As a pet owner, it is important to provide care for your beloved pets. However, there are numerous plans and pet insurance schemes to choose from, such as basic insurance plans and wellness plans. Most pet owners don’t realize the difference between pet wellness plans and pet insurance plans. A pet insurance plan offers coverage for accidents, emergencies, and illnesses. This provides a buffer in case of an unexpected mishap. While it is important to plan for the unexpected, a pet owner must also consider the costs incurred from annual checkups.
Unlike regular pet insurance plans, pet wellness plans offer coverage for routine veterinary visits, regular health checkups, vaccinations and more. Some insurance agencies and organizations exclusively offer pet wellness programs whereas some offer pet insurance that covers wellness, others may offer only medical insurance for your pets. It is important to consider all the options and pick the right plan based on the needs of the pets, the overall budget, and the benefits offered.
Top 10 Pet Insurance Plans That Cover Wellness
1. PetPremium – Preventative Care Plans
PetPremium is a pet insurance provider that primarily offers insurance plans and coverage options for cats and dogs. Operating out of New York, the insurance company is known for its strong customer support services and extensive online data about best health practices for pets.
They offer Preventative Care Plans that can be added onto the Accident-Only or Total Coverage insurance plans. The Accident-Only Plan offers reimbursement for medical bills from accidents. The Total Coverage insurance plans are available in Basic and Prime options. These plans offer coverage for wellness exams, dental checkups, vaccines and more. The Prime plan also includes blood tests, flea prevention and more. Their Preventive Care coverage options offer up to 80% reimbursement for agreed-upon preventive care treatments.
2. Embrace Pet Insurance – Wellness Rewards
Embrace Pet Insurance Agency specializes in offering medical insurance for emergencies for cats and dogs. The Embrace Pet Insurance offers coverage for accidents, dental surgeries, alternative therapies, medical conditions and specialist care, and more. The basic insurance plan does not offer coverage for routine wellness costs such as veterinary visits or flea prevention. However, they offer a Wellness Rewards program separate from the insurance plan. This offers comprehensive coverage for a variety of expenses such as microchipping, behavioral training, nutritional supplements and much more
The wellness plan does not include the costs covered under the insurance policy. For complete coverage, pet owners will have to pair the insurance and the Wellness Rewards plans. This plan works as a budgeting tool and offers reimbursement for your expenses.
3. Pets Best – Wellness Plans
Pets Best offers pet insurance that covers wellness based on location, age of the pet and the annual deductible. The insurance covers medical costs for cats and dogs.
The basic insurance plan covers medical costs for accidents, illnesses and hereditary conditions such as glaucoma, epilepsy, and IVDD. As an add-on to the medical insurance plan, they also offer two tiers of wellness plans. Choose from the EssentialWellness and the BestWellness based on the requirements of your pet. Both plans offer coverage for a range of wellness costs such as vaccinations, microchip, deworming and more. However, the EssentialWellness offers lower reimbursement with lower monthly costs.
4. Nationwide – Pet Wellness
Nationwide offers pet insurance plans for dogs and cats as well as an insurance plan for birds. They offer up to 90% reimbursement on medical bills. The three levels of coverage offered are the complete coverage plan that offers both medical and wellness protection, the medical coverage plan that covers hospital bills for accidents, surgeries, medical conditions and more, and the wellness coverage plan that covers essentials such as vaccinations and wellness exams.
The pet wellness plan is available in two tiers, the wellness plus and the wellness basic plan. Both the wellness plans offer coverage for physical exams, vaccinations, deworming, flea control, health certification and more. The only difference is that the basic plan has a lower monthly premium with lower reimbursement rates. However, it is important to note that the individual wellness plan is not available in all states.
5 .GEICO – Wellness Rewards
GEICO offers one of the most comprehensive insurance plans for pets that covers a variety of services such as behavior therapy, mobility assistance and coverage for prosthetics. They offer customizable insurance plans that cover breed-specific conditions, medical treatment, prescription drug coverage and more.
