Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccinations?

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Vaccines are key to your pet’s health, but they’re not always covered by pet insurance. In this guide, we’ll look at the reasons why and discuss the alternatives.

 

 

 

Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccines?

Pet insurance is there to protect against unexpected accidents and illnesses. If your dog breaks their leg on a walk or your cat is feeling under the weather, a pet insurance plan will cover you against some or all of the costs associated with their care.Vaccines, however, are elective. Sure, they are essential for the health of your pet, but you choose to have them and you also choose when to have them. Pet insurance doesn’t cover you for such outcomes.There are exceptions though.Many pet insurance companies offer preventative care coverage, often labeled as “wellness plans”. These plans are usually available as add-ons to accident and illness coverage and they can cost anywhere from a few bucks to over $40 extra per month.Take a look at the options below to see how different pet insurance companies approach vaccination coverage:

Pets Best Pet Insurance

Pets Best offers an EssentialWellness plan that costs $16 per year ($14 in Washington) and provides cover of up to $30 for vaccinations, as well as $20 for microchips, $50 for a wellness exam, $30 for heartworm prevention, and more. The total benefits cover $305 per year and there is no deductible.If you need more coverage, there is a BestWellness plan, which costs $26 per month ($30 in Washington). This plan covers a total of $535 per year, $40 of which relates to vaccinations, with $150 covering spaying/neutering. Both of these options cover rabies separately, with a cap of $15 per year.

ASPCA Pet Insurance

ASPCA will cover vaccinations through its Preventative Basic and Prime add-ons. There are small caps in place for vaccination coverage, but they are generally not very expensive anyway.

Figo Pet Insurance

Choose the Figo Wellness Powerup to get cover for essential vaccinations, as well as spaying, neutering, dental care, and routine examinations.

Spot Pet Insurance

Spot plans are very customizable, so you can find the most suitable cover at a price you can afford. If you purchase the Gold and Platinum Care plans, you’ll get cover for a host of vaccinations. These don’t cost a lot to add to your policy, but there are treatment limits to keep in mind, so make sure you check the terms and conditions.

Lemonade Pet Insurance

Lemonade has some of the most affordable pet insurance plans in the industry, and it also provides additional cover for vaccinations. For this, you need to purchase one of the Preventative Care plans. As well as vaccinations for rabies, Bordetella, DHLPP, and other vaccines, it also covers microchipping and examination fees.

Embrace Pet Insurance

The Wellness Rewards plan covers vaccines and other basic preventive care. You can add up to $650 in reimbursement coverage for wellness options. Check the terms and conditions to see what’s covered and make sure you get your money’s worth.

Prudent Pet Insurance

Although vaccination coverage isn’t provided by Prudent’s basic coverage, you can purchase a wellness add-on for your accident-only or accident and illness coverage.

Wagmo

There are three different options here, and all of them cover vaccinations up to a maximum annual amount. There are packages targeted toward both cats and dogs.

How Do Pet Insurance Providers Cover Vaccinations?

Pet insurance companies work on a reimbursement model. Rather than agreeing to the service, paying the deductible/co-pay, and then letting your insurance company handle the rest, you pay for everything upfront, get the invoice, and then submit a claim to your insurer. They will reimburse some or all of the cost, depending on the reimbursement model and deductible.As for wellness plans, you can use the maximum reimbursement amount for a variety of services. For instance, let’s assume that you have a maximum coverage amount of $500 a year. You pay for first-year vaccinations at a total cost of $120. You now have $380 left and can use this money to cover other wellness options, such as exams, neutering/spaying, flea and tick prevention, microchipping, and deworming.The following year, the total coverage amount will reset and you can book more vaccinations.

What Vaccines Are Needed for Dogs?

Puppies should get their first rabies vaccination at between 12 and 16 weeks. A second vaccination will then be given a year later, followed by additional vaccines every 3 years. Dogs should also get vaccines for canine parvovirus, distemper, and canine hepatitis.Other vaccinations include Bordetella, borrelia burgdorferi, and Leptospira bacteria. These three are not considered essential for all dogs, but they can provide additional protection.

What Vaccines Are Needed for Cats?

House cats need less protection than cats that are allowed outdoors. The latter are exposed to many more diseases and infections and require several different vaccinations for optimal protection.In both cases, you should ensure your cat gets vaccinated against the feline leukemia virus. It is one of the most common infections in cats and is a leading cause of feline cancer. The infection can spread easily following contact between cats, such as by grooming and even in utero, with mothers passing the infection to their kittens.Cats are also given an FVRCP vaccine, which provides coverage for three common infections: calicivirus, feline panleukopenia, and viral rhinotracheitis.Rabies vaccination is important too, and optional vaccines include Bordetella and feline chlamydia.

What are the core vaccines?

For cats, the core vaccines include rabies and FVRCP while core vaccines for dogs include canine parvovirus, canine hepatitis, distemper, and rabies.

How Much Do Pet Vaccinations Cost?

Vaccinations cost the most in the first year, but many require additional top-ups thereafter. To ensure your pet stays healthy and protected, keep making those appointments and getting those shots.See below for an average annual cost, bearing in mind that these prices can vary based on the breed of your animal and the clinic that provides the shot:

• Bordetella vaccine: $40
• Canine influenza = $50
• Feline influenza = $50
• Feline leukemia = $35
• FVRCP = $30
• DHLPP = $30
• Leptospirosis = $25
• Lyme disease = $30
• Rabies = $25

FAQ

Does pet insurance cover routine checkups?

As with vaccinations, basic checkups are usually not covered under standard pet insurance plans. However, they may be covered by additional wellness plans and add-ons.

Does pet insurance cover heartworm treatment?

Most wellness care plans cover heartworm prevention treatments.

Does pet insurance cover flea medication?

Yes, as with heartworm prevention, vaccinations, exams, and more, flea medications are usually covered under wellness plans.

Why doesn’t standard pet insurance coverage include vaccines?

Basic pet insurance plans cover unexpected events, such as accidents and illnesses. They don’t cover treatments that are deemed to be routine and planned, and vaccines fall under that umbrella.

What happens if you don’t vaccinate your pets?

Failing to vaccinate your cat or dog could place them at risk of a host of diseases, many of which are life-threatening. You will also be contributing to the spread of these diseases within your local community. You owe it to yourself, your pets, and your community to get your pets vaccinated.

Summary: Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccinations?

Accident and illness plans don’t cover vaccinations and other routine care options, but most pet insurance providers offer additional plans that provide such payments. These are essential if you want your dog or cat to stay healthy and protected against potentially fatal diseases.If you can’t get cover, consider getting the vaccines anyway. Core vaccines are cheap and could save you a lot of stress, heartbreak, and money down the line.