Pet insurance is like human health insurance in many ways. The main difference has to do with the restrictions imposed on most pet health insurance policies. For example, pet insurance rarely covers preexisting conditions.
Fortunately, despite these restrictions, pet insurance can be purchased that offers a wide array of coverage, from routine care to major surgery. Coverage is provided by three broad policy types.
Key Takeaways
- Pet insurance is like health insurance for people, but with other restrictions.
- The three main types of coverage are wellness, accident, and comprehensive.
- Covered treatments and procedures vary by policy type and depth of coverage (policy cost).
- Within each type of coverage, many insurers offer various levels of optional coverage.
Types of Pet Insurance Plans
Here are the three main types of pet insurance you’ll likely be able to choose from when purchasing a policy:
Accident
This type of coverage pays for treatment when your pet accidentally swallows a foreign object, gets hit by a car, or suffers another physical injury. It’s a common option for owners of older pets that have aged out of comprehensive coverage. Procedures covered typically include:
- Bloat
- Foreign body ingestion
- Hit by car
- Torn cruciate ligament
- Poisoning
- Cuts and lacerations
- Prescription drugs (for a covered event)
- Insect/snake bites
- Eye injuries
- Sprains
- Broken bones
Pros
- Generally the most affordable type of pet insurance plan.
- Can be an option for older pets ineligible for comprehensive plans.
- Helps pay vet costs and medical prescriptions resulting from an accident.
Cons
- Doesn’t cover anything besides accidents, like illnesses and hereditary issues.
- May not be able to add on a wellness plan to cover routine and preventative care.
Comprehensive (Accident and Illness)
Over 90% of U.S. pet insurance premiums paid in 2022 were for comprehensive plans. This type of plan pays for accidents, illnesses, and diseases, such as cancer. Coverage includes everything provided by an accident-only plan, plus:
- Breed-specific conditions
- Cancer treatment
- Chronic conditions
- Diagnostic testing and imaging
- ER and specialist care
- Surgery, hospitalization, and nursing care
- Prescription drugs
- Dental illness
Pros
- Covers hereditary conditions.
- Covers accidents and acute and chronic illnesses, plus their diagnostics and treatment.
Cons
- More expensive than an accident-only plan.
- Annual and lifetime caps mean you may not get as much reimbursement as you expect.
- Not all health issues may be covered, such as hip dysplasia.
Wellness
Wellness coverage can best be thought of as routine or preventive care. Wellness-only coverage makes up a negligible part of the pet insurance market and is most often found as a rider to a comprehensive policy (see below). Most wellness plans or riders do not have a deductible but offer a certain dollar amount (or percentage) for each type of covered procedure, which often includes the following:
- Spaying/neutering
- Annual checkups
- Vaccinations
- Flea and tick control
- Heartworm prevention
- Certain tests
- Teeth cleaning
Pros
- Helps make routine pet care more financially manageable, especially for puppies and kittens.
- Encourages preventative care which can help with early detection and prevention of disease.
Cons
- Usually only available as an add-on to accident and illness policies.
- May only be able to add this policy at the time of enrollment or at the renewal.
None of the three major types of pet insurance includes a death benefit. That comes with special life and theft coverage, typically taken out on highly valuable animals.
Pet Insurance Coverage Options
Below we look at some types of claims-related medical expenses commonly covered by top pet insurance plans.