The Wellness Rewards plan is an optional add-on that can be taken along with the pet insurance plan. This offers coverage for routine pet-care costs such as annual checkups, teeth cleaning, vaccines and more. It is not available as a stand-alone plan and needs to be taken in addition to the pet insurance plan.
6. 24PetWatch – Wellness Plan
24PetWatch offers pet insurance that covers wellness and provides highly customizable policy options. They offer Extra, Classic, Super and Champion insurance policies that offer coverage for medical costs and veterinarian fees for illnesses and accidents.
Along with the chosen insurance policy, you can opt for Wellness Coverage as an add-on at a low additional cost. The wellness coverage is available in two tiers, namely Routine Wellness and Advanced Wellness. The Routine Wellness plan covers routine services such as wellness exams and treatments, whereas the Advanced Wellness includes services such as dental cleanings and flea medication. 24PetWatch offers up to 80% reimbursement for medical and wellness expenses.
7. Banfield Pet Hospital – Optimum Wellness Plan
The Banfield Pet Hospital offers wellness plans that exclusive deal with the routine medical and maintenance costs. Banfield Pet Hospital is a nationwide chain of over 900 pet hospitals and clinics. The wellness plan covers all expenses for treatments and services availed at the Banfield Pet Hospital. It offers coverage for unlimited office visits and preventive care. However, it does not provide accident coverage.
The wellness plans are available in three tiers, Essential Wellness, Active Prevention, and Special Care. The Essential Wellness plan offers basic coverage that includes services such as deworming and vaccinations and offers a 10% discount on most other services. The Active Prevention plan includes additional services such as dental and urine testing and provides a 15% discount. The Special Care plan is a comprehensive plan that includes additional services such as eye-tests and electrocardiograms and provides 20% on other services.
8. PetFirst – Routine Care Coverage
PetFirst offers customizable insurance plans that offer 80% reimbursement on medical costs. It offers coverage for pets of all ages and includes chronic care coverage and does not set per-incident limits. The insurance plans offer coverage for accidents, illnesses, alternative treatments, medications and much more. As an add-on, they also provide Routine Care Coverage.
The Routine Care Coverage is available for policyholders who want to include coverage for everyday costs. They offer three optional packages for routine wellness that include vaccines, teeth polishing, microchipping, preventive treatments and more. PetFirst presents the option to customize the wellness plan as per the budget and requirements of the pet and this can be added to the insurance coverage.
9. Allstate – Wellness Rewards Plan
Allstate offers comprehensive insurance coverage that varies in cost based on the age of pet, breed, and type of policy. A third party, the American Modern Insurance Group, offers the pet insurance. They offer ‘nose-to-tail’ coverage for your pets. This includes cancer treatment, accidents, illnesses, medications, breed-specific conditions and more. It also offers coverage for chronic conditions and services such as lab work and diagnostic tests.
As an add-on to the insurance policy, you can also request the Wellness Rewards Plan that offers coverage for routine care such as annual check-ups, vaccinations, dental cleanings and more. This plan is available in addition to the insurance policy and can be customized as per your requirements.
10. ASPCA – Preventive Care Coverage
ASPCA offers pet insurance policies in three tiers that offer 70%, 80% and 90% coverage for vet expenses. The insurance policy offers three types of plans, the accident-only plan, accident and illness plan, and complete coverage. The complete coverage plan includes coverage for preventive and routine care services.
ASPCA’s advanced wellness plan is relatively more affordable and offers coverage for vaccines, neutering, basic tests and more. The insurance policies are managed by a third party, Huntsville Pet Insurance. It covers all the routine wellness services and is the ideal add-on for those looking to include coverage for basic care services in their insurance plan.
Choosing The Right Pet Insurance That Covers Wellness
Investing in the right insurance plan early on can help you provide your pets with the right care and treatment in their old age. Take into consideration factors such as location, breed of the pet and present health conditions while choosing the policy, as these are factors that can affect the overall cost.
A report published by the American Pet Products Association shows that on average, dog owners spend USD 235 for routine wellness care services whereas cat owners spend USD 196. Taking up pet insurance that covers wellness can reduce these costs significantly. Not only does it assure the safety and wellness of your beloved pet, but it also eases the financial burden of caring for your pets.