Difference in Necessity of Pet Insurance for Dogs vs. Cats? Survey Reveals Pros and Cons! | Pixy Pet Insurance Comparison
Pixy Inc. conducted a survey on 200 pet insurance policyholders. Approximately 90% feel it's necessary, with dog owners (92%) having a stronger sense of need than cat owners (80%). High premiums for senior pets were identified as the primary drawback.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 27, 2026 at 19:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 27, 2026 at 11:01
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 02:53 (15h 51m after Collected)
Pixy Inc. (Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; CEO Teppei Ogura) conducted a survey on owners enrolled in pet insurance to clarify the necessity, merits, and demerits of the service via its comparison site, 'Pixy Pet Insurance Comparison' (https://pi-xy.co.jp/).
[Survey Results]
- Approx. 90% of policyholders feel insurance is necessary.
- Dog owners feel the necessity more strongly than cat owners.
- The #1 merit is 'Coverage for surgery and hospitalization.'
- The #1 demerit is 'High premiums for seniors.'
Approx. 90% of policyholders feel the 'necessity' of insurance.
When investigating the 'realization after enrollment' among policyholders, 89% answered that it is 'Necessary (48%)' or 'Somewhat necessary (41%).' Notably, no respondents answered that it was 'Not necessary.'
[Difference between Dogs and Cats] Dog owners feel the necessity more strongly.
Comparing the ratio of those who answered 'Necessary,' there was a significant 12% difference between dog owners (92%) and cat owners (80%). Dog owners were also 11% less likely to answer 'Neither' than cat owners. This suggests that dog owners, who generally have more outdoor activities and hospital visits, find pet insurance more useful.
Merit #1 is 'Coverage for surgery and hospitalization.'
The most cited merit was 'Coverage for high-cost surgery and hospitalization,' followed by 'Reduction of outpatient and medication costs.' This indicates that many owners prioritize preparing for 'emergency high-cost treatments' that can burden household finances.
Psychological benefits such as 'Peace of mind' (#3) and 'Ease of visiting animal hospitals' (#4) followed, showing that a certain number of people value emotional security.
Dogs value 'Ease of hospital visits,' Cats value 'Preparation for high-cost treatment.'
Dog owners were more likely to select 'Reduction of outpatient/medication costs' and 'Ease of hospital visits.' For them, convenience and cost reduction for frequent visits are important.
In contrast, among cat owners, 'Coverage for surgery/hospitalization' outweighed 'Reduction of outpatient/medication costs' by 19%. They also showed a higher tendency to value 'Peace of mind.' For cat owners, pet insurance seems to act more like a 'security charm' for emergencies. These results may reflect different health risks: dogs are prone to injuries during outings or dermatitis, while cats tend to hide pain, leading to delayed discovery of illnesses.
Demerit #1 is 'High premiums for seniors.'
The most cited demerit was 'High premiums for seniors.' As risk increases with age for both dogs and cats, premiums rise accordingly. Since the necessity for insurance also increases in senior years, this becomes a point of conflict for owners.
'Preventive medicine not covered' was the #2 demerit, with many feeling dissatisfied that vaccinations and health checkups are not covered.
Dogs struggle more with 'High senior premiums' than cats.
Dog owners particularly cited 'High senior premiums' as a demerit. Premiums for dogs can vary significantly based on size and breed, leading to greater concern over the financial burden in senior years. Cat owners, who tend to visit hospitals less frequently, may express dissatisfaction with the 'non-refundable' nature of insurance if they don't use it often.
[Survey Overview]
Method: Questionnaire via CrowdWorks
Respondents: 200 people
Period: March 2-3, 2026
This survey highlighted the differences in how dog and cat owners perceive the necessity and merits of pet insurance. It is important to choose insurance that matches the specific rearing style and health risks of each pet.
[Survey Results]
- Approx. 90% of policyholders feel insurance is necessary.
- Dog owners feel the necessity more strongly than cat owners.
- The #1 merit is 'Coverage for surgery and hospitalization.'
- The #1 demerit is 'High premiums for seniors.'
Approx. 90% of policyholders feel the 'necessity' of insurance.
When investigating the 'realization after enrollment' among policyholders, 89% answered that it is 'Necessary (48%)' or 'Somewhat necessary (41%).' Notably, no respondents answered that it was 'Not necessary.'
[Difference between Dogs and Cats] Dog owners feel the necessity more strongly.
Comparing the ratio of those who answered 'Necessary,' there was a significant 12% difference between dog owners (92%) and cat owners (80%). Dog owners were also 11% less likely to answer 'Neither' than cat owners. This suggests that dog owners, who generally have more outdoor activities and hospital visits, find pet insurance more useful.
Merit #1 is 'Coverage for surgery and hospitalization.'
The most cited merit was 'Coverage for high-cost surgery and hospitalization,' followed by 'Reduction of outpatient and medication costs.' This indicates that many owners prioritize preparing for 'emergency high-cost treatments' that can burden household finances.
Psychological benefits such as 'Peace of mind' (#3) and 'Ease of visiting animal hospitals' (#4) followed, showing that a certain number of people value emotional security.
Dogs value 'Ease of hospital visits,' Cats value 'Preparation for high-cost treatment.'
Dog owners were more likely to select 'Reduction of outpatient/medication costs' and 'Ease of hospital visits.' For them, convenience and cost reduction for frequent visits are important.
In contrast, among cat owners, 'Coverage for surgery/hospitalization' outweighed 'Reduction of outpatient/medication costs' by 19%. They also showed a higher tendency to value 'Peace of mind.' For cat owners, pet insurance seems to act more like a 'security charm' for emergencies. These results may reflect different health risks: dogs are prone to injuries during outings or dermatitis, while cats tend to hide pain, leading to delayed discovery of illnesses.
Demerit #1 is 'High premiums for seniors.'
The most cited demerit was 'High premiums for seniors.' As risk increases with age for both dogs and cats, premiums rise accordingly. Since the necessity for insurance also increases in senior years, this becomes a point of conflict for owners.
'Preventive medicine not covered' was the #2 demerit, with many feeling dissatisfied that vaccinations and health checkups are not covered.
Dogs struggle more with 'High senior premiums' than cats.
Dog owners particularly cited 'High senior premiums' as a demerit. Premiums for dogs can vary significantly based on size and breed, leading to greater concern over the financial burden in senior years. Cat owners, who tend to visit hospitals less frequently, may express dissatisfaction with the 'non-refundable' nature of insurance if they don't use it often.
[Survey Overview]
Method: Questionnaire via CrowdWorks
Respondents: 200 people
Period: March 2-3, 2026
This survey highlighted the differences in how dog and cat owners perceive the necessity and merits of pet insurance. It is important to choose insurance that matches the specific rearing style and health risks of each pet.