Wellness plans and pet insurance both help make your pet's care more affordable, but they do so in very different ways. There are distinct benefits to each, but it's important that you understand their differences. Here, our Lebanon vets explain more about wellness plans and pet insurance.
Protecting Your Pet's Future
Wellness plans and pet insurance both offer benefits to your pet's health and your wallet, but they do so very differently. When considering what kinds of services your pet will and won't be covered for, it's critical that you understand the differences between a pet wellness plan and pet insurance.
By understanding these options you won't be left out of pocket when you visit your vet or need to plan the payment for your pet's veterinary 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 let you adopt a proactive approach to your pet's veterinary care by paying a small monthly amount rather than a lump sum at each veterinary visit.
These plans help your vet spot early signs of any conditions or diseases your pet may have 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 veterinary treatment or serious treatment for complex illnesses such as cancer can become quite expensive. If you have pet insurance, it means you will have financial help to pay your bills for conditions and accidents that fall within your insurance policy's coverage.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies differ in what they cover but, generally speaking, they will help pay for treatments for illnesses or emergencies 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?
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.