Pet wellness plans cover the cost of routine and preventative pet care. They’re typically offered as an add-on to a pet insurance policy. Choosing the best wellness plan comes down to which company offers the coverage you need at the most affordable price.
Average monthly premium for dogs
$45.59
Average monthly premium for cats
$26.03
Accident waiting period
3 days (in most states)
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Average monthly premium for dogs
$54.90
Average monthly premium for cats
$29.44
Accident waiting period
None
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Average monthly premium for dogs
$65.07
Average monthly premium for cats
$31.40
Accident waiting period
None
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Methodology
To choose our winners for the best pet wellness plans, we analyzed 27 options from 14 companies and narrowed down our list to the top 22 plans, which were provided by 11 of the 14 companies we started with. From there, we judged each company across 16 categories essential to good policies. We analyzed over 1,000 data points and used more than a dozen primary data sources during our research. Winners are chosen based on their overall scores and our editorial judgment. Read our full methodology here.
ASPCA’s Basic plan
Best all-around pet insurance wellness plan
Why we picked it
ASPCA’s Basic plan offers great value in terms of total annual benefits compared to the cost of coverage for both dogs and cats. It tied for the second-lowest monthly premiums in our study at $9.95 for both dogs and cats. This equates to $119.40 per year versus $250 of total coverage available. It also has a $100 coverage limit for annual dental cleanings which is above our study’s average.
However, the Basic plan doesn’t offer any coverage for flea, tick and heartworm prevention or common health care needs for puppies and kittens like spay/neuter surgery and microchipping. It also has lower annual limits for wellness exams, vaccines and routine diagnostic tests compared to competitors.
Pros
- Great value when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
- Tied for second-lowest monthly premiums in our study
- Reimburses up to $100 per year for dental cleanings
- No waiting period
- Rated in the top companies in our best pet insurance study
Cons
- No coverage for flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams, vaccines and routine diagnostic tests
- No coverage for spay/neuter surgery or microchipping
Who should use it
ASPA’s Basic plan may be right for you if you’re a pet owner of a dog or cat past their puppy or kitten days and looking for a wellness plan with coverage for dental cleanings at the best deal.
Spot’s Gold plan
Why we picked it
Spot’s Gold plan tied for the lowest monthly premium at $9.95 for dogs and cats among our winning plans. It also provides an above-average maximum limit of $100 for dental cleanings.
Unfortunately, you won’t find coverage for five of the 10 coverage categories we looked at, including flea, tick and heartworm prevention and spay/neuter surgery.
The Gold plan from Spot provides the same coverage as the Basic plan from ASPCA, but we chose ASPCA’s Basic option as the best overall wellness plan since its accident and illness policy received a higher score in our best pet insurance study. This is important because wellness plans are an extra rider you add to your pet insurance policy.
Pros
- Tied for second-lowest monthly premiums in our study
- Great value when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
- Reimburses up to $100 per year for dental cleanings
- No waiting period
- Rated in the top companies in our best pet insurance study
Cons
- No coverage for flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- No coverage for spay/neuter surgery or microchipping
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams, vaccines and routine diagnostic tests
Who should use it
If you’re looking for the cheapest policy without the bells and whistles, Spot’s Gold plan may be worth considering.
Pets Best’s BestWellness plan
Best overall pet insurance
Why we picked it
Pets Best placed as No. 1 in our best pet insurance study. Since most insurers require you to buy a base pet insurance policy to purchase wellness coverage, this is an important factor to consider. Pets Best’s accident and illness policy had the lowest average premiums for dogs and cats. In addition, it will pay your vet directly instead of requiring you to pay upfront and then seek reimbursement. You must complete a direct pay release form, have it signed by your vet and submit it to Pets Best.
Although its BestWellness plan provides above-average coverage limits in six of the 10 categories we analyzed, its reimbursement amounts for wellness exams and vaccines are below average. It also had above-average monthly premiums for its wellness coverage.
