Do you really need routine care included in your pet insurance plan? Discover why routine care is a sure way to keep your pet as disease-free and healthy as can be. Get the inside scoop about different services that are included in this type of cover and the benefits you should look out for to really get your money's worth when searching for the perfect pet plan.

What is routine care cover?

Pet wellness and routine care is an optional type of cover that you can pay for over and above your basic illness and accident cover. What’s great is that if you choose a plan that includes routine care, it doesn’t just cover those once-off, large unexpected costs (although that's just as important) but it also includes a wider range of services that cover the more ordinary, day-to-day costs - such as dental care, deworming and vaccinations.

Keep in mind that these services are not automatically included in most basic accident only or illness plans. So, be sure to check that whatever plan you choose includes this type of cover as one of its benefits or ask your insurance provider about the possibility of a routine care add-on.

In general, the basic services included in routine cover are: 

1. Sterilisation
2. Consultations for vaccinations
3. Deworming and parasite control
4. Tick and flea prevention
5. Dental care such as teeth scaling and polishing

Why you really need routine care included in your pet insurance plan

The most important thing to know is that routine care is all about preventative measures and consistent care to maintain your pet’s wellbeing and take care of all their healthcare needs. Routine care and wellness cover is vital to keep your pet in tip-top shape and prevent any unexpected illnesses from creeping up on you unexpectedly. Regular vaccines, dental care and parasite-prevention treatment can make the difference between a quick-fix problem now or a serious illness later on.

Just like people, dogs and cats need immunization boosters and annual vaccinations too. Since your loyal pup or fluffy feline is not naturally protected against bacterial infections like Bordetella bronchiseptica (common in both dogs and cats), or even more serious illnesses like the Feline Leukaemia Virus (in cats), it’s important to consult your vet and make sure you’re getting your pet the right vaccines annually. Here are the basic guidelines for the standard vaccines your pet should be getting. This is especially important if you’ve just added a young pup or kitten to the family as they may be more at risk due to their age and weaker immune system.

Most routine care plans also include tick and flea prevention. Fleas and ticks can bring about some serious and uncomfortable health issues for your pet - such as severe rashes, skin allergies or even Lyme disease. Fleas may even transmit tapeworms to your pets - believe me, that's a problem you don't want to deal with. That’s why it’s important to get the right preventative treatment and stop any of these issues right in their tracks.

What should you keep an eye out for

Plans that include wellness and routine care, as well as the option of a routine care add-on, may be more expensive. Weight up the cost of the routine care compared to the range of preventative treatments and benefits that are included. Make sure you get to know every service that’s included in your plan (as well as everything that isn’t) and be sure to read the fine print. It’s important to feel confident that you're putting your money towards the type of cover and specific benefits that are exactly right for your pet.

Also keep in mind that vet visits for unexpected, illness-related issues are not the same thing as routine preventative care . A vet visit is when you take your pet to the vet when he or she is sick, as well as some other appointment types that involve radiology or blood tests. This is different from routine consultations for vaccinations, dental care, deworming or tick and flea prevention. Vet visits will not be included unless your provider clearly states that “vet visit” cover is part of the plan that you choose. This means you might need to put a little extra aside each month in your budget if that’s something you want to be covered for too.

Another inside tip: your cover will have a limit to these preventative care benefits (a max amount that an insurer will pay for a claim). Be sure to ask your insurer for more details about this and have a look at your policy document to find out about the specifics of your plan.

A final word on the subject 

Routine and wellness cover is one one of the easiest and most effective ways to catch any underlying medical issues or diseases early on. Early-intervention is essential to get your pet’s healthcare treatment on the right track and tackle any possible issues, sooner rather than later. Although it may take a little more out of your budget each month, it’s truly worth the extra cost to include cover for these regular health-saving services.

Not only that, but routine care could save your budget big-time by helping prevent the need for expensive surgical or medical procedures later, should any health-related issues show up. In this way you'll have greater peace of mind knowing that you’re covered for both expected and unexpected vet bills and your pet is taken care of, no matter what.

Picking the perfect insurer

For most people, picking an insurer is often a difficult choice. With the variety of plans and prices on offer, it can all get a little overwhelming. As a fellow pet owner, I always try to make sure that I’m putting my money towards the right type of plan and choosing an insurer that is able to accommodate my pet’s exact health-care needs. That’s why my recommendation would be to choose an insurer like Oneplan.

At Oneplan, their ultimate goal is to keep your pet happy and healthy, and to let you know that they’re always well taken care of. My personal experience with this insurer has been hassle-free and its claims process is as streamlined and simple as possible, so that the only thing I’ve had to focus on is the well-being of my lovable pet.

At Oneplan they’ve also leveled up their routine care cover by providing even more benefits to give your pawsome pet the best healthcare services possible. The Pet Classic Plan and Pet Super Plan each offer a full-packed pet insurance plan that comes with routine care, vet visit cover and both accident and illness cover.

If you choose to go with one of their other plans, the Routine Care Plus benefit lets you add more cover for routine care to your pet insurance plan for an affordable additional monthly fee. This add-on could even double your routine care benefits for those day-to-day costs after a 6 month waiting period. And with a Oneplan pet insurance plan, they pay you for upfront claims before you see the vet using the Oneplan app.

Get a quote from Oneplan directly to find out more about their plans, pricing and routine care cover. It’s that easy to join the Oneplan family and experience an insurer that really understands the healthcare needs of you and your pet.

Until next time,