The Best Pet Insurance In Oregon (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.

Edited by

Quartz Advisor Reviews Team

Edited by Quartz Advisor Reviews Team QZ.com

04/18/2024 03:39 PM

​From Astoria to Brookings, Oregon’s rugged coastline and lush old-growth forests make for sights and smells that most dogs only ever dream about. But tucked into its natural allure are a number of native dangers for pets, like western rattlesnakes, porcupines, mountain lions, and indigenous Lily flowers, which are fatally toxic to cats.

Should your pet cross paths with any dangerous flora or fauna in Oregon, you might find yourself footing the bill for a costly trip to the vet. Pet health insurance can help minimize the dent of accident-related treatments costs, guaranteeing your pet medical attention no matter how steep the price.

As an ode to the Beaver State, we’ve curated a list of the most dependable providers offering pet insurance in Oregon based on the following criteria:

• Plan diversity and coverage capacity
• Average cost and customizability 
• Additional preventative care products
• User accessibility
• Provider rating and reputation
• Customer satisfaction

Most Affordable

4.8/5

Compare Plans

Most Inclusive

4.8/5

Compare Plans

Most Experienced

5/5

Compare Plans

Most Comprehensive Coverage

4.3/5

Compare Plans

The 4 Best Oregon Pet Insurance Companies

• Spot: Best overall 
• Lemonade: Most affordable
• Embrace: Best for deductibles
• Healthy Paws: Best for chronic conditions 

Compare Pet Insurance Companies in Oregon

Brand	Logo	Best For	Star Rating	Monthly Cost	Link
Spot		Most Inclusive	4.8/5	$22-$80	Compare Quotes
Lemonade		Most Affordable	4.8/5	$16–$30	Compare Quotes
ASPCA Pet Insurance		Most Experienced	5/5	$18–$44	Compare Quotes
Embrace		Best for Discounts Offered	4.7/5	$23-$85	Compare Quotes
Healthy Paws		Best for Chronic Conditions	4.3/5	$24–$54	Compare Quotes

Spot

Lemonade

ASPCA

Embrace

Healthy Paws

Spot
Logo
Best For	Most Inclusive
Star Rating	4.8/5
Monthly Cost	$22-$80

Compare Quotes

Lemonade
Logo
Best For	Most Affordable
Star Rating	4.8/5
Monthly Cost	$16–$30

Compare Quotes

ASPCA Pet Insurance
Logo
Best For	Most Experienced
Star Rating	5/5
Monthly Cost	$18–$44

Compare Quotes

Embrace
Logo
Best For	Best for Discounts Offered
Star Rating	4.7/5
Monthly Cost	$23-$85

Compare Quotes

Healthy Paws
Logo
Best For	Best for Chronic Conditions
Star Rating	4.3/5
Monthly Cost	$24–$54

Compare Quotes

Company

Waiting Period

Money-back Guarantee

Maximum Enroll Age

Monthly Cost

Compare Quotes

14 days

Yes

No age limit

$22-$80

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14 days for illnesses, 48 hours for accidents

Yes

14 years old

$18-$60

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15 days

Yes

No age limit

$22-$46

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14 days for illnesses, 48 hours for accidents

Yes

14 years old

$23-$85

Compare Quotes

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.

Top 5 Best Pet Insurance Companies In Oregon

Spot

Most Inclusive

4.8

Learn more: Spot Review

Overview

Splitting its coverage between two base plans — accident-only and accident-illness — Spot pet insurance covers everything but the kitchen sink when it comes to your pet’s healthcare, including microchipping, alternative therapies, and exam fees. 

Cost and Customizability

Pet owners in Oregon should expect to pay between $20 to $50 per month for a standard Spot policy. However, your custom premium could sink or float out of that price range based on how you build out your plan. Across both base plan levels, a Spot policyholder can customize their insurance coverage around:

• Seven annual limits, including an unlimited coverage option
• Three reimbursement rates
• Five annual deductibles
• Two optional wellness plans — Gold and Platinum 

Even though preventative care isn’t included in the terms of either of Spot’s base plans, it can still be purchased for a fixed additional monthly rate of $9.95 for up to $250 a year in wellness benefits, or for $24.95 for a more comprehensive annual stipend of $450 in routine care coverage. Spot does uphold per-item limits for its preventive care riders, so be sure to familiarize yourself with those guidelines before enrolling. 

