MetLife and ASPCA are two of the best pet insurance companies in California.
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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 is an editor and content strategist at NerdWallet, focusing on auto, 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 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.
Looking for insurance to help with unexpected vet bills? Most major pet insurance companies operate in California, so you’ve got plenty of options to get your furry friend covered. NerdWallet gathered rates and evaluated more than a dozen insurers to help you find the best pet insurance in California.
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: We chose MetLife as our best overall insurer in California because it had the highest raw score of all the companies NerdWallet evaluated. It's also available to pets of all ages, with no age restrictions. MetLife’s policies cover things like alternative and complementary medicine, treatment for dental diseases, prescription food and end-of-life expenses. In most states, MetLife also offers free grief counseling sessions with a counselor if you lose your pet.
If your pet stays healthy, your deductible could drop by $25 or $50 for each year you go without receiving a claim reimbursement. (A deductible is the amount you pay in vet bills before your insurer starts reimbursing you.)
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
Covers most curable pre-existing conditions.
Pros and cons
Pros
Unlimited annual coverage available.
Offers a 24/7 vet helpline.
Covers most curable pre-existing conditions if they've been symptom-free for 180 days.
Cons
Doesn't cover herbal supplements.
Bottom line
Hartville offers a range of coverage options, including an accident-only plan and wellness coverage.
Why it's the best: Hartville offered some of the cheapest rates for our sample pets in Los Angeles. The company’s base accident and illness plan goes beyond the essentials, with coverage included for things like acupuncture, behavioral therapies and treatment for dental illnesses. Wellness and accident-only plans are also available.
You can use Hartville’s online member center to submit and track claims, add a pet to your account, find vet clinics, and pay bills.
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 - $1,000 How much of your vet bills you need to pay before the insurer starts reimbursing you.
Policy highlight
Broad coverage, including microchip implantation.
Pros and cons
Pros
Covers things some insurers don’t, such as prescription food and behavioral modification.
Covers some pre-existing conditions if they have been cured and treatment-free for 180 days.
Unlimited annual coverage option available.
Cons
Doesn't offer the option to pay your vet directly.
Bottom line
Spot offers a wide range of coverage choices for pet owners but won’t pay your vet directly.
Why it's the best: Some of the cheapest rates we found for our sample pets were from Spot, which offers comprehensive, customizable plans. Its accident and illness policy includes vet exam fees, behavioral consults, treatment for dental illnesses and complementary services like acupuncture. Spot will also cover curable pre-existing conditions that have been symptom-free for at least 180 days.
Want to pay even less? The company has an accident-only plan if you’re willing to sacrifice coverage for a more affordable price. Accident-only plans will cover your pet if they break their leg or swallow a sock, but won’t pay to treat illnesses like cancer.
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: ASPCA’s policies include coverage that some other pet insurers charge extra for (or don’t cover at all), such as prescription food, microchipping, treatment for dental illness and behavioral therapies. You can also add a plan to cover preventive care expenses like vaccinations and annual checkups.
We like that ASPCA has a straightforward 14-day waiting period for all accidents and illnesses, including orthopedic injuries. A waiting period is the time between when you buy your policy and when your coverage begins.
Looking for more options? Check out all the pet insurers in California that earned a 5-star NerdWallet rating.
Best pet insurance for younger animals
Below are sample rates for 2-year-old mixed-breed dogs and cats in Los Angeles 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
Best pet insurance in California for older animals
Older pets tend to cost more to insure, so we also checked rates for 8-year-old dogs and cats in Los Angeles. Here’s how our 5-star companies stack up for 8-year-old 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 California for dogs and cats, based on quotes we gathered in Los Angeles. Unless otherwise stated, our sample pets were 2-year-old mixed-breed dogs and cats with a $250 deductible, $5,000 in annual coverage and an 80% reimbursement rate.
Your own prices may be different depending 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.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates financial strength, coverage options, customer experience, discounts and more.
$45
*The Prudent Pet plan had an annual limit of $2,500.
Cheap pet insurance in California for older dogs
Below are the lowest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old dogs in Los Angeles.
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.
$92
*The Prudent Pet plan had an annual limit of $2,500. The Healthy Paws plan had no annual limit, a $1,000 deductible and a 50% reimbursement rate.
Cheap pet insurance in California for young cats
These are the lowest monthly rates we found for 2-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats living in Los Angeles.
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.
$26
Cheap pet insurance in California for older cats
These are the lowest monthly rates we found for 8-year-old domestic shorthair (mixed-breed) cats living in Los Angeles.
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.
$45
*The Healthy Paws plan had no annual limit, a $1,000 deductible and a 50% reimbursement rate.
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 California insurance
NerdWallet has many more California 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.
