The 7 Best Pet Insurance Companies in Florida (2023)

Like other pet owners across the Sunshine State, you may be looking for the best way to keep your pets healthy and protected in an emergency. Purchasing pet insurance in Florida can provide a buffer against unexpected vet bills and be a worthwhile investment if your furry friend is eligible.

We at the Guides Home Team have researched the top providers, plans, price points and benefits to help you to keep your four-legged family members healthy. We also surveyed 1,000 pet owners and examined hundreds of third-party reviews to understand consumer concerns and better identify the top ​​pet insurance companies in Florida.

Here are the top 7 pet insurance providers available to pet parents in Florida: 

Now that we’ve outlined the top pet insurance providers in Florida, compare each company side-by-side to decide which one is best for you:

*Each provider’s monthly cost is based on accident-and-illness policy premiums from quotes we obtained on 4-year-old, medium-sized dogs in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Because pricing may vary based on your pet’s age, breed and location, we recommend getting quotes directly from companies so you can get the most accurate cost information.

Based on the quotes we received, pet insurance in Florida typically costs around $35 to $85 a month for dogs and $20 to $60 a month for cats. 

Most pet insurance companies will determine how much your plan costs based on your pet’s age, breed and location. For instance, plans for older dogs that are considered a “high-risk” breed will cost more than plans for younger dogs. 

Additionally, the same coverage plan for the same pet can vary depending on where you live. That means that the same plan someone buys in Tampa might not be the same price for someone in Miami. 

Choosing the right pet insurance largely depends on the needs of your pet. The two types of plans typically offered are coverage for accidents and more comprehensive coverage for both accidents and illnesses. Beyond standard plans, many pet insurance agencies offer add-ons for routine and wellness care at an additional charge.

Here’s a breakdown of how each type of pet insurance works:

• Accident-only plan: This is a popular choice for owners seeking cheap pet insurance. Premiums tend to be lower, as this plan only covers unexpected events such as toxic ingestions, broken bones, internal or external injuries, swallowed objects and cuts.
• Accident and illness plan: This plan offers more comprehensive coverage, including illnesses and issues such as hip dysplasia, cancer, digestive issues, allergies and chronic or congenital conditions. Since this plan includes more conditions, the premiums are higher than accident-only coverage.
• Preventive care add-ons: No pet insurance plan offers payouts for preventive care, but for an additional fee, you can add insurance to cover the cost of keeping your pet healthy. Particularly for owners of puppies or kittens, preventive care can be expensive as they receive vaccines, wellness checkups and microchipping. This makes a wellness add-on an attractive option if you have younger pets, while some older animals may not need the same additional care.

It’s no secret that veterinary bills can get very expensive. In fact, the 2021–2022 American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) National Pet Owners Survey found that 70{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of U.S. households owned a pet, racking up an estimated $32.3 billion on vet care and products each year. 

Pet insurance helps cover the costs of your pet’s veterinarian care, giving you peace of mind in the event of an emergency. When you enroll in a pet insurance plan, you agree to pay a certain amount each month to your provider. In return, your provider will cover a portion of your vet bills if your pet needs treatment for a covered condition. 

“Pet insurance allows you to budget for your pet’s healthcare expenses as you can opt for a monthly premium payment instead of paying large veterinary bills simultaneously,” explains Becky Simmonds, professional dog trainer and behaviorist at Breed Advisor. “With pet insurance, you can provide your pet with the best possible care without worrying about the financial burden. It’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind and the health of your beloved pet.”

Claims and Reimbursement

The claims process looks a little different for each company. Once you’ve incurred a vet expense covered under your insurance plan, you can submit a claim with the bill. Some companies will even pay your vet directly, so you don’t have to go through the reimbursement process. 

How much you are reimbursed by your pet insurance provider depends on your plan. If your reimbursement rate is 80{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac}, that means that your pet insurance will cover 80{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of the total cost of your covered vet bills, after you pay your deductible. Your annual deductible is the amount you have to pay out-of-pocket each year before your pet insurance will start reimbursing you. 

A coverage cap, also known as a maximum coverage limit,  is how much your pet insurance provider will payout annually. For instance, if your coverage cap is $10,000, your insurer will cover up to $10,000 in vet bills each year. 

Keep in mind that every plan is different, so you’ll want to make sure the care your pet needs is covered. You should also be aware of any cancellation fees you may incur if you stop enrolling in your pet insurance plan. 

Choices for plans, coverage, customization options and add-ons will vary among pet insurance providers. These elements can affect your monthly rate, what you pay in an emergency and even what items are included in your plan. Certain plans will be better based on your pet’s age, breed and other factors.