Relevant Inclusions and Exclusions

Home to 15 native species of snakes, the wild Oregon outback (even if just your backyard) presents an opportune environment for your dog or outdoor cat to have a close and potentially dangerous encounter with critters that slither. Snake bites — among other injuries like broken bones, toxic ingestions, wounds, and lacerations — are essential coverage inclusions in Spot’s pet healthcare insurance. 

As for what Spot won’t cover, pet owners with a dog or cat already exhibiting symptoms of bilateral conditions such as hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, chronic joint illnesses, or even cataracts might not be able to meet their coverage needs with a Spot policy.

For example, suppose your dog is diagnosed with hip dysplasia in its right hip before your policy start date. In that case, you won’t be eligible for reimbursement should hip dysplasia eventually develop in the left side of your dog, even if years later.

Pros & Cons

Pros Offers comprehensive wellness plans No upper age limits 30-day money-back guarantee Excellent coverage for both accident and illness-related costs Cons Prescription pet food is not covered Does not cover exotic animals

Lemonade

Most Affordable

4.8

Learn more: Lemonade Review

Overview

Designed to provide pet parents with simpler, more efficient access to pet healthcare coverage, Lemonade is the first and only standing provider on the market driving an all-digital pet insurance experience. Utilizing AI-powered internal processes to slash overhead costs and expedite its claims process, Lemonade policyholders are not only able to register for coverage in a matter of seconds, but they can protect their pets for some of the lowest monthly rates industry-wide. 

Cost and Customizability

Consolidating its standard coverage into one sweeping accident-illness base plan, Lemonade policies start as low as $10 per month. However, that rate is pretty unlikely unless you’re after super-thin coverage — and it probably isn’t even worth it to pursue pet insurance if that’s the case. In reality, any Oregonian who enrolls in a Lemonade policy will owe approximately $20 per month for dog insurance, or $14 per month for cat insurance, apart from any additional costs related to elective preventative care. 

Despite only offering a lone accident-illness option, Lemonade leaves each customer with more than enough room to customize a plan that caters to their budget and coverage needs with:

• Five annual limits, up to $100,000 per year in coverage benefits
• Three reimbursement rates
• Three annual deductibles
• Three optional wellness plans, including one specifically for puppies and kittens 

Preventative care items like routine vaccines, checkups, dental cleanings, and parasite prevention are not included in standard Lemonade coverage. But, they’re available to policyholders who purchase one of Lemonade’s three available wellness riders. Each wellness plan level is incremental in its per-item benefits and overall cost, with spaying/neutering procedure coverage only available in the designated package for puppies and kittens.

• Basic Preventative package: $15+ per month for dogs, $10+ per month for cats
• Preventative+ package: $17+ per month for dogs, $12+ per month for cats
• Puppy/Kitten Preventative package: $40+ per month for puppies, $34+ per month for kittens

Relevant Inclusions and Exclusions

Unlike a handful of its competitors, Lemonade won’t reimburse you for any kind of behavioral therapy. As it relates to pet healthcare, behavioral therapy is used to treat mental health disorders in companion pets or modify pet behaviors that pose a risk to your pet’s safety or the safety of others. 

Separation anxiety, one of the most common treatable behaviors in pets, is often the main motive behind escape attempts, aside from pure curiosity. Should your pet run away in high-traffic areas like Portland, being hit by a car is a very grim but likely consequence. Pets that get loose in more rural areas of Oregon are at risk of being killed by predators or simply never finding their way back home. Consider whether or not behavioral therapy might be beneficial for your pet before enrolling with Lemonade.

Pros & Cons

Pros Completely online experience Special preventative care package for kittens and puppies 48-hour wait period for accidents 5% discount for multiple pets insured Cons Only available in 36 states and Washington, D.C. Newer to the market

ASPCA Pet Insurance

Most Experienced

5

Learn more: ASPCA Review

Overview

A veteran of the animal welfare cause, ASPCA is well-versed in pet protection and advocacy, which also leverages its prowess in the pet insurance industry. ASPCA pet insurance’s most popular base plan is its accident-illness coverage. However, it still offers a toned-down accident-only variation for those on tight budgets. These plans include exam fees and microchip implantation as standard eligible expenses.

