15 Best Pet Insurance that Covers Routine Care | 2023

If you’ve looked into pet insurance, you’ve probably discovered numerous options to cover severe accidents and illnesses.

However, you may wonder if you can do anything to offset the cost of basic routine care, such as standard vet checkups and treatment.

The good news is that some pet insurance companies offer wellness rewards (reimbursement) as an add-on to cover routine visits and procedures, which benefits all pet parents, including those with older pets or inherited illnesses.

Is the extra cost, however, justified?

Pet wellness plans differ from regular pet insurance in that they cover different types of care, but they both serve the same purpose.

A wellness plan will cover some of the costs of routine veterinary care and give you peace of mind when you bring your pet to the veterinarian.

Above all, your pet will always have access to the routine veterinary care they require to remain happy and healthy.

We’ll look at how pet wellness plans work why they’re so important to have as part of your pet insurance policy and the best Pet Insurance that covers routine care in 2023.

What Routine Care Cover?

Routine Care Cover is included in Major Medical Cover and will help with routine care items that are necessary for your pet’s health, such as vaccinations and deworming.

What is a Pet Wellness Plan, and How Does it Work?

A wellness plan reimburses you for routine veterinary costs, such as those incurred during a routine checkup at the veterinarian.

Wellness plans are also known as “preventive plans” because they assist you in paying for preventative services such as teeth cleaning, vaccinations, heartworm testing, and more.

Some veterinary practices specialize in puppy wellness and preventative care plans, while most pet insurance firms offer both health insurance and supplemental wellness plans for dogs and cats.

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What’s the Difference Between Pet Wellness Plans and Pet Insurance?

A pet wellness plan is similar to regular pet insurance in covering expenditures associated with normal treatment.

After you pay your veterinarian for services, standard pet insurance reimburses you for covered charges. Most insurance programs are meant to assist you with unexpected veterinarian expenditures related to treating accidents and illnesses that have been diagnosed.

If your pet is lethargic and your veterinarian wants to do tests to determine what’s wrong, your pet insurance provider should reimburse you for those fees if they’re covered. Treatments connected with covered illnesses and injuries will also be reimbursed.

Accident/injury policies are what they’re called. The most prevalent sort of pet insurance is this. Depending on the plan, they may cover the cost of dog x-rays, CT scans, treatments, surgeries, emergency veterinarian care, and even medicines.

Also Read: 13 Best Pet Insurance That Covers PreExisting Conditions in 2023

What Do Pet Wellness Plans Cover?

Most pet health plans cover the price of routine vet visits, such as a physical examination. Your veterinarian will examine your pet during a wellness exam for anything unusual.

They may examine your pet’s heart and lungs, take their temperature and weigh them.

Wellness programs do not cover emergency medical treatment or the costs of treating illnesses and injuries; pet insurance does.

Furthermore, no pet insurance plan covers pre-existing conditions (though some policies do include alternatives for curable conditions), so enrolling in pet insurance and a wellness plan as soon as feasible is better.

Your wellness plan will cover routine care diagnostics and treatment, such as those listed below, depending on the type of wellness plan you choose and the insurance carrier you choose:

Tests on the Blood

The Complete Blood Count (CBC) test is the most common blood test performed on both humans and animals.

This test tells the veterinarian about the various cell types in the animal’s blood, such as the number of red blood cells in a sample.

If the animal’s blood count is abnormal, it could be a sign of an underlying disease.

Cleanings of the Teeth

A dental cleaning usually includes a dental exam as well as plaque and tartar removal from the animal’s teeth.

In order to detect any signs of dental disease, the veterinarian will examine the animal’s teeth and gums. Your pet may need to be put under general anesthesia for a dental cleaning.

Deworming

Your veterinarian will initially conduct testing to see if parasitic worms such as roundworm and tapeworm are present.

Then, to get rid of the parasites, they’ll give your pet oral drugs. This could necessitate repeated treatments.

Fecal Examinations

Your veterinarian will request a tiny sample of your pet’s stool, and most veterinarians agree that the exam should be done once a year.

They’ll use a specific solution to see if there are any gastrointestinal parasites in the sample. They may also use a microscope to examine your pet’s faeces.

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Preventing Fleas, Ticks, and Heartworms

Most pet owners treat their pets with flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives on a regular basis.

Some wellness programs will pay for some of these drugs.

Certificates of Good Health

A pet health certificate, often known as a certificate of veterinarian inspection, is sometimes covered by various wellness plans (CVI).

