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The Best Pet Insurance in Arkansas (2024)

Written by
Graci Daby
Written by Graci Daby Author

Graci Daby graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in Journalism. She has written for 365 Pet insurance, and edited pet insurance categories across other Insurance focused sites, including MarketWatch. Recently, Graci has been working as an SEO analyst and editor in the pet field for the past 2 years. In her spare time, Graci looks after her fur babies.

04/18/2024 09:49 AM

Arkansas pet insurance is necessary so you can enjoy the best of everything Arkansas has to offer without worry. Arkansas is a dog and pet-friendly state, with tons to do for humans and their four-legged friends. From state parks to hot springs to bringing your dog glamping, pets are a part of the family in Arkansas.

According to Banfield, there are about 2,819 dogs in Arkansas and 409 cats. Dogs have a greater than a national average prevalence (in cases per 10,000) for conditions such as heartworm, intestinal parasites and fleas and ticks. For cats, they experience more intestinal parasites and flea allergies than the national average. As with any veterinary care, finding the best pet insurance policy may help to cover some of these costs.

The 5 Best Arkansas Pet Insurance Companies

You can get any of the pet insurance options in Arkansas:

Compare Pet Insurance Companies in Arkansas

Best For Star Rating Monthly Cost Link
Spot Spot Most Inclusive
$22-$80 Compare Quotes
Lemonade Lemonade Most Affordable
$16–$30 Compare Quotes
ASPCA Pet Insurance ASPCA Pet Insurance Most Experienced
$18–$44 Compare Quotes
Fetch Pet Insurance Fetch Pet Insurance Most Comprehensive Coverage
$22-$38 Compare Quotes
Embrace Embrace Best for Discounts Offered
$23-$85 Compare Quotes
Healthy Paws Healthy Paws Best for Chronic Conditions
$24–$54 Compare Quotes
Spot
Logo Spot
Best For Most Inclusive
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $22-$80
Compare Quotes
Lemonade
Logo Lemonade
Best For Most Affordable
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $16–$30
Compare Quotes
ASPCA Pet Insurance
Logo ASPCA Pet Insurance
Best For Most Experienced
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $18–$44
Compare Quotes
Fetch Pet Insurance
Logo Fetch Pet Insurance
Best For Most Comprehensive Coverage
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $22-$38
Compare Quotes
Embrace
Logo Embrace
Best For Best for Discounts Offered
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $23-$85
Compare Quotes
Healthy Paws
Logo Healthy Paws
Best For Best for Chronic Conditions
Star Rating
Monthly Cost $24–$54
Compare Quotes
Company
Waiting Period
Money-back Guarantee
Maximum Enroll Age
Monthly Cost
14 days
Yes
No age limit
$22-$80
14 days for illnesses, 48 hours for accidents
Yes
14 years old
$18-$60
15 days
Yes
No age limit
$22-$46
14 days for illnesses, 48 hours for accidents
Yes
14 years old
$23-$85
15 days
Yes
14 years old
$14-$45

*Certain conditions, such as cruciate ligaments or orthopedic conditions, may have longer waiting period times, usually six months to a year. This is common among many pet insurance providers, but most illnesses will be covered after the waiting period listed above. 

Why Trust Quartz Advisor

Our editorial team follows a strict and comprehensive methodology for rating and reviewing pet insurance providers. Our scores are not impacted by advertisers.

27

Companies rated

105

Hours researching

2,700

Quotes collected

Dog (and Cat!) Friendly Arkansas

Dogs are welcome at some employers in Arkansas and getting landlords to agree to have dogs in the building is one obstacle employers face. Mitchell Communications and Collective Bias are two employers that have a younger, more tech-savvy employment base and they welcome anywhere from two to 20 dogs in the office on a given day.

If you are one of the many pet owners looking to insure your pet, then consider some of the Arkansas pet insurance options.

Veterinary Costs in Arkansas

Arkansas is on the lower end nationally of veterinary bill cost annually. Pet parents in Arkansas spend about $750-$1000 a year – but this doesn’t include emergency situations where every six seconds, a pet parent is handed a bill for $3,000.

According to research from the ASPCA, pet owners will spend between $2,000 and $4,000 on an emergency situation sometime in the life of their pet. If you carry pet insurance, you can get reimbursed up to 100% of those costs, depending on your plan and carrier.

Where you live in Arkansas doesn’t make a huge difference in pet insurance costs, which is a bit different than in other states. We put together sample quotes from Embrace Pet Insurance so you can see rates by city.

