Here are the best pet insurance companies in Texas:
Texans are passionate about keeping their pets safe and out of harm’s way, but some hazards are out of your control. For example, poisoning from venomous snakes hiding in the grass or dehydration from the southern sun can injure furry companions. Accidents like these are emotionally and financially draining.
Pet insurance can ease the financial burden of Texas-sized vet bills, so you can put your focus on nursing your pet back to health.
Best Pet Insurance In Texas
Summary: Texas Pet Insurance Ratings
Cost Comparison for Pet Insurance in Texas
Texas pet insurance costs with $5,000 annual maximum coverage
Company | Monthly cost in Texas |
---|---|
Lemonade
|
$20
|
Pets Best
|
$26
|
Figo
|
$27
|
Petplan
|
$33
|
TrustedPals
|
$34
|
Embrace
|
$40
|
ASPCA
|
$42
|
Spot
|
$42
|
Texas pet insurance costs with unlimited annual maximum coverage
Company | Monthly cost in Texas |
---|---|
Lemonade
|
$23
|
ManyPets
|
$25
|
Pets Best
|
$29
|
Figo
|
$36
|
Healthy Paws
|
$43
|
Nationwide
|
$48
|
Prudent Pet
|
$49
|
TrustedPals
|
$49
|
Embrace
|
$57
|
Petplan
|
$65
|
Trumpion
|
$67
|
Spot
|
$81
|
Types of Pet Insurance Plans
Selecting the right pet insurance plan can give you peace of mind about potential future vet bills. Since pet insurance plans come in different shapes and sizes. Here are the main types of pet insurance plans.
Accident and illness plans
In addition to covering accidents, such as broken bones, these plans cover expenses resulting from illnesses. Accident and illness plans usually cover chronic conditions, hereditary issues and severe illnesses like cancer. They can also pay for X-rays, CT scans, blood tests and other diagnostics. This is the most common type of pet insurance plan.
Accident-only plans
When a pet has a run-in with a kissing bug or suffers heat stroke from the scorching sun, accident-only plans can pay for vet costs to help them recover from the accident. These costs can include hospitalizations, exam fees and medication.
Wellness and routine care plans
A wellness plan helps cover expenses necessary to maintain a pet’s basic health, such as vaccinations, routine check-ups and flea/tick medication. If a pet insurer offers this coverage, you can usually add it to your accident and illness plan at an additional cost.
How Pet Insurance Works
It’s essential to understand what a pet insurance plan covers and how much reimbursement you’ll get. Here are some things to look at when you’re looking for the best pet insurance in Texas.
Premium. The price you pay for pet insurance is dependent on several factors, such as your pet’s age and breed, your location and your coverage choices. For example, if you have a larger dog, you may pay more for coverage. If you live in a large metropolitan area like Dallas, you could pay more for coverage because vet charges can be higher in urban areas.
Deductible. When you receive a vet bill, you must pay a set amount annually before your pet insurance company starts reimbursing you for expenses. This amount is the deductible. Most pet insurance plans let you select your deductible, which usually ranges between $100 and $1,000. Selecting a larger deductible lowers your pet insurance cost.
Reimbursement percentage. Pet insurance plans also usually allow you to select a reimbursement percentage. The insurer reimburses you for vet bills based on what you choose. Usually, reimbursement percentages range from 50% to 100%. Selecting a lower reimbursement percentage lowers your monthly premium.
Annual coverage limit. Pet insurance policies can come with yearly coverage caps, which is the total sum a pet insurance company will pay toward claims during the policy year. Coverage limits can range from $2,000 and up, and some plans offer unlimited payouts.
For example, in Texas, Pets Best and Figo offer an “unlimited” reimbursement option. And Lemonade and Embrace offer very high annual payouts among their choices.
How to Find the Best Pet Insurance in Texas
Here are some things to look for when you’re comparing options for the best pet insurance in Texas.
Waiting periods for coverage
After you buy a pet insurance policy, you usually have to wait a certain amount of time before your plan will reimburse you for vet bills. Although every insurance company has waiting periods, they vary across the industry. For example, companies like Figo have a one-day waiting period for accidents, while Healthy Paws has a 15-day accident waiting period.
Some companies also have extended waiting periods for issues like cruciate ligament conditions. If your pet is predisposed to these conditions, you may want to steer clear of plans with this type of extended waiting period.
Vet exam fees
Every time you visit the vet, you must pay a fee for the vet to examine your pet. Unfortunately, some pet insurance plans don’t cover exam fees for visits for injuries and illnesses, which means you’re on the hook for this cost, which can be $100 or more.
