---
title: "How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost? Average Premiums and Claims"
url: https://pawmultiverse.com/how-much-does-pet-insurance-cost/
description: "NAPHIA: the average US accident and illness policy cost $62.44 a month for a dog and $32.21 for a cat (2024 data). ABI: UK insurers paid a record £1.23 billion in 2024, with an average claim of £685."
source: Paw Multiverse (https://pawmultiverse.com), free to cite with a link
---

# How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?

Published by Paw Multiverse (A.I.T. Multiverse Consulting Ltd) · Last updated 7 November 2026

Quick answer

In the US, the average accident and illness policy cost $749.29 a year for a dog ($62.44 a month) and $386.47 for a cat ($32.21 a month), according to NAPHIA's 2025 report on 2024 data. In Canada the averages were CAD 1,070.20 for a dog and CAD 550.35 for a cat. In the UK, the ABI says the average claim paid in 2024 was £685. Your own quote depends on the animal, the area and the cover.

From NAPHIA and the Association of British Insurers. Not veterinary or financial advice. [Worried about your pet now?](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-emergency-what-to-do-now/)

## Average premiums: US and Canada

| Accident and illness cover | Dog | Cat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| United States, per year | $749.29 | $386.47 |
| United States, per month | $62.44 | $32.21 |
| Canada, per year | CAD 1,070.20 | CAD 550.35 |
| Canada, per month | CAD 89.18 | CAD 45.86 |

These are NAPHIA's industry averages for accident and illness policies, from its 2025 State of the Industry report on the North American market at the end of 2024. NAPHIA defines accident and illness cover as accident benefits plus illnesses such as cancer, infections and digestive problems; accident-only cover pays for things like swallowed objects, cuts, road accidents, torn ligaments and poisoning. Sources: [NAPHIA, North American pet health insurance market reaches $5.2B in written premium (State of the Industry 2025, 22 April 2025)](https://naphia.org/news/naphia-news/soi-report-2025/); [NAPHIA, About this data](https://naphia.org/industry-data/about-this-data/).

## How many pets are insured

NAPHIA counted 7.03 million insured pets in North America at the end of 2024: 6,405,541 in the US and 619,303 in Canada, up 20.9% in a year. Premiums written rose 20.8% to over $5.2 billion. Source: [NAPHIA, North American pet health insurance market reaches $5.2B in written premium (State of the Industry 2025, 22 April 2025)](https://naphia.org/news/naphia-news/soi-report-2025/).

## United Kingdom: what insurers paid out

The Association of British Insurers says its members paid a record £1.23 billion in pet claims in 2024, from 1.8 million claims, an all-time high. The average claim was £685, up 3%, and 4.6 million owners had a policy. It gives examples of costly treatment: elbow dysplasia can cost over £50,000, and treating a pet that ate something poisonous such as chocolate or raisins around £4,000. Source: [Association of British Insurers, Insurance payouts for pawly pets top £1 billion for third year in a row (2025)](https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2025/5/insurance-payouts-for-pawly-pets-top-1-billion-for-third-year-in-a-row/).

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## Why your quote will differ

An average is not a price. Quotes vary with the species, breed and age of the animal, where you live, the type of cover, the annual limit and the excess you choose. The type of policy matters most: our [pet insurance guide](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-insurance-guide/) explains the four types and the renewal trap, and our [vet costs guide](https://pawmultiverse.com/vet-costs-guide/) explains why vet bills vary. For the cost of owning a pet as a whole, see the [annual cost of a dog](https://pawmultiverse.com/annual-cost-of-owning-a-dog/) and [annual cost of a cat](https://pawmultiverse.com/annual-cost-of-owning-a-cat/).

We do not recommend insurers and take no commission. This page is not financial advice.

## Questions people ask

How much is pet insurance a month for a dog?

NAPHIA's 2025 report puts the average US accident and illness premium for a dog at $62.44 a month ($749.29 a year), based on 2024 data. In Canada the average was CAD 89.18 a month.

How much is pet insurance a month for a cat?

NAPHIA's average US accident and illness premium for a cat was $32.21 a month ($386.47 a year). In Canada it was CAD 45.86 a month.

What is the average pet insurance claim in the UK?

The Association of British Insurers says the average claim paid in 2024 was £685, up 3%, with a record £1.23 billion paid across 1.8 million claims.

Is accident-only cover cheaper?

Accident-only cover pays only for accidents such as swallowed objects, cuts, road accidents and poisoning, while accident and illness cover adds illnesses such as cancer, infections and digestive problems. NAPHIA's published averages above are for accident and illness cover.

## Sources

- [NAPHIA, North American pet health insurance market reaches $5.2B in written premium (State of the Industry 2025, 22 April 2025)](https://naphia.org/news/naphia-news/soi-report-2025/), read 7 November 2026.
- [NAPHIA, About this data](https://naphia.org/industry-data/about-this-data/), read 7 November 2026.
- [Association of British Insurers, Insurance payouts for pawly pets top £1 billion for third year in a row (2025)](https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2025/5/insurance-payouts-for-pawly-pets-top-1-billion-for-third-year-in-a-row/), read 7 November 2026.

Sources last checked 7 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? [Tell us](https://pawmultiverse.com/contact/).

## Related pages

[Pet insurance explained: the four types](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-insurance-guide/), [vet costs guide](https://pawmultiverse.com/vet-costs-guide/), [pet cost calculator](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-cost-calculator/) and [all pet cost pages](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-costs/).

**Is it worth it?** What the claims data shows, without a sales pitch: [is pet insurance worth it?](https://pawmultiverse.com/is-pet-insurance-worth-it/)

**Already a vet history?** How insurers treat pre-existing conditions: [pre-existing conditions explained](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-insurance-pre-existing-conditions/)

**What will you pay per claim?** Excess and co-payments with a worked example: [excess and co-payments explained](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-insurance-excess-and-co-payments/)

**Is your pet's food on a recall list?** Check the barcode on the bag against five official registers in the US, UK, Canada and France. [Check your bag](https://pawmultiverse.com/check-your-bag/) · [Recalls this week](https://pawmultiverse.com/pet-food-recalls/this-week/)

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