Here’s what to look for to find the right fit: 

• Plan type: An accident-only plan can reduce your premiums while offering minimal coverage. Prudent Pet, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Spot offer accident-only plans. Other competitors on this list only provide more comprehensive accident and illness plans. 
• Coverage limits: We suggest that you determine how much coverage you think your animal will need. In particular, if your cat or dog breed is prone to certain expensive illnesses like hip dysplasia, getting a higher level of coverage may be beneficial to prevent reaching a limit and paying out of pocket. Healthy Paws can offer relatively affordable rates for unlimited coverage caps, while Prudent Pet’s unlimited plan rates often run slightly higher.
• Policy customization: Most providers allow you to choose your reimbursement rate, deductible and coverage cap. Lower reimbursement rates and higher deductibles can lower your policy price. Spot offers the most customization options for plans.
• Wellness coverage: Choosing a plan with a wellness add-on may save money, especially for pet parents of younger animals or rescues that are still getting initial deworming, heartworm medication, checkups and microchipping. One standout option is Embrace, which covers 100{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of the specified routine care costs up to the annual limit rather than reimbursing a certain percentage of preventive expenses.
• Provider specifics: Make sure you read the fine print on each provider’s specifics, such as pet age limits, waiting periods, preexisting conditions and required terms for enrollment.

In a survey of 1,000 pet owners across the U.S., we found that more than 40{7b6cc35713332e03d34197859d8d439e4802eb556451407ffda280a51e3c41ac} of respondents would have to pay for a pet emergency with a credit card or personal loan. Pet insurance can reduce out-of-pocket costs and high vet bills so you can focus on what matters — your pet’s road to recovery.

Our top-recommended pet insurance provider in Florida is Spot because of its broad range of coverage and customization options. 

However, every pet parent’s needs are different. For instance, for owners of young pets, Embrace may be the perfect choice for your puppy’s or kitten’s preventive care, while Prudent Pet provides unlimited coverage and comprehensive benefits for the pet parent who wants top-of-the-line care. We recommend pulling quotes from at least three providers to compare rates and find the best pet insurance option for your furry friend.

Our review of pet insurance companies is based on in-depth industry research that includes reading hundreds of customer reviews, scoping quotes and purchasing processes by secret shopping, speaking to representatives on the phone to assess the customer service experience, and surveying 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage.

We scored each provider on a 100-point scale based on those elements. We then divided this final score by 20 to calculate an overall star rating out of 5.0 stars.

Here are more details about each factor and how it’s weighted:

• Monthly pricing (25 points): The best pet insurance companies combine comprehensive coverage and plan options with affordable rates.
• Plans (15 points): The top pet insurance companies offer accident-and-illness plans, accident-only plans and wellness or preventive care add-ons to give customers the option to choose a plan that’s best for their pet.
• Covered treatments (15 points): We scored companies based on the treatments and procedures they cover. Companies with a breadth of included treatments and unique coverages received more points than providers with more standard or general policies.
• Customization options (10 points): Providers with more annual-limit, deductible and reimbursement-rate options earned the highest scores.
• Customer care (10 points): We scored companies on their website accessibility and overall usability, customer service availability, mobile apps (if any), money-back guarantees and veterinarian telehealth options, awarding points to the insurers with more customer experience offerings.
• Industry reputation (10 points): We reviewed up-to-date ratings and accreditation information from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and scored companies on their years of experience in the industry and their state availability.
• Waiting periods (10 points): Companies with shorter accident, illness and orthopedic waiting periods between the sign-up and coverage start date scored higher than companies with longer waiting periods.
• Eligible age (5 points): Some companies don’t offer policies for pets that are over a certain age. We deducted points from providers that have age limits for covered pets.

We use our rating system to compare and contrast each company against key factors to help us determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.

Faith Wakefield is a writer based in North Carolina. She holds economics and English degrees from UNC Chapel Hill, and her work has been featured on EcoWatch, The World Economic Forum and Today’s Homeowner. In her free time, she loves to binge-watch personal finance videos on YouTube, collect books and spend time in nature.

Tori Addison is an editor with over five years of experience in the digital marketing industry. Her includes communications and marketing work in the nonprofit, governmental and academic sectors. A journalist by trade, she started her career covering politics and news in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her work included coverage of local and state budgets, federal financial regulations and health care legislation.

Patrik Holmboe lives in Amsterdam and currently serves as Head Veterinarian for Cooper Pet Care, the leading veterinary telemedicine provider in the Netherlands. He has previously worked for over five years as a companion-animal vet in Australia, Dubai and the Netherlands.