The Top 8 Benefits of Pet Insurance

Veterinary bills are part of pet ownership. But there are ways to save money without compromising your pet’s health. Take a look at the benefits of having pet insurance and how a dog insurance or cat insurance policy through MetLife Pet could help you.

1. Potential for Reduced Financial Stress

Vet bills can add up. A pet insurance policy could lower stress around unexpected vet bills and put money back in your bank account.

For example, a puppy in New Jersey named Gracie got in an accident that resulted in a fracture. This led to surgery with an $8,500 vet bill. Fortunately, Gracie’s parents had coverage through MetLife Pet and were reimbursed about $7,700.¹

2. Support in Protecting Your Pet’s Health

Your main concern is almost certainly what’s best for your pet’s health. If money didn’t matter, you’d likely spend as much as you could to support your pet’s health. Although budgets don’t always stretch that far, a pet insurance policy could help you afford more care.

Depending on your plan and optional add-ons, pet insurance can help cover everything from basic wellness checks and major surgeries to medication for chronic conditions.

3. Customizable Coverage

With MetLife Pet, you can choose from various plans with monthly premiums starting at $16 per month for dogs and $7 a month for cats.² You can also add an optional Preventive Care plan to help cover the cost of routine care and preventive medications like teeth cleaning and vaccinations.

You can also choose from several options for your annual limit, deductible, and reimbursement percentage.^3,4,5 Generally, the lower your annual limit or reimbursement amount, the lower your premium, while a lower deductible can increase premiums. There are options available that can fit your family’s needs.

4. You Can Keep Your Vet

Pet insurance works differently from insurance for humans. A big benefit of pet insurance is that you’re able to go to any licensed vet in the country without worrying about being in-network. This means you can confidently travel with your pet within the U.S., knowing you can use any licensed emergency vet if something goes wrong.

5. Potential Financial Savings

As of 2025, American dog owners could spend as much as $52,000 or more over their dog’s lifetime.⁶ Cat owners could spend $61,000 or more over their cat’s lifetime.⁷ Routine vet bills remain one of the more expensive parts of pet ownership, and if your pet has an injury or requires ongoing medical care, you could be spending thousands more on vet bills.^6,7

With MetLife Pet, you could get reimbursed for up to 90% of eligible expenses, depending on your pet insurance plan’s reimbursement rate.⁵

6. Preventive Medications May Be Covered

The cost of owning a cat or a dog can add up quickly. For example, a pet’s heartworm, flea, and tick preventative could cost between $16 and $28 per month.⁸ Luckily, some pet insurance providers offer add-on plans that can reimburse you for costs related to the prevention of these parasites as well as skin conditions or other prescriptions.

7. Getting Pet Insurance Early Can Lead to Broader Coverage

Getting pet insurance early on can help ensure your pet will be covered for certain conditions that begin after the waiting period ends.

While an incurable pre-existing condition, such as diabetes, won't keep your pet from qualifying for pet insurance, policies typically won't cover expenses related to any pre-existing conditions. A pre-existing condition may be defined as an event or symptom that occurred or began before you purchased a policy and the initial waiting period ended.

Dogs like 8-year-old Bear — who was enrolled in a MetLife Pet policy before his diabetes diagnosis — can be covered at diagnosis and for years to come. Bear was examined at the vet and diagnosed with diabetes, and his pet parents had to purchase a blood glucose monitor and the first round of prescription medication. The bill totaled around $1,700, but MetLife Pet covered about $1,350.¹

8. Getting a Quote, Enrolling, and Submitting Claims Is Easy

MetLife Pet Insurance makes it easy for you to get a quote, enroll in a pet insurance policy, understand your coverage, and submit a claim.

There’s no exam required for enrollment and a 0-day waiting period on accidents — meaning your pet can be covered almost as soon as you sign up. If something does happen, you have up to 90 days from the treatment or invoice date to file a claim, which you can submit online, by email, mail, or fax. Reimbursements are simple, too, with options for getting your money including using Zelle^Ⓡ or checks.⁹

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help

At the end of 2024, 7.03 million North American pets were covered by insurance, up from the 6.25 million pets insured in 2023.¹⁰ The benefits of pet insurance can add up, so here’s a glimpse at what makes MetLife Pet different from other pet insurance companies:

• Among the shortest waiting periods to get coverage for qualifying expenses¹¹
• No breed exclusions for cats or dogs
• No age limits¹²
• Family plans that allow multiple pets on one policy¹²
• Reimbursement to cover advertising to recover lost pets

These benefits are part of the reason that MetLife Pet was named “Pet Insurance of the Year" in 2025 — the fourth consecutive year we received this honor.¹³

Focus on Pet Health, Not Vet Bills

While there are many reasons why pet insurance can be worth it, perhaps the most important reason is helping you manage pet care costs, so you can spend more of your time loving up your pet.

MetLife Pet is committed to helping you keep your pets happy and healthy. Experience the benefits of having pet insurance. Get a free quote today!