Pet Insurance
Find the right pet insurance provider for your budget and your furry friend with detailed reviews, rankings and guides.
Pet Insurance Basics
If you want to know that you can always provide your pet with the best unplanned veterinary care without worrying about financial repercussions, pet insurance can provide that reassurance. However, before you enroll your dog or cat, there are a few basics you should understand.
Typical Pet Insurance Coverage
Standard pet insurance plans cover unexpected veterinary care for your dog or cat. Most plans fall under one of two categories — accident and illness and accident-only. Accident and illness coverage includes diagnostics, tests and treatments related to specific accidents, injuries and illnesses. Accident-only coverage includes treatments for accidents and injuries but excludes any care related to illnesses, diseases or other conditions.
Both types of pet insurance exclude routine care and pre-existing conditions. However, many providers offer a pet wellness add-on that covers routine and preventative care. This coverage is not insurance and typically includes an annual allowance for various items like vaccinations, fixing, bloodwork and more.
How Claims Work
Unlike human health insurance, pet health insurance claims are considered, approved and paid out retroactively. That means you authorize care for your pet from any licensed veterinarian and submit a claim for reimbursement by your provider. If the care is covered, your provider pays you directly for up to a certain percentage (typically between 50%–90%) of the payments you made out of pocket to the vet clinic.
Pre-Existing Conditions and Other Exclusions
It’s important to understand that no pet insurer will cover pre-existing conditions. If your pet suffered an accident or illness prior to enrollment, they’re considered pre-existing conditions and excluded from your plan. For example, if your pet has previously been diagnosed with kidney stones, any care for future kidney stones won’t be covered. Similarly, if your pet has a history of swallowing foreign objects, this type of accident won’t be covered.
Many policies also have typical exclusions, such as dental disease, behavioral issues, hip dysplasia, and grooming, so be sure to read and understand a provider’s sample policy before purchasing.
Waiting Periods
After enrolling your pet in your chosen plan, waiting periods begin. A waiting period is a length of time during which accidents or illnesses are considered pre-existing and not covered. Typical waiting periods are two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses and six months for cruciate ligament events.
Get started with our comprehensive guide to the best pet insurance companies.
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