5,534 pet owners requested and received a free no-obligation quote from one of the above companies in the last 30 days.
What Is Pet Insurance For Multiple Pets and How Does It Work?
When purchasing multi-pet insurance, you can typically select an option to add pets during policy enrollment. Most companies offer a 5% to 10% discount for having two or more pets on a single policy.
However, as a pet owner, you have the choice of purchasing a completely separate policy for additional pets. You may choose this option if you already have an insurance plan for an existing pet then get a new animal, or if your pet is beyond the age threshold for your preferred company.
We recommend getting quotes for a multi-pet policy from at least three pet insurance providers. Each pet insurance company offers varying levels of coverage and multi-pet discounts. We suggest looking at the overall plan cost instead of just the multi-pet discount offered by a provider.
Depending on your provider, you may have the option to select different reimbursement rates, annual coverage limits and deductibles for each pet. Customizing these options could make your monthly rate more affordable, especially if you’re adding a pure-bred or older pet to your policy.
Submitting a claim on a multi-pet insurance policy is similar to a single-pet insurance plan. The only difference is there will likely be an extra step of selecting which animal the claim is for with corresponding medical documentation.
Best Pet Insurance Companies For Multiple Pets
Below are the top pet insurers that offer multi-pet discounts:
- Lemonade: Our Top Pick
- Spot: Most Customizable Coverage
- Embrace: Our Pick for Savings
- Figo Pet Insurance: Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
- ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Our Pick for Older Pets
- Pets Best Insurance: Our Pick for Vet Direct Pay
- Pawp: Our Pick for a Pet Insurance Alternative
Lemonade
Our Top Pick For Multiple Pets
Spot Pet Insurance
Most Customizable Coverage
Embrace
Our Pick for Savings
Figo
Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
Our Pick for Older pets
Pets Best
Our Pick for Vet Direct Pay
Pawp
Our Pick for a Pet Insurance Alternative
Who We Didn’t Pick For Multiple Pet Owners
Some of the providers we typically recommend as the top pet insurance companies did not make this list because they do not offer multiple pet discounts or perks. Those providers are:
- Trupanion: This company does not offer multi-pet discounts. The company claims that providing a discount on multi-pet plans results in households with one pet paying more in premiums. However, Trupanion offers accident and illness plans with unlimited coverage limits. Read our Trupanion review to learn more.
- Healthy Paws: This provider does not offer a multi-pet discount or other benefits that some companies provide, such as military discounts. We named Healthy Pets as one of our most affordable providers for offering one type of plan with unlimited annual coverage limits. Read our in-depth Healthy Paws review to learn more.
- Fetch: Fetch pet insurance does not offer multiple-pet discounts. If you have more than one animal, the company requires you to enroll each pet under individual policies with separate premiums. However, Fetch covers more conditions than most other providers and has a 30-back money-back guarantee. Read our Fetch review to learn more.
How Much Does Multi-Pet Insurance Cost?
The cost of a multi-pet insurance policy will depend on the provider you select, how many pets you need to insure, each pet’s breed and species, and more.
According to quotes we gathered for a pet insurance policy in Raleigh, N.C., that covers two dogs, Pawp is the cheapest option. Keep in mind that Pawp is not traditional pet insurance, it’s an emergency fund for one-time use. Use the following table to compare the costs of multi-pet policies for our top-recommended providers:
| Company | Cost to Insure Two Dogs* | Multi-Pet Discount | Total Cost with Discount | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $60 | 5% | $57 | ||
| $176 | 10% | $158 | ||
| $76 | 5% | $72 | ||
| $210 | 10% | $189 | ||
| $92 | 10% | $83 | ||
| $56 | 10% | $50 | ||
| $27.25 | N/A | $27.25 |
| Company | Cost to Insure Two Dogs* | Multi-Pet Discount | Total Cost with Discount | Visit Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $60 | 5% | $57 | ||
| $176 | 10% | $158 | ||
| $76 | 5% | $72 | ||
| $210 | 10% | $189 | ||
| $92 | 10% | $83 | ||
| $56 | 10% | $50 | ||
| $27.25 | N/A | $27.25 |
*Prices are based on quotes for a 3-year-old, medium-mixed breed dog in Raleigh, N.C., with an 80% reimbursement rate, a $250 deductible, and the maximum annual limit allowed by the respective provider.