Pros
- Company is rated as No. 1 in our best pet insurance study
- Above-average coverage limits for routine diagnostic tests, deworming, microchipping and flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Reimburses up to $150 per year for dental cleanings or spay/neuter surgery (shared limit)
Cons
- Monthly premiums for dogs and cats are higher than our study’s averages
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams and vaccines
Who should use it
If you’re looking for a quality pet insurance policy to pair with your wellness plan, Pets Best may be the best company for you.
Lemonade’s Preventative+ Care plan
Why we picked it
Lemonade’s Preventative+ Care plan offers the best value for cats in terms of total annual benefits compared to the cost of coverage. Its average annual premium was $206.28 for $480 in total coverage available. This includes $150 per year for routine dental cleanings.
However, the Preventative+ Care plan doesn’t cover five of the 10 types of coverage we looked at, including spaying/neutering, microchipping and deworming.
Pros
- Best value for cats when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
- Reimburses up to $150 per year for dental cleanings
- Above-average coverage limits for routine diagnostic tests and flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- No waiting period
- Rated in the top companies in our best pet insurance study
Cons
- No coverage for spay/neuter surgery, deworming or microchipping
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams and vaccines
Who should use it
Lemonade’s Preventative+ Care plan may be an excellent option if you’re a cat owner who wants the most coverage at an affordable cost.
AKC’s DefenderPlus plan
Best if you have a new puppy
Why we picked it
Of our winners, AKC’s DefenderPlus plan had the highest combined score for coverage categories related to new puppy costs. These coverages include wellness exams, vaccines, spaying or neutering, routine diagnostic tests and microchipping, as well as the value of coverage versus what you pay for it.
However, the monthly premium for the DefenderPus plan was $29, which was above our study’s average for both dogs and cats.
Pros
- Best combined score among the winning insurers for coverages related to puppies
- Above-average coverage limits for routine diagnostic tests, deworming, microchipping and flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Reimburses up to $150 per year for spay/neuter surgery or dental cleanings (shared limit)
- No waiting period
Cons
- Monthly premiums for dogs and cats are higher than our study’s averages
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams and vaccines
- Lower-than-average value for cats when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
Who should use it
If you’ve introduced a puppy or kitten to your home, AKC’s DefenderPlus plan may offer the coverage you need.
ManyPets’ Wellness plan
Best for vitamin and supplement reimbursement
Why we picked it
Most insurers won’t reimburse you for the cost of vitamins or supplements, but with ManyPets’ Wellness plan, you get a maximum coverage limit of $150 for this category. The insurer states that acupuncture and chiropractic services also fall within this limit.
Be aware that Many Pets doesn’t cover spaying, neutering or microchipping under its wellness plan. So, this policy may not be optimal for new puppies or kittens.
Pros
- One of the only insurers in our study that covers vitamins and supplements ($150 annual coverage limit)
- Covers acupuncture and chiropractic services
- Reimburses up to $150 per year for dental cleanings
Cons
- Monthly premiums for dogs and cats are higher than our study’s averages
- No coverage for spay/neuter surgery, deworming or microchipping
- 24-hour waiting period
Who should use it
If you have a pet with vitamin and supplement needs, consider ManyPets’ Wellness plan.
ASPCA’s Prime plan
Why we picked it
ASPCA ranked in the top 2 insurers in our best pet dental insurance study. Its accident and illness pet insurance policy covers dental injuries and diseases, and its Prime wellness plan provides a maximum coverage limit of $150 per year for dental cleanings.
One caveat: the $150 coverage limit for dental cleanings is shared with the limit for spaying and neutering. If your pet has already been spayed or neutered, this shouldn’t affect you. But if you have a new puppy or kitten, just keep in mind that your one-time spay/neuter surgery costs may eat into your coverage for dental cleanings for the year.
Another downside is that ASPCA’s Prime plan only provides $25 per year of coverage for flea, tick and heartworm prevention. The cost of these treatments typically exceeds this coverage amount.