This is a government-issued certificate stating that your pet is disease-free. Your certificate may also indicate that your pet has received all of its immunizations.

You may require a pet health certificate to register your pet in some cities, municipalities, or counties. If you plan to travel internationally with your pet, you may also need a pet health certificate.

Tests for Heartworm

Heartworms are commonly detected with a blood test, frequently covered by pet insurance wellness policies.

If your veterinarian identifies heartworms in your pet, extra treatments may be required, which may be covered by your basic pet insurance plan.

Microchipping

A little microchip — about the size of a grain of rice — is implanted beneath your pet’s skin during this surgery.

The microchip serves as your pet’s identification. Rescuers can scan your pet’s microchip to obtain information about where you live and who you are if they go lost.

Neutering and Spaying

Some wellness programs cover the expense of spaying and neutering.

If you’ve recently adopted a pet that hasn’t yet been fixed, you should consider enrolling in a wellness plan as soon as possible to ensure that the surgery is covered.

Urinalysis

A urinalysis is a standard test that examines your pet’s urine’s chemical composition.

Although your veterinarian may require a urinalysis to discover other abnormalities, it’s mainly used to check the overall health of your pet’s kidneys and urinary system.

Vaccinations

Routine immunizations, such as DHLPP vaccines, titer vaccines, and rabies vaccines, are included by many pet wellness plans.

Younger animals usually require multiple vaccinations before being declared fully immunized.

If you’re adopting a puppy or kitten that hasn’t been vaccinated yet, a wellness plan may be able to pay you for the expense of vaccinations.

What Isn’t Covered By A Pet Wellness Plan?

Pet wellness policies frequently do not cover accidents, disease, and injury.

They are not pet insurance, thus you will be responsible for exorbitant vet fees if something goes wrong with your pet’s health unless you bundle them with a legitimate pet insurance plan.

We recommend that you get an accident and injury plan for your pet and a wellness plan.

Most of us make sure that wellness care is within our budget when we welcome a new pet into our home, but when something unexpected happens, we get into problems.

Best Pet Insurance that Covers Routine Care: The Best Wellness Plans

We compared the major pet insurance companies to see how they scored in terms of overall wellness coverage and how much each plan would cost you each month.

While most insurers offered some form of pet wellness plan, we discovered that some gave more comprehensive coverage than others.

Furthermore, most pet insurance companies provide different levels of coverage, allowing you to tailor your policy to your specific needs.

Depending on your pet, whatever existing policies you possess, and your budget, numerous pet wellness plans exist to consider. Here’s a rundown of the finest pet wellness plans we found and what they have to offer.

1. Spot

Spot pet insurance covers various difficulties, including inherited conditions, behavioural issues, alternative therapies, and chronic conditions, ensuring that your pet receives the best possible medical care.

Basically, Spot was created in 2019 and is insured by Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, a company that has been in business since 2006.

Pros:

• For individuals on a tight budget, it provides accident-only coverage.
• Allows for the purchase of an infinite number of annual benefits.

Cons:

• Monthly premiums are on the expensive side on average.
• Cosmetic procedures are not covered.

Read Also: Best Pet Insurance That Covers Spaying In 2023 | Full Review

How Does Spot Work?

A gold preventative care plan costs $9.95 monthly, while a platinum preventative plan costs $24.95. Each wellness benefit is reimbursed at a specified level under each plan.

The gold plan offers a total yearly reimbursement benefit of $250, while the platinum plan offers a total annual reimbursement benefit of $450.

Apart from the difference in reimbursement levels, the platinum plan provides benefits for spaying/neutering, blood testing, urinalysis, and deworming.

Its accident and illness coverage costs roughly $40 for dogs and $22 for cats every month. While Spot does not cover pre-existing conditions, it covers those treated and symptom-free for at least 180 days.

2. Lemonade

This New York City-based insurance company offers pet insurance as well as homeowners, renters, car, and life insurance.

It provides an easy-to-use app for submitting and checking claims and a $500 or less annual deductible.

With its comprehensive wellness coverage, Lemonade pet insurance separates out from the crowd. There are two levels of coverage available, as well as additional add-on choices.

The basic plan for cats is merely $10 per month, and the basic plan for dogs is $15 per month. One wellness exam, one fecal exam or parasite test, one heartworm test, one blood test, up to three immunizations, and medical guidance chat are all included in this package.

