A typical pet insurance policy offers coverages for accidents, injuries, and illnesses with fees of a routine exam. There are four major types of Pet Insurance Coverages, including Accidently-Only, Accident & Illness, Wellness, and Comprehensive Coverages. These pet insurance types cover different types of pet illnesses as well as accidents.
1. Accident-Only Coverage
As the name implies, Accident-Only Coverage is a pet insurance coverage that reimburses treatment expenses of injuries and illnesses caused by unexpected physical accidents and mishaps. It doesn’t matter if the accident was your fault or your pet’s fault.
Accident-Only Coverage offers the most basic essentials of a pet insurance policy ➔; that’s why it is affordable with low monthly premiums. But the cost will also be determined by how likely is your pet to cause self-harm. Some pets have the tendencies to eat non-food stuff, which could cause serious health issues.
This Pet Coverage is the best option if your pet is young, healthy, and unlikely to develop a hereditary condition. However, Accident-Only Coverage offers the lowest reimbursement level of treatment procedures.
What does it cover?
- All sorts of Physical Accidents
- Poisoning (Depend on the Insurance Provider)
- Foreign body ingestion
- Surgery expenses
- Fractures
- Bloat
- Cuts and lacerations
- MRIs and X-Rays for Diagnostic
It is important to mention that not all policies provide Coverage for poisoning because it often results from the owner’s negligence. Additionally, suppose the injury or illness is caused by a pre-existing condition or an intentional accident by you. In that case, the insurance company won’t cover your pet.
2. Accident & Illness
Although some Pet insurance providers have designated “Illness” as a separate Pet Insurance, most insurance providers bundle it with accidents.
Accident & Illness pet insurance policies provide Coverage against a gamut of illnesses, from mild to severe and minor to serious. The Insurance Company can also reimburse you the expenses of veterinary examinations and consultation fees.
In unfortunate conditions like hospitalization and performing certain medical procedures like surgeries, the Accident & Illness Insurance Policy covers the cost of hospitalization and surgeries. The veterinary bills for prescription medication are also covered under this insurance policy.
What does it cover?
- All sorts of physical Accidents
- Minor and mild illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhea
- Severe and Serious conditions like Cancer
- A wide range of general illnesses (Hepatitis, Arthritis, Skin Allergies, Hip Dysplasia, Diabetes mellitus, and Hyperthyroidism)
Unfortunately, some insurance providers omit some specific types of prescriptions, especially for behavioral problems for which you have to pay out of your pocket.
A typical Accident & Illness policy also covers congenital and hereditary conditions that are breed-specific such as torn ligaments. Some insurance policies cover all these specific conditions but with a waiting period.
The Coverage automatically gets expires once the waiting period elapses. For example, an insurance provider might be paying the surgery expenses to treat hip dysplasia, but only if treatment happens at least one year after the policy takes effect.
3. Wellness Coverage
Wellness Coverage is also known as Preventive Care Coverage. It is available as an add-on with a broader pet insurance policy or in the form of a “Rider” (additional Coverage beyond the original scope of Coverage).
However, some insurance providers sell it as a separate stand-alone insurance policy. A wide range of routine veterinary care treatments and procedures are typically covered under Wellness Coverage. Some insurance providers also provide the services of training and grooming under this Coverage but in rare cases.
What does it cover?
- Vaccination
- Microchipping
- Heartworm and flea/tick preventatives
- Neutering surgery
- Exam fees
Wellness Coverage is specially designed to reimburse for routine preventive care. Usually, it is available with zero-deductible (A deductible is the portion of the veterinary bill you’re responsible for before the 90% coverage starts).
4. Comprehensive Coverage
Comprehensive Coverage is also called a “nose-to-tail” pet insurance policy because it covers almost all types of the conditions mentioned in the above coverage types.
Due to this reason, it is the most expensive pet insurance coverage. Suppose you want wellness coverage, accident coverage, and illness coverage in one insurance policy. In that case, a Comprehensive Coverage insurance policy is a perfect option for you.
What does it cover?
- Accidents and Injuries
- Common Illnesses
- Severe and Serious Illnesses
- Hereditary conditions
- Fees for testing and diagnostics
- Procedures and Treatments
- Prescription Medicines
- Wellness Exams
What is not covered by a Pet Insurance Policy?
Although Pet Insurance policies cover a lot illnesses, and accidents, there are conditions they don’t cover. These situations are;
- Pre-existing conditions, including any injury or illness that your pet had before the Coverage started.
- Experimental treatment, including diagnostics and investigational procedures.
- Grooming services such as baths, dips, and shampoos, etc.
- Any sort of behavioral training
- Nutritional supplements, including food and dietary supplements.
- All types of non-veterinary expenses.
However, the exclusions usually depend on the nature of the plan you have purchased. For example, some pet insurance policies provide Coverage for grooming services if you request it, while others do not.
Bottom-Line
If your pet is young, healthy, and strong, you should consider a Pet Wellness Coverage which can cover the fees of routine wellness exams. However, suppose you live in a busy town with your pet where the chances of accidents and illness are high, consider Accident-Only or Accident and Illness Coverage.
You should also consider Comprehensive Coverage if you can afford it because it reimburses you for all sorts of pet care-related expenses. These related expenses include accident, illness, mild to severe conditions, prescribed medications, routine wellness exams, and all kinds of treatment procedures.
In my opinion, the best way to get a good pet insurance policy is to make a list of coverages you want. Once the list is prepared, match it with pet insurance policies available and choose one that provides all the listed coverages.
