The Best Pet Insurance in New Mexico (2024)
From the high deserts of Albuquerque to the Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico has an array of pet-friendly outdoor pursuits to choose from. But for residents, caring for a four-legged trail partner in the Land of Enchantment is by no means cheap.
New Mexican pet parents spend an average of $1,400 per year on standard healthcare for dogs and cats, excluding any potential emergency care costs, which could tack an additional $1,500+ onto their vet bill.
For a small monthly fee, pet insurance can reimburse up to 90% of the four-figure invoice that could be handed to you if your pet ever becomes unexpectedly injured or ill. Finding the best pet insurance will not only keep you out of debilitating pet debt, but it’ll also ensure money is no issue when it comes to your pet’s medical needs.
The 5 Best New Mexico Pet Insurance Companies
Our review of the most premier pet insurance in New Mexico spotlights each of the following providers:
- Spot: Best overall
- Lemonade: Most affordable
- ASPCA: Most experienced
- Embrace: Best for deductibles
- Healthy Paws: Best for chronic conditions
Compare Pet Insurance Companies in New Mexico
| 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 |
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| 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 |
Best Pet Insurance in New Mexico Reviews
Each of the following providers highlighted in this article only offers insurance for cats and dogs (except for limited equine coverage offered by ASPCA, though not in New Mexico.) If you’re looking to insure a bird, guinea pig, reptile, amphibian, or any other nontraditional pet, take a look at our comprehensive review of exotic pet insurance providers.
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 New Mexico?
Pet insurance works more like homeowners insurance than it does human healthcare — though confusing insurance jargon and countless coverage variations can make pet healthcare just as difficult to navigate.
Similar to pet insurance, homeowners insurance guarantees that you’ll be financially reimbursed for a portion of eligible expenses should sudden, or accidental damage affect your property.
In the same vein, for a monthly fee, usually between $30 to $40, a standard pet insurance plan will reimburse vet costs in partial if your pet ever endures an unexpected injury or illness. Most providers also offer preventative care riders to cover non-emergency veterinary expenses like annual exams, core vaccinations, parasite prevention, and more.
We hope you’ll never have to file a claim. But if you do, the amount you’ll receive after your claim is reviewed and approved will be based on the coverage options you selected at enrollment — a.k.a. your annual coverage limit, deductible, and reimbursement rate.
For example, say you’ve enrolled in Spot accident/illness coverage for your Golden Retriever with a $4,000 annual limit, an 80% reimbursement rate, and a $250 annual deductible.
In that case, you’ll be covered for any eligible vet expenses totaling up to $4,000 per year while being reimbursed for approximately 80% of the veterinary bill you covered upfront at the vet clinic. But, before Spot steps in to help out, you’ll have to pay off your annual deductible by paying at least $250 out-of-pocket. More often than not, this deductible will just be subtracted from your total reimbursement amount.
How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance in New Mexico for You
Ideally, you’ll want to start shopping for pet health insurance while your pet is young and its medical history is brief. No pet insurance providers cover pre-existing conditions, so the earlier you enroll in coverage, the less time for costly conditions to strike while your pet is uninsured.
We know that not all prospective policyholders have kittens or puppies. Maybe you’ve recently welcomed a rescued senior pet into your home or are just a little late to the pet insurance party. Not to worry — pet insurance can still be an extremely lucrative tool for financing geriatric veterinary care. Still, you’ll need to be especially cautious of providers with age requirements or overall narrower pet insurance coverage for seniors.
Generating a custom quote is a tried and true way of trying on coverage before making any promises. Providers will use basic characterizing information, including your pet’s species, age, breed, and ZIP code, to create a made-to-order monthly estimate depending on how you customize your coverage.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in New Mexico?
The average cost of standard pet accident/illness coverage in New Mexico ranges between $20 to $50 per month for dog insurance and $10 to $20 for cat insurance.
Different pet insurance carriers offer different rates mainly because they evaluate risk factors individually. To show you just how much monthly premiums in New Mexico tend to vary from provider to provider, we’ve generated pet insurance quotes for each featured company, as seen in the table below.
The following estimates are based on an alias policyholder with a 2-year-old pet — either a medium mix breed dog or a domestic short-haired cat — living in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We selected the most popular accident/illness plan customizations as automatically recommended by each provider. Sample wellness costs for our dog and cat insurance quotes chose the most basic add-on available.
| Provider | Sample Monthly Cost For Dogs | Sample Monthly Cost For Cats | Sample Monthly Wellness Cost (If Applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | $34.02 | $18.20 | $43.97 for dogs; $28.15 for cats |
| Lemonade | $16.08 | $11.00 | $32.08 for dogs; $21.00 for cats |
| Embrace | $39.92 | $21.65 | $58.67 for dogs; $40.40 for cats |
| Healthy Paws | $46.78 | $21.92 | N/A |
| ASPCA | $34.02 | $18.20 | $43.97 for dogs; $28.15 for cats |
Final Thoughts
It can be hard to settle on one policy without feeling like you missed out elsewhere with so many policies to choose from among competing providers. And frankly, unless you’re enrolling a young cat or dog with a near impeccable medical record, you’ll have to commit to doing your due diligence to find a pet insurance policy that feels like a second skin.