Pros
- Rated in the top 2 companies in our best pet dental insurance study
- Reimburses up to $150 per year for dental cleanings or spay/neuter surgery (shared limit)
- Higher-than-average value for dogs when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
- No waiting period
Cons
- Only reimburses up to $25 per year for flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Below-average coverage limits for wellness exams and vaccines
- Lower-than-average value for cats when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
Who should use it
Check out ASPCA’s Prime plan if you want top-of-the-line protection for your furry friend’s chompers.
Prudent Pet’s High plan
Best for annual checkup reimbursement
Why we picked it
Prudent Pet’s High plan had the highest combined score among our winners for coverage categories related to annual checkups. This includes wellness exams, vaccines and routine diagnostic tests.
However, it doesn’t cover flea, tick and heartworm prevention, and its annual limit for dental cleanings ($60) is below average.
Pros
- Best combined score among the winning insurers for coverages related to annual wellness checkups
- Above-average coverage limits for vaccines, routine diagnostic tests, spay/neuter surgeries, deworming and microchipping
- Higher-than-average value for cats when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
- No waiting period
Cons
- No coverage for flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Below-average coverage limits for dental cleanings and wellness exams
- Lower-than-average value for dogs when comparing premiums to total annual coverage
Who should use it
If you’re a pet owner who wants your dog’s or cat’s annual checkup expenses reimbursed, Prudent Pet’s High plan may be a good choice.
Our picks at a glance
*Lemonade’s Preventative+ Care plan’s cost is the average of quotes we obtained for medium mixed-breed dogs and mixed-breed cats across four ZIP codes and three age groups.
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Why do I need routine care coverage for my pet?
- Avoid future health complications: Preventative care coverage can help you avoid and catch potential issues early on, potentially saving you money (and heartache) on complicated procedures in the long run.
- Offset preventative care costs: The cost of routine care can add up, especially for a new puppy or kitten. A pet wellness plan can be an affordable way to manage those costs.
- Encourage regular vet visits: The cost of owning a cat or dog can be expensive. Many pet owners will put off visiting the vet because of the costs associated with it. Getting pet insurance can give you the financial ability to give your pet the health care they deserve.
What do pet wellness plans cover?
Pet wellness plans are usually riders (add-ons) you add to your base pet insurance policy. Accident-only and accident and illness policies don’t cover routine care and preventative treatments, so that’s where wellness coverage comes in.
What your wellness plan covers will vary based on your provider, but these are common treatments and services covered:
- Routine examinations
- Blood tests
- Dental cleanings
- Fecal tests
- Deworming
- Flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Health certificates
- Heartworm tests
- Microchipping
- Spaying and neutering
- Urinalyses
- Vaccinations
In some cases, you can get coverage for prescription food, vitamins and supplements and specialized treatments like behavioral and alternative therapy.
Related >> What does pet insurance cover?
What’s not covered by pet wellness plans?
Pet wellness plans don’t cover life-threatening conditions or medically necessary treatments due to an injury or illness. This is the job of your accident-only or accident and illness plan. Exclusions will depend on your specific policy, but common ones include:
- Preexisting conditions
- Cosmetic procedures
- Pregnancy or breeding
- Elective procedures (other than spay/neuter surgeries)
- Training classes
- Non-vet-prescribed food
- Boarding costs
How does reimbursement work with pet wellness plans?
Pet insurance, including wellness plans, generally use a reimbursement model. This means you’ll have to cover the full vet bill upfront and then file a claim for reimbursement later. Some companies such as Pets Best will pay your vet directly.
Pet wellness plan vs. regular pet insurance
Pet wellness plans cover the cost of preventative care, like wellness exams, vaccinations and even spaying or neutering your pet. In contrast, pet insurance policies cover treatments deemed medically necessary to treat illnesses or injuries.
You’ll typically add pet wellness plans to your regular pet insurance. It has its own premium, coverage types and coverage limits. Unlike your base policy, it generally doesn’t require deductibles or copays. Most wellness plans also have no waiting period or a short 24-hour waiting period.
Without a pet wellness add-on, your regular pet insurance policy won’t cover any expenses related to routine care.
Factors to consider before getting a pet wellness plan
A pet wellness plan usually acts as an endorsement or add-on to your base policy. So when looking for wellness coverage, it’s important to evaluate the quality of each insurer’s regular pet insurance policies.
