Everyone has purchased insurance at some point, but very few people understand how it works. This is no surprise as it can be confusing, so when people hear of insurance for animals they wonder: “What is pet insurance and why would I ever need it?”

First, consider the things in your life you deem worthy of having insurance. You invest in car insurance because you want protection from negligent drivers. You have homeowners insurance to protect your precious, invaluable items from emergencies.

And of course, you have health insurance for yourself because after all, there’s only one you.

Pet parents feel the same way about their dogs and cats. Pets are not a burden, accessory, or nuisance to animal lovers — they’re part of the family. That’s why Pet Insurance by Care.com has customizable insurance plans that work for your pet and your budget.

Pet owners should be educated on all the nuances of insurance, as well as the cost and benefits of each plan. That’s why we broke down everything you need to know about pet insurance.

About Pet Insurance

The most significant incentive for pet owners to insure their animals is the peace of mind and knowing they can receive financial recompenses if their pet becomes sick or has an accident. In this way, pet insurance is not unlike other forms of insurance.

Pet insurance coverage reimburses you for certain medical and surgical expenses if your pet gets into an accident or becomes ill. The concept is simple and luckily, so is the process.

How Does Pet Insurance Work?

Having coverage for your pet is not as complex as healthcare for people can often seem. When you buy insurance for your pup, you don’t need to worry about visiting vets that are in-network or accept certain kinds of insurance.

You can visit any licensed veterinarian nationwide with your cat insurance. All you have to do is visit your vet and pay the bill like you usually would. Then, you submit a claims form with your vet receipts through email, mail, fax, or our online pet portal.

Once your claim is submitted, you will get reimbursed for your costs via check or direct deposit.

Pet parents often worry their vets will reject coverage or need to deal with the insurance provider directly. However, all you have to do is pay the bill and file your claim so we can refund you for the costs, which means less worry and stress on your part.

How Plans Are Built

Pet Insurance by Care.com has Accident-Only and Accident & Illness plans, each with the option for Preventive Care add-ons for a little more cost.

Our policies are built and tailored for the individual needs of your pet. Throughout the quoting process, you’ll find we request specific questions about your animal to determine which plan will work for them.

These are three critical pieces of information taken into consideration when building a pet insurance policy:

  • Age: Older animals are at a higher risk of getting sick or injured.
  • Breed: Some breeds are more prone to certain ailments. This is especially true for purebred dogs.
  • Location: Your zip code lets us know if you live in a rural or urban area. Veterinarian bills are much higher in urban areas than they are in rural ones.

We request your animal’s age and breed so we can understand your needs and help create a plan that will work for you and your furry friend. This does not mean we deny pets of a certain age or specific breed.

Although your pet must be at least 8 weeks old to enroll, Pet Insurance by Care.com  never denies coverage to a dog or cat based on age or breed.

How Long It Takes To Get Reimbursed?

Currently, all companies in the pet insurance space require you to submit a claim to be reimbursed for your pet’s medical expenses. This means you will not find a pet insurance plan that reimburses you immediately.

Reimbursement is a relatively quick process. On average, Pet Insurance by Care.com policy holders receive their reimbursement within ten business days.

The time period can fluctuate based on these factors:

  • How the reimbursement is sent (check or direct deposit)
  • If medical records were requested to complete the claim (this can lengthen processing time)
  • How the claim was submitted (online, email, fax, or postal mail)

View Pet Insurance by Care.com’s frequently asked questions.

What Does Pet Insurance Cover?

Your coverage depends on the pet insurance policy you purchased for your animal. This means that coverage is different between Accident-Only and Accident & Illness plans and varies based on whether or not you included a Preventive Add-On.

No pet insurance company currently covers pre-existing conditions. It’s also important to note the difference between pre-existing conditions and hereditary conditions.

Pre-existing conditions are defined as ailments and issues noted by you or your veterinarian before your policy becomes active or during a waiting period. Hereditary conditions are genetic disorders inherited by your pet, often because of their breed.

Hereditary conditions are covered, so long as they are not pre-existing.

However, with Pet Insurance by Care.com, pre-existing conditions can still be covered in the future. Any injury or illness that is cured and doesn’t show symptoms or need treatment for 180 days is no longer regarded as pre-existing (knee and ligament conditions excluded). If knee or ligament conditions occur before the coverage effective date or during waiting periods, then future ones will not be covered.

Common Concerns

Below are some of the most common concerns regarding what is covered by pet insurance, and which plan is the best option for each situation.

  • Surgeries: Pet parents often ask, “Does pet insurance cover surgery? And which plan is best for this?”

An Accident-Only plan will cover necessary surgeries that are a result of an accident (if your pet eats a toy and needs it removed, for instance).

An Accident & Illness plan will cover surgeries needed from accidents and surgeries that are the result of an illness (if your pet needs a fatty lump or tumor removed, for example).