Cost and Customizability

The cost of an accident-illness policy in Oregon through ASPCA seems to be synonymous with Spot’s average rate of $20 to $50 per month. However, you can access a more exact estimate based on your pet’s medical profile and your specific ZIP code by running a custom quote. 

If you end up generating a quote that’s out of your price range, see if you can achieve a premium that works for you by playing around with ASPCA’s different customization options:

• Five annual limits, up to $10,000 a year
• Three reimbursement rates
• Three annual deductibles, as low as $100
• Two preventative care plans for fixed rates

And suppose you want to take your pet insurance coverage the extra mile. In that case, ASPCA offers two add-on wellness plans at flat rates of $9.95 per month for basic routine care with a $250 annual limit or $24.95 per month for more comprehensive preventative care coverage with a $450 annual limit. 

Relevant Inclusions and Exclusions

ASPCA’s accident-only plan offers several standardized coverage bonuses that most providers consider accident-illness benefits, like costs related to vet labor, consultation fees, and even alternative therapies like acupuncture. 

Exclusion-wise, ASPCA doesn’t omit anything out of the ordinary from its coverage terms. However, horses face a few specific limitations that cats and dogs don’t. For those considering ASPCA for equine insurance, be aware that alternative and behavioral therapies aren’t covered for horses. Other expenses related to arthritis, degenerative joint diseases, and farm call fees aren’t included in this provider’s equine benefits. 

Pros & Cons

Pros Coverage for alternative therapies Offers multi-pet discount Partner of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Lower deductibles than most Microchipping coverage Cons Poor customer reviews Low annual coverage limits Coverage waiting period is longer than most

Embrace

Best for Discounts Offered

4.7

Learn more: Embrace Review

Overview

Embrace pet insurance works in the best interest of your budget when you need veterinary coverage. But when you don’t need it, it automatically reduces your annual deductible by $50 for every year you hold an active policy without needing to file a claim. 

Cost and Customizability

Even though Embrace’s standard accident-illness coverage averages out to a monthly rate that’ll cost dogs owners roughly $40 whereas cat owners will pay a halved price of $20, there’s a good chance your actual monthly premium will be pruned back by some Embrace-exclusive perks. With three stackable discounts that could rack up an extra 25% off for eligible members — on top of an automatically vanishing deductible — Embrace tucks saving opportunities into every corner. 

Per usual, your premium can also be tailored by shaping your plan to be as modest or maxed out as you like through Embrace’s slew of plan customization options, including:

• Five annual limits, up to $30,000 per year
• Three reimbursement rates
• Five annual deductibles, as low as $200
• Three annual preventative care stipend limits — $250, $450, $650

If you want to add preventative care coverage to your pet insurance policy, the monthly cost of Wellness Rewards ranges between three fixed price points of $18.75, $35.42, and $52.09, depending on the allowance level you choose.

Relevant Inclusions and Exclusions

Out of all the providers featured in this guide, Embrace is the most cost-effective pet insurance option for new pet parents looking to maximize their coverage for all the first-year medical expenses and potentially underlying health issues that puppies and kittens can come with.

Covering a plethora of essential preventative pet care costs, from spay/neuter surgery to basic training, and with no per-items limits, policyholders can freely spend their annual wellness coverage stipend on whatever veterinary services their pets need most. 

Also, Embrace excludes pets over the age of 14 from accident-illness enrollment, so getting your cat or dog insured as early as possible guarantees age isn’t a disqualifier that you’ll have to worry about.  

Pros & Cons

Pros “Healthy Pet Deductible” reduces your deductible by $50 each year with no claims Donates $2 to charity for every policy sold Comprehensive coverage for breed-specific and congenital conditions Microchipping and spay/neuter coverage 10% multi-pet discount, 5% military discount Cons Pricier wellness plan option Strict pre-existing condition policy

Healthy Paws

Best for Chronic Conditions

4.3

Learn more: Healthy Paws Review

Overview

Healthy Paws pet insurance is one of several pet insurance providers that offers a direct vet payment option in instances where policyholders are stuck with a vet bill beyond what they can afford to pay upfront. No matter where in the United States the vet visit takes place, direct payment through Healthy Paws is available at any clinic as long as a licensed veterinarian treats your pet. 

