The Best Pet Insurance in Connecticut (2024)
Connecticut, otherwise known as the Constitution State and the Provisions State due to its history of supplying the majority of the food and cannons for the military during the Revolutionary War, is a great state for pet parents. Connecticut is a haven for pets between its beautiful beaches, parks, and many pet-friendly employers and hotels. However, it’s also known for its higher cost of living, which can extend to veterinary care bills. This higher cost of living makes pet insurance even more critical, even if your pet is young and healthy. Furthermore, pet insurance can be beneficial if your pet has an illness or an accident that leads to unexpected vet bills.
Pet insurance will give you peace of mind knowing that your pet is financially covered for any developed illnesses or accidents it may have.
The 5 Best Connecticut Pet Insurance Companies
- Spot: Best overall
- Lemonade: Most affordable
- ASPCA: Most experienced
- Embrace: Best for deductibles
- Healthy Paws: Best for chronic conditions
Compare Pet Insurance Companies in Connecticut
| Best For | Star Rating | Monthly Cost | Link | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot |  | Most Inclusive | $22-$80 | Compare Quotes | |
| Lemonade |  | Most Affordable | $16–$30 | Compare Quotes | |
| ASPCA Pet Insurance |  | Most Experienced | $18–$44 | Compare Quotes | |
| Embrace |  | Best for Discounts Offered | $23-$85 | Compare Quotes | |
| Healthy Paws |  | Best for Chronic Conditions | $24–$54 | Compare Quotes |
| Spot | |
|---|---|
| Logo |
 |
| Best For | Most Inclusive |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $22-$80 |
| Lemonade | |
|---|---|
| Logo |
 |
| Best For | Most Affordable |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $16–$30 |
| ASPCA Pet Insurance | |
|---|---|
| Logo |
 |
| Best For | Most Experienced |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $18–$44 |
| Embrace | |
|---|---|
| Logo |
 |
| Best For | Best for Discounts Offered |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $23-$85 |
| Healthy Paws | |
|---|---|
| Logo |
 |
| Best For | Best for Chronic Conditions |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $24–$54 |
The Best Pet Insurance Companies in Connecticut Reviewed
Pet insurance protects you financially if your pet has an accident or develops an illness. It can even help with routine care costs. So, which pet insurance company in Connecticut is the best? There are many options that can provide you with different types of coverage, discounts, and customization options for your pet insurance policy. To help you out, we’re covering five different pet insurance companies that provide insurance to Connecticut pets.
Spot
Most Inclusive
Lemonade
Most Affordable
ASPCA Pet Insurance
Most Experienced
Embrace
Best for Discounts Offered
Healthy Paws
Best for Chronic Conditions
How Does Pet Insurance Work in Connecticut?
Pet insurance works by reimbursing you for veterinary expenses covered by your policy. Depending on your policy, this can include coverage for accidents, illnesses, and even routine care for your pet. When you have an active pet health insurance policy, you’ll take your pet to any licensed veterinarian, animal hospital, or vet clinic for care. Then, you’ll submit your pet insurance claim to your provider. Once approved, you’ll be reimbursed based on the agreed-upon percentage in your policy. Unlike human health care, you deal directly with your pet insurance provider and only need to keep your veterinary bills to submit to your provider.
Pet insurance can give you peace of mind that your pet will be covered should it have an accident or develop an illness. Veterinary bills can be expensive, so pet insurance is an excellent investment in your pet’s future health.
How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance in Connecticut for You
There are many things to consider when choosing a pet insurance provider for your pet. For starters, we recommend considering what kind of pet insurance plan you’re interested. There are three common types of pet insurance plans available on the market:
- Accident-only coverage: This type of pet insurance only provides coverage for accident-related health problems, such as broken bones, lacerations, animal bites, or emergency surgery if your pet swallows a foreign object. It will not cover illnesses or routine care.
- Accident and illness coverage: Accident and illness coverage is the most comprehensive type of pet insurance coverage and will cover everything that accident-only coverage does, along with illnesses. This can include treatment costs for diabetes, cancer, hypothyroidism, infections, and more. It will not cover routine care costs.
