Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying?

Spaying (aka sterilization for female cats and dogs) is an important procedure recommended by many veterinarians. Not only does it help reduce pet overpopulation, but it can also provide numerous health benefits to your furry friend.

Many pet insurance providers won’t cover spaying in standard accident and illness policies, but others — like MetLife Pet — may cover it in their routine wellness add-ons!¹ Let’s take a closer look at coverage and see how you may be able to save on spay costs.

With the Preventive Care add-on, MetLife Pet can help you cover the costs of spaying. Get your free quote for pet insurance with Preventive Care.

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help Cover Spaying for Dogs and Cats

MetLife Pet Insurance offers a Preventive Care add-on that can help cover spaying costs. Unlike other companies, who may only pay a set dollar amount toward spaying each year (e.g., $100 for spaying), we can reimburse up to 90% of covered spay expenses, up to your plan’s annual limit.^2,3,4

Our Preventive Care add-on enhances our traditional insurance plans with coverage for other routine wellness expenses, too, from teeth cleaning to parasite prevention. Optional but recommended wellness procedures like these can make a difference in the health and longevity of your pet. At MetLife Pet, your pets are our pets, and we want them to live long, happy lives.

How Much Does Spaying Cost?

The cost to spay your pet can vary — you could be looking at $165 – $250 for cats or $250 – $525 for dogs.^5,6 Your exact cost depends on a number of factors, mainly the animal’s species, the pet’s size and health, and your location.

The cost to spay a dog can be more expensive than the cost to spay a cat.^5,6 Spaying may also be more expensive than neutering due to the nature and intensity of the surgery required.⁷ But with MetLife Pet’s add-on Preventive Care plan, you could get reimbursed for up to 90% of these costs, making these important procedures more budget-friendly.³

How MetLife Pet has helped real customers cover spay costs

We’ve reimbursed many spay bills over the years, including one for Chai, a dog from New York, who had a spay surgery bill for over $1,400. We reimbursed her pet parents almost $1,150!⁸ Likewise, we paid out over $500 to the pet parents of Molly, a California cat who got a nearly $650 spay bill.⁹

Benefits of Spaying Pets

The choice to spay your pet is up to you. But it might help to know some reasons why it can be a good idea. A few of the benefits of having your pet spayed include:¹⁰

• Preventing litters that are unplanned, unwanted, or unable to be cared for
• Eliminating “heat” or estrus cycles
• Helping to prevent uterine infections and breast cancer
• Reducing mating behaviors — like urine marking, roaming, and flagging

Talk with your veterinarian to see what’s best for your pet, as there are always risks to surgical procedures.¹⁰

MetLife Pet Can Help With Spaying and Other Routine and Unexpected Costs

Our Preventive Care plan add-on enhances our standard plan with coverage for your pet’s routine care. In addition to spaying procedures, some of the things we can typically cover under this optional plan include:

• Teeth cleaning
• Vaccinations
• Parasite prevention
• Behavior training (if recommended by a vet for anxiety or aggression)

Plus, a pet insurance policy on its own can help you afford the cost of pet health care. From exam fees and diagnostics to injuries and upset tummies, dog insurance or cat insurance from MetLife Pet can help reimburse vet bills. Get a free quote to see your custom policy price.