Was Pet Insurance Worth It?
Whether insurance made sense for your pet depends on breed, age, and what actually happened at the vet. This calculator uses data from 50,000 real pets and 210,000 claims to show you the math.
$749/yr
Average annual premium for dog owners (accident & illness coverage)
NAPHIA 2024
72¢
Paid back in claims for every $1.00 collected in premiums, industry-wide
NAPHIA 2024 loss ratio
Step 1 of 3
Your Pet
Frequently Asked Questions
How accurate is this calculator?
It's a retrospective estimate, not a quote. We use industry-average premiums from NAPHIA and adjust for breed and age. Actual premiums vary by carrier, location, and your pet's health history. Treat the result as a directional answer, not an exact figure.
Why does it sometimes say insurance wasn't worth it?
Because for many pets, it isn't. The industry-wide loss ratio of 72% means the average policyholder gets back less than they pay in. Most pet insurance calculators are built by insurance companies or affiliate marketers — they're designed to sell you a policy. This tool isn't.
What policy assumptions do you use?
$500 annual deductible, 80% reimbursement rate, $15,000 annual limit, no wellness rider. These are the most common standard terms. Routine and wellness care is excluded from our calculations — almost no accident-and-illness policies cover it.
Where does the data come from?
Primary dataset: 50,000 pets, 210,235 claims (2018–2020), publicly available research dataset from stevenrhart/predicting-claims. Industry baselines from the NAPHIA 2024 State of the Industry Report.
Should I get pet insurance?
That depends on your financial situation and your pet's breed risk profile. Insurance makes the most sense if: (1) you can't absorb a $5,000–$10,000 emergency bill out of pocket, (2) your breed has known high-cost conditions, and (3) your pet is young enough to get a reasonable premium. For older pets or financially resilient owners with low-risk breeds, self-insuring is often the better math.