13+ years writing insurance and personal finance content
Insurance, lending, and retirement expert
Jacqueline has contributed content, and her personal finance passion, to dozens of noteworthy financial brands, including Credit Karma, Bankrate, and MagnifyMoney.
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15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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Updated February 8, 2024
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Table of contents
A pet wellness plan, also sometimes referred to as a preventative care plan, covers preventative care for your beloved pets to help them live healthy and happy lives. Unlike a standard pet insurance plan, wellness plans don’t deal with accidents and injuries. Instead, these plans are usually something you add to a pet insurance policy to assist with preventative care costs, like vaccinations and annual exams.
Here’s a closer look at how pet wellness insurance works, as well as some of the best pet wellness plans on the market.
Most pet wellness plans include dental cleanings.
Some pet wellness plans can only be purchased as add-ons to base pet insurance policies.
Some plans offer 24/7 telehealth services, which can expand their utility.
Best pet wellness plans
The following table highlights the top pet wellness insurance plans on the market. In the sections that follow, you’ll learn more about the strengths of each of these plans.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Wellness Plan ▲▼ | Monthly Cost ▲▼ | Annual Limit ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|
Spot | Platinum Preventive Care | $24.95 | $450 |
Embrace | Wellness Rewards Plan | $25 | $250, $450, or $650 |
CarePlus by Chewy | Wellness Coverage | $20+ | None |
MetLife | Preventative Care | Varies | Flexible |
Pets Best | EssentialWellness or BestWellness | $14–$32.58 | Up to $535 |
Figo | Wellness Powerup | N/A | N/A |
Lemonade | Preventative Care, Preventative+ Care, Puppy/Kitten Preventative Care | N/A | N/A |
Spot: Best for no waiting period
Annual cost for dogs and cats: $299.40
Annual limit: $450
Spot’s Platinum Preventive Care is a good fit for pet owners who want to avoid future health issues. Not only are annual wellness exams included in coverage, but your pet can also get the regular dental care it needs to keep its teeth healthy and strong. The wellness plan has no waiting period, so you can get your furry friend on a path to wellness right away.
No waiting period for wellness plan
Teeth cleanings included
Multi-pet discount
Pet must be at least 8 weeks old to enroll
Spaying and neutering reimbursement limited to $150
Only available for dogs and cats
Embrace: Best for personalized plans
Annual cost for dogs and cats: $300
Annual limit: $250, $450, or $650
Embrace offers a flexible pet wellness plan called the Wellness Rewards Plan, which can provide 100% reimbursement for eligible routine care expenses, up to the annual limit you choose. This limit can be $250, $450, or $650. Your chosen annual limit affects how much you spend on the plan. This comprehensive preventive care plan doesn’t come with any deductibles, so you won’t pay anything past the plan price as long as you stay within that annual limit.
No deductibles
Training is covered
Personalized policies
Only available for cats and dogs
Wellness spending past limit doesn’t count toward deductible
No early cancellations
CarePlus by Chewy: Best for stand-alone coverage
Annual cost for dogs and cats: $240+
Annual limit: None
If you want to avoid running into an annual limit, then CarePlus by Chewy may suit your pet wellness care needs. While many pet insurance companies require you to purchase their wellness plans as an add-on to a base policy, CarePlus Wellness Coverage is available as a stand-alone policy. With this plan, you’ll also gain access to Chewy’s Connect with a Vet telehealth service, available for free and without limitations. Another convenient feature is not having to wait for reimbursement; this insurer will pay your vet directly within minutes if you don’t want to submit a claim.
Direct vet payments
Live vet access
Can buy stand-alone wellness policy
Not available in all states
Only available for cats and dogs
Additional payment may apply after cancellation
MetLife: Best for no breed or age restrictions
Annual cost for dogs and cats: Varies
Annual limit: Flexible
When you purchase the Preventative Care add-on from MetLife, you can gain access to some valuable treatments and services, like genetic testing (when purchased through a vet) and radiograph screenings. Because MetLife doesn’t have any upper age limits or breed restrictions, you can get your pet the care it needs.
Genetic testing included
Gastropexy is covered
No breed restrictions or upper age limits
No unlimited annual coverage
Only available for cats and dogs
Must have vet referral for behavioral training
Pets Best: Best for availability
Annual cost for dogs and cats: $168 to $390.96
Annual limit: Up to $535
The Pets Best BestWellness plan is available in all 50 states, so you can find coverage for your cat or dog no matter where you live. Enrolling your pet in this plan will give you access to a range of benefits, including wellness exams, spaying/neutering, teeth cleaning, microchipping, diagnostic panels, preventative medications, and vaccinations.
