What do people use pet insurance for? In 2025, it wasn’t only emergency visits

Pet parents are investing in pet insurance to not only prevent a hefty surprise emergency vet visit, but also to manage their furry friends’ long-term care, according to a national insurance firm.

Nationwide Insurance published the results of its 15th annual pet insurance claims survey on Thursday. The company analyzed more than 3.3 million insurance claims submitted for dogs and cats in the U.S. in 2025, finding chronic conditions dominate the top 10 most common reasons for claims.

“Each year, these findings remind us just how much of our pets’ health is shaped by ongoing, chronic conditions,” said Emily Tincher, chief veterinary officer at Nationwide, in a news release. “While not every illness can be prevented, pet families have real power when they understand their pet’s unique risks and catch early changes in behavior or health.”

Here’s what to know about how Americans used their pet insurance last year.

Similarly to human medical insurance, pet insurance helps owners pay for medical bills incurred by chronic and emergency health issues that crop up in their beloved furry friends.

Pet owners can file claims with their insurance provider to receive reimbursements for a variety of eligible veterinary expenses. Nationwide said in its news release that it’s vital pet owners get insurance coverage prior to their pet experiencing symptoms of a chronic disease, as pre-existing conditions are often not covered by these policies.

There are numerous pet insurance providers across the U.S., and the average premium is roughly $81 monthly for dogs and about $43 monthly for cats, according to U.S. News and World Report.

According to Nationwide, the main condition that dog owners used their pet insurance benefits to cover was a chronic health condition, not acute emergencies.

Skin allergies once again topped the list of pet insurance claim conditions in 2025, the insurance company said. These allergy concerns have been the most common claim for all 15 years Nationwide has done its survey, according to the news release. A one-time vet visit for a dog’s skin allergy is estimated to cost $286, but annual recurring costs could be more than triple that, Nationwide said.

Among the top 10 most common claims for dogs, more than half are chronic, ongoing health issues, most of them approaching or exceeding $1,000 in annual veterinarian bills.

This is the full list of the top 10 pet insurance claims for dogs in 2025, in order:

The top nine conditions remained steady year-over-year, with seizures entering the list for the first time. According to Nationwide, kidney disease and cranial cruciate ligament tears follow closely behind in the 11 and 12 spots.

Among cats, the top concern pet owners have used their pet insurance for has been intestinal upset, which is often an acute emergency. Diarrhea and other intestinal illnesses can cost owners $863 at the veterinarian each visit, according to Nationwide. This was the third year in a row digestive issues were the biggest concern for owners.

The top two most common conditions cat owners claimed on their insurance were both emergency issues, though seven of the top 10 were chronic diseases.

These were the top 10 conditions cat parents used their insurance benefits for in 2025, according to Nationwide:

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