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Best Pet Insurance in North Carolina (NC)

Author Icon By Brenda Woods Updated 03/19/2024

Pet insurance is a worthwhile investment for your peace of mind and ensures that you’ll be able to pay for any treatments or procedures your dog or cat may need after an unexpected accident or illness.

To help you choose which policy makes the most sense for your needs, we reviewed the top pet insurance companies in the industry, comparing them on significant factors such as customer service, pricing, and overall coverage. Through our research, we’ve found that the best pet insurance provider in North Carolina is Lemonade for its flexible plans and affordable pricing.

Whether you live near the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina or in the rapidly growing Triangle area, veterinarian bills are rarely cheap.
Why Trust Us? Our review and rating process for the best pet insurance companies
22
Companies Considered We carefully considered 22 companies to find the best pet insurance providers available.
1000
Pet Owners Surveyed We surveyed 1,000 pet owners to see what they care about most when in comes to pet insurance.
3800
Reviews Analyzed We went through 3,800 customer reviews of pet insurance companies to see what people had to say about each provider.
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Policies Compared We compared 51 policies to find the best pet insurance offerings on the market.

How Do NC Pet Insurance Companies Compare?

Company Star Rating Monthly Cost for Dogs* Monthly Cost for Cats* Visit Site
4.8
$23.22 $11.00 VISIT SITE
4.6
$45.75 $25.23 VISIT SITE
4.5
$43.29 $23.73 Visit Site
4.7
$57.19 $34.97 VISIT SITE
4.5
$48.65 $22.73 Visit Site
4.0
$46.48 $21.51 VISIT SITE
4.7
$26.48 $13.28 Visit Site

Who Are North Carolina’s Top 7 Pet Insurance Providers?

Spot: Most Customizable Plans
ASPCA: Best for New Pet Owners
Embrace: Best Deductibles
Healthy Paws: Best Coverage Limits
Fetch: Best Holistic Coverage
Figo: Best Extra Coverage Add-On

Lemonade

Best Overall
4.8

Lemonade Pros and Cons

Pros Offers optional coverage for exam fees and physical therapy Has a charitable program that donates extra premium money to charities Offers extra preventative care for puppies and kittens less than 2 years old Cons Doesn’t offer coverage for pets over 14 years old Requires medical records from a vet visit within 12 months of the policy start date to be eligible for coverage

Lemonade Overview

We found Lemonade to be the best overall pet insurance provider in the industry for its affordable plan pricing, customer service options, and plan variety.

Learn More: Lemonade Pet Insurance Review

Highlights

  • Our score: 96
  • Has comparatively more affordable monthly premiums than many competitors
  • Has a high annual coverage option of $100,000
  • Provides a 10% discount when you bundle with home insurance or renters insurance
  • Provides a mobile app with AI software for fast claims filing

Lemonade lost a few points for its lower-than-average rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, we still recommend Lemonade as a top pet insurance provider, since many of these complaints reference the company’s other insurance products, rather than pet insurance.

Lemonade Plans and Coverage

Lemonade offers one accident and illness plan for coverage on costs related to incidents and conditions such as broken bones, poisonings, sprains, infections, cancer, heart disease, congenital conditions, and hereditary conditions. It doesn’t cover behavioral treatments, dental disease, elective procedures, or pre-existing conditions.

For a few extra dollars per month, you can opt for add-ons for vet visit fees and physical therapy coverage. You can also purchase preventative care at two coverage levels and additional monthly premiums. The cheaper plan covers one wellness exam, a fecal test, three vaccines, a heartworm test, and a blood test, whereas the other plan adds coverage for a routine dental cleaning and flea, tick, or heartworm medication.

Spot

Most Customizable Plans
4.6

Pros and Cons of Spot Pet Insurance

Pros Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee Covers behavioral treatments, unlike some competitors Includes microchip implantation coverage in standard policies Cons Has a longer waiting period of 14 days for accidents Doesn’t have as much experience as most competitors, with only two years in the industry

Spot Overview

We chose Spot as a top pet insurance provider for its highly customizable plans. You can choose between accident-only or accident and illness coverage with up to seven different annual limit options between $2,500 and unlimited.

