The Best Pet Insurance In Wisconsin (2024)
Whether they’ve got a German Shepherd in Green Bay or a Manx in Milwaukee, Wisconsin residents fork over an average of $1,300 every year per pet on regimented vet care. And as high as that might sound, it’s minor compared to what it could cost for something more urgent like an emergency accident or illness.
Pet insurance enables you to hand off potentially exorbitant veterinary bills to a licensed provider for just a small monthly, quarterly, or annual payment.
The 5 Best Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin
Each of the following providers highlighted in this article only offers insurance for cats and dogs (except for limited equine coverage offered by ASPCA.) If you’re looking to finance a non-traditional pet, our guide on the best pet insurance for exotic animals highlights a few feasible insurance options.
| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| Best For | Best for Chronic Conditions |
| Star Rating | |
| Monthly Cost | $24–$54 |
*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 Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin?
Pet insurance works more like auto insurance than it does human healthcare. When you purchase car insurance, you’ll be asked to answer a few specifying questions about your car’s make, model, production year, etc. Likewise, when you enroll in a pet insurance policy, you’ll have to provide similar information such as your pet’s species, breed, age, as well as where you live.
In both cases, your responses to these questions allow the insurer to shape your custom premium based on your car or pet’s risk of incurring expenses. A mint-condition Tesla will cost more to insure than a 1999 Honda Civic in the same way that a 6-year-old pure-bred French Bulldog will be more expensive to insure than a 1-year-old mutt.
How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance in Wisconsin for You
Enrolling in an ill-fitting pet insurance policy can be a costly and frustrating mistake. Most don’t realize that they’re underinsured until they have a claim denied in an instance where their pet’s medical needs are dire, often leaving them to face the same out-of-pocket dilemmas as an uninsured pet owner.
Pet insurance ultimately isn’t worth it if you don’t take the time to do the due diligence and find a policy that fully accommodates your coverage objectives, budget, and the medical needs of your pet.
To choose the best pet insurance in Wisconsin for you, you’ll first want to step back and align your coverage needs with the most common plan types offered by leading providers:
- Accident-only: Are you looking for basic emergency insurance to support treatment costs that might arise should your pet endure an unexpected injury? Accident-only coverage typically reimburses incidents including but not limited to broken bones, foreign object ingestion, poisoning, automobile accidents, animal bites, burns, cuts, etc. Illnesses and preventative care will never be covered under this plan level.
- Accident-Illness: In addition to any accidents mentioned above, standard accident-illness coverage covers emergency illnesses, chronic diseases like cancer, allergies, diabetes, hereditary and congenital conditions, and more. Even as the most comprehensive base plan typically offered, routine care is not included in this level of coverage.
- Wellness Care: Usually only offered as an optional add-on, preventative care can help you fill any gaps in your coverage related to general health maintenance such as annual checkups, vaccinations, routine blood work, diagnostic tests, parasite prevention, dental cleaning, and so on.
Once you have a handle on the extent of coverage your pet needs, you can start narrowing down your options based on cost. Although we did provide average costs in Wisconsin per each provider in this article, we strongly advise that you get a quote based on your own ZIP code and specs about your pet for a more accurate estimate when comparing any pet insurance plans that piqued your interest.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Wisconsin?
The average cost of pet health insurance throughout the state of Wisconsin costs anywhere from $18 to $45 per month for dogs and $13 to $30 for cats, not including optional wellness costs. As we’ve mentioned, your monthly rate will be primarily determined by your pet’s age, breed, and medical history, as well as where you live in Wisconsin.
For example, accident-illness coverage through Spot for a 3-year-old medium mix breed dog in Appleton, Wisconsin, costs $36.45 per month, whereas the same coverage for the same dog located in the quaint town of Bayfield costs $27.72.
To further demonstrate how average monthly premiums tend to vary across all five of these providers in Wisconsin, we’ve generated pet insurance quotes for both cats and dogs and arranged them 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 Madison, Wisconsin, and selecting the most popular accident-illness plan customizations as 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot | $34.02 | $18.20 | $43.97 for dogs; $28.15 for cats |
| Lemonade | $19.50 | $13.08 | $35.50 for dogs; $23.08 for cats |
| Embrace | $36.25 | $19.66 | $55.00 for dogs; $38.41 for cats |
| Healthy Paws | $43.56 | $20.34 | N/A |
| ASPCA | $34.02 | $18.20 | $43.97 for dogs; $28.15 for cats |
Final Thoughts on Top Pet Health Insurance Providers in Wisconsin
“Is it worth it?” — Of all the questions pet owners tend to have about pet insurance as they compare plans and prices, among the most ubiquitous is whether or not pet insurance is worth the added expense.
So, think of it like this: pet insurance is a risk product. Therefore, “getting your money’s worth” is an indefinite likelihood. Of course, no one hopes to have to use their pet insurance policy, but at least it’s there just in case you need it should the unimaginable happen to your pet. In other words, the immediate value of pet insurance is the peace of mind it offers, not the investment itself or whether you’ll break even at the end of the day. Pet insurance premiums are essentially a fee you pay for financial stability.