Accidents and Injuries
- Animal attacks
- Bite wounds
- Broken bones
- Cuts
- Heatstroke
- Hit by a car
- Poisoning
- Swallowed objects
Testing and Diagnostics
- Blood tests
- Urinalysis
- X-rays
- MRIs
- Labwork
- CT scans
- Ultrasounds
Chronic Illnesses
- Allergies
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
Common Illnesses
- Bladder infections
- Diarrhea
- Ear infections
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Vomiting
Congenital Conditions
- Congenital heart disease
- Nervous system disorders
- Liver disease
- Luxating patella
Hereditary Conditions
- Elbow and hip dysplasia
- Glaucoma
- Epilepsy
- Cherry eye
- Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)
- Cruciate ligament issues (ACL and CCL rupture and disease)
Prescription Drugs, Food, and Supplements
- Prescribed drugs, injections, foods, and supplements to treat a covered condition (excludes weight management)
Microchip
Alternative Therapies
- Acupuncture
- Physiotherapy
- Chiropractic care
- Rehabilitative therapy
- Hydrotherapy
- Low-level laser therapy
Medical Procedures
- Outpatient care
- Specialty and emergency care
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
Behavioral Issues
- Destructive chewing
- Excessive licking
- Fur pulling
- Pacing
Wellness Care
- Annual wellness exams
- Titer test
- Flea, tick, and heartworm medications
- Health screenings
- Deworming
- Fecal or internal parasite tests
- Certain vaccines like Rabies, DHLPP, and Bordetella
- Routine dental cleaning, including x-rays and anesthesia
Almost all pet insurance in the U.S. is taken out on dogs (approximately 80.1%) and cats (approximately 19.9%).
Pet Insurance Plans and Coverage Offered
Which coverages can you find under each plan? Let’s take a look.
| Accident & illness plans | Accident-only plans | Wellness plans | |
| Accidents and injuries | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Testing and diagnostics | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Chronic illnesses plans | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Common illnesses | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Congenital conditions | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Hereditary conditions | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Prescription drugs, food, and supplements | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Microchip | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alternative therapies | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Medical procedures | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Behavioral issues | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Wellness Care | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
What’s Not Covered by Pet Insurance?
Pet insurance may not cover as much as you think. Reading through a sample policy from a pet insurer can give you a better idea of the kind of coverage provided. But in general, many pet insurers don’t cover:
- Pre-existing conditions, although some cover curable conditions if your pet is asymptomatic for a specific length of time, such as 180 days.
- Conditions arising during the policy’s waiting period, typically the first 10 to 30 days after the policy starts.
- Bilateral conditions (same health issue on both sides of the body), such as hip dysplasia and cataracts.
- Breed-specific hereditary conditions, such as blindness in Maltese.
- Elective procedures like tail docking and ear cropping. Spaying and neutering may be covered under a wellness plan.
- Routine and preventative care, unless you have a wellness plan.
- Pets that are considered too young or old, typically younger than eight weeks or older than 12 years.
- Foods and supplements for weight loss or general maintenance or that are over-the-counter.
- Experimental, investigational, and other treatments outside the standard of care, as per your state’s veterinary medical board.
How Much Does Pet Insurance Cost?
How much you pay for pet health insurance and whether it’s worth it to you depends on a variety of factors, including the coverage you buy and how much the peace of mind is worth to you.
Insurance costs vary with coverage and policy, but in general:
- Wellness coverage costs $20 to $25 per month.
- Accident-only coverage runs about $17 per month for dogs and $10 per month for cats
- Comprehensive coverage averages $53 per month for dogs and $32 per month for cats.
The Bottom Line
Pet insurance can give dog and cat owners peace of mind about covering their pet’s medical expenses and even routine care. While it’s similar to health insurance for two-legged folks, it doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions. Policies also usually have a list of exclusions and may have annual and lifetime caps. Even so, many pet owners find having a policy helps them say yes to the treatments their pet needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Pet Insurance Cover All Pets?
Most insurers require you to buy a separate policy for each pet, although you’ll likely be able to manage all pets under one account. Most also have multi-pet discounts ranging from 5% up to 15%.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Spay and Neuter?
Spaying and neutering are considered elective procedures and aren’t usually covered under standard accident-only and accident and illness plans. Full or partial coverage may be available if you also purchase a wellness plan.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental?
Eligible dental conditions and treatments vary by insurer. For example, accident-only plans may cover tooth extractions resulting from a hit to the mouth but not gingivitis (an illness). Some insurers may cover gingivitis under a comprehensive plan, but not all. Routine dental cleanings are often only covered by wellness plans.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccines?
Yes, but routine shots are usually only covered under a pet wellness plan.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
No, pet insurance doesn’t usually cover pre-existing conditions—illnesses and injuries showing symptoms before your plan’s start date and during its waiting period. Some insurers may not consider an issue as pre-existing if your pet has a curable condition and hasn’t had any symptoms or treatments for a period, such as 180 days.