Learn More: Spot Pet Insurance Review

Highlights

  • Our score: 91
  • Features a 24/7 telehealth clinic accessible to all customers
  • Provides affordable preventative care to be added to your policy
  • Doesn’t make you pay extra for vet visit fees coverage like many competitors do

Spot Plans and Coverage

Spot’s pet insurance plans are separated into your choice of two options. Accident-only coverage pays for treatments and costs related to accidents, such as injuries, swallowed objects, and toxic ingestions. Whereas, accident and illness coverage extends to other conditions, including cancer, chronic conditions, general illnesses, and more. It doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions in your pet until the end of the 14-day waiting period.

For help paying for your pet’s general wellness care, Spot offers preventative care plans. The Gold plan covers dental cleanings, wellness exams, vaccinations, and a few other things with a total of $250 annual coverage for per-item treatment costs. Its Platinum plan has higher annual limits totaling $450, and it adds a few extra treatments, including urinalysis and a health certificate.

ASPCA

Best for New Pet Owners
4.5

ASPCA Pros and Cons

Pros Covers behavioral treatments and microchipping in its base plan Provides a budget-friendly accident-only plan Offers a 30-day money-back guarantee Cons Limits coverage for behavioral disorders to $250 with the Essential Plan Doesn’t offer customizable annual coverage limits, unlike many other providers in this review

ASPCA Overview

ASPCA is a top pet insurance provider in North Carolina for its comprehensive, affordable accident-only and accident-and-illness policies. It also offers coverage for alternative therapies, behavioral issues, and microchipping in its base plan.

Learn More: ASPCA Pet Insurance Review

Highlights

  • Our score: 89 out of 100
  • Customizable plans with three deductible options, three reimbursement options, and five annual limit options
  • Underwritten by Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, which has been in the industry for 25 years
  • Provides extensive online resources for pet parents regarding pet ownership, information on various breeds, and ways to handle certain diseases

ASPCA Plans and Coverage

ASPCA Pet Health Insurance offers pet owners two plans to choose from. The Accident-Only plan covers treatments, procedures, emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery related to an unexpected injury. The Complete Coverage plan covers the same as it applies to injuries, diseases, and conditions, including cancer, arthritis, allergies, chronic conditions, hereditary conditions, behavioral issues, and more.

While ASPCA does not cover preexisting conditions, if a pet has a curable condition and they remain symptom-free for 180 days, ASPCA will no longer consider that particular condition preexisting.

Pet parents can add a preventive care add-on at either a Basic or Prime level. Each covers routine care services such as vaccinations, wellness exams, dental cleanings, and deworming at different reimbursement levels.

Embrace

Best Deductibles
4.7

Embrace Pros and Cons

Pros Provides preventative care with 100% reimbursement for covered treatments Offers a 5% discount for military members Has a two-day waiting period for accidents, which is shorter than the 14 to 15-day period provided by most competitors Cons Doesn’t offer coverage limit options above $30,000, which is lower than many competitors harges a $1-per-month installment fee that can be avoided by paying annually rather than monthly

Embrace Overview

Embrace offers the best deductibles in the industry and has a unique Healthy Pet Deductible, which helps lower your deductible each year you don’t file a claim on your policy.

Learn More: Embrace Pet Insurance Review

Highlights

  • Our score: 93.5
  • Offers five deductible options between $200 and $1,000
  • Includes the Healthy Pet Deductible with each policy, which credits your deductible with $50 for each year you don’t file a claim
  • Offers a 10% multi-pet discount

Embrace Plans and Coverage

Embrace’s standard pet insurance plan covers both accidents and illness, including cancer, chronic conditions, congenital conditions, allergies, dental trauma, genetic conditions, and more. It doesn’t cover orthopedic conditions that arise during the first six months of the policy, elective procedures, and pre-existing conditions that arise before the end of Embrace’s waiting periods.

