Does Pet Insurance Cover Cancer?

Cancer can affect any pet — regardless of their breed, species, health, or age. Pet insurance that can help you cover cancer expenses can be a huge relief, meaning you can focus more care and attention on your pet’s treatment and recovery. Let’s go over how MetLife Pet provides coverage for cancer.

Does MetLife Pet Insurance Cover Cancer Costs?

Yes, MetLife Pet’s standard accident and illness plan can typically help you cover vet bills related to cancer — with reimbursement options up to 90% on covered diagnostics and treatment expenses.¹ Cancer can usually be treated with options such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. But there are times when cancer may return after treatment or become fatal.

Most pet insurance policies that provide comprehensive benefits can cover cancer diagnosis and treatment expenses. If you have an accident-only policy, cancer expenses likely won’t be covered. Check your policy for exact coverage details.

Can you see any vet for pet cancer treatment?

With MetLife Pet Insurance, you can see any licensed vet in the U.S. — including emergency room vets and specialists like veterinary oncologists — for the diagnosis and treatment of pet cancer.

Cancer Expenses MetLife Pet Can Typically Cover

Pet insurance can help you offset the cost of cancer vet bills. But what do these covered costs typically include? You could get money back on various expenses, such as:

✔️Exam fees

✔️Diagnostic testing (including X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and blood work)

✔️Surgery

✔️Treatments

✔️Hospitalization and emergency care

✔️Recovery therapies (such as physical therapy, hydrotherapy, and laser therapy)

✔️Prescription medications

✔️Holistic treatments (like vet-prescribed food and supplements, CBD oil, and herbal remedies)

If it’s your beloved companion’s time to cross the rainbow bridge, we know that losing a pet is never easy. That’s why we offer supportive benefits for pet parents — such as grief counseling,² and coverage for euthanasia, burial, and cremation expenses to help ease financial stress during a tough time.

Does pet insurance cover chemotherapy?

Yes, MetLife Pet Insurance can typically provide coverage for chemotherapy costs, as long as they don’t fall under any of your policy’s exclusions. Our pet insurance cancer coverage also generally includes other treatment methods, like radiation therapy.

With repeat therapy sessions that could span weeks, months, or years, getting up to 90% back on covered expenses could decrease the overall out-of-pocket cost of pricey cancer treatments.¹

What Are the Exclusions to Cancer Coverage?

Pet insurance cancer coverage can come with exclusions and limitations, depending on your policy and provider.

Pre-existing conditions and waiting periods

Cancer that’s diagnosed before you enrolled your pet in a policy will typically be excluded from coverage because it’s considered a pre-existing condition. Cancer that’s diagnosed or treated during your policy’s waiting period won’t be covered, either — with MetLife Pet, it’s 14 days for illnesses.

However, if your pet is currently enrolled in another policy where their cancer is covered, and you decide to switch to a MetLife Pet policy through your employer, we can provide continued coverage for their cancer expenses.³

Specific policy exclusions

Some pet insurance policies may come with specific exclusions, such as certain types of cancer or treatment methods. Again, accident-only policies won’t cover cancer-related expenses — you must have an accident and illness plan. MetLife Pet does not offer accident-only policies.

Reimbursement limits

Even if your pet’s cancer is covered under your policy, and you’ve already reached your annual limit or any per-incident limits, new expenses would likely be excluded until your policy period renews. MetLife Pet insurance has customizable annual limit options, but no per-incident limits.¹

What Is the Average Cost of Pet Cancer Treatment?

Diagnosing and treating cancer can be expensive, and bills may be spread out over years. The average cost of a vet visit for cancer-related treatment is approximately $725 for a dog and $605 for a cat.⁴ This cost can vary depending on the cancer diagnosis, your zip code, the frequency and type of cancer treatment your pet receives, and other factors.

Some of the main types of cancer treatment costs can look like:

• Consultation: The cost of an initial cancer consultation could be $125 – $250.⁵
• Chemotherapy: The cost of chemotherapy for dogs and cats can range from $150 – $600 per dose, and often includes related costs for administering the treatment.⁵
• Radiation: The cost of radiation therapy can range from $1,000 – $6,000, depending on your pet’s treatment plan.⁵
• Surgery: Costs to surgically remove a tumor can vary based on the type and location of the tumor, but they could start around $450 and reach over $8,000.^6,7

MetLife Pet members who saved on cancer costs

When it comes to your pet, hearing the word “cancer” can be scary. It may become even more stressful if you’re worried about paying for the treatment your companion needs. MetLife Pet has helped many pet parents secure their furry family’s cancer treatments and testing:⁸

• Cole, a 10-year-old cat from Massachusetts, needed to be hospitalized for his lymphoma. Cole’s pet parents were reimbursed about $2,650 of the $2,950 vet bill.
• A 6-year-old dog, Willa, from Ohio, needed surgery as part of her osteosarcoma treatment plan. The vet bill was around $3,425, and Willa’s parents were reimbursed almost $3,100.
• Rex, a 6-year-old pit bull terrier from California, had an exam and testing, which diagnosed him with mast cell tumors in a few places on his body. Rex’s parents were reimbursed nearly $2,250 of the $2,500 vet bill.

Common Cancers in Pets

Cancer is a major disease-related cause of death for dogs — with around 50% of dogs over age 10 developing cancer. And while less is known about the rates of cancer in cats, they’re not immune to developing it.⁵

Knowing what you may be up against can help you prepare. Common types of cancer in dogs can include melanoma, mammary tumors, basal tumors, and hemangiosarcoma. While there’s some overlap between dogs and cats, common types of cancer in cats can include lymphoma, squamous cell carcinoma, mammary carcinoma, and mast cell tumors.

Certain breeds may be predisposed to specific cancers, and the environment or condition your pet is in may also influence their risk of developing cancer — such as being exposed to secondhand smoke, too much sunlight, or pesticides, or whether pets are neutered or spayed.⁵ Talk with your vet about your pet’s cancer risk and the steps you can take to help keep them in good health.

Get Cancer Coverage With MetLife Pet Insurance

While cancer isn’t always preventable, do what you can to keep your pets healthy, bring them in for regular checkups, and create a financial plan for the unexpected. Having a MetLife Pet Insurance policy, along with our optional Preventive Care add-on, can be a great part of your plan to help you with pet care expenses.

We know every pet is special, and we want to make sure they can continue being a happy part of the family for as long as possible. Enroll them today, starting with a free, personalized quote.