CityMonthly Cost
Rogers$35.38
Bentonville$29.67
Little Rock$29.67
Fayetteville$29.67
Lewisville$26.71

We looked at the same type of dog, a three-year-old mixed breed, 21-50 lbs. for our sample quote. A larger dog, a puppy, or a senior dog would make a difference in the quote. Cat insurance tends to run a bit cheaper than dog insurance per month, and many companies have a multiple-pet discount, which makes things more affordable.

Sometimes, the cost of pet insurance or of pet care in general is too expensive for pet owners. Whether it is for a long-term situation or a short-term economic downturn, Arkansas has resources to help.

Low-income Pet Health Help in Arkansas

  • Arkansans for Animals – Non-profit dedicated to helping animals through spay/neuter and affordable veterinary care.
  • Northwest Arkansas Community Cat Project – Non-profit that tries to make cat care affordable through spay/neuter, vaccination and other services.
  • Spay Arkansas – $38 for a spay/neuter with $5 rabies shots.
  • Out of the Woods Animal Rescue – Fostering, adopting and responsible spay and neuter at a low cost.

If you live in Arkansas, you want your pet to have the highest level of care. Finding the right pet insurance policy is a great way to make sure you are covered “just in case.”

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in Arkansas

Is buying pet insurance worth it?

For most pet owners, pet insurance is absolutely worth it. We never know when our pet could have an unexpected accident or develop an illness, so having a backup plan in place to help pay for your pet’s vet bills is beneficial for most pet parents. Vet bills can quickly add up to hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, which many pet parents don’t have readily available. 

Having pet insurance protects you financially and gives you peace of mind that you won’t have to say no to recommended treatments to benefit your pet’s health and happiness. 

Do all vets take pet insurance?

In short, yes. Your pet insurance provider doesn’t work with your vet, so you don’t have to worry about your vet being in-network like a human health insurance plan. Instead, you submit your claim directly to your pet insurance provider, which will reimburse you based on your coverage. This allows you to go to any licensed veterinarian, whether they are at a clinic or animal hospital, to get your pet the care they need. As long as the treatment is covered under your plan, you’ll be covered.  

Does pet insurance only cover dogs and cats?

Most pet insurance providers only cover dogs and cats. To date, the only pet insurance provider that covers birds and exotic pets in the United States is Nationwide Insurance. Nationwide can cover your pet pig, lizard, parrot, chinchilla, and other exotic animals. Exotic pets need excellent veterinary care just as much as dogs and cats, so consider looking into a pet insurance plan for them today if you have an exotic pet. 

Our Methodology: How We Rated and Ranked Pet Insurance Companies

​​Here at Quartz, our research team looks to examine all pet insurance policies and comes up with reviews based on:
  • Coverage
  • Plan options
  • Cost 
  • Reputation
  • Customer service 
  • Species available
  • Wellness benefits 
We’ve created a 5-star rating system to score pet insurance brands based on a 100-point scale. To develop a list of the best pet insurance plans, we looked into plans, rating coverage, claims handling, reimbursements, deductibles, and limitations.  Each factor is weighted differently based on the following factors:
  • Monthly Pricing (25 points): How each pet insurance company charges for their plans is a crucial part of the decision-making process of the customer. Affordable rates and comprehensive coverage are the defining characteristics of providing the best pet insurance.
  • Coverage (20 points): We scored companies based on the treatments and procedures they cover. Providers offering broader coverage and more unique treatments received more points.  Pet insurance policies are not offered by all companies for older pets. Providers who have an age limit on the pets they cover were deducted points.
  • Plans (15 points): Pet insurance providers offer accident-and-illness plans, accident-only plans, wellness add-ons, and pet preventive care add-ons, so customers can choose the right plan for their pets. We also factored in costs to achieve the most comprehensible review for your pet’s needs.
  • Customization Options (10 points): You can ensure your pet only gets what they need by customizing your policy. A higher score was earned by providers who offered a greater range of annual limits, deductibles, and reimbursement rates.
  • Customer Service (10 points): We scored companies based on their website accessibility and usability, mobile apps, and grating points to companies with the most customer experience options.
  • Industry Reputation (10 points): We assessed each company’s industry reputation by reviewing up-to-date BBB ratings and accreditation information, as well as their years of experience in the industry.
  • Waiting Periods (10 points): Companies with shorter accident and illness waiting periods scored higher than companies with longer waiting periods.
Our team revisits each company’s information at the end of every month to make updates and ensure the information is as accurate as possible.