MetLife and Lemonade are two of the best pet insurance companies in New Jersey.
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Sarah Schlichter Lead Writer | Home insurance, renters insurance, pet insurance
Sarah Schlichter is a NerdWallet authority on homeowners, renters and pet insurance. Prior to joining NerdWallet, she spent more than 15 years in digital media as a writer, editor and spokesperson. Sarah enjoys delving into complicated topics and helping readers understand the ins and outs of their insurance coverage. She lives in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
Caitlin Constantine Assistant Assigning Editor | Home insurance, renters insurance, pet insurance
Caitlin Constantine is an assigning editor at NerdWallet, focusing on homeowners, renters and pet insurance. She has more than 15 years of experience in digital media, including as the deputy managing editor at The Penny Hoarder and as a digital producer for a 24/7 news station based in the Tampa Bay area. Caitlin enjoys exploring the ways technology can help people become better informed about the world. She currently lives outside Asheville, North Carolina.
Pet insurance can come in handy if your furry pal gets an expensive diagnosis, reimbursing you for a portion of your vet bills. To help you find the best pet insurance in New Jersey, NerdWallet gathered rates and evaluated plans from more than a dozen insurers. These are the ones that came out on top.
NerdWallet’s rating system rewards pet insurance companies with broad coverage, a variety of ways to customize your plan, a high financial strength rating and a good customer experience. To calculate each insurer’s rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. Here’s the full methodology behind our pet insurance ratings.
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure the content on our website is accurate and fair, so you can make financial decisions with confidence and choose the products that work best for you.
Unlimited The highest coverage limit the insurer offers per year.
Reimbursement rates
50% - 90% How much of your bill the insurer will pay after you’ve met your deductible.
Deductibles
$0 - $2,500 How much of your vet bills you need to pay before the insurer starts reimbursing you.
Policy highlight
No age restrictions for enrollment.
Pros and cons
Pros
Deductible goes down each year you don't make a claim in some states.
Accident coverage starts right away, with no waiting period.
Includes coverage for holistic and alternative care.
Cons
No option to have the company pay your vet directly.
Bottom line
MetLife sells customizable plans for dogs, cats and even other animals in some states.
Why it's the best: MetLife had the highest raw score among all the pet insurance companies we evaluated, thanks to its comprehensive and customizable policies. MetLife’s standard accident and illness plan includes coverage for alternative therapies, prescription food, vet exam fees and treatment for dental illnesses — all expenses some pet insurers charge extra for.
For even more coverage, consider adding MetLife’s optional preventive care package, which can reimburse you for spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations and other routine procedures.
MetLife policyholders have access to a 24/7 online vet chat service where you can get answers to questions about your pet’s health at any time.
$100,000 The highest coverage limit the insurer offers per year.
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90% How much of your bill the insurer will pay after you’ve met your deductible.
Deductibles
$100 - $750 How much of your vet bills you need to pay before the insurer starts reimbursing you.
Policy highlight
Pays some claims almost immediately.
Pros and cons
Pros
Quick claims processing.
Multipolicy and pay-in-full discounts available.
Donates a portion of premiums to nonprofit organizations.
Cons
Not available in all states.
Physical therapy, acupuncture and chiropractic care cost extra.
Bottom line
Lemonade boasts a seamless online experience and quick claims, but its default coverage is more limited than some other plans.
Why it's the best: Lemonade offered consistently low rates for all the sample pets we quoted. Aside from its affordable rates, Lemonade stands out for how quickly it processes some claims. After you submit your vet bill in the Lemonade app, the company says about 40% of claims are paid instantly.
Lemonade’s accident and illness policy covers the basics, such as diagnostic testing, surgeries and prescription medicine. You can add the following coverage for an extra cost:
Unlimited The highest coverage limit the insurer offers per year.
Reimbursement rates
70%, 80%, 90% How much of your bill the insurer will pay after you’ve met your deductible.
