Introduction
February is National Pet Dental Health Month and according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, bad breath is the first sign of potential issues with your pet’s health.
When’s the last time you checked your pet’s teeth? Have you scheduled their annual exam with the vet, including a thorough check of their mouth, teeth, and gums? Now we bet you’re wondering, does pet insurance cover dental?
If you haven’t already, now is a good time to make sure your pet insurance plan has coverage for their dental care. If you’re shopping around for pet insurance now but haven’t made a decision, these tips can help you find the right plan to cover your pet’s dental needs.
What Does Pet Insurance Cover?
Pet insurance has different levels of coverage and types of policy offerings. Most pet owners purchase a comprehensive pet insurance plan that covers accidents and illnesses from “nose to tail.” This pet plan policy is the most expensive, but that’s because it offers the most coverage, reimbursing you for up to 90% of your out-of-pocket vet costs.
Comprehensive Pet Insurance Coverage
Accident and illness coverage includes reimbursement for:
- Accidents: cuts, burns, broken bones, accidental ingestion of objects or poison, bite wounds, and other common accidents.
- Illnesses: hereditary and congenital health issues, breed-specific conditions, allergies, asthma, cancer, and other illnesses.
Depending on the company you purchase pet insurance from, the specifics on exam fees, alternative therapies, diagnostics, mobility and prosthetic devices vary. That’s why it’s important to find out what’s offered by the pet insurance companies in your state and the conditions involved to get the best pet policy for your dog or cat.
Accident Only Pet Insurance
If your pet is young and healthy, you may consider saving some money by purchasing the accident-only plan. While this might be an excellent choice when your pup or kitten is young, as they age, trips to the vet can become more frequent. The older your dog or cat gets, the greater their chances of having an illness, which can become quite expensive.
Did you notice we didn’t discuss:
That’s because neither of these plans by themselves offer coverage for pet dental work, not even routine checkups. So, if neither of them do, does that mean you can’t get coverage? No, it just means you need the right type of plan in place.