Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccinations?
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Vaccinating your pet is one way to prevent it from getting sick. Vaccines boost your pet’s immune system to help it fight off disease-causing organisms, but the costs of those shots can add up. Since most vets recommend following a vaccine schedule that includes annual vaccinations, you may want to consider purchasing a pet insurance policy to counter the high prices.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about pet vaccinations, including the best pet insurance providers that cover vaccination costs.
What Should You Know About Pet Vaccination Coverage?
Most standard pet insurance plans don’t cover vaccinations because pet health insurance is meant to cover vet bills related to unexpected injuries and illnesses, not routine costs like vaccinations that you can plan for. However, many providers offer wellness add-ons you can tack on to your base policy for an additional monthly fee, which may cover vaccination costs.
The cost of adding a wellness plan to a standard pet health insurance policy is minimal, usually $10–$25 per month. A preventive plan not only covers core vaccinations but also other routine veterinary care, such as annual wellness exams, dental care, and more.
Vaccinations can cost several hundred dollars without insurance, depending on your location and which vaccinations you’re giving your pet. Having a pet wellness plan for one year will likely cost you less than the total cost of all core vaccines, and you’ll be reimbursed for anywhere from 70% to 100% of the costs, depending on your pet insurance premium.
Top 3 Pet Insurance Companies for Vaccination Coverage
We’ve researched vaccination coverage under different pet insurance plans and found three reputable companies that offer comprehensive policies, which include:
- Lemonade: Best Overall
- Spot: Most Customizable Plans
- Embrace: Best Deductibles
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Has no age limit, so even your adult dog’s vaccines will be covered
- Includes coverage for up to six vaccines or boosters
- Donates to animal advocacy organizations
Cons
- Is only available in 37 states
- Some customers report slow customer service wait times
Lemonade Overview
Lemonade is a popular pet insurance provider with a preventive wellness plan that covers common vaccinations, including rabies, Bordetella, and DHLPP, which is a combination shot for distemper, parvo, and influenza. Lemonade has two preventive care packages, though you only need the basic prevention package to get vaccination coverage. Lemonade’s wellness coverage begins the day after enrolling.
Lemonade Rating
Learn more: Lemonade Pet Insurance Review
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Includes a QuickPay feature for reimbursement within a few days
- Offers 24/7 vet telehealth support for questions
- Has no upper age limit
Cons
- Doesn’t cover pets under eight weeks old
- Doesn’t provide customer service on weekends
Spot Overview
Spot is another popular pet insurance provider that offers preventive coverage. Pet parents can choose from two preventive packages: Gold or Platinum. Both plans cover the canine DHLPP vaccine for distemper and parvo as well as the feline FVRCP vaccine. The Platinum plan covers more vaccinations in general, including the canine Bordetella and feline FELV vaccines.
Spot Rating
Learn more: Spot Pet Insurance Review
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Provides the Full Wellness Rewards amount the day you sign up
- Has an online chat feature for customer service
- Doesn’t have per-treatment limits
Cons
- Costs more than some competitors
- Doesn’t have customer service on Saturday or Sunday afternoons
Embrace Overview
Embrace’s coverage works differently than other providers. The company offers a Wellness Rewards program that functions as a budgeting tool and rewards customers for being proactive about their pet’s care. You can choose from three annual reimbursement levels: $250, $450, or $650. Core vaccines are covered no matter which you choose. The only difference is the financial amount covered.
Embrace Rating
Learn more: Embrace Pet Insurance Review
What Are Common Pet Vaccinations?
Vets separate pet vaccines into core and non-core categories. Most pet insurers only cover core vaccines since those prevent the most rampant illnesses. Core vaccines are strongly recommended for all pets based on exposure risk, disease severity, and possible transmissibility to humans.
Common vaccinations for dogs include the following:
- Canine hepatitis
- Canine parvovirus
- Distemper
- Parainfluenza
- Rabies
Core cat vaccines include the following:
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis)
- Panleukopenia (feline distemper)
- Rabies
Your vet may also recommend vaccines for Bordetella bronchiseptica (kennel cough), Borrelia burgdorferi, or leptospirosis depending on the type of pet you have.
Your vet may also recommend vaccines for feline leukemia virus, Bordetella, Chlamydophila felis, and feline immunodeficiency virus.
Is Pet Insurance Worth it for Vaccinations?
Vaccinations are an essential part of your pet’s health care. Many pet insurance providers offer preventive care plans to cover vaccines, but most won’t allow you to purchase a wellness plan by itself. It must be added to a base policy for an additional monthly fee.
There are many affordable pet insurance providers to choose from if you don’t already have a policy. See our list of cheap pet insurance companies to find the most cost-effective options. Be sure to shop around and get quotes from multiple providers to find the best deal and coverage, and review our recommendations below.
FAQs About Pet Vaccination Coverage
Does pet insurance cover kitten vaccines?
Pet insurance covers common kitten vaccines, such as panleukopenia (feline distemper), feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus type I (rhinotracheitis), and rabies. However, you must add a wellness plan to your base policy to get reimbursed.
Does pet insurance cover routine checkups?
Pet insurance doesn’t typically cover routine vet checkups. You can add a wellness plan to your base policy for an additional monthly fee to cover routine care costs, such as annual checkups. Learn more about how pet insurance works in our guide.
Does pet insurance cover flea and tick medicine?
Some pet insurance companies cover flea and tick medicine under their standard plans. If your provider doesn’t include this coverage in your base policy, you can typically add a wellness package to receive reimbursement. Learn more about what pet insurance covers in our guide.
Is it OK not to vaccinate your dog?
Not vaccinating your dog puts it at a higher risk of contracting an illness. Some states also have laws around vaccinating pets. For example, Texas considers it a Class C misdemeanor to not vaccinate dogs and cats.
Our Rating Methodology
We’re dedicated to thorough, in-depth reviews of each product or service that we detail in our content. Determined to build trust with our readers through transparency, accuracy, and accountability, we’ve built a detailed rating system to score pet insurance brands. Included in this methodology are the following six factors with their respective scoring weights:
- Coverage (25)
- Plan options (20)
- Monthly cost (20)
- Company reputation (15)
- Customer service (10)
- Species eligibility (10)
Our researchers keep all data in each company’s score up to date, making any changes to our content when necessary to provide our readers with the most accurate information on relevant metrics, such as plan options, customer service, reputation, and monthly cost.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.
