What is wellness care and do all pet insurance plans include this kind of cover? We break down the basics…
The first thing you need to know is that no insurers are created equal.
This means that policy details such as limits, benefits, exclusions and terms and conditions are likely to vary from insurer to insurer.
When discussing the topic of wellness care and pet insurance, a question that comes up a lot is whether or not all insurance companies include this sort of coverage in their plans. The answer to this question will depend on your insurer and your chosen plan.
Let’s get into the details here…
Pet insurance and wellness coverage
Wellness coverage, also known as routine or preventive care typically includes cover for benefits aimed at keeping your pet healthy. Vaccinations, dental cleanings, tick and flea control and sterilisation are typically classified as routine care benefits.
Not all insurance providers will include benefits such as these in their core pet insurance plans. The majority of pet insurers will only include cover for accidents and illnesses - the more expensive and unpredictable costs associated with responsible pet ownership.
However, in some cases, you can choose a pet healthcare plan that includes cover for routine vet bills or, for an additional monthly fee, you can add routine care onto your chosen plan.
Oneplan Pet Insurance
Oneplan Pet Insurance, for example, includes routine care in their more comprehensive plans. Recently, the insurer has given their clients the option to boost up their routine care thanks to their Routine Care Plus Benefit. Basically, for a small extra monthly fee you can double your routine care benefits after a specified waiting period.
The great thing about this new benefit is that it includes an extra add-on product known as an Excess Buster which helps to cover the excess charged by Oneplan for a hospital claim, meaning you can save thousands of rands in hospital fees.
This routine care benefit can also be added onto Oneplan’s Pet Hospital Plan, which typically would only include cover for accidents and illnesses.
Is wellness coverage worth it?
Whether or not wellness coverage is worth it is ultimately up to you at the end of the day.
There are a number of factors that will determine whether or not this sort of benefit is the right choice for your bank account and your pet.
Factors to take into consideration:
- Recommended care your pet requires (you can get an idea of what sort of level of care your pet will need by chatting with your vet, for example, older pets typically require more vet visits and check-ups as do certain breeds).
- How much you currently spend on preventative measures and if a wellness benefit will help save you money.
What does wellness care typically include?
I chatted to the guys over at Oneplan Pet Insurance to get an idea of what sort of benefits are covered under wellness coverage, here’s what they had to say…
“Routine Care” means preventative care for your cats and dogs and includes, voluntary sterilisation, vaccinations, deworming, flea control, and anal gland expression, dental scaling and polishing and nail clipping.
Wellness care and the health of your pet
I’ve written quite a few blogs on how wellness care can help improve the health and lifespan of your pet, and having a pet insurance plan in place to help shoulder these costs will only encourage regular vet visits.
Routine care is a great way to ensure your pet is always in tip top health. Dental cleanings, vaccinations and other forms of wellness care help to ensure your pet is always healthy and during these check-ups, your vet will also be able to detect and treat any underlying health concerns before they progress into more serious and more expensive-to-treat issues.
When you have a pet insurance plan that helps cover these costs, you are more likely to ensure your pet’s check-ups are always adhered to.
Although the costs of your typical vet visit won’t exactly break the bank, they can and will quickly start to add up, and, as mentioned, wellness care and help prevent serious illnesses from developing later on down the line. For a small additional monthly fee, wellness care gives you the peace of mind you need and gives your pet a chance to live a happy and long life.
Until next time,
The Pet Insurance Team