What does pet insurance cover?

Most people aren’t financially prepared for emergency vet bills, which can be thousands of dollars for just one emergency vet visit. This is why pet insurance can be a huge financial help.

What does pet insurance cover? Pet insurance coverages can help with the cost of emergency visits, illness, and even general wellness visits so you can get your beloved pet the care they need.

If you are buying pet insurance for your pet, we go over everything you need to know about what pet insurance covers, what it doesn’t cover, and other relevant information about the best pet insurance coverage.

Read more:Pet Insurance: A Complete Guide

What Pet Insurance Covers

What does pet health insurance cover? Pet insurance works a little differently than health insurance for humans. Generally, pet insurance will help cover physical injuries, such as broken bones, cuts, and burns. Depending on your plan, it may also help cover illnesses like viral infections.

How much of the bill pet insurance will pick up depends on your coverage plan limits and deductibles. Just like health insurance, pet insurance won’t pick up all of the bills for your pet’s care, but it will help with most of the bills.

Some pet insurance covers surgery, but most won’t cover the cost of basic wellness care, like annual checkups and vaccines, unless you add this coverage to your policy.

What pet insurance covers depends on what type of plan you choose. Most insurance plans fall under three categories: accident and illness coverage, accident-only coverage, and wellness coverage. Does pet insurance cover accidental death? It depends on what kind you have. We explain each of these in detail below.

Read more: How do you become a pet insurance agent?

Accident and Illness Coverage

Accident and illness coverage will help pay for a number of different accident injuries and illnesses. Some examples of what these types of policies will cover are as follows:

• Broken bones and fractures
• Burns
• Cuts and abrasions
• Dental disease
• Hip dysplasia
• Ingesting toxins or swallowing objects
• Parasites
• Viral infections

Basically, if your pet is physically injured in an accident or becomes ill, accident and illness coverage will help cover the vet bills.

Accident-Only Coverage

Accident-only pet insurance will only cover accident-related injuries, not illnesses. It also won’t cover breed-specific health problems, like if your pet has a breathing issue due to its breed.

If your pet is injured in an accident, however, whether it’s because it fell and broke a leg or got a cut from a branch, accident-only pet insurance will help cover its vet care. This type of coverage is cheaper than accident and illness coverage, as it excludes a number of illnesses that can need expensive vet care.

Wellness Coverage

Wellness coverage is typically sold as an add-on to other types of pet insurance, or in some cases, you may be able to purchase it separately. Wellness coverage does not cover accident or illness-related care, but it does usually cover the following:

• Annual checkups
• Annual vaccines
• Routine and preventive care

For example, wellness pet insurance will help cover the cost of bringing your pet in for basic care like a spay or neuter surgery, preventive dental cleanings, and annual exams. Basic surgeries, such as how much it costs to neuter a dog or how much it costs to spay a dog, can be expensive, so wellness pet insurance can help you save on your routine care.

What Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover

What does pet insurance not cover? While pet insurance covers plenty of medical emergencies, it doesn’t cover everything. Some common exclusions that you will see on pet insurance policies are as follows:

• Elective procedures: Pet insurance won’t cover elective procedures like tail-docking or ear-cropping.
• Geriatric pets: Pet insurance usually won’t cover animals over 14 years of age; if it does, it will charge more for pet insurance for an older pet.
• Pre-existing conditions: Pet insurance usually won’t cover pre-existing conditions that existed before you bought the pet insurance policy, such as diabetes. If your pet has a pre-existing condition, get quotes from pet insurance companies that cover pre-existing conditions.
• Preventable diseases: Pet insurance won’t cover diseases that are easily prevented by a routine vaccine, such as kennel cough or parvovirus.
• Pregnancy and birth: Pet insurance won’t cover the cost of pregnancy care or birth, although it may help with related complications, such as needing an emergency C-section.

When signing up for a pet insurance policy, make sure that you check the exclusions page on the policy. This will give you a full rundown of what is and what isn’t covered by your pet insurance plan. This way, you won’t face any surprises in the future if your pet insurance doesn’t cover an event.

Case Studies: What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

Case Study 1: Max’s Accident

Max, a playful Labrador Retriever, accidentally ran into a tree while chasing a squirrel in the park. His owner, Sarah, had pet insurance that covered accidents and injuries. The policy helped pay for the emergency vet visit, X-rays, medications, and the subsequent surgery Max required to repair a broken leg.

Thanks to his pet insurance, Sarah was able to provide prompt and necessary medical attention without worrying about the cost.

Case Study 2: Lucy’s Chronic Condition

Lucy, a Siamese cat, developed a chronic respiratory condition that required ongoing treatment and medication. Lucy’s owner, Michael, had pet insurance that covered chronic illnesses and long-term care. The policy helped offset the costs of regular veterinary visits, diagnostic tests, prescription medications, and specialized treatments. (For more information, read our “How much does a veterinary visit cost?“).

With the financial support from pet insurance, Michael could manage Lucy’s condition effectively and ensure she received the care she needed to maintain a good quality of life.

Case Study 3: Bella’s Dental Care

Bella, a small Maltese dog, started experiencing dental issues, including tooth decay and gum disease. Her owner, Emily, had pet insurance that included dental coverage. The policy covered the costs of dental cleanings, tooth extractions, and other necessary dental procedures.

Emily was relieved that she could prioritize Bella’s oral health without worrying about the financial burden.

Case Study 4: Rocky’s Emergency Care

Rocky, a mischievous French Bulldog, accidentally swallowed a small toy, causing an intestinal blockage. His owner, David, had pet insurance that covered emergency treatments and surgeries. The policy helped pay for the emergency vet visit, diagnostic tests, surgery to remove the toy, and the subsequent post-operative care.

David was grateful that his pet insurance provided the necessary financial support during the stressful situation.

Case Study 5: Molly’s Cancer Treatment

Molly, a mature Golden Retriever, was diagnosed with cancer. Her owner, Lisa, had pet insurance that covered cancer treatments. The policy helped cover the costs of diagnostic tests, chemotherapy sessions, medications, and follow-up visits. Lisa was relieved that she could pursue the best treatment options for Molly without compromising due to financial constraints.

Determine How Much Pet Insurance You Need

What does cat insurance cover? Cat insurance or dog insurance can be a great tool for pet owners to help pay expensive vet bills. What pet insurance covers depends on the policy you choose. You can usually choose among insurance for illnesses, injuries, and routine wellness care from most insurance companies.

If you want to start looking into the cost of a pet insurance policy, use our free quote comparison tool. It will help you find the best rate on pet insurance from companies in your area so you can choose the coverage and price you want.