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Is your dog's regular vet visit coming up? Are you on a tight budget right now?
You're maybe wondering, does pet insurance cover vet visits?
The answer to your questions lies below this article. In this blog, we'll discuss if pet insurance can help deal with the expenses of your vet visit.
Pet health insurance has gained popularity over the years. However, many people can't afford their health insurance, let alone their pets.
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA) in 2021, pet parents spent over $34.3 billion on vet care, surgical procedures, and prescription medications.
That's a lot of money, don't you think? That's why a lot of pet parents are now resorting to pet insurance.
They turn to pet insurance because they want to have a safety net if ever their dog needs emergency care.
But what about vet visits?
Furthermore, when it comes to pet insurance and its benefits, you'll need to choose the best insurance plan that fits your budget and your needs.
For instance, if you're wondering whether pet insurance covers regular vet visits? It will depend on the pet health insurance plan policies that you chose.
Without further delay, let's find out if pet insurance can help with the expenses of your dog's regular vet visits.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Vet Visits?
The short answer is Yes, but it's much more complicated than that. This will depend on the pet health insurance policy that you have.
Because there is still a lot of pet health insurance policy that doesn't cover annual vet visits.
By paying minimal payments every month or paying annually (which is cheaper), owners can rest assured that their dog has medical care.
And if any emergencies arise, they have the financial support to cover them.
Pet health insurance doesn't work like life insurance for humans. Especially when it comes to checkups.
Even though the benefits of pet insurance are important and numerous, there are still some surprising factors pet owners should be aware of so that they can maximize their return.
Generally, in these cases, you'll have to pay a premium for the plan, and the insurer will help you reimburse the costs associated with routine vet visits, like physical exams, vaccines, spay or neuter, and more.
For instance, Pet's Best's Routine Care and Pet Wellness Coverage can help to pay for their regular scheduled veterinary visits.
How does pet insurance cover visits?
Pet insurance is a unique form of protection for owners and their pets.
And as we've discussed above, pet insurance can still help with vet visits, but not on the same day.
What do you mean by not on the same day? This is because pet insurance works on a reimbursement model. For example:
- Once you've reached the vet, you'll be the one paying for any services that will happen. You'll pay for the medicine and other procedures. So ready your wallets or your credit card on that day.
- After that is where your pet insurance provider will come in. They will reimburse you for the money you spend depending on your policy and the coverage that you've agreed upon.
- You'll need to file a claim and submit it. Then, your insurance provider will now process it and send you the funds that you spent on the day of the vet visit.
According to Fetch by The DoDo, there are two documents pet owners need to submit for them to be able to get their money reimbursed.
The first document will be a finalized invoice from your vet showing the treatment your dog got and its costs.
The invoice must show a zero balance or that it was fully paid for them to accept it.
The second document is detailed medical records from your pet's most recent checkup.
And claims are usually processed within 15 days from when they'll receive your documents.
What’s Covered by Pet insurance?
Again, this will all depend on the coverage plan that you chose.
You can opt for a comprehensive policy that covers a broad range of health-related issues.
Some plans cover microchipping and some cover end-of-life expenses for dogs.
It's all about doing your homework as a pet parent. It's your responsibility to choose the best possible plan for you and your pup.
Here are what pet insurance plans normally cover:
Accidents
- Bite injuries
- Broken Bones
- Cuts
- Harmful toxic Ingestions
- Accidentally swallowing objects
- ACL ruptures
Chronic illnesses
- Arthritis
- Allergies
- Skin Conditions
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease or other digestive problems
- Seizures
Common and Serious Sicknesses
- Ear Infections
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart Problems
- Eye disorders
- Hip Dysplasia
Tests and Diagnostics
- Blood tests
- MRIs
- Ultrasounds
- X-Rays
- CT Scans
Medical Procedures
- Surgeries
- Chemotherapy
- Endoscopies
- Hospitalizations
- Laser Therapy
- Chiropractic
Wellness Procedures
- Spaying/Neutering
- Flea Preventions
- Heartworm Prevention
- Vaccinations
- Routine wellness exams
What’s Not Covered by Pet Insurance?
Unfortunately, there are some conditions that pet insurance has exclusions. For instance, they will not cover pre-existing health problems.
If your dog has been sick for a while or got injured before your coverage started, it will not be covered by your pet insurance.
