How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost in Georgia? 2024 Update

Georgia lies in the heart of the American South and is home to busy cities and acres of farmland. Pets in Georgia may stumble across many hazards, from poisonous snakes to the blazing summer heat. If you’re a pet owner in Georgia, you might wonder if pet insurance is worth the investment. You can expect to pay between $17-$63 for monthly pet insurance for a dog, or $10-$29 for a cat.

In this article, we’ll cover how much pet insurance costs in Georgia, current to this year, and how those prices may vary.

 

The Importance of Pet Insurance

Owning a pet certainly isn’t cheap, but many of the regular costs, such as food and litter, are usually easy to budget for. However, some of the biggest expenses you may face as a pet owner tend to be unplanned: unexpected or emergency veterinary care.

No one plans for their dog to get hit by a car or their cat to develop cancer, and most of us don’t think to factor it into our monthly pet care budget. Pet insurance can make it easier to cope with unexpected medical costs for your pet.

Once your pet is enrolled, these policies reimburse a high percentage of covered medical bills. Knowing you have that safety net makes it easier to say yes to your vet’s recommendations, even in the most stressful of situations.

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Top-Rated Pet Insurance Companies

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How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?

Each insurance company charges a monthly premium for your pet’s coverage. These premiums are calculated based on factors including your pet’s age, sex, breed, and the average cost of veterinary care in your area.

This chart displays the monthly costs of a dog plan and cat plan from nine popular pet insurance companies in Georgia. These prices are calculated for a pet living in the 30064 zip code, just north of Atlanta.

Our dog prices were calculated based on a 4-year-old, medium-sized, male mixed-breed pup. The cat premiums are based on a 4-year-old female mixed-breed kitty.

Source: Forbes Advisor Online Pet Insurance Comparison Tool

Ways That Costs May Vary

Pet insurance companies factor in the local cost of care when calculating their monthly premiums. Pet owners living in rural areas of Georgia may pay less for vet care than those in the cities, with lower premiums as a result.

Most pet insurance companies also allow you to customize your policy to a certain extent, which in turn changes your monthly premium cost. For example, you may be able to choose between several annual deductible options. Lower deductibles usually equal higher monthly premiums and vice versa.

Other choices that can impact monthly costs are the percentage rate of reimbursement (how much of the bill the company pays you back) and the annual coverage limit.

When Should I Enroll My Pet in Insurance?

The earlier you can enroll your pet in a policy, the better. Most companies will set a lower age limit of around 8 weeks. If you’re bringing home a new puppy or kitten, enroll them immediately.

Monthly premiums tend to cost less for younger animals. In addition, no pet insurance company will provide coverage for pre-existing conditions, meaning any medical issue your pet was diagnosed and treated for before enrolling. The quicker you get your pet enrolled in insurance, the less likely they are to have a pre-existing condition.

All pet insurance policies also have a waiting period between when you enroll and when coverage kicks in, generally at least 2 weeks. Any medical issue your pet develops during that waiting period won’t be covered.

If you’re insuring an adult pet, especially an older one, you’ll want to compare insurance policies and prices more carefully. Some companies set an upper age limit on enrollments. Others will enroll pets of all ages but then set limits on coverage or charge higher premiums.

What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

The pet insurance policies listed in our comparison chart are all accident-and-illness policies. This type of insurance covers standard costs associated with sick or injured pets.

The specific details of coverage will vary by policy, so be sure to check the fine print carefully.

Some standard procedures and conditions covered include:

A few pet insurance companies offer the (cheaper) option of an accident-only policy. These policies cover only the costs of injuries and accidents. Some companies also offer add-on coverages for additional fees that provide reimbursement for wellness care, exam fees, and other expenses.

Do I Need Wellness Coverage?

To keep your pet healthy, they’ll need yearly preventative care such as exams, shots, heartworm tests, screening blood work, and flea and tick medication. As we mentioned, standard pet insurance doesn’t cover this type of care. However, you may be able to purchase a special wellness policy that does.

The types of wellness care and the amount covered vary considerably between insurers. Before deciding if a wellness plan is worth the money, consider what’s covered and how much the monthly premium is. Compare that to your out-of-pocket costs if you paid for the care yourself.

Some owners may find that they don’t save money with a preventative care policy and choose not to purchase one.

 

Conclusion

While Georgia pet owners can take reasonable steps to keep their pets safe, such as not letting them roam free and keeping them at a healthy weight, accidents and illnesses will still occur. A monthly pet insurance premium is much easier to afford than an unexpected $3,000 hospital stay. Now that you know what pet insurance costs in Georgia, you can take the next steps of getting your own quotes and comparing specific policies to find the right one for your pet.

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