PET INSURANCE

What Does Pet Insurance Cover for Dogs and Cats?

Three Minutes

Pet insurance can help you cover vet expenses related to new accidents and/or illnesses, based on the type of plan you have. Covered expenses typically include things like medication, surgery, hospitalization, and diagnostic testing your dog or cat may need.

At MetLife Pet, our plans are designed to help you offset vet bills when your pet isn’t feeling well. That means covering the little things, like exam fees, as well as the big ones, like emergency care.

Quality coverage may be one of the reasons you choose award-winning1 MetLife Pet Insurance. So let’s dig into the details of what pet insurance usually covers, the different types of plans you can pick from, and what sets MetLife Pet apart. 

MetLife Pet can help you cover injury & illness costs for dogs & cats
Snoopy hugging a heart

Pet Insurance: What Does It Cover?

In general, pet insurance can help you manage expenses for certain accidents, injuries, and illnesses by reimbursing you for covered costs — up to your annual limit — after you’ve paid your deductible.2,3,4

MetLife Pet dog insurance policies (starting at $16 a month) and cat insurance policies (starting at $7 a month) provide extensive coverage while limiting exclusions.5 Let’s break down the specific types of expenses and conditions our pet insurance can typically cover.

Vet exam fees

When your pet isn’t feeling well, and you bring them to the vet for care, you’re typically charged an exam fee. MetLife Pet can help you cover many of the expenses that can add up during a vet visit — including exam fees.

Diagnostic tests

Testing and diagnostic procedures are crucial to understanding what’s wrong with your pet. Some of the diagnostics that MetLife Pet Insurance offers coverage for include:

  • X-rays
  • Ultrasounds
  • Blood work
  • Computed tomography (CT) scans
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs)

Pet insurance could help you gain access to more comprehensive testing that can make a difference in getting the right treatment for your pet.

Accidents

Coverage for accidents and injuries can help you manage vet bills when your pet gets hurt — including expenses for surgery, hospitalization, and emergency care. So in crucial moments, it can be easier to say yes to necessary care and worry less about the cost.

Some accidents and injuries MetLife Pet may help you cover include:

  • Trauma
  • Fractures
  • Lacerations
  • Cruciate ligament injuries
  • Bite wounds
  • Foreign object ingestion
  • Dietary indiscretion
  • Poisoning

To help you see our coverage in action, take a look at Frankie’s story. MetLife Pet reimbursed his family nearly $1,200 after the Belgian Malinois suffered lacerations from an injury while they were hiking, which resulted in a $1,300 surgery.6

Illnesses

With coverage for illnesses, MetLife Pet can reimburse you if your pet gets sick.2 This can include congenital, chronic, and hereditary conditions, as well as special treatments and vet specialists required for care.

Some illnesses and afflictions MetLife Pet may help you cover include:

  • Infections, such as upper respiratory infections (URI) or urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Giardia, parvo, and distemper
  • Cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis
  • Periodontal disease
  • Bladder stones
  • Asthma
  • Allergies
  • Pancreatitis
  • Abscesses, growths, and tumors
  • Hip dysplasia

Ready for another story from one of our policyholders? Jade, a Jack Russell terrier, lives in Delaware with her family. After an exam and lots of testing, Jade was diagnosed with Addison’s disease and given meds to take regularly at home. MetLife Pet reimbursed her family about $5,100 of the nearly $6,400 vet bill.6

Prescription medicine

Vets often prescribe medication(s) to help your pet recover from an injury or illness, or to manage chronic conditions. With a pet insurance policy, you can offset the costs of medications for dogs and cats, such as prescription pain medication, insulin, and Xanax® for anxiety.7

For example, we reimbursed a California pet parent over $350 on $400 kidney disease medication for their cat, Penn.6

Prescription food

Sometimes, taking care of your pet’s health means carefully monitoring what they eat. For conditions like diabetes or kidney disease, your veterinarian might prescribe specially formulated food to help manage their symptoms.

