Pet Insurance Limits

There are two different types of pet insurances limits available: Per-Incident Limit and Annual Limit.

Per-Incident Limit

With a Per-Incident Limit, you will only receive reimbursement once for a single incident, whether it is illness or injury. For example, if your pet gets pneumonia multiple times, the provider will only cover the cost of the first incident. The limit is also determined beforehand, and you will be responsible for any amount that goes over. If your limit is $3,000.00 and the treatment costs $5,000.00, you are responsible for the remaining $2,000.00 out of pocket.

Annual Limit

An Annual Limit breaks down your coverage into twelve months. If you meet your limit within that time, you are responsible for covering the cost of any remaining vet bills.

As with all insurance policies, you will have a premium you must pay monthly to keep your coverage. If you don’t pay your premium, you are no longer eligible for reimbursement. It is critical to pay your premium every month to make sure your pet is protected. Some people choose to keep their premiums lower by limiting the amount of coverage they buy. You will have to determine which plan is right for you and what coverage level you want to obtain.

Most plans require you to pay out of pocket, and the provider will reimburse you directly, but you may find specific policies that pay the vet directly.

What Does Pet Insurance Cover? 

Every provider offers slightly different plans, but there are certain things they generally all cover. These include:

  ● Emergency vet visits

  ● Surgery - invasive and no-invasive

  ● Unexpected illnesses

  ● Unexpected accidents and injuries

  ● Testing Diagnostics - including MRI’s, x-rays, etc.

You can also choose add-ons which may include:

  ● Acupuncture

  ● Chiropractor

  ● Behavioural modification

  ● Hospital boarding

  ● Alternative therapies

  ● Hydrotherapy

  ● Lost pet advertising and reward coverage

  ● Nursing

What Does Pet Insurance Not Cover?

As with the items covered, not all providers are the same; however, the things they generally don’t cover include:

Pre-existing conditions - There are no policies that will include a pet’s pre-existing conditions. However, if your pet does have them, they are not necessarily unable to obtain coverage. Some plans will still cover your pet but will exclude any treatment for their pre-existing condition. 

Wellness exams - Wellness exams are not typically covered under pet insurance, but some providers will give you the option to choose a wellness plan as an add-on. This plan would cover annual checkups, routine and preventative care, and vaccinations.

Spaying/ neutering 

Vaccinations - Again, you may have the option to cover vaccines as an add-on.

If your pet has a curable illness that could technically fall under a pre-existing condition, they may still receive coverage for it after a waiting period with no recurrences.

Types Of Pet Insurance

There are three types of pet insurance:

Accident only - Only covers emergency visits.

Accident/ Illness - The most popular and covers emergencies as well unexpected illnesses

Accident/ Illness + Wellness - The most expensive coverage includes emergencies, unexpected illnesses, and the wellness plan add-on.

Who Needs Pet Insurance?

Anyone who has a pet should have pet insurance. Most people buy pet insurance within six months of adopting their new pet. Having thousands of dollars set aside to cover unexpected vet bills can be impractical, so having insurance gives you peace of mind that you can give them the best care without the financial strain it can entail.