Two important factors to consider before purchasing a pet insurance policy or a wellness plan are:
Your pet’s needs
Consider your pet’s breed, age, lifestyle and health history before getting a pet wellness plan. For example, puppies and kittens visit the vet more often for preventative care, such as vaccinations and wellness exams. Senior pets may also need increased coverage for geriatric screening as age-related health conditions become more likely. Therefore, having sufficient coverage limits for these types of services may be more important.
Or, if you’re getting ready to schedule a spay or neuter surgery, you may want to look for a plan that will provide some level of reimbursement for this procedure.
Your finances
You’ll also want to consider your budget. A pet wellness plan can be an affordable addition to your insurance policy, but depending on the level of coverage it provides, it may not be worth the cost. For example, if your plan only provides $25 of annual coverage for flea, tick and heartworm medication but you spend $150 for a 12-month supply, it may not be worth adding the wellness plan to your policy.
Or, if you have an older dog that’s already spayed or neutered, it may not make sense to pay for a plan with comprehensive spay/neuter coverage.
Comparing coverage details, costs and policy limits of both an insurer’s base pet insurance policy and wellness plan can help you find coverage that aligns with your needs and financial situation.
How much do pet wellness plans cost?
The main factors that influence the cost of pet wellness insurance include your location and your pet’s age and species. The pet wellness plans in our study ranged from $9.50 to $65 per month for dogs and $7.95 to $65 per month for cats. Many insurers offer multiple tiers of wellness plans, so you can likely find one that fits your coverage needs and budget.
Related >> Best cheap pet insurance
Are pet insurance wellness plans worth it?
You can find out if a pet wellness plan is worth it by comparing its annual cost to the total amount of coverage it provides and to your anticipated preventative care expenses.
For example, say the cost of your wellness plan is $300 per year and it offers a maximum coverage level of $400. While it seems like you’d be saving $100 on your pet’s annual wellness costs, you may discover that:
- The coverage cap for a specific service category is too low for your needs, thus increasing your out-of-pocket costs. So, if your annual coverage limit for teeth cleanings is $100 but your vet charges $300, you’ll be responsible for the remaining $200. This pushes your yearly costs to $500 for your plan’s premium and pet’s dental care.
- You won’t use all of the coverages included in the $400 total coverage limit. So, if your plan allocates $100 to spay and neuter surgeries and $20 to microchipping but your pet has already received these services, then the full amount of coverage you would potentially claim under the wellness plan would be reduced to $280, which is less than your annual premium of $300.
When getting quotes for pet wellness insurance, you may want to contact your vet and ask how much they charge for various routine care services.
Do pet wellness plans have waiting periods?
Most pet wellness plans have no waiting period or a 24-hour waiting period. This is the amount of time you have to wait before you can use your coverage once your policy takes effect. If your waiting period is 24 hours and you take your pet to the vet the same day you buy your wellness plan, the visit won’t be covered.
Do pet wellness plans cover preexisting conditions?
Pet wellness plans aren’t meant to cover preexisting conditions — they cover preventative care. Your standard accident and illness policy won’t cover preexisting conditions, either. This means that if your pet develops a condition before coverage starts, it won’t be covered.
However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find pet insurance for preexisting conditions. Some insurers have exceptions for curable preexisting conditions. If your pet receives treatment and is cured, that condition can receive coverage if it shows up again, typically after a waiting period of six to 18 months.
Average monthly premium for dogs
$45.59
Average monthly premium for cats
$26.03
Accident waiting period
3 days (in most states)
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Average monthly premium for dogs
$54.90
Average monthly premium for cats
$29.44
Accident waiting period
None
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Average monthly premium for dogs
$65.07
Average monthly premium for cats
$31.40
Accident waiting period
None
On CompareCoverage’s Website
Methodology
To choose our winners for the best pet wellness plans, we analyzed 27 options from 14 companies and narrowed down our list to the top 22 plans, which were provided by 11 of the 14 companies we started with. From there, we judged each company across 16 categories essential to good policies.
