What Does Pet Insurance Cover? (2024)

Source: Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance policies. Exact coverage will depend on the pet insurance plan you choose.

Pet insurance is a kind of health insurance policy that pays a portion of a pet’s medical bills for such things as accidents, illnesses and wellness visits. You can purchase a comprehensive policy that covers a wide range of health-related problems. Some plans even cover costs such as microchipping or end-of-life expenses for a pet.

Here’s what is commonly covered by the best pet insurance plans:

Accidents and injuries

This covers medical expenses for accidents such as:

• ACL ruptures
• Bite wounds
• Broken bones
• Cuts
• Swallowed objects
• Toxic ingestions

Behavioral Therapy

This covers costs associated with behavioral therapy for problems such as:

• Aggression
• Destructive chewing
• Excessive barking

Chronic illnesses

This covers medical expenses for chronic illnesses such as:

• Allergies
• Arthritis
• Digestive problems, such as inflammatory bowel disease
• Seizures
• Skin conditions

Common illnesses

This covers medical expenses for common illnesses such as:

• Diarrhea
• Ear infections
• Diarrhea
• Urinary tract infections
• Vomiting

Hereditary conditions

This covers medical expenses for hereditary conditions such as:

• Blood disorders
• Eye disorders
• Hip dysplasia

Holistic and Alternative Procedures

This covers expenses such as:

• Acupuncture
• Chiropractic
• Laser therapy

Microchip Implantation

This covers costs associated with installing:

• A microchip to help find your pet if it goes missing

Prescription Food and Supplements

This covers costs associated with prescription and food supplements for specific health conditions covered by your policy

Prescription Medications

This covers costs associated with prescriptions for problems such as:

• Chronic conditions
• Infections
• Pain and inflammation

Procedures

This covers the cost of medical procedures such as:

• Chemotherapy
• Endoscopies
• Hospitalizations
• Nursing care
• Surgeries

Serious Illnesses

This covers medical expenses for serious illnesses such as:

• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Heart disease

Testing and Diagnostics

This covers the cost of testing and diagnostic procedures such as:

• Blood tests
• CT scans
• MRIs
• Ultrasounds
• X-rays

Wellness Procedures

This covers expenses such as:

• Flea and heartworm prevention
• Neutering
• Routine wellness exams
• Spaying
• Vaccinations

The three most common types of pet insurance plans are accident and illness, accident-only and wellness policies. What each one covers depends on the policy you buy.

Accident and Illness Coverage

This type of plan is the most common pet insurance plan and covers a wide range of problems, including accidents (such as a torn ACL or swallowing a foreign object) and illnesses (such as allergies, cancer and ear infections).

Pros

• Covers both accident and illness-related problems.
• Covers chronic illnesses and hereditary conditions.
• Helps pay for accident and illness-related diagnostic tests, procedures and hospitalizations.
• Helps pay for accident and illness-related medical prescriptions.

Cons

• More expensive than other types of coverage.
• Doesn’t pay for wellness exams.

Accident-Only Coverage

This type of plan only covers accident-related medical expenses, such as a torn cruciate ligament or lacerations from dog bites. It does not cover illness-related expenses like ear infections and cancer.

Pros

• Costs less than accident and illness coverage.
• Helps pay for accident-related diagnostic tests, procedures and hospitalizations.
• Helps pay for accident-related medical prescriptions.

Cons

• Doesn’t cover illnesses.
• Doesn’t cover hereditary issues.
• Doesn’t pay for wellness exams.

Wellness Coverage

Routine wellness plans are optional add-ons offered by many pet insurers. They cover wellness-related expenses, such as annual wellness exams, flea and tick prevention and vaccinations. You can usually add a wellness plan to an accident and illness policy but not an accident-only policy.

Pros

• Covers wellness exams.
• Covers flea, tick and heartworm prevention.
• Covers vaccinations.

Cons

• Cannot be purchased as a standalone policy.
• Cannot be added to an accident-only policy.

Pet insurance plans have common exclusions, such as:

• Pre-existing conditions. A pre-existing condition is an injury or illness that your pet had before your coverage started. Some plans may not permanently exclude pre-existing conditions. For example, Nationwide pet insurance may extend coverage if you have medical records that show your pet has been cured of a condition for at least six months.
• Experimental treatment. This includes diagnosis and treatments that are considered experimental, investigational or not within the standard of care accepted by your state’s veterinary medical board.
• Grooming. Pet insurance typically doesn’t cover grooming services such as baths, dips, shampoos or nail trims.
• Food, dietary and nutritional supplements. Your pet’s regular dietary expenses are not covered, but some plans cover prescription food and supplements.
• Non-veterinary expenses. This includes expenses for waste disposal services, record access or copying, any license or certification and compliance with a government rule or regulation (such as a dog license).

Pet insurance companies may offer liability coverage in case your dog bites someone or destroys someone else’s property.

Those types of incidents are generally covered by your homeowners insurance. For example, if your dog bites someone and you’re sued, the liability coverage in your home insurance will generally pay for medical expenses and even a legal defense. For example, Trupanion’s Pet Owner Assistance package covers a pet’s property damage to others, up to $25,000.

The average cost for pet insurance is $55 a month for a dog with unlimited annual coverage, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance costs. That’s with a 90% reimbursem*nt level and a $500 deductible.

The cost of pet insurance is going to depend on several factors, typically including:

• The type, gender and breed of animal. Some breeds are predisposed to certain illnesses, which will result in higher pet insurance rates. For example, large dog breeds are more prone to heart and hip issues and have higher medication costs.
• The pet’s age. As your pet gets older, it is more likely to need to go to the vet, which will translate into higher pet insurance rates at policy renewal times.
• Pre-existing conditions. Medical conditions that existed before you bought the pet insurance generally aren’t covered. But some pet insurance plans will cover conditions that were cured and then later return.
• Your location. Average veterinary costs in your area will affect the plan price.
• Coverage types. You’ll pay more for a comprehensive plan that covers accidents, illness and routine wellness compared to a plan that covers only accidental injuries.
• Deductible and reimbursem*nt level. You’ll pay more for having a lower deductible and higher reimbursem*nt level. For example, a plan that offers 90% reimbursem*nt will cost more than the same plan with 70% reimbursem*nt.

Generally, it’s more expensive to insure a dog than a cat.

Average Pet Insurance Costs by Company

Source: Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance costs based on data from Petinsurer.com for unlimited annual coverage with a $100 deductible and 80% reimbursem*nt level, or the closest options available.

A good way to figure out if pet insurance is worth it is to consider how a major unexpected veterinary bill for an accident or illness would impact your personal finances compared to the annual cost of pet insurance.

For example, if your playful pooch chases a ball a little too hard and tears their hind ACL, the medical expenses associated with surgery could run into thousands of dollars. If you had pet insurance with a $100 deductible and 90% reimbursem*nt level, a $3,000 surgery would end up only costing you $400 out of pocket ($100 deductible + 10% cost of surgery = $400).

But while pet insurance can end up saving you big time in case of a serious accident or injury, it’s also an expense you want to consider. If you paid an average $500 per year for accident and illness coverage over a 10-year period, you would pay $5,000 in pet insurance premiums. Some pet owners might prefer setting aside money in a savings account for a pet’s medical needs.

If keeping aside thousands of dollars in savings for your pet isn’t feasible, then pet insurance can be worth it as a way to avoid plunking down your credit card for a major vet bill.