For 100% reimbursement on preventative care treatments, such as routine vet visits, microchipping, spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations, anal gland expression, prescription diet foods, and more, you can purchase Embrace’s optional Wellness Rewards Plan. It offers three different annual coverage limit options of $250, $450, or $650.

Healthy Paws

Best Coverage Limit
4.5

Healthy Paws Pros and Cons

Pros Has donated more than $1 million to help homeless pets Claims to process most claims within two days of filing Provides a mobile app for policy management and claims filing Cons Offers fewer customization options for deductibles and reimbursement rates than many competitors Doesn’t provide preventative care add-ons Doesn’t offer a multi-pet discount like many other providers do

Healthy Paws Overview

For unlimited per-incident, lifetime, and annual coverage limits with your accident and illness plan, we recommend Healthy Paws.

Learn More: Healthy Paws Pet Insurance

Highlights

  • Our score: 93.5
  • Offers affordable monthly rates compared to other providers’ unlimited coverage options
  • Has more than 11 years of experience in the pet insurance industry
  • Provides a comparison tool when your quote is higher than average to help you find the best price for your policy

Healthy Paws Plans and Coverage

Healthy Paws provides one plan with unlimited annual coverage caps for veterinary bills related to accidents and illnesses, including diagnostic treatments, X-rays, blood tests, surgery, hospitalization, cancer treatments, prescription medications, specialty care, and alternative treatments. This means you’ll never reach a limit for the maximum amount you can claim on these costs during a year of coverage.

Healthy Paws doesn’t cover exam or vet visit fees, cosmetic procedures such as tail docking or declawing, spay or neuter surgery, preventive care, and pre-existing conditions that arise before the end of the 15-day coverage waiting period.

Fetch Pet Insurance

Best Holistic Coverage
4

Fetch Pet Insurance Pros and Cons

Pros Includes up to $1,000 for behavioral treatments Provides up to $1,000 for virtual vet visits and costs Covers exam fees with its standard policy, which aren’t covered by many other providers Cons Plan prices for older pets can be considerably higher than other providers Doesn’t offer any preventative care add-ons Requires each pet to be examined by a vet within six months of the policy’s start date to be eligible for coverage

Fetch Overview

Unlike some other pet insurance providers, Fetch offers full coverage on holistic therapies, such as hydrotherapy, stem cell therapy, and acupuncture, that may be recommended by your vet after an accident or illness.

Learn More: Fetch Pet Insurance Review

Highlights

  • Our score: 91.5
  • Provides coverage on holistic treatments, including homeopathy, stem cell therapy, laser therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, aromatherapy, and more
  • Has a Healthy Pet Credit, which provides 15% off your policy enrollment after each 12-month period of going without a claim (up to 30%)
  • Offers an unlimited annual coverage option

Fetch Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage

Fetch provides one pet insurance coverage plan for costs related to your pet’s accidents and illnesses. Covered vet bills include treatments for chronic and hereditary conditions, prescription medications, surgery, rehabilitation, cancer treatments, specialist treatments, imaging, and more. It doesn’t cover elective procedures, issues related to breeding or pregnancy, and pre-existing conditions that arise before or during the 15-day waiting period.

Fetch also includes a few extra reimbursements with its accident and illness plan, including up to $1,000 for lost-pet advertising and reward money, boarding fees if you’re ever hospitalized for more than four days and can’t take care of your pet, and vacation cancellation fees if your pet’s treatments require you to change plans for your scheduled trip.

Figo

Best Extra Coverage Add-On
4.7

Pros and Cons of Figo Pet Insurance

Pros Provides a 24/7 live vet chat on the mobile app Has a 100% reimbursement rate option, which isn’t offered by any other insurers in this review Provides lower prices for older pets than many competitors, according to our sample quotes Cons Requires an annual vet exam and dental exam to remain eligible for coverage Doesn’t provide as much customizability as most competitors with only three coverage limit options

Figo Overview

Figo earns a spot among top players in the pet insurance industry for its impressive Extra Care Pack add-on that comes at a low cost of $6.62 added to your policy and includes unique costs, such as lost-pet advertising and third-party property damage.

