The Best Pet Insurance Options in Canada

For affordable monthly premiums you can have peace of mind knowing that your pet will be taken care of in the event that they need medical attention, without having to come up with a large sum to cover the cost of the veterinary bill.

The tricky part comes in when it's time to choose your pet insurance. What is the best pet insurance company in Canada? What does it cover? Is pet insurance worth the money? Does it really help you save money? Well, let's take a look at some of the best pet insurance providers and how pet insurance works.

The Average Cost of Pet Insurance

The cost of pet insurance in Canada will vary depending on the type of pet you have, where you live, the age of the pet, and what coverages you want a plan to have. That said though, the average monthly cost is quite low at $31 for a cat and $64 for a dog.

If you have an older animal the pet insurance cost is much more. Some plans even require you to have an exam done on your pet in a certain amount of time in order to qualify. The results of that exam could have an impact on your monthly pet insurance premiums or even your approval. There are so many to choose from though, so you should be able to find pet insurance policies that meet your needs.

How many Canadians use Pet Insurance? Is it Required?

While pet insurance is widely available, less than 5% of Canadians actually use it. This is mostly due to the fact that it isn't required and many people don't even consider it until a medical emergency pops up. By then though, it's far too late to get insurance at a reasonable rate.

Best Canadian Pet Insurance Options

When it comes to pet insurance in Canada, there are plenty of different options to choose from. As we already mentioned there are certain requirements that some companies require. However, not every insurance company requires these. Let's take a look at some of the best pet insurance companies that offer coverage to Canadian pet owners.

Pet Secure

Pet Secure is one of the top pet insurance companies in Canada. They offer 4 different plans. Each plan covers the same things, they just have different yearly amount limits. With Pet Secure coverage, you are covered for:

• All Age Groups
• Dental Care
• Up to 80% reimbursement, including exam fees and taxes
• Emergency Care
• Medications
• Cremation/Burial
• Medical Devices
• X-rays
• Diagnostics
• Surgeries
• Boarding/Kennel Fees
• Behavioural Therapy
• Alternative Treatments
• Lost Pet Advertising

You can get discounts when you insure 3 or more pets. When it comes to illnesses, there is a 14 day waiting period. There's a 48 hour waiting period for accidents and 6 months for ligament and intervertebral disc injuries.

While this insurance does cover a lot of costs, there are also some things that it won't cover.

1. Pre existing Conditions
2. Pregnancy
3. Diets
4. Whelping
5. Spaying
6. Neutering
7. Elective Treatments
8. Medications without DIN or NHP numbers

While the cost of this is specific to you, the 4 different comprehensive pet insurance plans include different amounts with the 1rst plan covering up to $1,000 and the 4th plan having no amount limit.

Trupanion

Trupanion pet insurance is another really popular choice for Canadian pet owners. There are no yearly or visit limits on any Trupanion claims and they cover up to 90% of your cost with vet direct pay. Included with their comprehensive coverage is:

• Illnesses and Injuries (new)
• Hereditary Conditions
• Breed Specific Conditions
• Diagnostic Checks
• Surgeries
• Medications

There are also additional coverages that you can purchase. Also, your premiums don't automatically increase when your pet ages. The only thing they don't cover is pre existing conditions.

Pets Plus Us

With Pet Plus Us, you have two different options for coverage: Accident and Accident & Illness. Based on the plan that you choose, Pets Plus Us will cover up to 70%-90% of the total cost and their annual coverage is between $5,000 and $15,000 per year.

If you choose this provider and have a costco membership, you can get a discount of 10% - 15%. Keep in mind that with any claim there could be a waiting period. It's usually 14 days for illnesses and 48 hours for accidents. Because they don't direct bills though, in some cases it can take up to 6 months to receive a reimbursement.

For the Accident only policy, included in the coverage is:

• Consultation
• Exams
• Emergency Care
• Hospitalization
• Surgery
• Drugs
• Anesthesia
• Specialist Referrals

The deductible is only $100 and $1,000 in additional benefits for each incident is provided for:

• Boarding if you are hospitalized
• Holiday trip cancellations due to your pets accident
• Lost pet advertising and reward
• Cremation and burial

For Accident and illness insurance, all of the same things are included, they just cover illness as well as accidents. Dental coverage and other standard veterinary care expenses aren't included unless you opt in for the wellness coverage. Other than that reproductive expenses and pre existing conditions aren't covered.