In short, surgeries are always covered by Pet Insurance by Care.com  under their appropriate plans unless they are the result of a pre-existing condition or otherwise not eligible for coverage.

  • Dental disease: With an Accident & Illness plan, oral surgery is covered if it is related to an accident or illness.
  • Behavior issues: Treatment for behavioral issues are covered with our Accident & Illness plan.
  • Routine check-ups: Reimbursement for certain scheduled exams offered with Basic & Prime Preventive Care add-ons.
  • Hip dysplasia: Our Accident & Illness pet insurance policy covers hip dysplasia
  • Microchip Implantation: Covered under both Accident-Only and Accident & Illness Both policies cover microchip implantation by a veterinarian but do not cover associated fees for registration, monitoring, or renewal.

 

As stated, the amount of coverage depends on if you choose an Accident-Only or Accident & Illness plan, and whether you include a Preventive Care add-on for a little more cost.

If you purchase Accident-Only pet insurance, you will be reimbursed actual costs for covered expenses related to the diagnosis and treatment of injuries resulting from an accident subject to your reimbursement percentage after your deductible is met, up to the annual limit noted on your policy.

Below is a list of eligible illness expenses included with an Accident & Illness policy:

Illness Benefits

  • Expenses listed under Accident Benefits, when applicable to an illness
  • Cancer treatment (including, but not limited to, chemotherapy and radiation treatment)
  • Behavioral problems treatment (if performed by a veterinarian or through written referral by a vet to a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist)

If you are looking for pet insurance that does cover preventive treatments like shots, consider adding optional coverage to your policy.

Optional Coverage: Preventive

Pet Insurance by Care.com currently has two preventive coverage options for a little more cost: Basic Preventive Care and Prime Preventive Care.

These are optional add-ons that can be included for extra preventive coverage not included on your policy; for example, if you need pet insurance that covers vaccinations.

Preventive coverage must be added on with an Accident-Only or Accident & Illness plan. Preventive care cannot be purchased individually as a stand-alone plan.

You will be reimbursed up to a specific dollar amount, not percentage, for Preventive Care. Note that prices of preventive care from your veterinarian vary based on location.

Basic Preventive:

  • Dental cleaning
  • Annual exam
  • Deworming
  • Canine heartworm or Feline FELV
  • Fecal test
  • Canine DHLPP or Feline FVRCP

Prime Preventive:

  • Dental cleaning or Spay/Neuter
  • Annual exam
  • Heartworm/flea prevention
  • Deworming
  • Health certificate
  • Canine heartworm or Feline FELV
  • Urinalysis
  • Blood test
  • Fecal test
  • Canine Bordetella or Feline FELV
  • Canine DHLPP or Feline FVRCP
  • Canine Rabies and/or Canine Lyme, or Feline FIP

Note: There is no waiting period for Preventive Care, and you do not need to meet your deductible to be reimbursed for preventive treatment. Preventive care payments are based on a scheduled amount.

 

What Pet Insurance Does Not Cover

Like other types of insurance, certain conditions and situations are excluded and therefore will not be covered by your pet insurance policy.

Pet Insurance by Care.com does not currently pay for costs associated with, or resulting from, the following:

  • Anal sac (gland) expression when no infection or disease is present.
  • Boarding
  • Breeding, pregnancy, whelping, or nursing.
  • Conditions that occur during a waiting period.
  • Cosmetic and elective prostheses or procedures (e.g., claw removal, ear cropping, tail docking)
  • Funeral services, urns, or burial plots/fees.
  • Grooming or grooming supplies.
  • Herbs.
  • House call fees or time and travel expenses to and from the veterinarian or hospital.
  • Non-medical supplies intended to prevent injury or illness (e.g., toys, leashes, ramps, bedding).
  • Non-veterinary services such as administrative fees, membership fees, and tax.
  • Training or training devices.

View the full list of policy exclusions.

Why Get Pet Insurance

Many of us will do anything for our furry friend, but how far will we go to protect them? Over 1 million dogs alone are hit by cars on U.S. roads annually. The healthcare costs associated with those accidents could be thousands of dollars if you don’t have pet insurance. This is where Pet Insurance by Care.com comes in. By choosing our Accident-only plan, you would be covered for your animal’s medical costs associated with the accident and reimbursed up to 90%.

Pet Insurance by Care.com also covers illnesses and hereditary conditions with an All-Inclusive plan. Our pets get sick just like us; dogs visit the veterinarian more than 2.5 times per year and cats more than 1.5 times per year. With pet insurance from Pet Insurance by Care.com, those multiple trips to the vet can be covered if anything happens to your precious family member.

You never know when your furry friend is going to get in an accident or come down with an illness. For less than a $30 per month pet insurance policy, you could end up saving your pet’s life.