A MetLife Pet Insurance plan can reimburse you for those vet-prescribed pet foods, helping you save on a potentially costly monthly expense.2

Alternative and holistic therapy

MetLife Pet’s policy comes with coverage for holistic care and alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy, chiropractic care, and prescribed herbal remedies. It’s just one of the ways MetLife Pet goes the extra mile to support your pet’s wellness!

A vet holding a stethescope to a grey cat

Optional Preventive Care Plan

Not all pet insurance providers offer coverage for routine care, like checkups and vaccinations.8 But at MetLife Pet, we understand that prevention is an important part of a happy, healthy life.

We offer a Preventive Care plan add-on that helps you cover wellness procedures, services, and expenses up to the benefit limits listed in your plan. Help keep your pet healthy with coverage that includes:

  • Routine vet exams
  • Vaccinations
  • Parasite prevention
  • Dental cleaning/care or spaying and neutering
  • Microchipping
  • Health screens (like routine blood work, fecal tests, and urinalyses)

Just because these are costs you can expect, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get money back for prioritizing your pet’s well-being. With our optional Preventive Care, you can.

What Does Pet Insurance Not Cover?

MetLife Pet works hard to keep exclusions at a minimum — but like every pet insurance company, there are some. The following aren’t covered under our policy:

  • Cosmetic and elective procedures — like declawing, tail docking, or ear cropping
  • Injuries caused by racing, coursing, commercial guarding, or illegal fighting
  • Breeding or conditions related to breeding
  • Pre-existing conditions that affect your pet prior to your policy’s effective date (regardless of medical notation, diagnosis, or treatment) or during any waiting period

Coverage of your pet’s pre-existing conditions may be possible if they’re currently covered through another provider and you switch to MetLife Pet through your employer.9

Not all of the services and conditions listed by a provider may be covered in your pet’s unique situation. Be sure you understand the exclusions of any pet insurance plans you’re looking at, so you’re not surprised down the road.

Types of Pet Insurance Coverage

There are two main types of pet insurance plans you can find in the market — comprehensive and accident-only — with some providers offering optional add-on plans. The type of plan you choose dictates the kind of coverage you receive. Let’s take a look at how these work.

  • Comprehensive pet insurance: With comprehensive coverage, your pet is insured for both injury and illness, including related diagnosis and treatment costs. MetLife Pet offers a standard accident and illness policy.
  • Accident-only plan: Accident-only plans are typically more limited, focusing mainly on injuries and accidents with no coverage for illnesses. These plans may come with a lower monthly premium. MetLife Pet Insurance does not currently offer accident-only coverage.
  • Preventive care: If offered, wellness plans can typically be added to your insurance policy, so you can be covered for routine and preventive care. MetLife Pet offers an optional Preventive Care plan you can add to your policy.

With so many options to choose from, deciding which provider and policy works for you can be challenging.

How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance for You

So how do you choose the right pet health insurance policy? You can begin by reviewing your pet’s needs — and your budget — to see if pet insurance is worth it.

When considering a plan, review which expenses and conditions are covered to ensure it’s the right policy. Look at your customization options and how they affect the price, so you can get the coverage you need at a price that works with your budget. We’ve done some of the research for you so you can compare pet insurance from MetLife Pet to other providers.

The next step would be to get a quote for your dog or cat. MetLife Pet makes it easy for pet owners to get started with no required exams to enroll. Still have questions? Be sure to check out our FAQs for even more answers!

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help You Protect Your Pet

Knowing what pet insurance covers can give you the confidence to pick the best plan for you and your furry friend. MetLife Pet policies are customizable, and you can enroll your pet regardless of their breed or age.10

Plus, MetLife Pet Insurance offers a 0-day waiting period on accidents and Preventive Care, so your pet is covered almost immediately. Ready to take the next step in getting your pet coverage? Get a free quote today.

From emergency to routine care, get coverage with MetLife Pet

A woman cuddling with her dog on the couch