Award-Winning Pet Insurance in Maryland for Dogs and Cats 

Maryland is known for blue crabs, baseball, and being the birthplace of the U.S. national anthem. It’s full of coastal salt marshes, state parks, harbors, fertile farmland, and forests that residents can enjoy with their pets.

However, while Marylanders enjoy their state alongside their pet, they’re responsible for expenses such as food and veterinary care. These can be handled with proper planning, but what happens if an emergency occurs that’s outside the margins of your budget?  That’s why MetLife Pet Insurance offers award-winning¹ policies to help make unexpected vet bills — and routine pet care expenses — more affordable. Read on to learn how pet insurance in Maryland may provide some financial relief.

Why Pet Insurance May Be a Good Idea if You Live in Maryland

Between the potential risks that come with outdoor life in Maryland and predisposed health conditions that may impact your dogs and cats, having pet insurance in your back pocket can help make pet care more affordable.

So if your pup eats some beach debris while you’re taking a stroll near the Ocean City Fishing Pier or your apartment-dwelling cat in Frederick gets an ear infection, you can focus on getting them the care they need rather than the cost. For a monthly premium, you could get up to 100% of covered expenses reimbursed with a policy from MetLife Pet Insurance.²

Marylanders may wonder where to find a pet insurance policy that works for them. You may find MetLife Pet Insurance, winner of the 2023 “Pet Insurance of the Year” award at the Pet Innovations Awards Program, to be a great option.

We strive to keep costs low while providing expansive coverage, but here are some other reasons you may love MetLife Pet policies:

• There are no breed or age restrictions.
• We provide coverage towards any licensed vet across the United States.
• We process claims quickly, typically within 10 days.³
• You can get a family plan that allows you to add up to three pets on one policy with a shared deductible.⁴
• Alternative therapies and holistic care may be covered by some policies.
• Our waiting periods for accident and illness coverage are among the shortest out there.^5,6

MetLife Pet Insurance Is Available in Maryland. See What’s Covered

MetLife Pet offers dog insurance and cat insurance policies to help make pet care more affordable. You can even customize your plan to fit your budget and your pet’s needs by adjusting your deductibles, reimbursement rates, and coverage limits.^7,8 Want routine and preventative care covered? Add on our Wellness Plan or Preventative Care Plan.⁹

Customization aside, here are some things we can typically cover:

• Emergency care and hospital stays
• Accidents and illnesses
• Prescription medications
• Surgeries
• Diagnostic testing
• Ultrasounds and X-rays

Your exact coverage will depend on the policy you choose, so check out our coverage and exclusions page for a more detailed list or get a free quote in a few easy steps.

How Much Is Pet Insurance in Maryland?

Your pet deserves the best care you can find, and pet insurance can help. But the cost of pet insurance shouldn’t make it financially harder to get them the care they need. MetLife Pet policies can start at $9 per month for one cat and $15 per month for one dog.¹⁰ However, your monthly premium can be impacted by a few things.

Your location can play a role in how much you pay for pet insurance. You may find that pet insurance costs more living in a larger city like Baltimore than it does living in a smaller area like Hancock. Your premium can also be impacted by the age, breed, and sex¹¹ of your pet, as well as if they have any pre-existing conditions.

Pet Insurance Claims We Paid in Maryland

While MetLife Pet covers a variety of pet care options, you may be wondering if pet insurance is worth it for you. To help you make this decision, take a look at some real life pet parent claims we’ve paid out across Maryland:¹²

• Over $1,800 paid — This helped pay for a mammary carcinoma surgery for a 6-year-old mixed breed dog in Gaithersburg, MD.
• Almost $280 paid — This provided financial assistance for a dermal cyst exam on an 11-year-old golden retriever in Ellicott City, MD.
• Over $75 paid — This helped cover a heart murmur exam for a 15-year-old domestic shorthair cat outside of Annapolis, MD.
• Almost $70 paid — This helped pay for an exam for a 9-year-old mixed breed dog with mammary masses and a lack of appetite in Salisbury, MD.
• Almost $50 paid — This assisted in paying for an exam of a soft tissue injury on a 5-year-old mixed breed dog outside of Bethesda, MD.