All in all, you may even come to realize that pet insurance isn’t the most practical option for you or your pet and instead opt for a pet healthcare alternative like Pet Assure or Pawp. Pet insurance or not, the end goal of doing tactful research is to find a financing option that accommodates your budget while still maximizing your pet’s coverage.
Information for Pet Owners in New Mexico
As the fifth-largest state in the U.S., New Mexico’s versatile topography offers plenty of dog-friendly outdoor adventures to be had, from trekking scenic snowy vistas to exploring vast underground caverns. But, before you head out with your pup, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with a few fundamental pet laws in New Mexico, which we’ll discuss in more detail below.
New Mexico State Pet Laws
- New Mexico doesn’t uphold statewide leash laws, but most of its municipalities require a dog to be on a leash no longer than six feet in length when in public.
- Dogs and cats over three months must be vaccinated for rabies; no medical exemptions apply. Pets must also receive boosters 12 months after their first injections. All pet owners residing in the state of New Mexico must have up-to-date certificates of vaccination available upon request.
- New Mexico is a relatively progressive state when it comes to anti-animal cruelty provisions. It’s a fourth-degree felony in New Mexico to inflict extreme cruelty on any animal.
- The ADA and New Mexico’s Service Animal Act require businesses and areas accessible to the general public to allow admittance of a service animal as long as it does not behave in a way that endangers others.
Fun Things to Do With Your Pet in NM
White Sands National Park in the Tularosa Basin offers 275 square miles of refined gypsum crystal dunes that dogs, and even horses, can freely roam. This destination is the ultimate sandpit for dogs that love to dig.
McCauley Hot Springs in Santa Fe National Forest is a 3.5-mile long back trail near Jemez Springs, New Mexico, where you can recoup from your hike by soaking in the natural mineral water hot springs while your pup sniffs around off-leash in the surrounding wooded area.
If you’re looking to spend the day in town, Albuquerque alone has 15 dog parks to choose from, most with shaded seating areas for owners to kick back and mingle while their dogs burn off some energy.
The Flying Star Cafe, also in Albuquerque on Rio Grande Blvd, is the perfect pet-friendly place to stop by with your pup for a bite to eat. Its outdoor seating area is equipped with a “canine hitch” at every table where you can fasten your dog’s leash while you dine.
New Mexico Pet Resources
Taking care of an unexpected medical expense for your dog or cat can cause severe financial strain. If you’re a low-income resident of New Mexico, there are a few local veterinary assistance options around town that may be able to help out temporarily:
- Animal Humane New Mexico (Albuquerque) — Provides low-cost veterinary services (preventative care, dental care, surgery, spay/neuter, diagnostics, and more) for pet owners who qualify for low-income status. They do not provide urgent or emergency care.
- Deming Animal Guardians — Sponsors vaccinations, spay/neuter services, humane animal education outreach efforts, and an emergency pet food bank for low-income residents of Luna County, New Mexico.
- Spay Neuter NM (Valencia County) — Provides spay/neuter services at a low cost to all residents of New Mexico.
- Doña Ana County Humane Society — Distributes financial assistance in the form of vouchers for elderly pet owners to use towards veterinary care and pet food in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
- The OSCAR Foundation LLC — Offers financial assistance to those who need assistance in seeking funds for pet surgeries or physical rehabilitation in New Mexico.
- Max & Tucker Fund —The Santa Fe Community Foundation gives grants to low-income seniors over the age of 60 to help cover the medical treatment expenses for their companion dogs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in New Mexico
What is Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance is health insurance for your pet that reimburses you for part of your pet’s vet bills based on your specific plan’s coverage. Unlike human insurance, pet insurance providers do not pay for your pet’s medical bill at the vet clinic or animal hospital. Instead, your pet insurance provider will reimburse you directly after you’ve submitted your claim. Most pet insurance plans will reimburse you for between 50 to 90% of the total vet bill. This means that you’ll pay out of pocket for your dog or cat’s medical bill at the time of the visit, then submit your claim to your pet insurance provider, which will then reimburse you for the cost up to your plan’s reimbursement rate.
Does pet insurance cover all veterinary expenses?
No, pet insurance won’t cover all expenses you build up at the vet’s office. However, insurance will typically cover accidents and illnesses that aren’t pre-existing. Some policies will even offer wellness and preventative care add-ons that add additional benefits to your policy, like wellness exams and vaccines.
How do I get reimbursed for a vet bill?
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
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