Would Spaying Be Covered Under Pet Insurance?

Pet insurance helps owners guard their furry family members against expensive medical bills, but deciphering what each policy covers can drive anyone nuts. Fortunately, many policies cover routine veterinary care, from vaccinations to spay surgery, and pet lovers looking for assistance with comprehensive medical care can find packages that fit their needs perfectly.

  1. Top-Tier Coverage

    • Most companies offering pet insurance have at least two general coverage tiers: wellness care and emergency care. If you̵7;re looking for a policy that will cover spaying or neutering your pet, look at wellness policies. Some wellness plans offer more coverage, including things like flea meds and teeth cleaning. Even more basic wellness care packages should cover spays and neuters, but be sure to verify with your provider before purchasing.

    How It Works

    • In most cases, you get reimbursed by the insurance provider after you pay the vet bills for treatments that fall under your plan̵7;s parameters. So if coming up with the cash at the time of a procedure is a problem, insurance may not be your answer. Check the reimbursement percentage as you consider a policy, and factor in the unpaid percentage for pricey procedures. In addition, policies carry a deductible, meaning you have to pay a predetermined amount each year before insurance coverage kicks in.

    Do the Math

    • When ̶0;Consumer Reports̶1; crunched numbers on the benefits of pet insurance in 2011, insurance premiums ended up costing more than pay-as-you-go vet bills for animals with no catastrophic health problems. For the average pet owner, insurance costs more in the long run. Yet when expensive treatments like emergency surgery and chronic disease management were thrown in, insurance saved owners anywhere from a few hundred bucks to about $2,000.

    Alternative Savings

    • If you̵7;re looking at purchasing a wellness plan, which costs more than an emergency coverage plan, consider other cost-saving alternatives to full-priced veterinary care. Reduced-cost spay/neuter clinics and vaccination clinics, available in many communities, offer routine procedures at drastically reduced prices. If a low-cost clinic is available in your town, you could end up with a happy pet and a lot more cash to spend on pet toys.