Fetch

Fetch pet insurance is compatible with any veterinarian in the US or Canada, they have no enrollment fees and you can cancel your policy at any time. Unlike some other providers, they offer one plan and the price is decided based on your individual needs and factors. The things a Fetch insurance plan covers are:

• Dental
• Specific Breed Issues
• Sick Visits
• Medications
• Hospital Stays
• Cancer Treatments
• Testing
• And so much more….

While most pet insurance companies don't advertise their cost because the costs vary, Fetch advertises that the average monthly cost for dog insurance is $50 per month and $30 per month for cat insurance. They are one of the only, if not the only pet insurance company in Canada to list this on their site.

Furkin

Furkin is one of the newest Canadian pet insurance companies. They have only been around since 2021 and offer flexible pet insurance. While the coverage is the same for everyone, you can choose your deductible amount which in turn affects your monthly payment amount.

While Furkin does cover a majority of illnesses and injuries, there are some stipulations you need to follow.

1. Claims must be submitted within 90 days
2. Animals must be between the ages of 7 weeks and 14 years of age to enroll; if enrolled before then they can stay enrolled.
3. Maximum coverage limit is $20,000. It's renewed yearly.
4. Some eligible conditions have no lifetime limits.
5. 48 hour waiting period for accidents
6. 14 day waiting period for illnesses.
7. 180 day waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions.
8. There is no coverage for pre-existing conditions or elective procedures.
9. Different deductibles based on age.

With Furkin, you can get up to $20,000 in coverage per year, minus any deductible if it's required.

Desjardins

If you choose to go with Desjardins pet insurance, you have a few different plans to choose from.

This particular provider covers way too much from each category for us to list it all but it covers everything from everyday visits to emergencies and the testing required to provide the correct diagnosis.

With Dejardins, you can also get approved for discounts if you are insuring more than 2 pets. If you insure 3+ you can get a 10% discount. 6+ pets allows for a 15% discount.

Included with Desjardins pet insurance coverage are:

1. Dental Care: this pet insurance covers dental annual cleanings as well as teeth and gum problems.
2. Accident Coverage: X-rays, hospitalization, diagnostic and treatment, prescriptions, surgeries, MRI's,
3. Illness Coverage: X-rays, hospitalization, chemotherapy, prescriptions, surgeries, MRI's,
4. Alternative Therapies: Homeopathy, massage therapy, hydrotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic services, physiotherapy.

PHI Direct

With PHI Direct pet insurance, there are 2 different plans to choose from. Both of these plans offer low deductible rates. Great thing is that it's available to all cats and dogs. They don't discriminate against age and bread.

PHI will cover up to 80% of your eligible bills up to your yearly coverage limit. The coverage limit is based on the plan you sign up for.

The first plan option is the Direct 5. This includes:

• Annual benefits
• $5,000 policy limit
• 80% reimbursement
• $200 deductible

The Direct 10 plan includes:

• Annual benefits
• $10,000 policy limit
• 80% reimbursement
• $200 deductible

Both plans include 24/7 telehealth support for your pets. The also include coverage for:

• Accidents
• Alternative Therapies
• Anesthesia
• Surgeries
• Behavioural Therapy
• Coverage while traveling
• Tooth Fractures
• Diagnostics
• Emergency Care
• Exam Fees
• Hospitalizations
• New Illnesses
• Imaging
• Medical Devices
• Procedures
• Prescriptions
• Specialist Referral Fees
• Parasites

PHI doesn't cover pre existing conditions. They also have something called New Condition Coverage, meaning that any condition experienced in one policy year is then considered to be a pre existing condition for any following policy year. Coverage is also usually capped at $10,000 per year.

OVMA

Like a majority of the pet insurance companies out there, OVMA (Ontario Veterinary Medical Association) covers up to 80% of expenses for accident and illness, including exam fees and taxes. Not only that, they're known for having fast reimbursement times.

Here is a breakdown of what is covered in each category:

• Accident coverage includes x-rays, hospitalization, surgery and medications.
• Illness coverage includes many different conditions including diabetes and kidney disease.
• Dental includes any dental or gum work recommended by your vet.
• Additional benefits include exam fees, taxes, boarding fees, holiday cancellations and cremation/burial costs.
• Special coverage includes alternative and behavioural treatment.

