Trends, Costs, and Risks in Pet Insurance

Misconfiguration inadvertently leaks Rainwalk Pet Insurance customer, pet data

7 Oct 2025

Rainwalk Pet Insurance, based in South Carolina, exposed 158 GB of customer and pet data due to an unsecured database, according to HackRead. The leak included over 85,000 files with owners’ names, contact details, partial credit card numbers, and pets’ names, breeds, microchip numbers, and medical histories, per cybersecurity researcher Jeremiah Fowler. Rainwalk reportedly took nearly a month to secure the database after being notified, creating risks for fraud, scams, and intercepted refunds. Fowler emphasized that stronger encryption and access controls are needed in the pet insurance sector to protect sensitive customer and pet information.

Pet insurers accused of burying key limits in policy fine print

7 Oct 2025

Fairer Finance has criticized pet insurers for advertising high annual or lifetime coverage while imposing much lower payout limits on common treatments, such as cruciate ligament surgery or diagnostic scans. For example, policies claiming £10,000 annual cover may cap crucial procedures at £1,500, far below actual costs. Managing director James Daley called this a “deceptive” practice, worsened by comparison sites highlighting headline figures without explaining restrictions. Complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service are rising, with upheld cases increasing from 33% in 2023/24 to 42% in 2024/25. Fairer Finance urges the FCA to improve transparency and ensure customers understand the true limits of their pet insurance policies.

Average Pet Insurance Rates as of October 2025 | Insurify

7 Oct 2025

As of October 2025, the average monthly pet insurance cost remained steady at $42 for dogs and $23 for cats, according to Insurify. Rates vary by state, with Alaska and the Northeast having the highest premiums, while the Midwest and South offer the lowest. Factors influencing rates include a pet’s age, breed, deductible, reimbursement level, and local veterinary costs. Older pets, breeds prone to health issues, and regions with expensive veterinary care generally face higher premiums. Most states saw little change in rates compared to the previous month.

More pets being abandoned or surrendered as unexpected health expenses and cost-of-living pressures bite

4 Oct 2025

Rising living costs and unexpected veterinary expenses are driving more Australians to surrender or abandon pets, with over 81,000 animals entering RSPCA shelters in 2023-2024. Sydney resident Liam faced $23,000 in emergency vet bills for his puppy RJ, which he could only afford thanks to pet insurance. Petsy founder Monica Limanto emphasized that adopted pets may have hidden or pre-existing conditions, making insurance crucial. Illness-related claims make up 70% of pet insurance payouts, with digestive and skin disorders among the most common. Owners are advised to plan ahead with insurance, payment solutions, or vet consultations to avoid financial and emotional strain.