Medications related to accidents and illnesses are typically a covered expense under pet insurance plans.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Medication?
Vet bills might not be your only expense if your pet gets sick or injured. Your furry friend may also need prescription drugs, which are often expensive.
Fortunately, most pet insurance providers cover medication as long as a licensed veterinarian prescribes it for a covered condition. Unfortunately, this doesn’t apply to prescription food and supplements. To help you understand medication coverage, we at the Guides Home Team researched the best pet insurance companies and outlined their policies and exclusions.
Did You Know?
5,534 pet owners requested and received a free no-obligation quote from one of the above companies in the last 30 days.
How Does Medication Coverage Work?
As with most pet insurance coverage, you pay for pet prescriptions out of pocket, file a claim with your insurance company, and receive reimbursement for some or all of the costs. Your reimbursement depends on your chosen rate, co-pay and whether you’ve met your deductible. Accident-only plans only cover medications related to your pet’s accidents. Accident-and-illness plans cover medications prescribed for covered health conditions.
Keep in mind that there’s a difference between preventive medication and medication prescribed to treat an accident or illness. Routine medication — such as heartworm prevention, flea and tick medication and vaccinations — isn’t typically covered unless you purchase a wellness care add-on for your plan. Medication is also excluded if it’s for non-covered procedures such as spaying, neutering, microchipping or cosmetic procedures.
No provider covers medication for preexisting conditions. A condition is preexisting if your pet shows signs or symptoms before enrollment or before the policy’s waiting period ends, even if it never received treatment. Waiting periods are typically two to 15 days for accidents and 14 to 30 days for illnesses. They’re usually much longer for orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia.
Which Companies Cover Medication?
Nearly all pet insurance providers offer some prescription medication coverage. These are our top-recommended companies’ policies for medication.
Spot Medication Coverage
Spot Pet Insurance offers a low-cost accident-only plan, a more comprehensive accident-and-illness plan, and two wellness add-ons. All policies cover medications to treat covered conditions, provided the medication is FDA-approved and prescribed by a licensed veterinarian. Experimental treatments and over-the-counter medications aren’t covered.
Unlike some other companies, Spot covers prescription food and supplements as long as they’re prescribed to treat a covered condition and not for general health or maintenance. The company’s Platinum preventive care add-on also offers $25 per year for flea and heartworm prevention, checkups and other routine vet visits.
Trupanion Medication Coverage
Trupanion has a single plan covering accidents and illnesses, including medications prescribed for either. Prescription food is covered at 50% for up to two months. Dietary supplements qualify for coverage if they’re prescribed to treat a covered condition and not for general health. Trupanion doesn’t offer wellness coverage, but its Recovery and Complementary Care add-on covers homeopathic and herbal remedies plus treatments such as acupuncture.
Fetch Pet Medication Coverage
Fetch by Dodo offers a single plan for accidents and illnesses but no wellness coverage. Its plan covers all medication prescribed for covered conditions, including chronic conditions and congenital conditions. Nutritional supplements are covered, but prescription food is not.
Embrace Medication Coverage
Embrace Pet Insurance’s single plan covers accidents and illnesses, including medication and homeopathic remedies prescribed to treat them. Embrace won’t cover flea, tick or heartworm prevention, nutritional supplements or prescription food unless you purchase its Wellness Rewards for Routine Care add-on.
To learn more: Embrace Pet Insurance review
Healthy Paws Medication Coverage
Healthy Paws’ accident-and-illness plan covers prescription medication for all covered conditions. It doesn’t cover herbal medicine or homeopathy, and there is no wellness add-on for preventive medications.
Figo Medication Coverage
Figo offers one accident-and-illness plan with optional “power-up” add-ons, including wellness care. It reimburses all prescription medication for covered conditions. You’ll need to add its Wellness Power-up for flea, tick and heartworm prevention coverage. Its Veterinary Exam Fees Power-up covers up to $250 of prescription food annually.
To learn more: Figo Pet Insurance review
Pets Best Medication Coverage
Pets Best’s accident-only and accident-and-illness plans cover all FDA-approved, vet-prescribed medications for covered conditions. Some supplements and over-the-counter drugs are covered.You’ll need to add the Essential Wellness or Best Wellness add-on for heartworm medication coverage.
Compare Pet Insurance Companies that Cover Medications
Annual Cost of Medication Coverage
We’ve gathered sample quotes for a female mixed-breed dog to help you compare plans. Monthly costs vary by your selected coverage and pet’s age, breed and location, but this will give you a general idea of pet insurance costs. These quotes exclude wellness add-ons, which typically only cover maintenance medication for parasite prevention.
| Company | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Spot | $11.73–$131.02 |
| Trupanion | $39.12–$156.19 |
| Fetch | $27.79–$61.16 |
| Embrace | $23.75–$92.28 |
| Healthy Paws | $32.94–$43.36 |
| Figo | $13.66–$66.83 |
| Pets Best | $7.79–$48.38 |
*Each provider’s monthly cost is based on quotes we obtained for a 4-year-old, medium-size, mixed-breed dog in Raleigh, N.C.
Which Medications Are Common for Dogs?
According to PetMD, these are some of the most commonly prescribed medications for dogs.
- Antibiotics, such as metronidazole or doxycycline, to fight bacterial infections
- Antiparasitics, such as ivermectin, to treat roundworms, threadworms and other parasites
- Antifungals, such as ketoconazole, to fight fungal infections
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to reduce inflammation
- Pain relievers, such as tramadol, after an injury or surgery
Which Medications Are Common for Cats?
Common medications for cats are similar, according to PetCareRx.
- Antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, to fight bacterial infections
- Antiparasitics, such as praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate, to treat roundworms, threadworms and other parasites
- Flea and tick prevention, such as fipronil and (S)-methoprene
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, to reduce inflammation
- NSAIDs, such as robenacoxib, for pain relief
The Bottom Line: Does Pet Insurance Cover Medication?
Pet insurance covers medication as long as the condition it’s prescribed for is covered under your policy. Medication for preexisting conditions isn’t covered, and you’ll need add-on coverage for preventive medication. Make sure you look at a policy’s fine print before purchasing it. We recommend getting quotes from at least three providers before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Medications
No, medication for preexisting conditions is never covered by pet insurance. This includes any conditions that present during the policy’s waiting period, whether or not your pet has received veterinary care for them.
No. A licensed doctor must prescribe medication to the policyholder; it cannot be given to another person or animal. Additionally, pet parents shouldn’t give their pets human medication. Even if the medication is the same, the dosages for humans and animals are so different that you may harm your pet.
Yes, pet insurance almost always covers medication as long as it’s FDA-approved and prescribed by a licensed vet to treat a health condition that’s covered by your policy.