The Best Pet Insurance Companies in Maryland (2024)

Here are our top seven picks for the best pet insurance companies in Maryland:

• Lemonade: Our Top Pick
• Spot: Most Customizable Coverage
• Embrace: Our Pick for Savings
• Fetch: Our Pick for Comprehensive Coverage
• Healthy Paws: Most Affordable Unlimited Coverage
• Figo: Most Flexible Reimbursement Rates
• Trupanion: Our Pick for Unlimited Lifetime Payouts

You can use the table below to compare each insurance provider on our list based on important factors. 

According to our research, the average monthly cost to insure a dog in Maryland is $85, and the average price for cat insurance is $39. Your price may vary. Many factors influence the exact cost, including your pet’s breed, age and location.

The table below reflects the average monthly premium for cats and dogs in Maryland based on provider.

Based on our quotes, Lemonade is the cheapest pet insurance in Maryland. Lemonade’s affordable coverage makes it a good option for Maryland pet owners seeking pet insurance on a budget. We received the following quotes for pets in Randallstown, Md.:

• 5-year-old medium mixed-breed dog: $32
• 2-year-old golden retriever: $38
• 5-year-old mixed-breed cat: $15
• 2-year-old Siamese cat: $24

Lemonade also offers two preventive add-on packages for an additional monthly cost. The exact price of your Lemonade pet insurance plan will depend on your selected options and your pet’s age, breed and location.

When shopping for a Maryland pet insurance policy, considering several factors can help you choose the right policy for your pet’s needs and your budget.

• Coverage and options: Your coverage selections will define your policy and premium, which can vary based on your chosen annual limits, deductibles, reimbursement rate and extra benefits. Determine what coverage you need and compare multiple pet insurance companies based on cost and available options to find the best plan for your pet. 
• Policy exclusions: Pet health insurance policies are complex. Before enrolling, read a policy’s fine print for significant treatment and pharmacy exclusions. For example, most providers will not cover pre-existing conditions but may offer coverage if your pet remains symptom-free for a certain period of time.
• Customization: Most insurance providers allow you to adjust your coverage limit, deductible and reimbursement rate. Customizing these options can get you to a coverage level with a monthly premium within your budget. Depending on the provider, you can also select from different add-ons to further customize your coverage.
• Customer satisfaction: Reading customer reviews on platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot can help you learn about customer experiences with each pet insurance company. 

Remember that where you live impacts the availability and cost of pet insurance, as the laws and regulations governing pet insurance vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Before choosing a pet insurance company, ensure it provides coverage in your state and compare monthly premium costs.

In 2018, Maryland became the second state in the country to impose a statewide ban on the retail sale of animals sourced from puppy and kitten mills. The state also prohibits leaving a dog outside and unattended for longer than 30 minutes without access to shelter or shade during extreme weather conditions or heat. Some cities in Maryland also have laws to protect pets and people.

Annapolis Pet Laws

• Pet owners must vaccinate cats and dogs older than 4 months against rabies.
• You must license cats and dogs older than 6 months. 
• The city prohibits animals considered a nuisance or threat to public safety.
• The city prohibits pets from roaming at large.
• Pet owners are required to dispose of their pet’s waste.

Baltimore Pet Laws

• You must license cats and dogs older than 4 months.
• Pets must be secured inside or in an outdoor enclosure if not on a leash.
• Pets in public must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet long.

Frederick Pet Laws

• The city prohibits noisy and disruptive animals.
• Dogs are not allowed at special community events unless otherwise stated.
• Pet owners are required to properly dispose of animal waste.

Pet insurance has many components, and understanding common terminology can help you choose the provider and plan that best fits your pet’s needs.

• A waiting period is a specified number of days you must wait before filing a claim after enrolling in a new plan. Events occurring during your pet’s waiting period are considered pre-existing conditions and will not be covered.
• The deductible is the portion of the veterinary bill you are responsible for paying before your insurance provider offers reimbursement. Most pet insurances offer an annual deductible, while some offer a per-incident deductible.
• A premium is what you pay for your plan’s coverage each month or year. Lower premiums typically correlate to higher deductibles, while higher premiums correlate to lower deductibles.
• The reimbursement rate is the percentage of your bill a pet insurance company covers once you meet the deductible. Most insurance companies offer reimbursement options of 70%, 80% or 90%.
• The coverage limit is the maximum amount of money the insurance company will pay. The annual limits on policies reset yearly, but some policies impose a lifetime cap on coverage for any particular pet. 

Investing in pet insurance can help ensure your pet receives the veterinary care it needs when something unexpected — and unbudgeted — happens, providing priceless peace of mind for Maryland pet owners. According to our survey of 1,000 pet owners with pet insurance, 81% consider the investment worthwhile.

We think that Lemonade’s fast service, competitive rates and comprehensive coverage can benefit Maryland pets. However, we recommend comparing quotes from multiple pet insurance companies to ensure you find the best fit for your pet’s needs before purchasing a policy.

We ranked pet insurance providers in Maryland based on the key factors that affect policyholders in the state. To inform our review, we analyzed the average age of pets in Maryland, state veterinary costs, average monthly premium prices for cats and dogs, and the most reported accidents for pets in the state. Company rankings reflect affordability, coverage options, available discounts and benefits, and more. We also weighed responses to our survey of 1,000 pet owners with pet insurance nationwide, filtered by Maryland residents.

We review each pet insurance company based on factors most important to pet parents like you. To inform our reviews, we surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage. Our process includes in-depth industry research about each provider, such as comparing coverage options, gathering quotes online to determine pricing and reading reviews to assess customer service. 

We then score each provider on a 100-point scale and divide the final score by 20 to calculate an overall rating out of 5.0 stars. Here are more details about the factors we consider when reviewing pet insurance providers:

• Monthly pricing (25%): To assess pricing, we collect sample quotes for medium-mixed breed and purebred dogs and cats, ranging from four years old to one year old. Providers earn the most points in this category for offering affordable coverage and a multi-pet discount. 
• Plans (15%): The best pet insurance companies offer a range of plans to give customers the option to choose the coverage that is best for their pet. Companies offering accident and illness plans, accident-only plans, and wellness or preventive care add-ons earn full points in this category. We also look at coverage limits and award the most points for policies with unlimited coverage. 
• Covered treatments (15%): According to our survey of pet owners, coverage is one of the most important factors when shopping for pet insurance. Companies with a breadth of included treatments and unique coverages receive more points in this category than providers with more standard or general policies.
• Customization options (10%): Customizing your pet insurance policy can help lower your cost. Providers that offer more annual limit, deductible and reimbursement rate options earn the highest scores in this category.
• Customer care (10%): Respondents to our survey also valued customer service when comparing pet insurance providers. We score each company based on its website accessibility and overall usability, customer service availability, mobile apps, money-back guarantees and veterinarian telehealth options, awarding points to insurers with more customer experience offerings.
• Industry reputation (10%): We review up-to-date ratings and accreditation information from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and score companies based on years of industry experience and state availability.
• Waiting periods (10%): Companies with shorter accident, illness and orthopedic waiting periods between the time you sign up for coverage and your policy starts score higher in this category.
• Eligible age (5%): Some companies do not offer policies for pets over a certain age. For this category, we deduct points from providers that have age limits for covered pets.

We use our rating system to compare each company we review and determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers. 

Use the resources below to learn more about pets and pet insurance in Maryland.

• Maryland Insurance Administration
• Resources for Maryland Pet Owners
• Maryland Pet Laws
• Average Pet Insurance Cost by Breed, Age and State
• Veterinary Service Price Estimator