Our Rankings of The Best Pet Insurance in Washington
Here is our list of top pet insurance providers in Washington State:
- Lemonade: Our top pick
- Spot: Most customizable coverage
- Embrace: Our pick for savings
- ASPCA Pet Health Insurance: Our pick for older pets
- Healthy Paws: Most affordable unlimited coverage
- Figo: Most flexible reimbursement rates
What’s the Best Pet Insurance in Washington?
Based on our thorough review of the available pet insurance companies in Washington, we chose Lemonade as the best overall pet insurance provider.
Compare the Top Pet Insurance Providers in Washington
No singular plan is best for every pet and pet owner in Washington. That’s why it’s best to compare your options and consider what types of coverage and features are most important. Use our table below to quickly look at the most popular plans offered by our top pet insurance providers.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Washington?
According to our sample quotes, the average cost for pet insurance in Washington is $67 per month for dogs and $32 for cats. To determine the average cost of pet insurance, we gathered quotes from popular providers across four pet types:
- A 5-year-old medium, mixed-breed dog
- A 2-year-old golden retriever
- A 5-year-old mixed-breed cat
- A 2-year-old Siamese cat
The actual cost of pet insurance will depend on several factors, including veterinary care rates, where you live,and your pet’s age and breed. Purebred and senior dogs and cats are more likely to have health problems and cost more to insure.
The following table lists monthly costs for dogs and cats in Washington for 11 top pet insurance providers.
Provider | Dog Insurance | Cat Insurance |
Lemonade | $31 | $18 |
Spot | $66 | $33 |
Embrace | $56 | $25 |
Healthy Paws | $59 | $21 |
Fetch | $128 | $41 |
Figo | $62 | $27 |
Pets Best | $72 | $41 |
Paw Protect | $57 | $26 |
ASPCA Pet Health Insurance | $40 | $18 |
ManyPets | $24 | $14 |
Trupanion | $144 | $83 |
What’s the Cheapest Pet Insurance in Washington?
Based on our sample quotes, the cheapest pet insurance in Washington is ManyPets, a UK-based company that recently started insuring pets in the U.S. Other cheap options with similar or better coverage, based on our review, include ASPCA Pet Health Insurance and Lemonade.
How To Choose the Best Pet Insurance in Washington
To choose the best pet insurance in Washington State, consider the options and plan features most important to you and your pet’s medical needs. No plan will cover pre-existing conditions, so consider instead what types of coverage your pet may need in the future. Consider the following factors to help you narrow down your list of policy options:
- Coverage and plan types: Accident and illness plans offer the broadest coverage for emergencies, injuries and illnesses of varying types. Accident-only plans cost less but cover only accidental injuries and emergencies. Additionally, you can add a wellness plan to your pet’s base coverage to help cover out-of-pocket routine care costs.
- Fine print: Policy documents detail the exact nature of your coverage. Ask for a sample policy before you sign up, and look for a money-back guarantee that allows you to cancel if you find something objectionable in your paperwork in the first few days.
- Customization: The ability to adjust your deductible, annual limit and reimbursement percentages allows you to balance coverage with premium costs. More customization is better in most cases so you have the flexibility to adjust your coverage and premium.
- Customer satisfaction: Customer reviews can help you identify red flags, such as long claims processing times or difficult-to-reach customer service representatives. We suggest reading reviews on trusted platforms like the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and Trustpilot.
The availability of certain pet insurance plans may be affected by insurance laws, which vary by state. Obtaining quotes from your top choices not only helps you compare costs and features but also ensures coverage is available in your area.
Pet Laws in Washington
Pet laws in the state of Washington help protect animals and people. Laws common to most states include rabies vaccination mandates and anti-cruelty statutes. Some notable laws in Washington include the following:
- It is illegal to steal pets and sell them to research institutions.
- The state extends protections for domestic abuse victims to their pets.
- Dogs harassing or injuring wildlife may be taken into custody or destroyed.
Washington state law also regulates pet insurance. As of Jan. 1, 2024, insurers cannot impose waiting periods longer than 30 days for illnesses and orthopedic conditions and must waive the waiting period upon a veterinary examination.