Notable claim in the Old Line State

Lumps and bumps can be alarming to find on your beloved companion. That’s exactly how the pet parents of Baine, a mixed breed puppy from Olney, felt when they found a growth on his toe. After scheduling an appointment, the vet examined Baine’s toe and found that it was a histiocytoma, or a benign tumor.

Because it was benign, Baine’s owners decided to leave it alone and continue monitoring it in case it started to bother him. This exam cost Baine’s pet parents almost $375, but because they had a dog insurance policy, they were able to get the entire vet bill reimbursed. Baine is happy as can be and continuing with his puppy antics.¹²

Pet Injuries and Illnesses Typically Found in Maryland

Between spending time with your pet near the bay, trips to the coastal beaches, visiting state parks, and walking around your neighborhood, your pets may be at risk of injuries or illnesses that could mean a trip to the vet. Here are some common ones you may come across in Maryland:

• Ticks and Lyme disease: You don’t have to hike in the forest or tall grassy fields for your pet to be exposed to ticks, as they can be right in your yard or neighborhood. Pets bit by an infected tick could get Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases.¹³ Yearly parasite prevention can help protect your pet from infection.
• Leptospirosis: This potentially fatal bacterial disease can infect dogs that come into contact with water, soil, plants, bedding, and food contaminated with infected animal urine. Dogs that spend time at the beach, near wildlife, or in the many wetlands, lakes, or streams across the state, may be at a higher risk of being infected with leptospirosis.¹⁴ Vaccines can help prevent infection.
• Algal blooms: Harmful algal blooms (HABs) can be found in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, and can form toxins that may cause liver damage in dogs.¹⁵ Dogs can be exposed to the toxins by drinking the water, eating or playing with debris surrounding the water, or by licking their coat after being exposed to the algae.
• Dark false mussels: These mussels are native to the Chesapeake Bay area and help remove HABs from the water. Because they act as filter-feeders to the water, they may harbor some toxins from the algal blooms they feed on.¹⁵ Dogs who come into contact with or try to eat these mussels may become sick due to the toxins.¹⁵
• Wildlife encounters: With much of the state covered in fields, trees, and shrubbery, there’s plenty of space for wildlife to roam. If you spend any time outdoors with your pet, you may come across animals like black bears, snakes, spiders, bobcats, and bats that could pose a threat to them.

Plants Found in Maryland That Can Be Poisonous to Pets

Even though Maryland is a smaller state, much of it is covered in plants, grasses, trees and shrubs — some of which could be poisonous to your pets. To help avoid an unexpected trip to the vet, take a look at this list of potentially toxic plants from a veterinary clinic in Gambrills, MD that you may want to steer clear from:¹⁶

• Buckthorn
• Foxglove
• Horsetail
• Lupine
• Mushrooms (certain varieties)
• Pokeweed
• Snowdrops

Popular Dog Breeds in Maryland

While many Marylanders may love blue crabs, they don’t quite make the best pet. Luckily, there are furry friends that can make cuddling or adventuring a lot less crabby. Check out this list of the top three dog breeds in Maryland and some their common potential health issues:¹⁷

1. Labrador retriever: Family-oriented, eager, and outgoing, these pups may be at a higher risk for obesity, hip and elbow dysplasia, and cancer.
2. German shepherd: This breed is service-oriented, loyal and obedient, and may be prone to gastroenteritis, allergies, and growths.
3. Golden retriever: Full of energy, fun, and social, goldens may be predisposed to colitis, obesity, conjunctivitis, and lipomas.

Adoptable Dogs and Cats in Maryland

Are you ready to bring home a new four-legged companion after learning a bit more about how you can protect them? Check out Petfinder for adoptable dogs and cats all across Maryland that are ready to call your place home.

Animal shelters in MD

Whether you’re looking for a new cat best friend or dog pal, animal shelters in Maryland are ready to help! Check out one of them below and stop by if you’re nearby to see all the pets ready for adoption.

The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS)

2490 Giles Rd, Baltimore, MD 21225

If You Live in Maryland, Consider Insuring Your Pets

Whether it’s a Baltimore bulldog or a Cambridge cat, MetLife Pet Insurance can help Marylanders take care of their furry friends. When routine and unexpected vet bills put your wallet in a pinch, a MetLife Pet Insurance policy may be able to help relieve some of that pressure. Start by getting your free quote today.