As pet owners, we consider our furry companions part of the family, and want to provide them with the best possible care. Pet insurance helps protect our four-legged friends by covering medical expenses, allowing us to make decisions about their health with less financial worry. Purchasing pet insurance is becoming increasingly popular, with an estimated 1.8 million pets insured in North America.
When choosing a pet insurance plan, it’s crucial to understand the coverage options, exclusions, and costs involved. Look for policies covering accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, prescription medications, surgery, and diagnostic testing for your dog or cat. Factors like deductibles, co-pays, annual limits, and available discounts impact out-of-pocket expenses. Comparing customer service and additional benefits like wellness coverage or telemedicine can also help find the right pet insurance for your needs.
Understanding Pet Insurance Coverage
Types of Pet Insurance Plans
There are typically three main types of pet insurance plans: comprehensive (accident and illness), accident-only, and basic wellness care.
Comprehensive Coverage (Accidents, Illnesses, Hereditary Conditions)
Comprehensive pet insurance, also known as accident and illness coverage, provides the broadest protection for your furry companion. It helps cover the costs associated with unexpected injuries, illnesses, and hereditary conditions. This type of plan typically covers:
- Accidents: Such as bite wounds, swallowed objects, broken bones
- Chronic conditions: Such as cancer, arthritis, and diabetes
- Common illnesses: Such as skin infections and urinary tract infections
- Behavioral problems: Including excessive licking or destructive chewing
- Dental care: Including root canals, broken teeth, periodontal disease
- Diagnostic testing: X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and blood work
- Prescription medications and supplements
- Hereditary and congenital conditions: Such as heart disease, intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), eye disorders, and hip dysplasia
Comprehensive coverage ensures that your pet receives the necessary care for a wide range of medical conditions without the financial burden weighing heavily on you.
Optional Add-ons (Preventive Care, Dental)
In addition to the core accident and illness coverage, many pet insurance providers offer optional add-ons or riders that can be purchased to enhance your pet’s protection. These add-ons typically cover preventive care and dental treatments.
Preventive Care Add-on
The preventive care add-on reimburses you for routine wellness visits, vaccinations, microchipping, parasite prevention, dental cleanings, deworming, fecal tests, and urinalysis. It helps cover the costs associated with keeping your pet healthy and preventing potential health issues.
Dental Add-on
The dental add-on provides coverage for dental treatments beyond what is covered under the comprehensive plan. It can help alleviate expensive vet bills if your cat or dog develops a dental disease that requires ongoing care, such as crowns, extractions, root canals, dental surgeries, and treatments for gum disease like gingivitis and periodontal disease.
These add-ons are supplementary packages that provide extra coverage and peace of mind, allowing you to tailor your pet’s insurance plan to meet their specific needs and your budget.
Key Coverage Areas
Medical Emergencies and Accidents
Pet insurance helps alleviate the financial burden of unexpected veterinary emergencies and accidents. Due to their unpredictable nature, these situations can crop up at any time, leaving pet owners stressed about the costs of necessary care. Having affordable pet insurance that covers emergency care allows owners to focus on their pet’s well-being without being constrained by financial limitations.
According to a survey of 1,000 pet owners, over 26% have had to decline medical care for their pets due to cost concerns. Pet emergencies can range from slightly urgent to life-threatening, such as bite wounds, swallowed objects, broken bones, accidental poisoning, and illnesses like cancer or infections. Pet insurance can save hundreds or thousands of dollars in such situations.
For instance, if your pet’s emergency visit, X-rays, blood work, surgery, and hospitalization cost $2,500, and you have pet insurance with a $500 deductible, 80% reimbursement rate, and unlimited annual coverage, your insurance company could reimburse you approximately $1,480 after deducting the exam fee.
Chronic and Hereditary Conditions
Many pet insurance plans cover chronic, hereditary, and congenital conditions, providing comprehensive protection for your furry companion. Embrace Pet Insurance covers diagnostic testing, surgery, rehabilitation, and more for every hereditary or genetic condition, such as hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), cancer, and allergies, at no additional cost.
A hereditary or genetic condition is an inherited disease caused by a defect in certain genes transmitted from parents to their offspring. A congenital condition is an issue a pet is born with but may not show symptoms immediately, such as hernia, portosystemic shunt, or hypothyroidism. Embrace covers congenital conditions as long as your pet hasn’t been diagnosed or shown symptoms before the policy’s start.
While some insurers exclude or charge extra for genetic condition coverage, Embrace includes it in their comprehensive policy without per-incident or per-condition limits. This coverage can be invaluable for pet parents facing expensive vet bills, often exceeding $5,000, for hereditary and congenital conditions.
