After spending thousands on vet bills, I put 3 pet insurance plans head to head — and my favorite is less than $30 a month (2024)

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• I've spent a lot on vet visits for my dog, so I decided to look into what pet insurance I could get.
• Figo and Spot both only cover 70% of my costs after a deductible, but they cover more treatments.
• I decided to go with Lemonade — it's not as comprehensive, but it's a better price.
• Compare pet insurance quotes for free with Petted.

When my dog was a puppy, I didn't consider getting pet insurance for her. Even though so many of my experienced dog owner friends warned me about how expensive vet bills could be, I didn't feel compelled to listen to them.

My dog is now four years old. In the last year, she's had a series of vet visits that left us with a few thousand dollars in bills to pay. Thankfully, these vet visits were for very treatable injuries, from an eye infection to a urinary tract infection. But it's made me think about finally getting pet insurance so I have coverage for injuries, accidents, or illnesses.

I decided I wanted to try not to spend more than $40 a month. I figured it might make sense to get cheap pet insurance now while my dog is still young and doesn't have pre-existing conditions.

I decided to price out three popular pet insurance plans to figure out which one is right for us. After sharing basic information with each company — including my ZIP code and my dog's breed and age — I received a personalized quote. After researching all three, each one had things I liked and didn't like.

1. Figo

Figo offered me a plan for just under $24 a month; the insurance pays for 70% of approved vet medical costs, up to $10,000 a year after a $500 deductible is paid.

What I liked: The monthly premium is half what I anticipated spending on pet insurance and would fit in nicely with my overall budget. I also liked that the plan has a 24/7 live vet chat — that way, I could connect with a vet to find out about treatment options and next steps. The plan also offers coverage for holistic and alternative treatments, as long as they are done by a licensed veterinarian. A vet near me offers acupuncture, and I have been interested in trying it as a treatment for a chronic injury my dog has.

What I didn't like: While this plan covers many things — like accidents, illnesses, chronic conditions, and prescriptions — routine wellness and preventive care visits are not covered. Pre-existing conditions aren't covered either, though that's the case for most pet insurance policies. Even though the monthly premium is low, the plan only pays for 70% of approved vet medical costs, which is lower than some other plans offer.

2. Spot

I also priced out a pet insurance policy from Spot. For $29 a month, I was offered a plan that included 70% coverage for approved vet medical costs, up to $5,000 a year, with a $1,000 annual deductible.

What I liked: This plan seemed to offer the most comprehensive coverage for accidents and illnesses. It covered vet fees, emergency visits, diagnostics and treatments, and holistic therapies like acupuncture.

What I didn't like: Like the other plans, it didn't cover any pre-existing conditions. While the monthly premium was under $30, the annual deductible was the highest of all three plans I priced out and only offered 70% coverage of approved vet medical costs.

3. Lemonade

The base plan from Lemonade was the least expensive option I found, at $23 a month. The plan pays for 80% of approved vet medical costs, up to $50,000 a year, after a $500 deductible.

What I liked: The biggest benefit of Lemonade is that I have other insurance policies through the company, including my renter's insurance. It offers a bundling discount of up to 10%, making my pet insurance premiums cheaper than any other provider. It also offers a pay-in-full discount of 5% if I want to pay the monthly premiums in one lump sum.

What I didn't like: The base plan is pretty basic. It covers diagnostics like blood tests, x-rays, and urine samples, as well as medication and surgeries. However, not much else is covered. Annual exams, vet visit fees, physical therapy, vaccines, and routine tests aren't covered. Lemonade does offer a routine care add-on plan for around $18 a month that covers those extras. Pre-existing conditions are also not covered under this plan.

After pricing out all three options, I decided to go with Lemonade. The coverage limit was the highest of all three plans, and the monthly premium was the lowest. Plus, I received an insurance bundling discount because I already had other insurance plans through the company.