Which state has the most pet insurance policies?

California leads the pack by a landslide, holding 18.3% of all US insured pets. New York, Florida, and Texas trail behind. Honestly, it makes sense—vet care in California is so expensive that insurance isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.

Is pet insurance more expensive in California?

Absolutely. You're looking at premiums that are 20-35% higher than the national average. A dog policy in California averages $28 a month compared to $21 in Texas. But remember, the insurance company is charging more because the local vet clinics are charging them more when your pet gets sick.

What is the pet insurance penetration rate in the US?

A shockingly low 3.9% overall. That breaks down to 5.5% for dogs and just 2.0% for cats. It breaks my heart because it means over 96% of the time I hand an owner a treatment plan, they are paying out of pocket. Coastal states are catching on faster, though.

Pet Insurance by State: California Leads with 18% Market Share

I’ve held the paws of dogs and cats in emergency rooms across the country. The hardest part of my job isn’t the blood or the chaos; it’s watching an owner’s face fall when I hand them an estimate for a life-saving surgery.

Here is the dirty secret of veterinary medicine: that piece of paper looks wildly different depending on your zip code.

A simple foreign body removal—like when your goofy Lab swallows a tube sock and we have to cut open his intestines to get it out—might cost you $3,000 in Ohio. In Los Angeles? Try $6,500 to $8,000.

Where you live dictates what you pay, and that reality is driving how people buy pet insurance across the United States. Let’s look at the numbers and what they actually mean for your wallet and your pet’s health.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone in the veterinary field that California and New York are at the top. We see it every day in the clinics there.

Rank	State	% of Insured Pets	Est. Policies
1	California	18.3%	1.17 million
2	New York	7.5%	480,000
3	Florida	6.2%	397,000
4	Texas	6.0%	384,000
5	New Jersey	4.5%	288,000
6	Washington	3.8%	243,000
7	Massachusetts	3.5%	224,000
8	Illinois	3.2%	205,000
9	Pennsylvania	3.0%	192,000
10	Colorado	2.8%	179,000

Source: NAPHIA 2023-2026 Data, based on 6.4 million insured US pets

Just five states hold 45% of all the pet insurance policies in the country. If you live in one of these states, you probably already know how brutal a 3 AM trip to the emergency vet can be on your credit card.

Yes, You Pay More Where Vet Care Costs More

Insurance companies aren’t stupid. They know an MRI for a seizing dog costs more in Boston than it does in Indianapolis. They adjust your monthly premium based on the local cost of care.

State	Dog (Monthly)	Cat (Monthly)	vs National Avg
California	$28	$18	+27%
New York	$26	$17	+18%
Massachusetts	$25	$16	+14%
Washington	$24	$15	+9%
Florida	$23	$14	+5%
National Avg	$22	$14	-
Texas	$21	$13	-5%
Ohio	$19	$12	-14%
Indiana	$18	$11	-18%
Iowa	$17	$10	-23%

Based on $5,000 coverage, $250 deductible, 80% reimbursement

What A “Claim” Actually Looks Like

Let’s look at the average claim costs. When we say “average claim,” we aren’t just talking about an ear infection. We are talking about blocked male cats who can’t pee and need immediate, multi-day hospitalization to save their kidneys. We’re talking about torn ACLs that require a $5,000 TPLO surgery so your dog can walk normally again.

Here is what Embrace Pet Insurance reported for Q3 2026:

Region	Avg Claim Cost	vs National
Washington D.C.	$520	+18%
California	$513	+16%
Washington	$503	+14%
Massachusetts	$498	+13%
New York	$485	+10%
National Avg	$442	-
Texas	$410	-7%
Florida	$405	-8%
Ohio	$398	-10%
Midwest (avg)	$385	-13%

Why California is Dominating the Numbers

Why does California have 1.17 million insured pets?

1. There are simply a lot of pets. We are talking 9.3 million dogs and 8.1 million cats.

2. The reality of coastal vet bills. Veterinary overhead in Los Angeles or San Francisco is insane. Rent, equipment, and paying staff a living wage means clinics have to charge more. When an emergency surgery hits $10,000, Californians are doing the math and realizing they cannot afford to self-fund that risk.

Where We Are Seeing Massive Growth

We are seeing a flood of new patients in clinics in these states, and the insurance adoption is following right behind them.

State	2023-2026 Growth	Market Driver
Texas	+28%	Rising pet ownership
Florida	+26%	Retirees bringing pets
Arizona	+24%	Massive population influx
Colorado	+23%	Young, active pet owners
North Carolina	+22%	Exploding metro areas

The Heartbreaking Gap

Look at this table. Really look at it.

Country/Region	Penetration Rate
UK	25%+
Sweden	40%+
US National	3.9%
US Dogs	5.5%
US Cats	2.0%

Only 3.9% of pets in the US are insured. Do you know what that means on the clinic floor? It means 96% of the time I walk into an exam room to give an owner a treatment plan, I am bracing myself for them to say, “I can’t afford that. What are our other options?” And sometimes, the only other option is economic euthanasia.

My Blunt Advice for Pet Owners

If you live in a High-Cost State (CA, NY, MA, WA)

Do not mess around. Get the insurance. It pays for itself so much faster here because your vet bills are naturally higher. Every time your pet walks through our doors, your reimbursement checks are going to be larger. Prioritize an unlimited annual payout if you can swing it, because a single bad accident here will blow past a $5,000 limit in 24 hours.

If you live in a Low-Cost State (TX, OH, the Midwest)

You have a little more breathing room, and your premiums are cheaper. Take advantage of it. You might be fine choosing a slightly higher deductible to get that monthly payment dirt cheap. A standard $5,000 or $10,000 coverage limit is usually enough to save your pet’s life in the Midwest without bankrupting you.

Data sources: NAPHIA State of the Industry Report, Embrace Pet Insurance Q3 2026, Forbes Advisor

The Coasts Are Covered: Top States by Market Share