25 Common Diseases Pet Insurance (Might) Not Cover

We purchase pet insurance with the thought that all of the major problems with our pets will be covered if disaster strikes. When comparing pet insurance plans, you should be aware of common diseases that are generally excluded and how you can select a plan that will provide the coverage you need.

Fortunately, epetsure™ has already done the work for you. We’ve researched the best insurance providers using our proprietary ranking algorithm to rank both plans and providers.

Here are 25 of the most common pet diseases that your pet insurance (probably) won’t cover and information on how you can make the best choice in plans to ensure your pets receive treatment.

Heartworm

Heartworm is a potentially fatal disease that is very expensive to treat. This disease is caused by the bite of an infected mosquito and is common in all 50 states.

The cost to treat heartworm often begins at $1,000 and can range into several thousand dollars. Treatment usually requires hospitalization, extensive bloodwork, x-rays to measure the infection, pain medication, sedatives, and the cost of Immiticide (a common treatment for heartworm).

Since heartworm prevention is critical in dogs and cats, some pet insurance companies cover the costs of monthly chewable tablets, topical preventatives, and even injectable preventatives. For what it costs to treat heartworm, you can generally afford to prevent the disease for nearly 12 years.

This is why it’s so important to understand what your pet insurance providers offer prior to enrollment. ePetsure can help you understand which insurance plan is best for your region.

Dental Disease

By the age of 3, it’s estimated that 70-80% of all pets will have some level of periodontal disease. In most cases, dental disease is not covered by insurance.

Treatment for illness related to the teeth and gums are considered dental procedures and since pet insurance is “health insurance”, there are only a few companies who will authorize payment on these common conditions.

However, by purchasing a higher level plan, you can often include preventative care, such as teeth cleanings, and even extractions for dental disease.  We can help you navigate the best plan levels and riders to insure that your pets are covered.

Cancer

There are many insurance companies that exclude cancer from their most basic wellness plans. In order to obtain coverage, it’s often necessary to obtain a rider or specialty plan.

Even with these riders and higher-level plans, there are often limits placed on the coverage. It’s quite common for pet owners to reach that payout limit long before treatments are complete, with treatment costs running into the tens of thousands.

Keep in mind that most alternative treatments (including stem cell treatments) are not covered. There may also be geriatric conditions that are not covered in senior pets.

Since cancer is so common, striking one out of every four pets, it’s important that you understand what type of coverage your plan offers. Depending upon the insurance company you choose, you may be given the opportunity to purchase an “endorsement.”

Depending upon the insurance company you choose, you may be given the opportunity to purchase an “endorsement.” Usually this comes in the form of a cancer endorsement. epetsure helps highlight the common exclusions of each pet insurance plan so you’re not caught unawares.

Hereditary and Congenital Conditions

There are a number of hereditary and congenital conditions that your pet insurance may or may not cover, and these include hip dysplasia, cherry eye, luxating patella, Wobbler Syndrome, glaucoma and even epilepsy.

Those that do offer coverage of these conditions will often put term limits and/or limits on the costs of the surgery to correct. Be sure you understand what your plan does and does not cover by using epetsure’s easy plan comparison tool.

Diseases Preventable by Vaccination

Because vaccinations are so beneficial in preventing disease, your wellness plan will not often cover the disease if it does strike.

If your pet is insured with a wellness plan, your vaccines and wellness visit will help insure your pets never have these problems. Here is a list of diseases that are usually not covered by insurance companies:

Dog Diseases Not Covered by Pet Insurance:

• Parvovirus
• Hepatitis
• Distemper
• Measles
• Rabies
• Respiratory disease from canine Adenovirus-2 (CAV-2)
• Parainfluenza
• Bordetella
• Leptospirosis
• Coronavirus
• Lyme

Cat Diseases Not Covered by Pet Insurance:

• Panleukopenia (FPV)
• Rhinotracheitis
• Calicivirus
• Rabies
• Leukemia (FeLV)
• Chlamydophila (pneumonitis)
• Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
• Bordetella
• Giardia
• Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)

epetsure helps you find the best plan for your pet by comparing the plans of multiple insurance carriers. It’s important to do your homework prior to purchase and we can help!

Original Post By:

Stacy Mantle from PetsWeekly.com. Pets Weekly is one of the leading pet parent websites in the pet industry and is well-known for their reviews on the newest pet products. You’ll find pet product giveaways, pet parent advice, the latest pet news, product reviews and giveaways.