Pet Insurance for Multiple Dogs
It costs $112 per month, on average, to insure two dogs, according to our pet insurance cost analysis. This is based on an 80% reimbursement rate, a $250 deductible and the maximum annual coverage limit allowed.
With the 10% multi-pet discount typically included by insurance providers, your total monthly rate drops to about $101.
Pet Insurance for Multiple Cats
It costs $60 per month, on average, to insure two cats, according to our pet insurance cost analysis. This is based on an 80% reimbursement rate, a $250 deductible and the maximum annual coverage limit allowed.
With the 10% multi-pet discount typically included by insurance providers, your total monthly rate comes out to around $54.
Is Pet Insurance For Multiple Pets Worth It?
We think that multi-pet insurance is worth it if you own more than one dog or cat. Combining pet insurance policies can help you save 5% to 10% on premiums and help streamline the process of submitting claims.
If you only have one pet, even if you plan on adopting another one soon, it’s better to get single-pet coverage and add any new additions to your plan down the line. You can usually call your pet insurance company’s customer service line to add a pet to your policy and get a multi-pet discount added.
Our research team recently surveyed 1,000 pet owners, and nearly 40% of respondents also said they do not have savings set aside specifically for their pet. If this sounds like your position, pet insurance may be a worthwhile investment.
Multi-pet policies are also not ideal for pet owners with exotic pets, such as birds or snakes. Since only a few pet insurance companies cover exotic pets, it’s usually cheaper for a pet owner to get a plan for their dog or cat and then find a different policy for their exotic pet.
Can I Customize My Policy for Each Pet?
Most pet insurance providers allow you to customize your pet insurance plan for multiple pets. For example, Spot allows you to select an annual coverage limit, reimbursement rate and deductible, and you can add preventative care coverage for each pet before purchasing your policy.
However, some companies that offer unique pet care coverage, like Pawp, do not have options for customizations for individual pets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance for Multiple Pets
Yes, you can have multiple pet insurance policies at the same time. However, you can’t file a claim for the same incident on both policies. Finding a provider that offers coverage that fits your pet’s needs rather than trying to combine coverage from two different companies is the most cost-effective approach.
Most pet insurance companies offer a 5% or 10% discount for insuring multiple pets. Reach out to your provider of choice to learn more about its specific discount offerings.
Yes, you can get pet insurance if your dog or cat is already sick. However, your provider likely won’t cover any veterinary costs associated with your pet’s current condition since it will be considered preexisting. Your pet will still be covered for future accidents or non-related illnesses. It’s best to enroll your pet in a policy while they are young and healthy to ensure future veterinary costs will be covered.
How We Ranked the Best Multi-Pet Insurance Companies
Many pet insurance companies offer high-quality coverage options for pet owners, but a select few offer policies for people who have more than one furry friend. We used the following factors to help rank our top pet insurance providers for multiple pets:
- Multi-pet discounts: All top providers on our list offer a multi-pet discount when you enroll two or more pets. We ranked companies offering a discount higher than 5% higher on our list. For example, some providers offer 10% or 15% discounts.
- Number of pets allowed on a policy: Companies that allow six or more pets on one policy scored higher than those that only cover two or three pets per policy.
- Two or more plan options: Providers that offer more than one type of plan to choose from ranked higher than those with only one plan option. This allows multi-pet owners to have more flexibility in their premiums and coverage amounts.
- Customizable coverage levels: Providers that allow you to customize coverages for each individual pet scored higher than those that only allow you to choose one option that applies across your policy.
- Cost: Since cost is an important factor, pet insurance companies with cheaper monthly premiums ranked higher on our list. Our team analyzed four different types of pets across all 50 U.S. states to determine the average cost of each company. Cost figures are up-to-date as of November 2023.
- Special perks: Companies that offer more perks to pet owners, such as covering neutering and behavioral therapy, rank higher than those with basic coverage.
- Our rating: Our team reviewed over 35 pet insurance companies using our objective rating methodology. Pet insurance providers that had a higher overall score ranked higher on this list.
For more information on how we review and score pet insurance providers, read our editorial guidelines.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.
