Pet insurance in Japan: how plans work and what foreign owners should check

Pet insurance in Japan is optional and usually pays 50% or 70% of covered vet bills, with premiums set by breed and age.

Pet insurance in Japan repays a share of your vet bill, usually 50% or 70%, up to yearly limits. As of October 2026, the two biggest names we checked, Anicom and iPet, both sell mainly in Japanese and take credit cards online. We found no residence card requirement. We do not rank insurers here: we could not verify current price tables, and two insurers are too few for a fair score.

What do the plans look like?

iPet also sells a surgery-focused plan, うちの子ライト, with 50% (annual maximum ¥600,000) and 90% (¥1,000,000) options. It has no outpatient cover, ignores treatment costs under ¥30,000 and has no cashless service.

Premiums: iPet shows samples only, such as ¥3,990 a month for a 70% plan for a 12 to 20 kg mixed dog aged 12 years 10 months, and from ¥810 a month (dog) for the 50% surgery-only plan. Both depend on breed and age, and premiums rise as pets age. Anicom’s sample table is an image, so we do not quote it. Get a quote for your pet from each insurer.

What should a foreign owner check?

• Language. Anicom’s enrollment page and iPet’s site are Japanese only. Plan to use a translation tool or a Japanese-speaking friend for the health declaration (告知書).
• Payment. Online enrollment with Anicom is by credit card only. Mail enrollment also accepts direct debit (口座振替). iPet asks for credit card details at sign-up. We did not confirm whose name the card must be in.
• ID. Neither page states a residence card requirement.
• Health declaration. Anicom’s online route requires no current illness, no past illness on its designated list and no non-preventive care in the last 3 months. Otherwise you do pre-screening or apply by mail.
• Start date. Online cover with Anicom starts about one month after you finish. By mail, documents must arrive by the 25th.
• Waiting period. Anicom’s 30 days apply to first-year illness. Injuries are covered from the start date.
• Exclusions. Anicom does not cover problems that began before the start date, elective neutering or some preventive care. Some conditions can make a policy unavailable.

Cashless or claim later?

With cashless service (窓口精算) you show the insurance card at a partner vet and pay only your share. Cashless does not work if you forget the card, at non-partner vets, or for a second visit on the same day. Then you pay the full bill and claim through the insurer’s My Page, LINE or by mail. Anicom says claims are generally due within 30 days of the visit and paid within about 30 days after documents arrive.

Keep the itemized bill (明細書). It is a vet’s receipt that shows the diagnosis and treatment breakdown.

Related guides

Renting with a pet is a separate issue: see pets in rental apartments. For other cover, see life insurance for foreigners and renters’ fire insurance. If you are bringing an animal to Japan, see bringing a pet to Japan.