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Estimates are for accident-and-illness style plans from major US insurers and are rounded. Your actual quote depends on breed, deductible, reimbursement rate and payout limits. This tool gives guidance only, not a quote.
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Source: ComparePetCover — Pet Insurance Cost Calculator 2026 (https://comparepetcover.com/pet-insurance-cost-calculator)
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How much is pet insurance in 2026?
Nationally, accident-and-illness coverage averages about $69.67/month for dogs and $36.25/month for cats — but where you live, how old your pet is and how much coverage you choose can swing that by 2–3×. The calculator above combines three levers:
📍 Your state
Premiums track local vet prices and claim costs. Dog owners in the priciest states pay about 26% more than those in the cheapest ($77 a month in California against $61 in Arkansas), far less than most cost guides claim.
🎂 Your pet's age
Cover is cheapest in the early years. By about age nine the age-rating factor can more than double versus a young adult.
🛡️ Coverage level
Accident-only plans run far cheaper than accident-and-illness; adding wellness/routine care pushes the premium higher again.
Average pet insurance cost by state (2026)
The table below shows the estimated average monthly premium for a young-adult pet on accident-and-illness coverage. These are the base figures the calculator adjusts for age and coverage. National average = 100 on the cost index.
| State | Dogs (avg/mo) | Cats (avg/mo) | Cost Index (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $62 | $32 | 88.8 |
| Alaska | $71 | $37 | 102.4 |
| Arizona | $70 | $36 | 100.7 |
| Arkansas | $61 | $32 | 86.9 |
| California | $77 | $40 | 110.7 |
| Colorado | $72 | $37 | 103.1 |
| Connecticut | $72 | $38 | 103.6 |
| Delaware | $70 | $36 | 99.8 |
| District of Columbia | $77 | $40 | 109.9 |
| Florida | $72 | $37 | 103.4 |
| Georgia | $67 | $35 | 96.3 |
| Hawaii | $77 | $40 | 110.0 |
| Idaho | $67 | $35 | 95.5 |
| Illinois | $70 | $36 | 100.0 |
| Indiana | $65 | $34 | 93.3 |
| Iowa | $61 | $32 | 87.8 |
| Kansas | $63 | $33 | 90.1 |
| Kentucky | $63 | $33 | 90.2 |
| Louisiana | $61 | $32 | 88.2 |
| Maine | $68 | $35 | 97.0 |
| Maryland | $73 | $38 | 105.0 |
| Massachusetts | $74 | $38 | 105.8 |
| Michigan | $67 | $35 | 96.2 |
| Minnesota | $69 | $36 | 98.6 |
| Mississippi | $61 | $32 | 87.0 |
| Missouri | $63 | $33 | 90.8 |
| Montana | $66 | $34 | 94.6 |
| Nebraska | $63 | $33 | 90.1 |
| Nevada | $70 | $36 | 100.0 |
| New Hampshire | $73 | $38 | 104.2 |
| New Jersey | $76 | $39 | 108.8 |
| New Mexico | $64 | $33 | 92.2 |
| New York | $75 | $39 | 107.9 |
| North Carolina | $66 | $34 | 94.3 |
| North Dakota | $62 | $32 | 89.0 |
| Ohio | $65 | $34 | 92.8 |
| Oklahoma | $61 | $32 | 87.8 |
| Oregon | $72 | $37 | 103.4 |
| Pennsylvania | $68 | $35 | 97.6 |
| Rhode Island | $71 | $37 | 102.3 |
| South Carolina | $65 | $34 | 93.7 |
| South Dakota | $62 | $32 | 88.6 |
| Tennessee | $64 | $33 | 91.9 |
| Texas | $68 | $35 | 97.1 |
| Utah | $69 | $36 | 98.9 |
| Vermont | $68 | $36 | 98.0 |
| Virginia | $70 | $37 | 101.1 |
| Washington | $75 | $39 | 107.0 |
| West Virginia | $62 | $32 | 89.5 |
| Wisconsin | $66 | $34 | 94.1 |
| Wyoming | $65 | $34 | 92.7 |
Methodology
Base state premiums are derived, not surveyed. We take the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA) 2026 report, which puts the 2025 US average accident-and-illness premium at $836 a year for a dog and $435 for a cat, or $69.67 and $36.25 a month, and scale it by each state's US Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parity for 2024, where the US average is 100. We do not survey insurers and we publish no quotes. Age multipliers (0.85× under 1 year, rising to 2.6× at 11+ years) are our own assumption: no public dataset publishes average US premiums by a pet's age, so treat the age slider as illustrative rather than measured. Coverage multipliers come from the same NAPHIA table: accident-only averaged $190 a year against $836 for accident-and-illness (0.23×), and policies with embedded wellness averaged $1,414 (1.69×). Figures are estimates for guidance, not quotes.
Estimate your cost, then compare plans
Once you know the ballpark, compare the providers available where you live:
Frequently asked questions
How much does pet insurance cost per month in 2026?
Accident-and-illness cover averages about $70/month for dogs and $36/month for cats nationally, but your real figure depends on state, pet age and coverage level. Use the calculator above for a personalised estimate.
Does pet insurance cost more as my pet gets older?
Yes. Premiums are lowest in a pet's first years and rise steadily with age — by around age nine the age-rating factor can more than double versus a young adult.
Why does pet insurance cost differ by state?
Premiums track local veterinary costs, claim frequency and cost of living. Owners in the most expensive states pay about 26% more than owners in the cheapest ($77 a month in California against $61 in Arkansas), which is far less than most cost guides claim.
Is this calculator free?
Yes — it's free, needs no sign-up and gives an instant estimate. It's for general guidance only; always confirm the exact price with the insurer.