Pet Policy Scope Pet Insurance Guide Get Rates
Monthly averages • Separate price from mix

What an average monthly premium can tell you

Use a species-matched benchmark to begin. When an average changes, find out whether the prices, the insured pets or the benefits changed too.

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Direct answer
NAPHIA’s 2025 US accident-and-illness averages were $836 a year for dogs and $435 for cats, equivalent to about $69.67 and $36.25 per month. Those are historical industry averages, not live quotes or promised installment amounts. There is no equally useful single “pet” number without knowing which animals and coverage types were averaged.
Pet profile

Use the dog or cat figure as an orientation point

The benchmark is in US dollars for accident-and-illness insurance. Dividing a reported annual average by twelve produces a monthly equivalent; it does not establish a company’s actual billing schedule or fees. The reporting year is necessary because this is a measured historical result.

NAPHIA is an industry trade association. Its report combines participating-company information and public data, with methodological estimates where needed. This guide did not obtain a new nationwide quote sample.

Your own premium can differ because of age, breed, location, selected benefits and cost sharing. Keep the actual offer beside those inputs. The useful comparison is not whether the number is above or below a general average, but whether you understand what explains the difference.

Cost & value

An average can rise while the example prices stay unchanged

Consider two imaginary groups of five insured animals. In both groups, every cat policy costs $30 per month and every dog policy costs $60. The only change is how many of each animal appear in the group.

Fictional group Total monthly premiums Average per animal
Four cats and one dog 4 × $30 + 1 × $60 = $180 $180 ÷ 5 = $36
One cat and four dogs 1 × $30 + 4 × $60 = $270 $270 ÷ 5 = $54

The group average rises from $36 to $54 even though neither example price changed. This is an arithmetic demonstration of a mix effect, not NAPHIA data, a quote or an explanation of the actual market’s movement.

The same logical problem can arise within one species if the collection changes toward older animals, different breeds or broader products. A rising combined average alone cannot tell you how much any unchanged policy’s premium increased. You would need comparable detail to separate those influences.

What to know

Do not use a market change as your renewal explanation

Suppose your renewal notice is higher than last term. First check whether the pet data, residence, deductible, percentage, limit, selected benefits, discounts and payment basis stayed the same. Then ask the insurer for the applicable explanation. A national average moving in the same direction does not identify the cause of your change.

That list is provider context, not a decomposition of an individual bill. Do not calculate your future premium by simply applying a reported market percentage.

If you consider changing insurers, examine the medical-history consequences as well as the price. A lower new offer may treat a condition differently from the existing policy. The benchmark does not resolve that difference.

What to know

Keep the label attached when saving a number

A saved number needs Why
Species and policy category A cat accident-only amount cannot stand in for a dog accident-and-illness price.
Geographic and time scope A past national result is not a current local quote.
Statistic and denominator An average per insured animal is different from a median or household bill.
Billing basis An annual amount divided by twelve may not equal the installment charge.
Method or source A few shopping results and an industry aggregate describe different populations.

These labels are useful even when a published figure is accurate. The mistake often happens later, when the description is stripped away and the dollar amount gets reused as a budget promise.

Avoid blending a medical premium with veterinary bills and calling the result an average insurance premium. That combined figure may help with total pet spending, but it answers another question.

What to know

Finish with an offer you can explain

Choose the insurance job, collect current offers for the same animal and preserve the selected terms. If an offer is much higher or lower than your initial benchmark, use the difference to inspect the scope rather than assuming an error or bargain.

Keep your share of eligible bills, excluded care and any upfront clinic payment in a separate affordability plan. Those amounts are important, but they are not contained in a monthly premium average.

The benchmark has done its job once it helps you ask informed questions. It cannot identify the best insurer, predict a claim or explain a price change on its own.

Evidence

Sources and policy context

NAPHIA: US premium benchmark Read the source → NAIC: Pet insurance overview Read the source →

These public references support the consumer or veterinary context. Named insurer details were checked in official product materials; the policy offered for your pet and state determines the actual terms.

Next step

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Check current options for your pet and location, then compare the policy details, exclusions, costs, and eligibility before choosing.

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