Cost and Customizability

Healthy Paws aims to reduce its policyholders’ monthly premiums by nixing preventative care coverage from its policy framework altogether and instead underscoring protection from the unpredictable costs of pet healthcare through its freestanding accident-illness plan. But, by offering automatic unlimited annual benefits for its customers, those monthly rates creep back up to about what they would be with an available wellness plan.

For coverage through Healthy Paws, Oregon customers should expect to pay around $37 per month for dog insurance and $17 per month for cat insurance. As always, those estimates are subject to change based on the cost of living in your city and how you style your plan.

Relevant Inclusions and Exclusions

With all that being said, a policy through Healthy Paws is probably ideal for pet owners who feel they can manage the costs of preventative care on their own and are looking for veterinary coverage solely for the unexpected. We also wouldn’t recommend this plan for older pets, given that Healthy Paws seems to narrow its coverage for senior cats and dogs and also excludes pets from hip dysplasia coverage after the age of six.

Pros & Cons

Pros Underwritten by the Chubb Group, an A+ rated insurer Has an easy to use mobile app for easy claim submission Unlimited lifetime benefits Donates to over 300 nonprofit pet organizations More affordable than many other options Cons One time customer fee of $25 No wellness plan options

How Does Pet Insurance Work in Oregon?

Like in any other state, pet insurance in Oregon is administered via reimbursement rather than your provider paying the vet directly.* So, you’ll be responsible for assuming upfront costs, including your annual deductible. But, as soon as your pet receives the treatment it needs, you can submit a claim to your insurance company for review to initiate the reimbursement process. Once your claim is approved, you’ll be refunded up to the reimbursement percentage you selected at the start of your policy period, which typically ranges from 50 to 90%. 

*A select number of pet insurance providers, like Healthy Paws, Trupanion, Pets Best, and Petplan, offer direct vet payment options on a case-by-case basis for those who don’t have the means to cover exceptionally high veterinary bills at once.

How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance in Oregon for You

Whether you’ve just adopted a new kitty or pup and are seeking coverage for milestone medical expenses, or you have an older pet that might need geriatric veterinary care in the near future, the right pet insurance plan could offer workable financial protection for a fraction of the cost. 

Putting in a little extra time to learn what comprehensive coverage truly looks like can empower you to better understand how enrolling in pet insurance fortifies your pet’s healthcare and your budget. Here are a few pointers to help you keep one paw in front of the other as you begin your search:

• Catastrophic or comprehensive? Mull over the extent of coverage you need. 

At the core of a sound financial decision is only paying for what you need. In the world of pet insurance, the answer is often an either-or — accident-only or accident-illness? Know whether you’re looking for basic risk protection or full-scale pet healthcare coverage from the get-go. 

• Consider everything predictable about your pet’s health.

Before you even start the online browsing process, get familiar with what you absolutely need out of your future coverage versus what could be comfortably given up if it came down to it. 

• Generate custom quotes for free — but don’t hold tunnel vision on premiums.

Pet insurance itself is a product designed for the cost-conscious, but you shouldn’t base your decision solely on premium differences between even the best pet insurance companies. Cheaper might be more attractive at first sight, but at the cost of what exclusions?

How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Oregon?

Based on our research, the average cost of pet insurance in Oregon ranges as broadly as $15 to $60 per pet owner per month. Policyholders situated in more densely populated areas like Portland or Salem will incur slightly higher monthly premiums than those in more rural areas of Oregon.

For instance, accident-illness coverage for a 4-year-old Jack Russell Terrier in Eugene costs approximately $34.36 per month, whereas the same coverage for the same dog based in Medford costs $22.86 per month. 

To illustrate how average premiums tend to vary between providers in Oregon, we’ve gone ahead and generated quotes from each of our recommended pet insurance companies, collated in the table below. 

