After selling the first pet insurance, the pet health industry made its first steps towards the pet insurance market back in 1982. Since then, it has spread quickly, and today pet parents can’t imagine having a pet without buying pet wellness coverage.
Owning and taking care of a pet is a monumental challenge! Just like people, cats and dogs can benefit from regular checkups, as routine vet checkups can prevent pet diseases and ensure a better, longer, and happier life. Several pet insurance companies provide great policies and pet wellness plans to help pet owners easily manage their pet’s vet bills.
Although pet wellness coverage popularity is increasing, there is significant vagueness about what’s actually being covered. So what exactly is a pet wellness plan, and how can it help with your pet expenses? Keep reading to find out!
What is Pet Wellness Coverage Pet Insurance?
A pet wellness plan covers routine checkups as well as preventative health care. Typical pet wellness plans include annual checkups, vaccinations, parasite prevention, and teeth cleaning. Some extended pet wellness plans also cover nail trimming, grooming, and discounts for other vet services such as medications.
Pet wellness coverage is beneficial as it allows pet owners to take their pets to regular annual checkups, which promote good health. It also detects early symptoms of diseases or illnesses before these issues turn into serious health problems. However, it’s important to note that pet wellness coverage doesn’t cover treatments for emergencies and illnesses.
That’s why pet parents opt to buy both pet wellness plans and pet insurance for their pooches and kittens. Splitting vet costs into previously planned monthly payments can be useful rather than paying huge expensive veterinary bills unexpectedly.
How Does a Pet Wellness Plan Work?
The right pet wellness plan will buy pet owners precious peace of mind and allow them to do the right thing for their cats and dogs.
On a typical month-to-month basis, a pet wellness plan works such as renter’s insurance. The policyholders pay a monthly premium as an addition to their pet insurance to their insurer for coverage. Their policy outlines which expenses are covered with the pet wellness plan, the reimbursement rate, and the maximum annual payout.
For instance, the insurance company offers $45 for a physical exam, $30 for a behavioral exam, $50 for vaccination, $30 for a heartworm test, $15 facial test, or $400 maximum payout for reimbursement per year.
Most pet wellness plans reimburse the policy buyer, rather than recompense the veterinarian directly. That means the policyholders don’t need to look for an “in-network” vet as they can benefit from their pet wellness plan at any licensed veterinarian health center or animal hospital of their choice.
Pet insurance companies may need a medical history review or paperwork from the vet to process the policyholder’s claim. So, pet parents need to save the documentation and each of the receipts they get from their vet appointment.
Usually, policyholders receive reimbursement within 5 to 9 days once they submit a claim.
Typically, pet wellness plans are quite beneficial, as pet owners could get their money back every time they take their pet to a vet. In general, a pet wellness plan offered by a pet insurance company might be most valuable in case:
- The pet goes through all the covered procedures
- Vets charge the same sum a pet wellness plan reimburses
However, some pet parents might find it hard to get value out of a pet wellness plan provided by pet insurance companies. The reason is that their pets can’t use all covered procedures in their pet wellness plan each year.
Another key point pet owners need to pay attention to is that some vets may charge more than what a pet wellness coverage will reimburse, and they can hit the pet wellness plan maximum payout limit soon.
Benefits of Wellness Coverage
Pet wellness plan has enjoyed its fame in recent years, and here are a few reasons why:
Budgeting
Among the benefits of buying a pet wellness plan is that placeholders can budget for these plans. It is much simpler to stick to their financial plan, as they’ll be paying a previously set portion of money every month, instead of paying a large sum at each appointment.
Prepare for Emergencies
Although no one wants to think about their pets getting hurt, animals do get injured and ill sometimes. Many wellness plans include a defined number of examinations, which is pretty helpful in an emergency!
Discounts
Pet wellness plans may help policyholders save money as they can receive discounts on some vet services sometimes!
Preventative Care
Prevention of diseases and illnesses is better than treating these conditions, and it is also much cheaper. People who have bought pet wellness plans take their furry friends for regular checkups. This routine increases the chances of any problems being caught early on, which is very beneficial.