Finding a balance between cost and coverage is crucial, but if you walk into a policy with your eyes locked on making back what you put down on coverage each month, you’re missing the point entirely.
Information for Pet Owners in Wisconsin
Given that 97% of Wisconsin’s land area is rural, America’s Dairyland is home to miles of wide open public space for dog-friendly adventures in the backcountry. Yet Wisconsin, like any other state, still enforces a series of pet laws intended to keep your pet as well as other people and animals out of harm’s way.
Wisconsin Pet Laws
Avoid fines or potentially have your pet taken away from you by abiding by the following pet protocols set by both the state of Wisconsin and its smaller communities:
- All domestic dogs and cats must’ve received their rabies vaccinations by five months of age and must receive the rabies booster every three years or as recommended by a licensed veterinarian.
- Dog owners will have to pay a fine between $50 and $2,500 if their dogs bite or cause other injuries to a person, domestic animal, property, livestock, deer, or game birds.
- Many Wisconsin counties don’t allow more than three dogs per household unless a special permit is obtained.
- Dogs found running at large in public areas or anywhere not designated as off-leash will be impounded by animal control.
- Home burial of a pet is not legal in many municipalities of Wisconsin as it can pose a safety risk to other animals and the surrounding environment.
Fun Things to Do With Your Pet in WI
Most of Wisconsin’s state parks allow leashed and properly controlled dogs in campgrounds, trails, and designated pet swimming areas, but there are a few spots to take your pup in particular that are popular among local pet parents.
Devil’s Lake State Park in Sauk County has an on-leash doggy swim zone and pet picnic area near its north shore boat launch. And for pups who’ve perfected their doggy-paddle, Devil’s Lake also has an off-leash pet swimming area on the south shore.
Johnson Dog Park in Racine is another prime off-leash destination where your dog can run off some pent-up zoomies across 28 acres of wooded area, open fields, paved trails, and even a nearby river.
If you’re looking for a more low-key outing, Michael’s Frozen Custard, which has three locations in Madison, is the perfect drive-in treat during the warmer months — or even the colder season if you prefer; Micheal’s is open year-round! Grab yourself a sundae and a canine custard cup for your pup to enjoy together on the dog-friendly outdoor patio.
Capital Brewery in Middleton is the perfect combination of brew and barks, even hosting Dogtoberfest each fall as a fundraiser for Dane County Humane Society.
Wisconsin Pet Resources
Even if nothing unexpected happens to your pet, life is full of its own unplanned obstacles that might make it challenging to afford the basic veterinary care that companion animals require. Several non-profit assistance programs are up and operating throughout Wisconsin to help qualifying low-income owners provide for their pets while in the face of financial hardship:
- The Dodge County Humane Society, Juneau — Offers spay/neuter assistance, distemper prevention, deworming, flea treatment, rabies vaccinations, microchipping, pet food, and temporary foster care.
- The Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha — Offers pet food, spay/neuter assistance, and short-term foster care for pets displaced from their homes.
- Wisconsin Humane Society (Milwaukee) — Has a spay/neuter assistance program (SNAP), and distributes pet food and supplies for struggling owners as well as basic veterinary care.
- Eau Claire County Humane Association — Offers safe surrendering options, spay/neuter assistance, microchip scanning, and pet food pantries.
- Heart2Heart Pet Lifeline, Inc. (La Crosse County) — Provides grants for basic veterinary care, spay/neuter procedures, emergency pet boarding, and transitional housing assistance for pet owners.
- Fox Valley Humane Association (Appleton) — Offers discounted rates on core vaccines, spay/neuter procedures, deworming, microchipping, nail trims, and more for cats, dogs, and rabbits.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Insurance in Wisconsin
Do pet insurance policies have waiting periods?
Yes, pet insurance policies more than always have waiting periods between your initial enrollment period and when coverage officially begins for the plan. Across most providers, the standard is around 14 days for accidents and illnesses, but some others, including Lemonade and Embrace, can shorten your waiting period to as low as two days for accidents.
Do all vets take pet insurance in Wisconsin?
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.
How much does pet insurance cost?
Pet insurance costs will vary based on your pet insurance provider, location, your pet’s breed, your pet’s age, and more. Other factors that will influence the cost of pet insurance include the type of plan you choose, especially if the plan has extensive coverage and if you opt for preventative care add-ons. The more coverage your plan has, the higher the cost is likely to be.
To give you a general idea of pet insurance costs, we’ve researched the following numbers for you. Currently, most dog insurance plans cost $28 per month on average, and cat insurance plans can cost as little as $11 per month. Depending on the plan, you can expect to pay anywhere from $10 per month to $90 per month in most cases.
Our Methodology: How We Rated and Ranked Pet Insurance Companies
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