All of this, plus flea and tick medication, dental cleaning, microchipping, and spaying/neutering, are included in the next level of wellness coverage.

Individual add-ons such as vet visit fees related with accident and illness exams and benefits for physical therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic care can be purchased if you want even more coverage.

Meanwhile, the reimbursement rate varies between 70 and 90 percent.

Pros:

• You can save money when you bundle your pet insurance with one of its other insurance choices.
• At only two days, it has one of the smallest accident waiting periods.

Cons:

• Regular coverage does not include medical talk.
• Not available in all 50 states.

3. Embrace

Embrace pet insurance has been in business since 2003, so you can rest assured that it knows its stuff when it comes to insurance.

Basically, Embrace offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, as well as a 10% discount for numerous pets and a 5% discount for military personnel.

The wellness programs offered by Embrace differ from those offered by other pet insurers. It provides a variety of reimbursement levels, ranging from $250 to $650 per year.

Out-of-pocket expenses such as wellness checks, vaccinations, flea/tick prevention, spaying/neutering, microchipping, grooming, teeth cleaning, and prescription diet food, training, and more can be covered with this money.

The monthly fee will range from $18.75 to $52.09 per month. When your pet is a puppy or kitten, Embrace recommends starting with a higher level of wellness plan coverage and gradually decreasing it as needed, which makes sense because your young pet will require a lot of immunizations at that age.

For dogs, the average monthly fee for accident and illness coverage is $35, and for cats, it’s $18.

Pros:

• Provides coverage for treatable pre-existing conditions if your pet has been symptom-free for 12 months.
• Offers a Healthy Pet Deductible, which reduces your annual deductible by $50 if no insurance claims are filed.

Cons:

• The amount of money you can get reimbursed yearly is capped at $30,000 annually.
• Knee ligament problems have a six-month waiting period.

4. Healthy Paws

According to its website, Healthy Paws pet insurance was one of the top-rated pet insurance companies from 2010 to 2021. It distinguishes itself with its charity contributions and quick claim processing.

In fact, the majority of claims are processed within two days. Healthy Paws not only offers limitless annual payouts, but also unlimited lifetime payouts, which we think is really outstanding.

Healthy Paws is the only company on our list that does not give any wellness coverage. In reality, there is only one accident and illness insurance plan available for purchasing, keeping things simple despite the fact that pricing and features vary depending on your pet’s age.

Deductibles for dogs and cats under the age of five years range from $100 to $500, with reimbursement rates ranging from 70 to 90%.

Deductibles for dogs and cats aged six to seven years range from $250 to 750 dollars, with reimbursement rates ranging from 60 to 80 percent.

As you can see, as your pet gets older, the deductible increases and your reimbursement rate decreases.

This coverage trend continues as your pet gets older, albeit pets can only be covered up to the age of 14. Cats’ insurance costs average $12 per month, whereas dogs’ insurance costs average $39 per month.

Pros:

• Money-back guarantee for 30 days
• Coverage can be tailored to your pet’s age and breed.

Cons:

• There are no wellness plans available.
• There are no discounts for several pets.

5. ASPCA

The ASPCA, which was formed in 2017, is underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

Basically, the ASPCA does not require your pet to be examined before to registration, and coverage begins only 15 days after your policy begins.

For knee ligament injuries and hip dysplasia, most other pet insurance companies demand at least a six-month waiting period, so if your pet’s breed is prone to these conditions, ASPCA may be the way to go for quick coverage.

The ASPCA offers two types of wellness insurance: basic and prime. The most basic plan costs roughly $10 per month and contains predetermined fees for dental cleanings, wellness examinations, immunizations, deworming, and fecal tests.

The prime plan, which costs roughly $25 per month, is the next step up. Flea and heartworm treatment, a health certificate, blood tests, and urinalysis are all included in the premium plan.

Finally, the ASPCA charges $49 for dogs and $29 for cats for accident and illness coverage. You can adjust your deductible, reimbursement rate, and annual limit to fit your needs.

Pros:

• A 30-day money-back guarantee is available.
• When you insure many pets, you get a 10% discount.

Cons:

• Cosmetic operations or breeding fees are not covered.
• Low annual limit, which maxes out at $10,000

6. Prudent Pet

Prudent Pet, founded in 2018, provides some fairly fantastic extras for your pet, such as 24/7 vet chat and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Not only can you tailor your deductible and reimbursement percentage to fit your budget, but pet owners can also pick an accident-only plan to save even more money.