- Wellness plans: A wellness plan or preventative care plan is usually offered as an add-on to one of the above pet insurance plans. Wellness plans will help to cover the cost of routine veterinary care, such as wellness exams, dental cleanings, vaccinations, and more.
After you’ve chosen what kind of pet insurance plan you’d like, consider some of the following factors and what matters most to you:
- Does the plan have a lifetime or annual benefits cap?
- Are dental illnesses or cleanings covered under the plan?
- Can you easily get a pet insurance quote from the provider?
- Will this plan cover prescription diets or medications?
- Does this pet insurance provider have good customer reviews and reports from places like the Better Business Bureau?
- Can you speak with your pet insurance provider in your preferred communication method (live chat, phone, email, etc.)?
- Will this plan cover alternative therapies, such as physical therapy or acupuncture?
- Does this pet insurance provider offer a wellness or preventative care plan?
- What are its exclusions?
- Is your breed of dog or cat more prone to specific diseases? Is it covered with this plan?
We recommend choosing a pet insurance provider quickly because the longer you wait, the higher the likelihood is that your furry friend will develop a pre-existing condition. Pre-existing conditions are not covered by any pet insurance provider. So, we recommend enrolling your pet in a pet insurance plan as quickly as possible to ensure that it has none or fewer pre-existing conditions on its medical record.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Connecticut?
Pet insurance costs can vary dramatically based on your location and your pet’s age, health, breed, and much more. These factors can make your monthly premium significantly more or less, along with the type of coverage you choose and if you add a preventative care plan. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay between $30 and $60 for most accident and illness plans for dogs and $15 and $30 for cats. Most wellness plans will add an additional monthly cost of $10 to $25 to your monthly premium.
Please remember that this cost will vary significantly based on your provider. Accident-only plans also tend to be cheaper and can be as little as $10 per month for your pet.
| Provider | Sample Monthly Cost For Dogs | Sample Monthly Cost For Cats | Sample Monthly Wellness Cost (If Applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | $40 | $22 | $9.95 (gold), $24.95 (platinum) |
| Lemonade | $37 | $15 | $10 to $34/month for cats, $15 to $40/month for dogs |
| Embrace | $35 | $18 | $35 |
| Healthy Paws | $39 | $12 | Not offered |
| ASPCA | $49 | $29 | $9.95 (basic), $24.95 (prime) |
City/Monthly Cost of Pet Insurance in Connecticut
Below is an example of some quotes for a pet insurance policy on a 5-year-old mixed breed medium-sized dog. The policy pays 80% of the bill after customers pay a $250 deductible. This policy is the one chosen by most pet owners.
| City | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Hartford | $42 |
| New Haven | $37 |
| Bridgeport | $39 |
| Danbury | $42 |
| Cheshire | $41 |
Connecticut Veterinary Costs without Pet Insurance
Connecticut is one of a dozen states where pet owners pay the highest amounts for veterinary care, with Connecticut households spending an average of at least $1,500 annually in vet bills. Surprisingly enough, this amount generally comes from routine veterinary care, including wellness checks, vaccinations, deworming, rabies shots, fecal exams, blood work, and similar miscellaneous items.
This amount does not cover the cost of serious illness, injuries, or terminal diseases. These costs can add up quickly, especially if the owner doesn’t have pet insurance. Despite a dog being man’s best friend, the number of dogs and cats being euthanized because owners can’t afford high veterinary bills continues to increase every year.
It’s not cheap to keep your pet healthy if it’s involved in an accident or develops a severe illness like cancer. According to the National Canine Cancer Foundation, an owner with a dog diagnosed with cancer can suddenly find himself facing these kinds of bills.
- Initial exam for cancer diagnosis – $200
- Surgical removal of cancerous tumor – $1,500 at a minimum
- Chemotherapy treatments – $200 to $2,000 depending on severity and type of cancer
- Radiation therapy – $2,000 to $6,000 or more
- Additional medications – $50 per month and often for an indefinite period
If your dog slipped and broke a leg, the cost to surgically repair the fracture can cost $2,000 or more, and this does not include the cost of X-rays, pain medication, and aftercare. These are just a couple of the most common ailments that can occur with your dog. Without pet insurance, many of these dogs would not survive or would not be appropriately treated.
