Wellness plans and pet insurance are two different options to help make your pet’s healthcare more affordable. There are distinct benefits to both of these options, but it's important to understand the differences between them. Here, our Staten Island vets explain more about wellness plans and pet insurance.
Protecting Your Pet's Future
Wellness plans and pet insurance policies both offer benefits, but they are very different. Understanding these differences will allow you to make a better, more informed, decision about what coverage is right for your pet.
What is a wellness plan?
Wellness plans make it easier for you to cover the cost of routine veterinary care and, unlike pet insurance, you pay specifically for the treatments and services you use throughout the year.
Wellness plans allow you to adopt a more proactive approach to veterinary care by paying a small monthly amount rather than a lump sum each visit. These plans help your vet spot early signs of any conditions or diseases your pet may have before they become more serious, and more expensive to treat. Wellness plans work by bundling services at a cheaper rate than they would cost if purchased individually.
What does a wellness plan cover?
Generally, wellness plans cover routine vet care including wellness exams, parasite preventives, annual blood testing, and vaccines. Improving and maintaining the standard of your pet’s overall health during their lifetime is easier because these plans spread out the cost of routine vet care.
What is pet insurance?
Should your pet require emergency veterinary care, pet insurance helps you to take care of the cost of treatment.
With pet insurance you aren't paying for any specific services, in fact, you might not end up using your insurance policy at all - but in the event, your pet requires emergency treatment, insurance is there to make sure it remains affordable. Emergency treatments, especially for conditions like cancer or diabetes, can quickly become monstrously expensive, insurance is there to eliminate the worry about being able to pay for treatment should your pet get sick.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies differ but they generally cover treatment for illnesses or emergency treatment required after accidents. Some policies may also include prescription medications and the treatment of hereditary and congenital conditions as well as orthopedic conditions.
How do I choose which option to buy?
Making sure you know exactly how wellness plans and pet insurance can benefit you and your pet can help you decide which is right for you. Some pet owners choose either a wellness plan or pet insurance, while others subscribe to both to ensure their pet has complete coverage.
If you aren't sure which coverage is right for you, ask your vet. They can help you decide based on your pet's particular needs and concerns.