Individual municipalities can also set dog laws. Here are some examples of local pet laws in the Evergreen State:
Seattle Pet Laws
- All dogs and cats must be licensed, and guard and attack dogs require a separate license.
- Pet owners must remove feces from yards, runs and other enclosures at least once every 24 hours.
- A resident can keep no more than three small animals, including dogs and cats, unless their property is more than 20,000 square feet.
Olympia Pet Laws
- Failure to sterilize an adopted pet is illegal.
- Animal control may remove pets needing medical treatment and treat animals at the owner’s expense.
- People owning more than four dogs must obtain a hobby kennel license for $25 plus $1 for each dog.
Spokane Pet Laws
- Pets adopted from the humane society must be sterilized by a contracted veterinarian within 90 days of adoption.
- Sexually intact or sick cats are not allowed to roam at large.
- No more than three dogs belonging to a single handler are permitted in off-leash areas.
Understanding Pet Insurance Terminology
Learning common terminology can help you interpret policy paperwork and learn how pet insurance works. Here are a few basic definitions:
The waiting period is the time between signing up for a policy and when coverage starts. Insurance laws in Washington restrict waiting periods for illness and orthopedic conditions to 30 days and allow a waiver if your pet undergoes an exam. An insurer may consider conditions that arise during the waiting period as pre-existing and not provide coverage.
The deductible is the dollar amount you must pay once a year before your policy will reimburse you. You can usually choose from a list of deductible options — higher deductibles result in lower monthly premium payments.
Your premium is the fixed monthly or annual payment you make to maintain your pet’s insurance policy. You can lower your premium by choosing lower coverage limits or a higher deductible.
The reimbursement rate is the percentage of a bill an insurance policy will cover, leaving the policyholder responsible for the remainder. The rate generally ranges from 70% to 90%, but could be as high as 100%. Although some companies pay your vet directly, most expect you to pay at the time of service and file for reimbursement later.
The coverage limit is the maximum amount a policy will pay out per year, per incident or over a pet’s lifetime. We recommend you look for policies with annual limits, which reset each year.
Is Pet Insurance Worth It in Washington?
Veterinary bills from unexpected accidents and illnesses can quickly add up, which can cause financial strain for some pet owners. We think pet insurance is worth purchasing because it can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars each year on veterinary costs. With pet insurance, you can focus on providing care for your furry friend with less fear of having to make a difficult decision about whether you can afford veterinary care in an emergency.
Our top overall pick for pet insurance in Washington is Lemonade, but each company on our list can meet varying coverage needs. Consider the pros and cons of each provider and obtain multiple quotes for comparison before making a final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in Washington
All pet insurance providers require waiting periods, which reduces the incidence of fraudulent claims. Waiting periods vary among providers, but Washington State restricts the time to a maximum of 30 days for illnesses and orthopedic conditions.
USAA offers pet insurance at discounted rates through Embrace, another insurer that operates in Washington. However, only USAA members can benefit from its discounted rates.
According to our research, the average pet insurance plan in Washington costs around $50 per month. Your exact cost will vary. For example, you may pay more if you have a purebred or senior pet. You can also expect higher premiums if you select high-limit coverage.
How We Ranked the Best Pet Insurance Providers in Washington
We conducted extensive research to determine our ranking of pet insurance providers in Washington. To determine star ratings, our team uses an objective scale that factors in pricing, customer service, customer reviews, covered conditions, plan types, customization, industry reputation and enrollment age limits. We ranked providers based on their availability and suitability for Washington pet and pet owner needs as determined by local survey responses.
We obtained all cost figures in this guide by averaging quotes across 11 popular providers for four sample pets, including a 5-year-old medium, mixed-breed male dog, a 2-year-old female golden retriever, a 5-year-old mixed-breed male cat and a 2-year-old female Siamese cat. For more information about our ranking process, check out our full pet insurance methodology and editorial guidelines.
How We Rated Pet Insurance Companies
Additional Pet Insurance Resources
If you have questions about this page, please reach out to our editors at editors@marketwatchguides.com.