Spot

Spot has 3 different types of pet insurance to choose from: Accident only, Accident and Illness, and Extra Benefits. With any of these plans you can get up to 90% reimbursed and they cover a wide variety of conditions. What they don't cover are:

• Pre existing Conditions
• Elective Treatments
• Routine Treatments
• Dental
• Reproductive Treatments/Conditions

There are also some age requirements. For dogs you can enroll between the ages of 8 weeks and 10 years. For cats it's 8 weeks and 12 years. If you don't know your pet's age, you can get an estimate by speaking to your vet or the adoption agency you got your pet through.

Sonnet

Sonnet pet insurance is another option for pet parents looking to purchase pet insurance. It covers:

• Accidents
• Dentall
• Illness
• Exam Fees
• Alternative herapies
• Behavioural TTherapy
• X Rays
• Diagnostics
• Surgeries
• Medications
• Preventative Care

They also provide coverage for animals over the age of 10 but some extra information is required. There is only one plan option and its cost is dependent on your individual situation.

Peppermint

Peppermint offers pet insurance coverage for all of your pets needs. There are 4 different coverages to choose from:

It's important to note that if you choose to use peppermint, your animal's age comes into play when they decide on the price. The older the animal, the more the cost.

Depending on the plan you choose, the coverages included are:

• Medication
• Diagnostics
• X-rays
• Behavioural Therapy
• Medical Devices
• Boarding and Kennel Fees
• Lost Pet Advertising
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Hospital Stays
• Prescription Food
• Cremation and Burial Costs

Petplan

Petplan is a flexible pet insurance policy. The deductibles range from $250 to $1,000 and coverage ranges from $5,000 to $15,000 per year. They offer accident and illness coverage and the waiting period is only 15 days after enrollment. They reimburse 70%, 80%, or 90% depending on your coverage.

Petplan insurance covers a lot of different expenses. The one that they don't cover are:

• Pre existing Conditions
• Incurable Conditions
• Preventative Care
• Liability Coverage
• Vaccinations
• Microchipping
• Cosmetic Procedures

Even though they cover a lot of different costs, there are restrictions on who/what they will cover. Animals over the age of 6 do have to have an exam before they can be approved for coverage. Also, only certain breeds are covered under Petplan currently.

If you are eligible to be covered by Petplan, you will be covered for:

• Accidents
• Illnesses
• Exam Fees
• Prescriptions
• Imaging
• Ultrasound
• Cancer Treatments
• Holistic Treatments
• Specialist Visits
• Referrals
• Non- routine Dental Treatments

Cheapest Pet Insurance Per Province

While where you live makes a difference on the price you pay for pet insurance in Canada, it's difficult to determine which company is the cheapest and where. This is because it's not the only factor that affects your cost. You also need to consider your breed of pet, their age and what type of coverage that you choose. Almost all companies have different plans that you can choose from based on your pet's needs.

How to Choose Pet Insurance

When it comes to choosing pet insurance, there are plenty of different options based on the type of coverage that you are looking for. Many pet insurance companies offer more specialized coverage which, for you, may make more financial sense. Others may not require the same amount of coverage.

For most, a basic pet insurance plan will be enough to cover any unforeseen expenses but that isn't always the case. Other insurance companies offer wellness plans that cover basic yearly expenses. Depending on how much you intend to use your coverage, this could be a great option.

Either way, it's important to remember that most pet insurance companies don't pay upfront. You will need to cover the upfront costs and then receive reimbursement. While you could receive that payment promptly, it could also take months in order to receive reimbursements. It's important to recognize this before you decide on your provider.

Conclusion

Pet ownership can be expensive and veterinary costs are just a portion of that. This is where pet insurance comes in.That said though, there are so many pet health insurance providers to choose from, so it can seem like a daunting process. They all offer different coverages with different monthly premiums. That's why it's important to do your research. Figure out what expenses you want to be covered, how much you are willing to pay per month and how much you can reasonably afford for an annual deductible or even a deductible per incident.

Before you decide on your provider though. Almost all of the pet insurance providers in Canada do offer free quotes online along with a list of what they do and don't cover. This will be able to give you an idea of the average costs and which will best fit your needs. No matter what provider you decide to go with, pet insurance offers peace of mind that you can get your pet the care they need when they need it.