You asked–we answered.
Finding the right pet insurance policy can feel overwhelming, especially since what’s covered changes depending on your plan, pet, and insurance company. If you’re new to pet insurance, check out our guides on understanding your cat insurance policy and understanding your dog insurance policy.
Or if you want a third-party to review your existing pet insurance policy, identify any gaps in coverage you might not know about, and figure out if you’re getting the best deal, check out our free policy check:
When we made our list of most commonly asked questions, we found out that there are a lot! To kick us off, let’s set the stage for what dog and cat insurance policies usually cover.
Here are some common examples of what accidents, illnesses, and services are commonly included under each plan:
Coverage examples*
*These examples are commonly covered by these policies, but every plan and pet insurance carrier is different; check the specifics of any policy before signing up.
No. While pet insurance does provide financial support for a lot of different veterinary services, not everything will be covered. Different plans will have different coverage levels, but some services (like declawing and tail docking) are never covered.
Also be aware that while pet insurance will help pay for part of the vet bill, you’ll still need to pay premiums, a deductible, and your share of the bill (the percent varies by plan).
Rarely. Pre-existing conditions are any injury, illness, or condition your pet developed before your pet insurance policy begins (or ones that develop during your policy’s waiting period). Most pet insurance companies do not provide any coverage for pre-existing conditions.
If your pet has recovered from an injury or illness, look for a pet insurance company that accepts curable pre-existing conditions. Terms vary, but if your pet has been free of symptoms and treatment for 6-12 months or longer, you might be able to find a pet insurance plan that protects them if they happen to develop something similar in the future.
No, but some companies have shorter waiting periods than others. A pet insurance waiting period is how long–after signing up–you have to wait before veterinary bills can apply to your pet insurance policy.
Accidents, injuries, illnesses, and conditions that develop during a waiting period are considered pre-existing conditions, even though they happened after you signed up.
When comparing pet insurance policies, here are the common waiting periods to look out for:
Orthopedic condition coverage can vary based on the type of condition or injury (e.g., cruciate ligaments, hip dysplasia, luxating patella, intervertebral disc disease). Some orthopedic treatments may not be covered because of the breed of your dog or cat, or because of specific exclusions from different insurance companies.
No. Pet insurance companies will only provide coverage for veterinary services that happen after you sign up and get through the waiting period.
Usually not, but it depends on the reason you’re visiting the vet and what plan you have.
Annual exams and wellness visits are not usually covered by accident-only and accident and illness plans. Wellness packages often provide coverage for one annual exam per year.
Exam fees as part of an accident or illness are billed separately by your vet than the actual treatment for that accident or illness. Some pet insurance companies will provide coverage for these fees; others don’t.
Sometimes. Dental cleaning is usually considered preventative care and as such, is usually covered under a wellness package. Some pet insurance companies do include routine dental cleanings under their accident or accident and illness policies.
It depends. Some pet insurance companies don’t cover prescription food at all, others may require you to purchase an add-on rider or wellness plan to cover prescription food.
For the pet insurance companies that do cover prescription food, often that coverage is limited. It must be prescribed by a veterinarian for direct treatment of a condition; special diets or preventative health food diets don’t count.
Most wellness plans do offer cover for spaying and neutering, but because it is considered an elective, preventative procedure, it won’t be covered under a regular plan. Accident-only and accident and illness plans do not provide coverage for spaying or neutering.
Vaccinations are typically only covered through wellness plans.
Yes, if you have an accident and illness policy and have made it through that company’s orthopedic- or cruciate ligament-specific waiting period (6-12+ months).
Some pet insurance carriers also cover ACL surgery under their “accident-only” plans–if the injury happened due to sudden trauma rather than the gradual wear and tear.
If you have a pet whose breed is prone to cruciate injuries, make sure that your policy doesn’t have a breed-specific exclusion that would mean your insurance company doesn’t cover treatment.
Yes! Like cruciate ligament surgery, you will need to make it through your policy’s waiting period for orthopedic conditions (often 6-12+ months) and have an accident and illness policy; accident-only plans rarely cover it.
Note that pet insurance companies will not cover treatments if the condition is considered a pre-existing condition, or if it’s considered a “bi-lateral condition.” For example, if your dog had luxating patella surgery on one left leg before you got pet insurance, and then needed treatment on the right leg after, your pet insurance carrier is likely to say the right leg is a pre-existing bilateral condition (i.e. it wouldn’t have had problems if the left leg had been healthy).
To find the right pet insurance plan to protect your pet, it’s important to double check that it has the coverage you need.
Want to make sure you’re not missing anything critical? Our policy review tool will give you a free analysis of your existing or new plan, so you can make an informed decision about which company to go with.
The average emergency vet bill ranges from $2,000 to $10,000+
