Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccines?

As a pet parent, you want your pet to live a long and healthy life. One way to do that is to have them vaccinated as a preventative measure against certain diseases.

As with any type of care for your pet, there is a cost associated with vaccinations. The last thing any pet parent wants is to have the costs prevent them from getting their pet a potentially life saving vaccine. One way to offset the sometimes costly experience at the vet’s office is to pay for pet insurance, which provides reimbursement up to policy plan limits for certain types of care.

If you have pet insurance or are thinking about purchasing it, does it cover vaccinations? This isn’t a simple yes or no question. First, let’s discuss what pet insurance covers and then go over the right plan for vaccination coverage.

What Does Pet Insurance Cover? 

There is no one size fits all coverage for pet insurance. There are different types of coverage you can get at various premium levels, with pet insurance starting at just $15.00 a month. Your pet’s age, breed, where you live, coverage types, and options requested are all factors in determining cost. 

Accident only pet insurance provides coverage if your pet gets hurt accidentally. Here are a few things that could happen to your pet that are covered by an accident only plan:

• Burns
• Cuts
• Bite wounds
• Torn nails
• Poisoning

This type of coverage can be inexpensive compared to other pet insurance policies, but that’s because it doesn’t cover for vet visits, preventative care, or illnesses.

If you want coverage for accidents and illnesses, then you want a comprehensive pet insurance plan. This is more expensive than accident only, but it also covers everything listed above, plus:

• Hereditary, chronic and congenital conditions
• Emergency vet visits
• Surgeries
• Diagnostic testing
• Prescriptions (except preventatives)
• Hospital stays

Accident and illness plans do not cover regular vet visits, preventative care, or dental work (unless caused by illness or accident).

A wellness plan is not actually considered pet insurance, but it is an add-on you can get to supplement accident only or a comprehensive plan. You can also get the wellness plan by itself, which can be more cost effective if you are looking for coverage just for routine visits and preventative care, like vaccinations, routine vet checkups, and heartworm, flea and tick medications.

If you are interested in pet insurance and/or a wellness plan, request a free quote today. In just a few minutes, you can get quotes for different plan types so you can find the one that fits your pet’s needs and your budget the best.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccines?

The answer to this question is no, pet insurance by itself does not cover preventative care, which includes vaccinations. However, you can add on a wellness plan to the pet insurance plan for an extra monthly fee that will cover vaccinations and other preventative care. 

Vaccinations are an essential part of your pet’s healthy lifestyle, just like food, toys, and enrichment activities. Some vaccinations are required, like rabies, while others are optional. It’s best to work with your veterinarian to determine which vaccinations are right for your pet. They will also create a realistic schedule for the initial vaccination and any boosters required.

Types of Vaccinations

There are different vaccinations for dogs and cats, and not all dogs and cats require all vaccinations. The ones recommended for all dogs and cats are called core vaccinations, while the others are recommended or optional.

Here are the core vaccinations for dogs:

• Rabies
• Distemper
• Hepatitis
• Leptospirosis
• Parvo
• Parainfluenza

These vaccinations are given on a schedule determined by your vet in your pup’s first few months of life. Optional vaccinations for Bordetella and kennel cough are recommended if you board your dog with other animals. There are also optional vaccines for Lyme disease, canine coronavirus (not the same as COVID-19), and influenza.

The core vaccinations can cost $100 or more, with boosters needed for some with additional costs for each booster.

Cats don’t require as many vaccinations as dogs do. They do have required vaccinations as well:

• Rabies
• Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
• Feline calicivirus
• Feline viral rhinotracheitis

A combo shot called FVRCP is sometimes given in place of the distemper shot, which has viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia. Vets recommend outdoor cats get a feline leukemia vaccine and cats who are boarded should get the Bordetella shot.

These vaccinations can cost up to $100 plus the additional cost for boosters as needed per your veterinarian.

A wellness plan is an inexpensive coverage you can purchase to pay for vaccinations and other preventative care measures that are not covered by pet insurance. Click the link below to get a quote for the wellness plan and learn more about the types of pet insurance to offset the costs of accidents or illnesses.

Summary

While pet insurance does not cover vaccinations, you can get add-on coverage or purchase a standalone policy called a wellness plan. This inexpensive plan reimburses for preventative care, including vaccinations.

To determine if a wellness plan is right for you and your pet, it might be worth it to check costs for preventative care with your vet. Compare those out-of-pocket costs to the cost of a monthly or annual wellness plan premium to know if adding a wellness plan is the right choice.