Microchipping included
Available in every state
Covers a wide range of treatments
$2 transaction fee when you make semi-annual, quarterly, or monthly payments
Pet must be 7 weeks old to qualify
Only available for cats and dogs
Figo: Best for virtual vet access
Annual cost for dogs and cats: N/A
Annual limit: N/A
You can enroll your pet in Figo’s Wellness Powerup only if you purchase a base pet insurance plan; however, this means you’ll have very comprehensive coverage for your pet. All customers also gain access to a live vet at any time of day. Being able to have veterinary care 24/7 can help worried pet owners gain some peace of mind or determine if their pet needs medical care immediately.
24/7 access to Live Vet service
Multiple discounts available
No age minimum for puppies and kittens to enroll
Wellness plan only available as an add-on
Limited plan information on website
Only covers four types of preventative care
Lemonade: Best for plan options
Annual cost for dogs and cats: N/A
Annual limit: N/A
By adding the Preventative Care package to your pet’s base policy with Lemonade, you can receive coverage for up to 90% of vet bills — excluding the annual deductible. This includes vital vaccinations, an annual blood test for health issues, screening tests for parasites and heartworm, and an annual physical for your pet. The Preventative+ Care plan also extends coverage to heartworm or flea/tick medication and routine dental cleaning.
Variety of discounts available
Three wellness plans to choose from
Coverage for three vital vaccinations and an annual blood exam
Not available in all states
Individual price limits for each type of covered preventative care
No behavioral training
What is pet wellness insurance?
Pet wellness insurance is a type of coverage that focuses on preventative care for pets and is usually something you add to a standard pet insurance plan.[1] Wellness plans typically cover routine veterinary expenses, such as vaccinations, annual checkups, dental cleanings, and other preventive measures.
Unlike accident-only or accident and illness pet insurance, which mainly addresses unexpected medical expenses resulting from accidents or illnesses, pet wellness insurance is designed to proactively support the overall health and well-being of your pet by covering routine and preventive healthcare costs.
What does a pet insurance wellness plan cover?
The point of a pet insurance wellness plan is to help your pet stay healthy so it can avoid future illnesses. While all pet wellness plans vary when it comes to what services and treatments they cover, you can generally expect these plans to include reimbursements for things like:
Physical exams
Vaccinations
Flea and heartworm prevention
What does a pet insurance wellness plan not cover?
A pet insurance wellness plan typically doesn’t cover:
Pre-existing conditions: These are health issues that existed before the policy’s effective date.
Emergency or illness-related expenses: These are usually covered by accident and illness insurance.
Non-preventive treatments: Wellness plans won’t cover procedures or medications that aren’t considered preventive, such as surgeries for existing conditions.
Cosmetic procedures: These include services like grooming or elective surgeries for cosmetic reasons.
Breeding-related costs: These are expenses related to breeding, pregnancy, or birth.
Non-essential services: Wellness plans won’t cover treatments or services deemed unnecessary for the pet’s overall well-being.
Pet wellness insurance FAQs
The additional information below can help make shopping for pet wellness plans easier.
Does pet insurance cover neutering?
A pet wellness plan can cover a variety of preventative care treatments, and this often includes neutering.[2] Basic policies don’t cover neutering procedures, so you’ll need a wellness add-on for this type of coverage.
Does a wellness plan cover vet office visits for accidents?
Wellness plans cover preventative care, not accidents, but your basic pet insurance plan should cover accidents. You can typically choose between an accident-only and an accident and illness plan.
Do pet insurance wellness plans have waiting periods?
Pet insurance companies have different rules for whether their plans have waiting periods. You should confirm before buying a wellness plan if it has a waiting period and how long it is.
Do all pet insurance companies offer wellness plans?
No, not all pet insurance companies offer wellness plans. However, wellness plans are a pretty popular add-on to standard pet insurance policies and aren’t too hard to find.
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Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts about Pet Insurance."
- Bowman Animal Hospital. "Benefits of Pet Wellness Plans for Pet Owners."
During college, Jacqueline DeMarco interned at a retirement plan advisory firm and was tasked with creating a presentation on the importance of financial wellness. During her research into how money can affect our health, relationships and career, Jacqueline realized just how important financial education is. Jacqueline is a contributor for Insurify and has worked with more than a dozen financial brands, including LendingTree, Capital One, Credit Karma, Fundera, Chime, Bankrate, Student Loan Hero, ValuePenguin, SoFi, and Northwestern Mutual, providing thoughtful content to give readers insight into complex topics that they likely didn’t learn in school.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
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