Deductibles
$100, $250, $500 How much of your vet bills you need to pay before the insurer starts reimbursing you.
Policy highlight
Broader coverage than most other plans.
Pros and cons
Pros
Covers horses in addition to cats and dogs.
Standard plans cover alternative therapies, behavioral issues and congenital conditions.
Shorter waiting period than most plans for cruciate injuries (14 days).
Cons
You must call, rather than get an online quote, if you’re interested in unlimited annual coverage.
Bottom line
ASPCA offers generous coverage and multiple plan options, including an accident-only policy.
Why it's the best: If you want a pet insurance policy that covers more than most, consider ASPCA. Its accident and illness plan can reimburse you for prescription food and supplements, behavioral issues, alternative therapies, dental diseases and microchipping. It will also cover treatment for most curable pre-existing conditions that have been symptom- and treatment-free for at least 180 days.
ASPCA has preventive care coverage you can add for expenses like teeth cleaning, deworming and vaccinations. If you’d rather have coverage for your pet’s injuries only, you can choose the more affordable accident-only plan.
Want more options? Check out all the pet insurance companies in New Jersey that earned a 5-star rating from NerdWallet.
Best pet insurance in New Jersey for younger animals
Below are sample rates for 2-year-old mixed-breed dogs and cats in Jersey City with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
Dog: $37
Cat: $21
*ASPCA plans had $4,000 of annual coverage.
Best pet insurance in New Jersey for older animals
Because older pets usually cost more to insure, we also checked rates for 8-year-old dogs and cats in Jersey City. Here’s how our 5-star companies stack up for mixed-breed dogs and cats with the same coverage limits as above.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
Here are the cheapest insurers we found in New Jersey, based on quotes for pets living in Jersey City. Unless otherwise stated, our sample pets were mixed-breed dogs and cats with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Your own prices will depend on where you live, the coverage you choose, and your pet’s age and breed.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
$41
*ASPCA plans had $4,000 of annual coverage.
Cheap pet insurance in New Jersey for older dogs
Below are the lowest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old dogs in Jersey City.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
$84
*Wagmo plans had $20,000 of annual coverage. Healthy Paws plans had a 50% reimbursement rate, a $1,000 deductible and unlimited annual coverage. Nationwide plans had defined annual benefits per condition rather than a single annual coverage limit. ASPCA plans had $4,000 of annual coverage.
Cheap pet insurance in New Jersey for young cats
These are the lowest monthly rates we found for 2-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats living in Jersey City.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
$24
*ASPCA plans had $4,000 of annual coverage. Healthy Paws plans had unlimited annual coverage.
Cheap pet insurance in New Jersey for older cats
These are the lowest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats living in Jersey City.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
$41
*Healthy Paws plans had a 50% reimbursement rate, a $1,000 deductible and unlimited annual coverage. ASPCA plans had $4,000 of annual coverage. Wagmo plans had $20,000 of annual coverage.
Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance company that works best for you. Our ratings are specific to pet insurance; a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating pet insurance companies.
Learn more about New Jersey insurance
NerdWallet has many more New Jersey insurance guides. For more information, check out our articles below:
NerdWallet’s pet insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, scope of coverage, the ability to customize your plan and more. Our “consumer experience” category looks at factors such as website transparency and mobile app ratings. To calculate each insurer’s star rating, we adjusted the scores to a curved 5-point scale. See our full pet insurance methodology.
These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Pet insurance sample rates
To find sample pet insurance rates, NerdWallet gathered quotes for the base level of accident and illness coverage on each insurer’s website. Quotes reflect the monthly cost of a policy and do not include wellness coverage or other optional add-ons.
Each plan had a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate. We customized the plans as necessary when those limits weren’t available. Our sample pets were a medium-sized, mixed-breed dog and a domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cat. We gathered rates for pets aged 2 and 8 years old.
These are sample rates gathered for specific pets in a select ZIP code. Your own rates will be different.