During our research, we analyzed over 1,000 data points and used more than a dozen primary data sources. The following sections describe the category we scored and the weight we gave that category in our scoring model. Note that we’ve condensed the 16 main categories into five sections below.
Wellness coverages (50%)
For each pet wellness plan in our study, we researched 10 important wellness coverages to see if they were included and what their annual reimbursement limits were, if applicable. We considered:
- Wellness exams
- Vaccines
- Flea, tick and heartworm prevention
- Dental cleanings
- Spay/neuter surgeries
- Routine diagnostic tests (including blood tests, fecal tests and parasite tests)
- Deworming
- Microchipping
- Grooming and/or nail trims
- Prescription food, vitamins and/or supplements
Each coverage category received a weight of 5%, for a total weight of 50%.
Some of the companies we reviewed have shared annual coverage limits for multiple services, such as $150 per year for wellness exams and vaccines. When this occurred, we evenly divided the total amount available across all applicable categories. However, this doesn’t apply to shared limits with spay and neuter surgeries: Since this is a one-time cost, there’s potentially only one year in which there would be a shared limit.
Monthly premiums for dogs and cats (20%)
Most pet insurance companies have a flat monthly premium for their wellness plans, so we used these advertised costs when available. Some insurers provided a range of costs, so in this instance, we calculated the average premium. Lemonade didn’t offer any pricing information on its wellness plans, so we obtained quotes for medium mixed-breed dogs and mixed-breed cats across four ZIP codes and three age groups, taking the average for each pet species. We assigned a weight of 10% for monthly dog premiums and 10% for monthly cat premiums.
Value of wellness coverage for dogs and cats (20%)
The value of a pet wellness plan is an essential consideration when deciding if a plan is right for you. For this category, we compared the annual cost of each wellness plan to the total amount of coverage it provides. Plans with lower costs and higher coverage limits (i.e., higher value) received better scores in this category. The value of wellness plans for dogs had a 10% weight, and the value of wellness plans for cats had a 10% weight.
Wellness coverage waiting period (7%)
While waiting periods are common for regular pet insurance policies for accidents and/or illnesses, they’re less common for wellness plans. Insurers with no waiting period earned the best score, followed by those with 24-hour waiting periods or longer.
Best pet insurance score (3%)
Since pet wellness plans are typically offered as an add-on to a regular pet insurance policy, it’s important to consider the quality of an insurer’s base accident-only or accident and illness coverage. Therefore, companies that were also rated in our best pet insurance study received a scoring boost.
What didn’t make the cut
Of the 22 pet wellness plans we analyzed for our final rankings, 14 did not win a category, including plans from Wagmo, Figo and Embrace. Five plans had overall scores above 4 stars, eight plans had overall scores between 3 and 4 stars and one plan had an overall score below our 3-star threshold for consideration.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Can I get a pet wellness plan separate from pet insurance?
Pet wellness plans are usually available as add-ons to a base pet insurance policy. However, some companies and veterinarians offer stand-alone policies.
Be aware that buying a separate wellness plan means that you won’t have any coverage for future medical expenses if your pet has to receive treatment due to an accident or illness.
What vaccinations are covered under wellness plans for pets?
Which vaccinations are covered under your pet wellness plan depends on your specific insurer. This may include DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza and parvovirus), Bordetella, rabies, Lyme disease and FeLV (feline leukemia). Vaccine reimbursements in our study ranged from $30 to $200 per year.
How frequently can my pet have checkups under a wellness plan?
This depends on the terms and conditions of your wellness insurance policy. Many insurance companies have an annual coverage limit for routine checkups (such as $50, $75 or $100 per year), and some even have a specific number of visits it’ll reimburse (such as one or two visits per year).
Are dental services included in pet insurance wellness plans?
Dental services such as routine cleanings and checkups are often included in wellness plans. Regular care can help mitigate future dental problems like periodontal disease or gingivitis. It excludes coverage for treatments and procedures related to dental accidents and illnesses that arise — your base comprehensive accident and illness pet insurance plan will likely cover that.
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