Range of benefits
Take a look at the other benefits that pet insurers offer, such as whether the pet insurance plan offers a 24/7 vet telehealth line. Helplines that can assist you with your questions no matter the time of day.
Pet insurance discounts
Pet insurance discounts can include military discounts, annual payment discounts and multi-pet discounts for insuring several pets.
Direct vet pay
Some pet insurance companies can pay the vet directly, so you don’t have to pay up-front at the vet’s office. For example, Trupanion pays vets directly if your vet has their claims software installed.
Routine care coverage
If preventive care is a top priority for you, find a pet insurer that lets you add a wellness plan. These plans offset the cost of annual visits, vaccinations and other preventative treatment.
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Texas Pet Laws
Texas has state-level pet laws and regulations set by local municipalities. One statewide law requires that dog owners not leave their pets restrained and unattended outside unless there’s adequate shelter, a shady area and potable water. The outside tether cannot be a chain, have weights attached to it and must be at least five times the length of the dog or 10 feet long.
Here is a sampling of local ordinances pertaining to pets in Texas.
Houston pet laws
All dogs and cats in Harris County that are age three months and older must be licensed and have a current rabies vaccination.
Dogs and cats must be kept under restraint while in public spaces.
San Antonio pet laws
Your dog must be on a leash when you are walking it and you cannot take your dog onto the driveways and yards of property you do not own. You cannot allow your dog to defecate on private property not belonging to you and must remove feces immediately when it’s on the public right of way.
You cannot transport animals in a motor vehicle unless your pet is safely enclosed within the vehicle. If the pet is traveling in an open vehicle, such as a convertible or pickup truck, the animal could be in a container or cage or be confined by a rope or other device that’s cross-tied to prevent the pet from falling or jumping from the vehicle, or from strangling on a single leash.
You cannot leave your pet in a standing or parked vehicle if it endangers the pet’s health or safety.
San Antonio forbids pet owners from surgically altering an animal, such as ear cropping, tail docking and declawing, except when done by a licensed veterinarian.
You can have up to eight cats or five dogs, or a total of eight cats and dogs at your residence. If you want more cats and/or dogs, you will need to apply for an excess animal permit, which is valid for one year.
Dallas pet laws
The city of Dallas limits the number of dogs and/or cats to:
- Up to four total if you live in an apartment, duplex or townhouse
- Up to six total if you live in a single-family home on less than half an acre
- Up to eight total if you live in a single-family home on more than half an acre
These restrictions do not apply to puppies or kittens age six months and younger or feral cats registered in a feral cat colony.
All dogs and cats age four months and older must be registered annually. To register your pet, you will need to provide proof of current rabies vaccination.
You must confine your dog at all times, including in a fenced yard, enclosed pen or a hand-held leash. You can not tether your dog for more than three hours in a 24-hour period.
You can keep your dog outside if it’s kept in a 150 square foot area for each dog age six months or older. You must have a structure that is sturdy enough to prevent your dog from escaping but provide access to a doghouse, shelter or building that protects your dog from the elements.
Austin pet laws
You must keep your dog under restraint, except in designated areas, such as an off-leash area (OLA). When your dog is in an OLA, it must be in your sight and under voice control at all times. You are required to dispose of pet waste left on public or private property.
Here are some more regulations for off-leash areas:
- Only spayed or neutered dogs are allowed into the OLA
- Dogs age four months and younger are not allowed into the OLA
- Children age six and younger are not allowed into the OLA
- Aggressive dogs are not allowed into the OLA
- Do not bring your dog’s favorite toys into the OLA to discourage problem behavior
If you are transporting your pet in an open vehicle (such as a convertible), they should be confined in a manner that prevents them from jumping from the vehicle or getting injured.
If you restrain your dog on your property, the tether must be attached to a properly fitting collar or harness. The tether can weigh no more than 1/18 of your dog’s body weight. You cannot wrap a tether directly around your dog’s neck. The restraint cannot be placed in a manner that could lead to your dog being entangled or not having access to shelter and water. You cannot leave your dog alone on a tether.
Methodology
We used data provided by PetInsurer.com to score each pet insurance company based on the following.
Average plan prices: Up to 40 points. We averaged pet insurance quotes in Texas for each insurer for a mixed-breed dog at two ages.
Plan benefits: Up to 60 points. We scored plans based on the following important features: Annual coverage choices, whether the plan can pay a veterinarian directly, access to a 24/7 vet line, availability of routine wellness coverage, whether the plan pays the vet exam fee, pet dental illness coverage, end of life coverage, and multipet discount.