Best pet insurance for dogs in 2026

All pets cost money, but dogs seem to take a bigger bite out of our budgets. There's the food and treats, toys, clothes and supplies — not to mention the dog training, dog groomers and dog sitters.

And dogs require more medical care — they spend more time outdoors and are more prone to hereditary conditions from generations of breeding.

An adult dog can cost up to $4,170 a year, according to a survey by pet-sitting platform Rover, and that's not even including medical emergencies.

Pet insurance is a great way to protect yourself financially if your dog gets sick or injured. CNBC Select has reviewed the top pet insurance companies and chosen the best for dogs in a variety of categories. See our methodology for more on how we made our selections.

Best for wellness coverage: MetLife

Who's this for? One of our top picks for pet wellness, MetLife's preventative plan includes vaccines, spaying/neutering, heartworm prevention, behavioral training and up to $150 toward teeth cleaning.

Standout benefits: In addition to dogs and cats, MetLife covers birds, lizards and other exotic pets. Your deductible drops $50 each year you don't file a claim and up to three pets can be covered by one plan with a single deductible. Claims can be filed online and reimbursed within 10 days.

Best for puppies: Lemonade

Who's this for? Lemonade's wellness plan for puppies includes spaying or neutering services, vaccines and microchipping, plus additional wellness exams and testing for parasites and coverage for flea, tick and heartworm medication.

Standout benefits: Lemonade boasts one of the fastest claims processes in the industry, with 40% of submissions handled within minutes.

Best for senior dogs: Pets Best

Who's this for? Pets Best has no upper age limit and sets reasonable rates for older dogs. In addition, its basic plan covers periodontal disease and hereditary conditions that can affect senior dogs, like hip dysplasia and glaucoma.

Standout benefits: After 180 days without symptoms or treatment, Pets Best will cover pre-existing curable conditions like broken bones and upper respiratory infections. Annual deductibles start as low as $50 and owners can choose unlimited annual coverage.

Best for pre-existing conditions: AKC Pet Insurance

Who's this for? AKC Pet Insurance is the only brand we've found that covers incurable pre-existing conditions, like diabetes, cancer, hip dysplasia and arthritis.

Standout benefit: AKC also covers costs associated with breeding, including pregnancy and whelping. The company is the official insurance provider of the American Kennel Club, with policies underwritten by Independence American Insurance Company.

Best for multiple dogs: ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

Who's this for? You can get a 10% discount if you enroll more than one dog with ASPCA Pet Health Insurance.

Standout benefits: Unlike many competitors, ASPCA's policies include exam fees and come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. In addition to cats and dogs, coverage is available for horses. Accident and illness plans include behavioral therapy, alternative treatments, prescription food and microchipping.

An accident and illness policy for a dog averaged $62.44 per month in 2024, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, or about $749 a year.

For an accident-only policy, the cost dropped to about $16.10 a month, or $193 annually.

Pet insurance rates go up as your dog gets older, however, and needs more care. The cost of an individual policy will depend on your pet's age, breed, overall health and the policy limits you select.

Coverage varies by provider, but pet insurance is usually divided into three broad categories.

• Accident-only plans cover emergencies like broken bones, bites, swallowed objects and traumatic dental fractures. Diseases, parasites and cruciate ligament injuries are not covered.
  
• Accident and illness plans add coverage for diseases like cancer and diabetes and hereditary conditions like hip dysplasia and glaucoma. They may also include medications, prescription food, treatments for behavioral issues, and alternative therapies like acupuncture.
  
• Wellness plans cover routine care like checkups, vaccinations, spaying/neutering, microchipping, teeth cleaning and parasite testing. They must usually be purchased with an accident and illness policy.

Pet insurance can be helpful when you're hit with unexpected vet bills, whether your dog ate something she shouldn't have, came down with a respiratory infection or was diagnosed with a major disease.

A policy can also cover routine care that keeps your dog healthier longer, like checkups, vaccinations, screenings and teeth cleanings.

If your puppy is young and healthy, a policy will be cheaper and can help ensure that any future issues they face are covered. But pet insurance becomes more expensive as your dog gets older, and pre-existing conditions are usually not covered.

If your pet insurance premiums are costing more than the benefits you get from the policy, consider putting money aside specifically for your pet's care in a high-yield savings account instead.

To find the best pet insurance companies for dogs, CNBC Select analyzed top providers based on numerous data points, including average rates for dogs, the types of policies available, the choice of deductibles, reimbursement levels and coverage limits.

We considered breed restrictions, age limits, waiting periods and policies regarding pre-existing conditions.

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.

Our recommendations are sorted by the best plans for senior dogs, for puppies, for dogs with pre-existing conditions, for wellness plans and for households with multiple dogs.

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At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed financial decisions. Every pet insurance review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of pet insurance products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.