Pet Insurance and Pregnancy: What’s Covered?

A pet pregnancy, whether unexpected or through breeding, can come with costly vet bills and potential medical complications. Pet insurance typically doesn’t cover pregnancy costs, but it depends on the provider.

MetLife Pet may be able to provide coverage for pregnancy-related expenses in some cases.¹ Let’s explore more details about pet insurance pregnancy coverage.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Pregnancy?

You’ll likely find that a lot of pet insurance providers don’t cover costs related to pet pregnancies, including expenses for whelping, nursing, and vet care for the newborn litter. This is partly because pregnancy isn’t considered an unexpected expense — even if it happens unexpectedly — since it’s preventable by spaying.

Despite this, some pet insurance providers may offer coverage for pregnancy-related expenses in emergency situations, or specific expenses. These could include emergency cesarean sections (C-sections), infections, illnesses, and complications during pregnancy or birth.

MetLife Pet may be able to provide coverage for non-breeding pregnancy-related expenses — for the mother only — if the care needed is related to an injury, illness, or is medically necessary.¹

Will Pet Insurance Cover Breeding?

Many pet insurance policies — including MetLife Pet’s — typically exclude coverage for breeding or conditions related to breeding. There are, however, some providers that offer add-on plans with breeding coverage. These plans often cover illnesses and injuries related to both pregnancy and breeding in general. MetLife Pet does not cover breeding-related expenses.

What Breeding and Pregnancy Costs Are Not Covered?

Pet insurance policies are generally designed to help with unexpected costs. For this reason, the following are often not covered:

• Routine prenatal care
• Fertility expenses
• Planned cesarean sections
• Cosmetic, elective, or preventive procedures
• Blood tests for inherited diseases

Depending on the provider and plan, there may be other exclusions — like not covering certain breeds. It’s a good idea to read the fine print if you’re looking for coverage that can specifically help you with your pet’s pregnancy.

Average Costs of Pet Pregnancy

Costs for a pet pregnancy can add up. It can be helpful to see what you might expect because not all pet insurance policies provide coverage for them. Here are some of those expenses and what they may cost for a dog:²

• Prenatal care visits: $45 – $55
• Blood work: $80 – $200
• Ultrasounds: $100+
• X-rays: $150 – $250
• Emergency C-section: $500 – $2,000+
• Hospital stay (if necessary): $200 – $500

You’ll also likely need to pay for initial health checks and vaccinations for the newborns, which could reach $1,000 or so for pups, depending on how many the mother has. And if you want to spay your pet after a pregnancy, that could cost around $150 – $700.²

How can you financially prepare?

The above costs are estimates; your zip code, the place where your pet receives care, and their specific medical needs all factor into the exact costs. You can ask your vet for a quote detailing the care your pet may need to help you prepare.

Just be aware that a dog’s gestation period is roughly 62 – 64 days, and a cat’s is roughly 63 – 65 days. That’s just about two months to come up with a care plan if you don’t have one already.^3,4 Here are some of the ways you might be able to prepare for the costs:

• Set aside money in an emergency fund or savings account ahead of time — for any pet emergency — not just pregnancy.
• Look for low-cost clinics or veterinary colleges that can provide some of the vet care that’s needed.
• See if your pet insurance has pregnancy coverage, or utilize your wellness or routine care plan to potentially help you with some of the prenatal and postnatal care costs.
  

You may also have the option of asking your vet if they can work out a payment plan with you.

How Can Pet Insurance Help With Pet Pregnancy?

Even if your pet insurance policy doesn’t cover pregnancy-related costs, you may still be able to get money back on some of their care. For instance, with MetLife Pet’s optional Preventive Care plan, you could get money back on your pregnant pet’s routine checkups, vaccinations, health screens, or even the spay procedure after birth — if you want to prevent future pregnancies.

Plus, with our free 24/7 vet chat⁵ in the mobile app for policyholders, you can get questions about your pregnant pet answered in the moments you need them. Design a plan that works for you, with up to 90% reimbursements on covered costs, and potential coverage for pregnant pet expenses if they need medical care.^1,6

Consider Willow’s family, who had a MetLife Pet plan that reimbursed them for nearly $200 of the $350 vet bill when she needed emergency medical care with birthing.⁷ Start with a free quote today.