39 | $28 | Model Act law (from 2027) | State |
| Colorado | 1.07 | $38 | $28 | No specific law | State |
| Illinois | 1.06 | $38 | $27 | No specific law | State |
| Florida | 1.05 | $38 | $27 | Model Act law | State |
| Virginia | 1.03 | $37 | $27 | No specific law | State |
| Pennsylvania | 1.02 | $37 | $26 | Model Act law | State |
| Washington | 1 | $36 | $26 | Model Act law | State |
| Arizona | 1 | $36 | $26 | No specific law | State |
| Hawaii | 1 | $36 | $26 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Alaska | 1 | $36 | $26 | No specific law | Regional |
| New Hampshire | 0.95 | $34 | $25 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Maine | 0.95 | $34 | $25 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Rhode Island | 0.95 | $34 | $25 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Vermont | 0.95 | $34 | $25 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Oregon | 0.94 | $34 | $24 | No specific law | State |
| North Carolina | 0.93 | $33 | $24 | No specific law | State |
| Texas | 0.92 | $33 | $24 | No specific law | State |
| District of Columbia | 0.9 | $32 | $23 | No specific law | Regional |
| Delaware | 0.9 | $32 | $23 | Model Act law | Regional |
| West Virginia | 0.9 | $32 | $23 | No specific law | Regional |
| Georgia | 0.87 | $31 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Nevada | 0.86 | $31 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Minnesota | 0.86 | $31 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Wisconsin | 0.86 | $31 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Michigan | 0.85 | $30 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Ohio | 0.85 | $30 | $22 | Model Act law | State |
| South Carolina | 0.85 | $30 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Tennessee | 0.85 | $30 | $22 | No specific law | State |
| Utah | 0.81 | $29 | $21 | No specific law | Regional |
| Idaho | 0.81 | $29 | $21 | No specific law | Regional |
| New Mexico | 0.81 | $29 | $21 | No specific law | Regional |
| Montana | 0.81 | $29 | $21 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Wyoming | 0.81 | $29 | $21 | No specific law | Regional |
| Iowa | 0.79 | $28 | $20 | No specific law | Regional |
| Kansas | 0.79 | $28 | $20 | No specific law | Regional |
| Nebraska | 0.79 | $28 | $20 | Model Act law | Regional |
| North Dakota | 0.79 | $28 | $20 | No specific law | Regional |
| South Dakota | 0.79 | $28 | $20 | No specific law | Regional |
| Indiana | 0.75 | $27 | $19 | No specific law | State |
| Missouri | 0.73 | $26 | $19 | No specific law | State |
| Alabama | 0.71 | $26 | $18 | No specific law | Regional |
| Kentucky | 0.71 | $26 | $18 | No specific law | Regional |
| Mississippi | 0.71 | $26 | $18 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Louisiana | 0.69 | $25 | $18 | Model Act law | Regional |
| Oklahoma | 0.69 | $25 | $18 | No specific law | Regional |
| Arkansas | 0.69 | $25 | $18 | No specific law | Regional |
How we measure state prices
NAPHIA reports each state's share of US insured pets and of US pet insurance premium. Dividing the premium share by the pet share gives how much the average insured pet in that state pays relative to the national average. California, for example, has 18.1% of insured pets and 19.9% of premium, a factor of 1.1.
States with less than 1% of US insured pets have too few for a precise ratio, because NAPHIA rounds to one decimal. For those we pool the smaller states in each Census division and use the combined ratio (marked "Regional" above). The factor also reflects which pets and plans are popular in a state, not only vet prices. Details in the methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most expensive pet insurance?
By average premium per insured pet in NAPHIA's 2025 data, the most expensive are Massachusetts (1.18× the national average), Connecticut (1.18× the national average), California (1.1× the national average).
Which state has the cheapest pet insurance?
The cheapest are Arkansas (0.69×), Oklahoma (0.69×), Louisiana (0.69×). Several small states share a regional factor because they have too few insured pets for a precise figure.
Which states have pet insurance laws?
17 states have adopted laws based on the NAIC Pet Insurance Model Act: California, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Ohio, Maryland, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Hawaii, Delaware, Nebraska, Vermont, Montana, Mississippi.
Sources
- Compare Pet Coverage. The State of Pet Insurance Regulation in America: A 50-State Review (10/21/2026). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- MoneyGeek. How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost? (10/14/2026). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Pet Insurance Model Act (MO-633) (08/13/2022). Accessed 11/06/2026.
- North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), compiled by Willis Towers Watson. State of the Industry Report 2026 (Highlights) (06/21/2026). Accessed 11/06/2026.
Full list, limitations and how each figure is used: methodology.
Data last reviewed: · How we estimate