All of 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 kitty — living in Coos Bay, Oregon, selecting the most popular plan customizations as recommended by each provider. Sample wellness costs for our dog and cat insurance quotes chose the most basic add-on available.

Most Affordable

4.8/5

Compare Plans

Most Inclusive

4.8/5

Compare Plans

Most Experienced

5/5

Compare Plans

Most Comprehensive Coverage

4.3/5

Compare Plans

Final Thoughts on Top Pet Health Insurance Providers in Oregon

Like in human healthcare, continued advancements in veterinary science and medical technology are revolutionizing pet healthcare and adding to the cost of even the most standard services like diagnostic tests and prescription medications. The average pet owner in Oregon will spend up to $19,060 on lifetime pet care costs for dogs and $9,150 for cats. While potential emergencies could increase those numbers, inflated veterinary costs inevitably will. So, even if pet insurance isn’t something that you feel a need to explore right now, at least keep it on the back burner as a financing option.

Find a Pet Insurance Company in Your State

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Information for Pet Owners in Oregon

As one of the most dog-centric states in the country, with 5.7 dog parks for every 100,000 residents in Portland alone, Oregonians sure know how to treat a good boy right. Yet as pet-friendly as Oregon is, there are still a few laws in place to encourage responsible pet ownership no matter where you and your pup venture together. 

Oregon Pet Laws

From basic care statutes to leash laws, here are a few of the legal regulations that pet owners in Oregon must abide by:

• Domestic dogs and cats over four months of age must receive rabies vaccines, and vaccination certificates must also be registered with your county.
• Oregon doesn’t uphold any statewide leash laws, but individual counties do. By and large, unleashed dogs are rarely permitted in public areas unless specifically designated, so your best bet is to keep your pup on a leash while you’re out and about.
• In any county in Oregon with an established dog control program, owners of dogs that have grown into their permanent sets of canine teeth or are six months of age must obtain municipal dog licenses.  
• Though you might think of your pet as a family member, the state of Oregon deems pets as property, hence why pet insurance policies tend to be less complicated than human healthcare policies — because pets, unfortunately, enjoy few rights based on their legal status.
• Oregon is one of a few states to ratify a Good Samaritan law making it entirely legal for anyone to break into a vehicle “by force or otherwise” if a child or pet is left unattended and endangered.

Fun Things to Do With Your Pet in OR

Whether you’ve got a country-lovin’ hound or a pint-sized lapdog, Oregon has plenty of pet-friendly pastimes to choose from.  

Did you know that Oregon’s beaches belong to the people? If you head all the way west, Oregon prohibits any private protections over its 363 miles of coastal bliss, so beach access is free and fully accessible to the public, including dogs! Cannon Beach is off-leash heaven for local pups — as long as they’re under voice control and are solid in their recall. If your dog has selective hearing, it’s best to enjoy the beach from a leash. If you’d rather skip the sand, Oregon is home to over 254 state parks, with marked and unmarked trails for you and your dog to explore. 

For those who’d prefer something closer to town, there are a number of dog-friendly detours off I-5. Ankeny Vineyard in Salem has a pets-allowed deck that overlooks the Willamette Valley, and just a few miles away, Minto-Brown Island Park offers a 30-acre off-leash dog park where you can let your pup loose. 

Oregon Pet Resources

Yes — pet insurance can be an incredibly valuable budgeting tool for financial peace of mind if your pooch or kitty cat ever gets unexpectedly sick or injured, but it’s also an added cost in itself. If pet insurance isn’t a feasible option for you right now, Oregon offers a few affordable, low-income assistance options for pet healthcare:

• Oregon Humane Society, Portland — “Spay & Save” program for low-cost spay/neuter procedures; $15 for feline spay/neuter and $80 for canine spay/neuter.
• F.I.D.O (Friends Involved in Dog Outreach), Oregon City — pet food bank for veterans or low-income pet owners in Oregon.
• Portland Animal Welfare Team — provides free veterinary care, including wellness exams, medical grooming, free spay/neuter, microchipping, and more to pets of qualifying owners.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in Oregon

Our Methodology: How We Rated and Ranked Pet Insurance Companies

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