Another thing would be experimental treatment. That is, if your pet is undergoing a treatment that is considered experimental, investigational, or not within the standard of care.
The next thing is grooming. Pet insurance doesn't cover pet grooming like a bath, shampoos, or nail trimming.
Moreover, food and nutritional supplements are also out of the conversation. However, some plans cover prescription food and supplements.
Other factors to consider
- The coverage plan that you chose will determine how much you will get reimbursed. Research the right plan for you and your pup.
- Pet insurance is a great investment for pet owners right now. Research suggests that it's best to get one now since it will only grow more expensive as time pasts.
- It's best advised to talk with your vet. Ask them for advice on what coverage plan is best or if they think that pet insurance is worth it.
However, if you're on a tight budget, you can opt for Pet Wellness plans. They are also sometimes called Preventative Pet Care plans or Pet Care Coverage plans.
Keep in mind that a Wellness Plan is completely different from a Pet Insurance Plan.
What is a Pet Wellness Plan?
There might be a lot of confusion when it comes to Pet Wellness Plans and Pet Insurance.
A lot of pet parents choose pet insurance to be prepared for unexpected accidents, sickness, and other emergencies while some pet parents resort to wellness plans.
Dog parents are choosing Wellness Plans because these are designed to spread out the expenses of routine care of their pet over the year, rather than spending a lot of money at their annual or bi-annual vet checkups.
Pet Wellness Plan Coverage
Pet wellness plans are designed to help cover the costs of routine wellness care. But just like a pet health insurance, the coverage of a pet wellness plan will vary on the one you chose.
Wellness plans can be bought for an additional fee from pet insurance providers and veterinary hospitals that will be used only at their hospital or within their other network of animal hospitals.
A few of the things that a pet wellness plan covers are:
- Spay or Neuter
- Annual Wellness Exams
- Vaccinations
- Preventive Care
- Routine dental care (teeth cleaning)
- Flea Preventions
- Heartworm Prevention
Pet Wellness Plans vs Pet Insurance
The main difference between a pet wellness plan and pet insurance is that Pet Insurance is designed to help cover unplanned veterinary visits.
This includes diagnostics, proper treatment, and medication for injuries or sicknesses that can easily become very costly.
As we've tackled earlier, pet insurance helps with veterinary costs to diagnose and treat unexpected injuries or illnesses. For instance, skin problems, cancer, diabetes, UTI, digestive problems, and more.
On the other hand, wellness plans are for expected veterinary costs such as exam fees, vaccination, preventative care, dental cleanings, microchipping, spaying, neutering, and flea and heartworm prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pet Insurance Worth it?
This all depends on who you're asking. But every pet owner should consider getting pet insurance.
Even if you think you can afford veterinary costs, pet insurance can still save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
Pet insurance is like a safety net for you and your pet. It can also help if you own numerous pets.
How much does pet insurance cost?
One of the most common questions about pet insurance is how much it cost. Again, this will all depend on the plan you're getting.
You can pay monthly, but you can also pay annually.
Pet insurance's monthly premium can range between $30 to $50 for dogs and $15 to $30 for cats.
Does my indoor pet need pet insurance?
If you're on the fence about getting indoor pets pet insurance, consider that even if they are at home sleeping all day, they can still get sick.
These pets are still susceptible to emergency veterinary care.
And this is where pet insurance comes in handy. Remember that it's better to be safe than sorry.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Vet Visits: Summary
To sum it all up, if you're asking does pet insurance cover vet visits, yes it does. However, not all of them offer this coverage.
As pet owners, we all want what's best for our up. We all want to give them the best care and treatment if ever they encounter any illnesses or accidents.
Some pet insurance offers additional fees so that routine vet visits are associated with your designated plan. So yes, pet insurance covers regular vet visits as well.
Pet insurance was designed to help cover the expenses of an unexpected vet visit.
For example, pet insurance can come in handy if ever there's an accident, chronic illnesses, tests, diagnostics, medical procedures, and more.
You can also go for a wellness plan. A wellness plan is like insurance for the “expected” veterinary costs.
For instance, a wellness plan can help with regular vet visits, microchipping, spaying or neutering, vaccines, dental care, and flea and heartworm prevention.
Either way, you can always call and ask your vet for advice regarding your pets.
