Pet insurance and wellness plans are two very different options available to pet owners to try and help make their companion's care more affordable. There are distinct benefits each offer, but it's important that you understand the differences between the two of them. Here, our Capitola vets explain some more about wellness plans and pet insurance.
Protecting Your Pet's Future
Pet insurance policies and pet wellness plans both offer benefits to you when planning your companion's health care payments, but each does so quite differently. It's important that you understand what kinds of services your pet is and isn't covered for when you opt for a wellness plan or pet insurance for your dog or cat. By understanding your options—and the differences between them—you won't be left unexpectedly out of pocket when it comes time to pay for your pet's care.
What is a wellness plan?
Wellness plans make it easier for you to cover the cost of routine veterinary care and, unlike pet insurance, you only pay for the treatments and services you use throughout the year.
Wellness plans allow you to adopt a proactive approach to paying for your pet's routine wellness care by bundling their preventive care into monthly payments rather than a lump sum each time you visit. These plans help you to keep your pet on a healthy schedule of wellness exams and preventive care, and can help your vet to spot early signs of any diseases or conditions your pet may be suffering from before they become more serious and more expensive to treat.
What does a wellness plan cover?
Generally, wellness plans cover routine vet care including wellness exams, parasite preventives, annual blood testing and vaccines. Improving and maintaining the standard of your pet’s overall health during their lifetime is easier because these plans spread out the cost of routine vet care.
What is pet insurance?
If your pet requires emergency veterinary care, pet insurance can help you to take care of the cost of treatment.
Fact is that, emergency treatment or treating an illness like cancer or diabetes can become very expensive. If you have pet insurance, it means you will have financial help to pay the bills for any conditions and accidents that are covered by your pet insurance policy.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies differ based on the provider and what plan to opt in to, but they generally cover treatments in emergencies and after accidents. Some policies may ever cover prescriptions medications, hereditary or congenital diseases and orthopedic conditions.
How do I choose which option to buy?
Making sure you know exactly how wellness plans and pet insurance can benefit you and your pet can help you decide which is right for you. Some pet owners choose either a wellness plan or pet insurance, while others subscribe to both to ensure their pet has complete coverage.
If you aren't sure which coverage is right for you, ask your vet. They can help you decide based on your pet's particular needs and concerns.