More Americans than ever are buying pet insurance. Premiums are climbing. And millions of pet owners are discovering, only after their dog or cat gets sick, that the policy they trusted isn't paying what they expected. The problem isn't the concept of pet insurance — it's that the industry has operated for years with almost no standardized rules about what companies must tell you before you sign.

A Patchwork of Protection — or the Lack of It

Right now, the rules governing pet insurance vary wildly depending on where you live. According to Insurify, only 14 states currently offer any meaningful consumer protections beyond basic insurance licensing requirements. That means the vast majority of Americans buying pet insurance are doing so without any guarantee that the policy they're reading is written in plain language, or that the company is required to disclose what it won't cover.

A few states are beginning to move. Florida enacted new pet insurance legislation that took effect in 2026, establishing requirements around policy disclosures, preexisting condition definitions, and consumer notices, as reported by WFSU Public Media. The Florida Bar Journal outlines how the legislation, rooted in Florida Senate Bill 158, creates a formal statutory framework for the industry — something the state previously lacked entirely. New Jersey passed its own pet insurance act with an industry compliance deadline of 2027, Insurance Business Magazine reports. New York has a comprehensive bill in progress, according to PIA Northeast News.

These are meaningful steps. But they cover a fraction of the country.

What Pet Owners Don't Know Can Cost Them Thousands

The gap between what consumers expect and what policies actually deliver comes down to disclosure — or the absence of it. Deductibles, waiting periods, annual and lifetime caps, exclusions, preexisting condition clauses, and the method a company uses to calculate reimbursements all directly affect how much a claim pays out. When these terms aren't explained clearly upfront, pet owners often find out how their policy works only when a claim is denied.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recognized this problem. In 2022, the NAIC passed a Pet Insurance Model Act — a template that states can adopt to bring consistency to the market. Yet years later, most states still haven't acted on it, leaving the existing gaps in place.

A Simple Fix With Real Impact

The solution isn't complicated. A standardized disclosure form — covering deductibles, waiting periods, exclusions, preexisting-condition definitions, claim-calculation methods, coverage limits, and common denial reasons — would give consumers the information they need to compare policies honestly and make informed decisions before emergencies arise.

Several states are already proving it can be done. Florida, New Jersey, and New York are each building frameworks that treat pet insurance like the financial product it is. The question is whether the rest of the country will wait for another round of denied claims before catching up.

Your Voice Can Change This

Pet owners across all 50 states deserve the same basic transparency when buying insurance to protect their animals. Signing the petition tells state insurance commissioners, regulatory departments, and legislatures — coordinated through the NAIC — that standardized disclosures are a reasonable, necessary protection for every pet owner in America.

Click below to make a difference.