Prescription Medications and Dietary Supplements
Most pet insurance providers cover medications prescribed by a licensed veterinarian for covered conditions, although the extent of coverage may vary. Accident-only plans cover medications related to covered accidents, while accident-and-illness plans cover medications for covered health conditions. However, no provider covers medications for pre-existing conditions.
Common medications covered by pet insurance include antibiotics, antiparasitics, antifungals, corticosteroids, pain relievers, and anxiety medications prescribed by a veterinarian. Allergy medications and prescription diets for conditions like arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, or food allergies may also be covered, depending on the policy.
If a medication is included in the insurer’s preferred drug list and prescribed by a veterinarian for a covered condition, it will generally be covered according to the policy details. However, preventatives like heartworm, flea, and tick medications are typically not covered under accident-only and comprehensive plans, as they fall under routine care. An optional wellness add-on may help reimburse these costs.
Alternative Therapies
Many pet insurance providers offer coverage for alternative therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, hydrotherapy, physical therapy, laser therapy, and massage when administered by a licensed veterinarian for covered conditions. These therapies can significantly aid recovery from injuries, surgeries, and degenerative conditions like arthritis, hip dysplasia, and neurological disorders.
Acupuncture can help treat arthritis, neurological problems, skin disorders, thyroid imbalances, and heart conditions in pets. Chiropractic therapy can benefit joint degeneration, floating kneecaps, hip dysplasia, tail injuries, and TMJ issues, as well as urinary incontinence and post-surgical healing.
Hydrotherapy, or controlled swimming sessions, can provide lasting benefits for pets with arthritis, hip dysplasia, cruciate and spinal injuries, fractures, and neurological damage, increasing the chances of complete recovery after surgery. Physical therapy, including range of motion exercises, massage, and cold therapy, is vital for rehabilitation after orthopedic injuries.
Laser therapy can promote healing, reduce inflammation and scar tissue formation, and speed up the recovery of infections and wounds, making it a favorable option for older pets or those with limited treatment options. Massage therapy can stimulate or relax muscles, improve circulation, and aid in joint function as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
While these alternative therapies may be used alongside or instead of conventional medicine, they can help maintain mobility, comfort, and quality of life for pets, especially when pet insurance helps cover the costs of ongoing care.
Exclusions and Limitations
Pre-existing Conditions
Pet insurance policies generally do not cover pre-existing conditions, which are defined as injuries or illnesses that occurred before the policy’s start date or during a waiting period. This exclusion helps insurers manage risk and keep premiums affordable. If pre-existing conditions were covered, pet owners might only purchase insurance after their pet becomes ill or injured, driving up costs for everyone.
Routine Preventive Care (Unless Add-on)
Most standard pet insurance policies exclude routine and preventative healthcare, such as annual check-ups, vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, and teeth cleanings. However, many insurers offer optional wellness or preventive care add-ons that provide reimbursement for these services based on a predetermined schedule or allowance.
Cosmetic or Elective Procedures
Elective procedures that are not medically necessary, such as ear cropping, tail docking, declawing, and cosmetic surgeries, are typically excluded from pet insurance coverage. These procedures are often performed for aesthetic reasons or the convenience of the owner, rather than treating an illness or injury.
Breeding and Pregnancy-related Costs
While some pet insurance providers cover complications during pregnancy, such as emergency cesarean sections or gestational diabetes, most policies exclude routine breeding costs and planned pregnancies. Pet owners who breed animals professionally may need to purchase specialized breeder’s insurance to cover expenses related to breeding, whelping, and caring for newborn litters.
Other common exclusions in pet insurance policies include:
- Waiting periods for certain conditions
- Annual deductibles and co-insurance
- Benefit limits or caps on coverage
- Prescription food or dietary supplements (unless prescribed for a covered condition)
- Grooming services like baths, nail trims, and haircuts
It’s crucial to carefully review a pet insurance policy’s exclusions and limitations before enrolling to ensure it aligns with your pet’s needs and your budget. Insurers may also require copies of your pet’s medical records to verify any pre-existing conditions during the underwriting process.
Conclusion
Choosing the right pet insurance coverage is essential for ensuring your furry companion receives the necessary medical care without financial constraints. The comprehensive plans that cover accidents, illnesses, hereditary conditions, and alternative therapies provide the broadest protection for your pet’s well-being. Carefully considering the exclusions, limitations, deductibles, and additional benefits can help you tailor the coverage to your pet’s specific needs and your budget.
Ultimately, pet insurance offers peace of mind, allowing you to focus on your pet’s health and make informed decisions about their care. By understanding the coverage options and selecting the appropriate plan, you can provide your beloved companion with the best possible protection and ensure their well-being for years to come.
