At the end of 2020, more than 3 million pets were insured in North America. According to the most recent report from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, that number increased to 4.41 million in 2021.
In the United States, there was a 28.3% increase in total pets insured in 2021, with an average annual growth rate of 21.6% since 2017. “The U.S. market represented 90.2% of North America’s Total Insured Pets in 2021 and continues to outpace the Canadian market,” the report states.
Dogs continue to comprise the majority of insured pets in the U.S., with 81.7% of insured dogs compared to 18.3% of insured cats in 2021. However, the market share for insured cats has been increasing every year since 2017, with a 37% increase from 2020 to 2021.
The majority of insured pets can be found in California (19.3%), followed by New York (8.4%), Florida (6.1%), Texas (5.5%), and New Jersey (5.4%). Wyoming, North and South Dakota have the least, at 0.1% apiece.
The most common medical condition for dogs in 2021 was otitis/ear infections, while cats were more often affected by urinary tract infections, diabetes, and gastroenteritis. Gastroenteritis was the second-most common medical condition for dogs, with UTIs coming in after diarrhea and skin conditions.
According to a Nationwide survey, 49% of Gen Z respondents and 45% of millennial respondents say they would not only be motivated to stay with a company that offers pet benefits, but also leave a company that didn’t for one that did.
See our slideshow above for 2021′s most expensive pet claims, and click here for the full study.