Does pet insurance cover routine care?

What is routine care in pet insurance?

Routine care in pet insurance refers to regular, preventive veterinary services aimed at maintaining your pet’s health and preventing illness. Unlike emergency treatment or care for illnesses, which address immediate health problems, routine care focuses on preventive services like check-ups and vaccinations to keep your pet healthy.

Some common services that are considered routine care include: 

• Vaccinations: Necessary for preventing common diseases like rabies, parvovirus and distemper
• Annual exams: Routine check-ups to assess overall health and catch any signs of illness or distress
• Dental cleanings: Regular cleaning to prevent dental disease, which can lead to more serious health issues
• Flea and heartworm prevention: Treatments to protect against common parasites
• Microchipping: An important preventive step to help recover lost pets
• Basic blood work or lab tests: To monitor overall health and detect any early signs of disease

Why routine care is important for your pet’s health

Routine care is important because it plays a vital role in keeping pets healthy and preventing costly or serious medical conditions down the line. Regular exams allow vets to detect potential health issues early, such as heart problems or dental disease, before they require expensive or emergency treatments. This preventative approach can significantly improve your pet’s quality of life and longevity.

Does pet insurance cover routine care?

Standard pet insurance plans don’t typically cover routine care. Instead, it’s usually available through an add-on known as a wellness plan, which helps pay for preventive care like exams, vaccinations and dental cleanings. According to Trupanion, routine care isn’t covered under most pet insurance plans because it's considered an expected cost over your pet's lifetime.

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Routine care vs. emergency or illness-related care

Illness-related care typically involves diagnosing and treating specific conditions like diabetes or cancer. Routine care, on the other hand, is more about general maintenance and prevention.

Because it’s predictable, many pet insurers offer wellness plans as an add-on. Pumpkin Wellness Club is one of the few companies that offers a wellness plan as a stand-alone option.

How much does routine care coverage cost?

Quotes from two popular pet insurance companies priced routine care coverage between $16 and $56 per month. Unless you have a stand-alone wellness plan like the one offered by Pumpkin Wellness Club, your wellness coverage will be added to your monthly pet insurance cost as an add-on.

Embrace Pet Insurance offers the Wellness Rewards add-on to help cover routine care costs such as flea, tick and heartworm prevention, exams, vaccines and grooming.

As of publication, Embrace’s Wellness Rewards program for a male two-year-old golden retriever in New York, New York (zip code 10004) was priced as follows:

• $300 annual reimbursement: $22.92 per month
• $500 annual reimbursement: $39.58 per month
• $700 annual reimbursement: $56.25 per month

Like Embrace, Pets Best offers wellness plan add-ons to its standard policies. For the same golden retriever, Pets Best’s wellness plans cost:

• Essential Wellness: $16 per month, covering up to $305 per year with no deductible
• Best Wellness: $26 per month, covering up to $535 per year with no deductible

Is routine care coverage worth adding to pet insurance?

Purchasing a wellness plan that covers routine care can be a valuable investment, especially for pet owners who want to stay ahead of their pet’s health needs. The financial benefits include predictable costs, so you won’t have to worry about surprise vet bills for common services like vaccinations or dental cleanings. Add-on coverage also helps ensure your pet gets the preventive care they need to stay healthy, reducing the risk of more costly issues down the road.

Routine care coverage can be particularly beneficial for puppies and kittens. For example, Lemonade offers a special preventative care package for puppies and kittens, covering more visits than typical plans. This package can be especially useful for young pets, which require more frequent check-ups and vaccinations.

In the end, it’s important to assess your pet’s unique needs and your financial situation. To determine if it’s worth it to add routine care coverage to your pet insurance, consider how often your pet needs vet visits, their current health and your ability to pay for these services out of pocket.

What does pet insurance not cover?

Pet insurance can help manage unexpected veterinary costs, but it typically doesn’t cover:

• Preexisting conditions: Any health issues or symptoms your pet had before the policy began
• Routine care: Services like annual check-ups, flea and tick prevention, vaccinations and dental cleanings
• Elective procedures: Cosmetic surgeries, such as tail docking and ear cropping
• Behavioral treatments: Obedience classes, aggression management or therapy for anxiety unless linked to a covered medical condition
• Breeding-related costs: Pregnancy, artificial insemination, C-sections and post-birth care
• Preventable injuries or illnesses: Conditions caused by activities like racing, fighting or abuse
• Working dogs: Coverage exclusions for injuries or illnesses while working (e.g., police dogs, guard dogs)

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