Learn More: Figo Pet Insurance review

Highlights

  • Our score: 93
  • Features the Figo Pet Cloud app for sending documents, keeping track of medical records, and socializing with other pet owners near you
  • Provides an unlimited annual coverage limit option
  • Has a short one-day waiting period for injuries

Figo Plans and Coverage

Figo’s accident and illness coverage includes the cost of diagnostic tests, emergency care, hospitalization, prescription medications, cancer treatments, and more when they’re required to treat a covered condition. Covered accidents and illnesses can include injuries, chronic conditions, hip dysplasia, and more, but it doesn’t include pre-existing conditions from before the end of the one-day waiting period for injuries or 14-day waiting period for illnesses.

In addition to its unique Extra Care Pack, Figo provides an add-on to help pay for veterinary exam and visit fees and a wellness option coverage add-on. Its Basic and Plus wellness coverage plans help pay for routine treatments such as vaccinations, bloodwork, spay or neuter surgery, and heartworm prevention up to certain per-treatment limits.


Based on the quotes we received for wellness plans and pet insurance in North Carolina, you can expect to pay around $20–$100 per month for your policy. However, a few factors such as your pet’s breed, age, and species will affect how much you’ll pay. Here are more details about how these factors can impact your insurance premiums:

Species

Since dogs are generally more likely to experience expensive health issues, such as hip dysplasia, which is rare in cats compared with dogs and humans, dog insurance is typically more expensive than pet insurance for cats.

Breed

Purebred dogs like golden retrievers and labrador retrievers are typically more expensive to insure than mixed breeds, since they can have a higher likelihood of contracting certain health problems like hip dysplasia or ligament issues.

Age

As your pet gets older, it becomes more susceptible to broken bones, diseases, and other health issues. This means you’ll pay more for your pet insurance policy each year your pet ages. Insuring your pet while it’s younger can help minimize those higher costs.

Customization

If you’re looking for the cheapest pet insurance policy in North Carolina, you can select higher annual deductibles, lower annual coverage limits, and lower reimbursement rates when signing up for your policy. For example, our quote from Embrace for a 4-year-old mixed dog in Charlotte, North Carolina, was $77.44 per month for a policy with a $200 deductible, $30,000 annual limit, and 90% reimbursement rate, but it would cost only $19.93 per month with a $1,000 deductible, $5,000 annual limit, and 70% reimbursement rate.


Is Pet Insurance in North Carolina Worth it?

Yes, in most cases, we’ve found that pet insurance is worth it in North Carolina due to the added security and peace of mind. There are plenty of pet insurance companies in North Carolina to choose from, but these five companies offer the best policies in the state. Lemonade is our top choice for pet owners looking for affordable premiums with impressive overall coverage, while ASPCA may be a better choice for pet parents who want an experienced provider with flexible coverage options.


FAQs About Pet Insurance in North Carolina

Do most vets in North Carolina accept pet insurance?

Yes. Pet health insurance is different from normal health insurance and doesn’t require your vet to directly request funds from your pet insurance provider. This means you can make a claim on bills from any licensed veterinarian in the U.S.

Does pet insurance offer immediate coverage?

No. Pet insurance always requires a waiting period before coverage officially begins. Although waiting periods are typically around 14–15 days, some companies like Lemonade and Embrace have shorter waiting periods for accidents.

Is pet insurance in North Carolina worth it?

Yes. Pet insurance can be a worthwhile investment and help pay for expensive vet bills without impacting your savings or credit card debt. Of the 1,000 pet parents we surveyed to learn more about pet ownership, about 40% of them said they would have to use a credit card to pay for unexpected pet bills, and 9% of the respondents said they didn’t know how they’d pay for them. If you’re anything like these pet parents, you can definitely benefit from a pet insurance policy for your dog or cat.


Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews Team is dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:

  • Coverage (25)
  • Plan options (20)
  • Monthly cost (20)
  • Company reputation (15)
  • Customer service (10)
  • Species eligibility (10)

Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.


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