General Statistics: Insurance companies keep a close watch on the pet trends around the country. From these numbers, they determine how much of a risk factor each discovery actually carries.

Location, Location: Where you live can be a big factor in how much you pay for pet insurance. City dwellers can find themselves paying up to three times as much as their country counterparts on most policies. Some companies calculate their premiums based on zip code while others use city and state as their guideline.

Older, Wiser, and More Expensive: Most pet insurance companies add a few extra dollars to the policies of cats and dogs over the age of eight. Puppies and kittens also tend to carry high premiums, as they tend to be more accident prone.

Genetic History: Certain breeds can be more expensive for insurance companies, which leads to higher premiums for pet owners. For example, Chihuahuas carry five times the risk of congenital portosystemic shunt than mixed breeds.

Cat vs. Dog: The war rages on! In this case, cats win, as they are cheaper to ensure than the average Fido. This is because cats have fewer unexpected illnesses and accidental injuries than dogs.

Spayed vs. Neutered: Neutered dogs carry a lower risk of prostate cancer and no risk of testicular cancer. Spayed females are much less likely to get mammary cancer and have no chance of getting a uterine infection.