In the realm of responsible pet ownership, the question of ”does pet insurance cover surgery?” looms large. Having a pet just feels like you already have an additional family member.
Pets are usually very protective of their owners. And once they live with you, taking care of them becomes your responsibility.
If you own a pet, it is important that you keep them happy and healthy because they are pets. They need to be treated with love. Getting insurance for your pet isn’t a bad idea. The insurance coverage will take care of everything that concerns your pet.
Most pets don’t experience any accidents or illnesses, while some are victims of accidental injuries and illnesses. When your pet gets sick or has injuries, it is very expensive to treat them, and there is certainly no way you will leave them to die.
But aside from sickness and injuries, one of the most common procedures a pet can undergo is surgery. Hearing that your pet needs surgery is overwhelming for most pet owners, and this is because of how expensive it is.
Owning a pet is very expensive, especially when your pet requires surgery at some point. Some pet insurance plans do not cover pet surgery. So you have to make adequate plans so that you do not choose your financial wellbeing over the health of your pet.
How Much Does Pet Surgery Cost?
Pet surgeries are usually very expensive. If you are a pet owner, ensure your pet does not fall ill to the extent of needing surgery. Pet surgery can range from a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.
The cost of the surgery depends on where you take your pet, the type and size of your pet, and the time involved in the surgery. If you take your pet to a large veterinary hospital for surgery, it will be more expensive. But if you take your pet to a small veterinary clinic, it will be less expensive.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Pet insurance has different kinds of coverage. It provides coverage for many types of veterinary care for your dog or cat. Sadly, there are some surgeries that pet insurance covers, and there are some surgeries that it doesn’t cover. But overall, here’s the coverage offered by your pet insurance:
- Illnesses
- Surgeries
- Accidents and injuries
- Emergency care
- Medications
- Diagnostic tests
Aside from this coverage, you can get a pet insurance plan that covers routine care, like annual exams, tick prevention, or flea control.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Surgery?
If you are wondering if your pet insurance can cover surgery, the answer is that it all depends on the current state of your pet’s health. What this means is that pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions.
For instance, if your dog has an existing ailment and you know it needs surgery, then it will not be added to your pet’s coverage. To make you understand better, if you know your pet needs surgery and you still decide to sign it up for an insurance plan, the surgery will be excluded from coverage because it is considered a pre-existing condition.
How Does Surgery Coverage Work?
It is very easy; pet insurance covers accidental injuries that require surgeries like broken legs, broken knees, etc., but surgeries for non-accident-related conditions are not covered under pet insurance.
Pet insurance with more comprehensive coverage, like an illness and accident plan, covers a wide range of veterinary care, including surgeries for conditions that existed before your pet coverage started.
What Surgery Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Even if you have pet insurance for your pet, not all types of surgeries are covered. As a pet owner, you need to know that any pre-existing condition found in your pet will be treated differently under the insurance policy. Pet insurance covers the following below:
- Herniated disc
- Hip surgery for dysplasia (which will not be covered if pre-existing)
- ACL Repair
- Bone fracture repair
- Joint surgery
- Malignant skin tumors
- Cancerous tumor removal
- Repair internal bleeding
- Bladder stones
- Foreign body removal
When taking out a pet insurance policy for your pet, you have to pay attention to details. Look out for any common illnesses and conditions for your type of pet.
Surgeries That Pet Insurance Doesn’t Cover
There are some surgeries that pet insurance does not cover, and most pet insurance providers do not cover these surgeries because they are pre-existing conditions. Here are the surgeries that insurance doesn’t cover:
- Removal of benign growths
- Surgeries related to pre-existing conditions
- Dental cleanings and surgeries
- Routine or elective procedures, including spaying and neutering
Bear in mind that routine veterinary examinations and vaccinations are also excluded from coverage.
Conclusion
In most cases, pet owners will need to pay extra cash after any covered procedure is done to their pet before the pet insurance steps in. And aside from the surgery cost, anesthesia, and recovery period, medications for post-op recovery can sometimes be covered by the policy. However, if your pet is on a reimbursement plan, you will have to pay for the surgery with your money and get repaid later.
