Wellness plans and pet insurance are two options to help make your pet's healthcare more affordable. It's important to understand the differences between them. Here, our Hermitage vets explain more about pet insurance and wellness plans.
Protecting Your Pet's Future
Wellness plans and pet insurance policies both offer benefits, but do so differently. It's important that you understand what kinds of services your pet is and isn't covered for when considering whether to opt for a wellness plan or pet insurance. By understanding these options, you won't be left out-of-pocket when visiting a vet or planning the payment 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 more proactive approach to veterinary are by paying a small monthly amount rather than a lump sun with each visit. These plans may help your vet to spot the earliest signs of illness or disorders your pet has 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?
Should your pet require emergency veterinary care, pet insurance helps you to take care of the cost of treatment.
The fact is that emergency treatments or courses of treatment for cancer or diabetes can become quite expensive. If you have pet insurance, it means that you will have the financial help that you need to pay the bills for urgent care and accidents that are covered by your pet insurance policy.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies differ but they generally cover treatment for illnesses or emergency treatment required after accidents. Some policies may also include prescription medications and the treatment of hereditary and congenital conditions as well as orthopedic conditions.
How do I choose which option to buy?
Ensuring that you understand how wellness plans and pet insurance can benefit you and your pet can help you decide what is right for you and your companion. Some pet owners go with one or the other of pet insurance or wellness plans, while other subscribe to both to help make sure their pet has total 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.