While dog accident and illness coverage is roughly $39 per month and $23 per month for cats, wellness coverage is an additional cost. Prudent Pet offers three levels of wellness coverage, each of which is named after the cost of the plan.

The basic plan costs roughly $7.95 per month for cats and $11.95 per month for dogs and provides a fixed payment for each wellness benefit.

The medium plan, which costs $13.95 per month for cats and $19.95 per month for dogs, will provide a higher level of compensation for each wellness benefit.

The premium plan, which costs roughly $19.95 per month for cats and $29.95 per month for dogs, provides the most comprehensive coverage. It includes extras like Lyme disease immunization coverage and a wellness blood test.

Pros:

• Discounts are available for multiple pet insurance.
• Behavioral issues are taken into account.

Cons:

• For cruciate ligament injuries, there is a six-month waiting period.
• Only dogs and cats are covered.

7. Banfield Wellness Plans

Banfield specializes in pet wellness plans rather than pet insurance. Its strategies are created to assist you with achieving and maintaining optimal pet health through preventive pet health care.

We calculated the cost of enrolling our Newfoundland in a basic pet wellness plan (the Special Care plan), which includes dental cleanings and other services such as flea and tick control, at $48.95 per month.

You must use all of Banfield’s services in order for the monthly fee to make sense. Essential Wellness, Active Prevention, and Special Care are the three wellness plans available for dogs.

Vaccinations, diagnostic tests, a full physical exam (two per year), fecal exams, and deworming are all included in the Essential Wellness package.

The same is covered by Active Prevention, as well as dental cleaning and urine tests. The Special Care plan includes everything in the other plans, plus preventive X-rays, ocular pressure exams, and ECGs, as well as a bigger discount on additional Banfield products.

8. PetAssure Wellness

PetAssure is a veterinary insurance discount program that offers an alternative to traditional pet insurance.

If you have a pet with pre-existing conditions, need wellness care and your plan doesn’t cover it, or want to use a discount plan for your pet care needs, this is a good option.

While pet insurance may cover 75-90 percent of veterinary appointments, you must first meet a deductible and ensure your visit is a “covered instance.”

As a result, the PetAssure option is a good add-on, alternative, or standalone coverage to ensure that your pets receive the treatment they require.

9. VCA Care Club

VCA Care Club is a plan that offers wellness care on a Schedule of Benefits that you can purchase directly from VCA.

With VCA Care Club, you can get several levels of care, depending on if you have a puppy, an adult dog, a senior dog, a kitten, an adult cat, or a senior cat. Vaccinations, wellness checkups, fecal exams, and other services are usually covered, depending on the age of the animal.

VCA does not offer pet insurance, thus its coverage is limited to preventative and diagnostic services. Problems must be paid for out of pocket if they are discovered.

10. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a pet insurance company that provides pet insurance and routine care. Customers have given the company a 4.6 out of 5-star rating on Trustpilot as of October 25th, 2021.

Its Preventative Essentials package assists you in assessing your pet’s present health, detecting infections early, and preventing illness with year-round immunizations.

Among the 17 firms we looked at, Pumpkin’s wellness plan received the highest grade. One of the reasons we gave it such a good rating is that it doesn’t have a cap on how much you can be paid for approved items, which is unusual for preventative care coverage.

But, what does a Pumpkin wellness plan cover?

Pumpkin collaborated with doctors to create a wellness plan that covers the most crucial aspects of preventative care for your pet.

While both dogs and cats get compensated for identical things, some distinctions are noted below.

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Pet Wellness Plans: Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

When it comes to insuring dogs, wellness coverage offers a lot of bang for the buck, especially for puppies and kittens who require a lot of immunizations and vaccinations.

Vet visits and vet expenditures will rise as adult dogs and cats age, necessitating additional coverage.

As you can see, each pet insurance company above has its own wellness care plan, so determining which advantages you require at a price you can afford is just a matter of deciding which advantages you require.

To optimize your reimbursements, look for extras that are covered, like as grooming charges, heartworm prevention, and dental treatment.

You can easily locate a health plan that works for your pet, even if you are on a low budget.

Knowing that your pet’s required vaccines and well-checkups are covered gives you piece of mind as a pet parent.

References

• 365petinsurance.com – Best Pet Wellness Plans for Routine Care (2023)
• pawlicy.com – Are Pet Wellness Plans worth It for Routine Care?
• petco.com –  Pet Insurance for Routine Care

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