Compare the Best Pet Wellness Plans
Many of the top pet insurance companies offer pet wellness plans, and we compared coverages, costs, and overall pros and cons of the companies to help you find the right coverage.
What is a Pet Wellness Plan?
A pet wellness plan covers routine visits to the vet and other routine health care such as annual vet checkups, lab work, blood work, vaccines, dental treatments and more. These routine treatments and checkups are essential to maintaining your pet’s health. A pet wellness plan often only covers preventive care and does not include accident and illness coverage, so most pet insurance companies call their wellness plans a preventive care plan.
Routine Wellness Plans for Dogs
Wellness pet insurance for dogs does not differ greatly from wellness plans for Cats. Preventative care packages for dogs typically cover routine health care, heartworm tests, blood tests, spaying and neutering, microchipping, and flea and tick medication. Feline routine care packages may include a FelV/FIV test.
Most companies offer the same price for wellness care packages for all ages and breeds of dogs. However, if you have an older pup, you may opt for a cheaper wellness plan that doesn’t include the health care dogs usually get when puppies, such as neutering or microchipping.
Pet Insurance vs. Pet Wellness Plans
Pet insurance plans typically cover costs associated with accidents and illnesses. They don’t include wellness coverage.
The table below compares coverage for a pet insurance policy versus a pet wellness plan.
Watch the video below to learn more in-depth differences between pet insurance plans and preventative care plans by Heart and Paw.
Is a Pet Wellness Plan Worth It?
A pet wellness plan can be worth it, especially if you have a young puppy or kitten because often times you will get more use of your preventative pet insurance if you start your pet young. Though routine pet care costs less than surgeries or cancer treatments, you’ll ultimately spend more on preventive care throughout your pet’s lifetime if you don’t have a wellness plan.
According to health care financing company Care Credit, vet exams, core vaccinations, and procedures such as spaying or neutering and microchip implantations can total $2,800 in a puppy’s first year. The first-year cost for a cat is nearly $2,500.
Without a wellness plan, pet owners should plan to spend $7,600 to $19,000 in veterinary care over their cat or dog’s lifetime. An add-on wellness plan can help to offset the cost of annual preventive healthcare for your dog or cat through a low monthly fee added on to your pet insurance premium. While it will not cover all expenses, it will help spread the cost out over time.
How Much Do Pet Wellness Plans Cost?
The cost of a preventative care add-on will depend heavily on the provider and the amount of coverage included. Pet owners cannot buy just a pet wellness plan; they must also buy an accident-and-illness or accident-only insurance plan.
The cost for just a pet wellness plan add-on is typically under $20, ranging from $10-$19 for our top recommended companies. The cost ranges from around $41 to $67 for a basic pet insurance policy and a preventative care package.
Most pet insurance companies offer the same pet wellness plan option for all breeds. The table below has a breakdown of pet wellness plan costs and the overall cost of pet insurance and preventative care.
The Best Pet Wellness Plans
Here are our top picks for the best pet insurance with wellness plans:
Do Pet Wellness Plans Have Waiting Periods?
Every pet insurance company has waiting periods before coverage begins, which also applies to wellness plans. The average waiting period for a pet insurance policy is one to two weeks. Be sure to enroll in a pet insurance plan with an additional wellness plan before starting routine care to receive coverage.
Do Pet Wellness Plans Cover Preexisting Conditions?
No, pet wellness plans don’t cover preexisting conditions. Unfortunately, no pet insurer currently covers preexisting conditions. Insurance companies see pets with these medical conditions as costly and high-risk investments, especially since they’re guaranteed to need veterinary care in the foreseeable future.
However, some companies will distinguish between curable and incurable conditions, opting to cover curable conditions with specific stipulations. In addition, some routine treatments covered in wellness plans may help cure these conditions.
The Bottom Line: Should I Purchase a Pet Wellness Plan?
Pet wellness plans cover preventive care for your animal needs and make these routine costs more affordable in the long run. A wellness plan eases the financial burden of your pet’s regular care and health issues when paired with a comprehensive accident-and-illness plan.
We recommend getting three quotes from top pet insurance companies to compare their accident-and-illness and wellness plans closely. Use the tool below to get free quotes from some of our top recommendations.
Other Pet Insurance Resources
Read some of our additional pet insurance resources below:
Alex Hawkins is an avid writer and researcher specializing in solar, pet insurance and home improvement. When he isn’t surveying homeowners to understand their pain points or speaking with professionals in the industries he covers, Alex can often be found creating videos for his YouTube channel, Analysis with Alex, or attending a heavy metal show.
Dana Getz is a seasoned editor with nearly a decade of experience writing and editing content. She has a background in journalism and worked as a fact-checker for prestigious magazines such as New York and Chicago. She holds a journalism and marketing degree from Northwestern University and has worked across numerous categories within the home services space.
Dr. Kate Boatright is a small-animal veterinarian in western Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013, she has worked in both general practice and emergency clinics. In 2021, she moved to part-time clinical practice to pursue her passion for educating veterinary professionals and pet owners through speaking and writing. Dr. Boatright enjoys discussing mentorship, the unique challenges facing recent graduates, wellness and the spectrum of care. In her remaining time, she stays busy chasing her toddler, running, reading and watching movies with her husband and cats.