Our Final Thoughts on the Top Pet Insurance Providers in Connecticut
Pet insurance is an excellent investment for many pet parents as it provides them with a financial safety net should their pet develop an illness or have an accident. Veterinary costs only continue to increase as veterinary technology advances, which means better treatments are available for our pets. However, the cost can be crippling for many households. Pet insurance takes that burden by reimbursing you for most eligible veterinary expenses, allowing you to rest easy knowing that you can take care of your pet.
We at Quartz hope that this piece on pet insurance in Connecticut helps you narrow down your choices. Regardless of which provider you choose, know that you’re making a wise investment in your pet’s future health and well-being.
Information for Pet Owners in Connecticut
Connecticut is a pet-friendly state with many hotels, beaches, parks, restaurants, and even pet-friendly employers. If you live in Connecticut and have a pet, you’re in luck. Between its beautiful parks, beaches, and more, you’ll never run out of places to take your beloved pet.
Connecticut Pet Laws
Before you start having fun in the sun with your pet, we recommend educating yourself on Connecticut pet laws. Here are some of the most notable ones that you should know:
- Dogs must be licensed by six months of age.
- When you are in public, your dog must be leashed.
- Animals must wear their licenses and rabies tags on their collars.
- Dogs and cats need to have current rabies vaccinations. Proof of vaccinations upon request is required.
- If you do not pay a vet bill, the veterinarian can legally hold your animal at their clinic.
- Pets may not be transported in the back of a truck.
Fun Things to Do With Your Pet in CT
Looking for fun things to do with your pet in Connecticut? Check out these beautiful beaches and dog-friendly establishments:
- Compo Beach: Compo Beach features a fun, off-leash dog area so that dogs can enjoy a run on the beach.
- Metro-North Railroad: Metro-North Railroad allows leashed dogs to travel with their pet parents.
- Southbury Dog Park: This fun dog park is a gorgeous place for dogs to enjoy time in the sun with their owners.
- Peterson Park & Mattatuck Trail: One of the most beautiful trails in Connecticut and a great dog-friendly trail to visit.
- Bloodroot Vegetarian Restaurant: Located in Bridgeport, this vegetarian restaurant features beautiful outdoor seating and fresh air for dogs and their owners.
- The Connecticut Renaissance Faire: This renaissance faire is dog-friendly and features amazing shows, minstrels, family fun, feasting, and much more.
Connecticut Pet Resources
If you or someone you know is in need, check out these Connecticut pet resources. All of these resources are free or available at a lower cost.
- The Friends of Windsor Animal Care and Control, Inc.: If you have a cat, this animal food bank offers cat food to those in need.
- Connecticut Humane Society in Newington: This Humane Society offers spay and neuter services. It also assists with vaccinations and necessary veterinary services. It also has a pet pantry food program that provides pet owners with short-term pet food assistance with an application.
- With Love from Lily: This organization helps with financial assistance to help save and improve the lives of animals when an animal has a positive prognosis, but its owner can’t afford veterinary care.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in Connecticut
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.
How do I get reimbursed for a vet bill in Connecticut?
Simply take your cat to any licensed veterinarian and submit your claim. Depending on your provider, you can submit your claim through its mobile app, online member center, or through the mail. Then, you’ll wait for your provider to approve the claim. Once approved, it will reimburse you for the allocated amount in your pet insurance policy through direct deposit or check.
Our Methodology
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.
Other Pet Insurance Resources
-
Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia?
-
Best Pet Insurance For French Bulldogs (2025 Review)
-
Do All Vets Take Pet Insurance
-
The Cheapest Pet Insurance Plans of April 2024
-
Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental?
-
The Best Pet Insurance Companies of April (2025)
-
Best Dog Insurance Plans (2025 Review)
-
Pet Insurance Cost: The Definitive 2025 Guide
-
Is Pet Insurance Worth it?
