DOES PET INSURANCE COVER SPAYING AND NEUTERING?

As an elective procedure, spaying and neutering are typically not covered by pet insurance. But pet wellness plans, also called preventative care or routine care plans, may cover spaying and neutering. The nationwide pet insurance company also cover spaying and neutering through its Whole Pet Wellness Plan

Does Pet Insurance cover Spaying?

Although spaying and neutering are preventative healthcare procedures, they are typically not covered by a typical pet insurance policy. If you enroll in a wellness plan, your pet insurance may still cover spaying and neutering. Wellness plans are an optional extra offered by many pet insurance providers. This is because spaying and neutering are optional procedures, so pet insurance will not cover them. However, spaying and neutering are typically covered under wellness plans that can be added to most pet insurance policies.

What does a Pet Wellness Plan Cover?

The provision of preventative care is included in a wellness plan for pets as well as routine care plans. Your chosen plan and the insurer will determine which specific items are covered, but they might include the following:

Blood tests
Canine DHLPP vaccine/titer
Dental cleanings
Deworming medication
Fecal tests
Heartworm testing
Microchipping
Nutritional supplements
Pet advice chat service
Prescription diet foods
Annual wellness checkup.
Spaying/neutering surgery
Titers
Urinalysis
Vaccinations

What does a Pet Wellness Plan not Cover?

A wellness plan for pets does not cover an accident or illness. Accident and illness pet insurance will protect your finances from costs like cancer treatment, asthma medicine, or surgery after a dog fight that was not meant to happen. There is cheaper pet insurance that only covers accidents if you do not care about illness coverage.

If you want to ensure that your pet’s spay or neuter is paid for, you should enroll in a health insurance plan that provides this benefit. Keep in mind that the plans submitted for this specific surgery may mean that you will have to pay some of the costs out of pocket.

How Does Spay and Neuter Pet Insurance Work?

Spaying and neutering are included in some preventative care plans, but you may be required to make an upfront payment for the procedure. Ask the veterinary clinic for a bill. The next step is to send the bill to the wellness plan provider from which you purchased pet insurance. They will pay back a portion of the expenses.

When you get your pet insured, some companies will pay your veterinarian directly. However, they will pay only up to the limits of your policy. There may be some additional out-of-pocket costs associated with this service. Review your policy or get in touch with the insurance provider to learn the specifics of the reimbursement you can expect.

How to Check for Pet Insurance that covers Spaying and Neutering

Carefully comparing policies is essential before purchasing pet insurance; plans that cover routine and preventative care are uncommon. Any insurance plan you sign up for should cover preventative measures like spaying and neutering. Finally, make sure you know exactly what costs will be covered after a spay or neuter operation goes wrong.

Cost of Spaying and Neutering

Depending on where you live and the service provider, the price can be anywhere from $25 to several hundred dollars. Spaying or neutering a dog, especially a larger dog, can be a costly endeavor. Spaying and neutering can be expensive, but the exact amount will vary based on your circumstances, the breed and health of your pet, and your preferred method of pet care.

When budgeting, it is helpful to know that spaying and neutering are typically one-time expenses. If you can afford to pay for your pet’s medical care out of pocket, you may not see the point in purchasing pet insurance.

Several pet wellness programs that include spaying and neutering come with a monthly cost of about $25, or $300 annually. A pet insurance policy that includes illness coverage may come in handy if your pet experiences any complications after undergoing spay or neuter surgery.

Prices tend to be higher at a private veterinary clinic because they may be able to provide more personalized care and use cutting-edge monitoring or anesthetic technology.

The cost of spaying a female animal is higher than that of neutering a male because the spaying procedure is more involved. To remove the uterus and ovaries, an incision must be made in the lower abdomen of the animal. Additionally, pet insurance for cats and dogs does not always cost the same. Insurance premiums for felines are typically lower than those for canines.

Best Pet Insurance That Covers Spaying

Although pet insurance providers frequently include spaying and neutering in their wellness plans, it is unusual for a standard policy to cover these procedures. You can search for a pet insurance plan that includes coverage for elective or preventive care, but be sure to confirm that it includes spaying and neutering.

#1. ASPCA Pet Insurance

Similar to Spot, ASPCA Pet Insurance covers preventative care. They share a lot of similarities in their coverage offerings due to their shared parent company, the Crum & Foster Pet Insurance Group. ASPCA gives you two choices for preventative care plans. The Basic Preventative Care plan does not include coverage for spaying or neutering, so if you want to take care of your pet’s reproductive health, you will need to upgrade to the Prime Preventative Care plan.

The ASPCA offers reimbursement for routine services, such as spaying or neutering, up to a maximum of $150. Costs start at just $9.95/month for a $250 annual benefit and rise to $24.95/month for a $450 annual benefit with some plans. This plan not only covers spaying and neutering but also dental care, checkups, deworming, flea prevention, lab work, urinalysis, and more!

#2. Embrace Pet Insurance

The Wellness Rewards program will pay for preventative care, such as spay or neuter surgery, up to a maximum of $250. The minimum premium for this policy is $18.75 per month, and you can select an annual maximum benefit of either $250, $450, or $650.

In addition to the basics like hospitalization and surgery, these plans also cover preventative care like checkups and immunizations, as well as nutritional supplements.

#3. Figo Pet Insurance

The cost of spaying or neutering your pet is covered, up to $75, by Figo’s Wellness Powerup. The company provides coverage on two different levels. The Basic plan has a monthly cost of $9.50 and provides an annual benefit of $135. The Plus plan has a monthly cost of $16.50 and provides a yearly benefit of $250.

#4. Lemonade Pet Insurance

There are three different preventative care plans available through Lemonade. However, to receive coverage for spay/neuter procedures, you will need to enroll in the Puppy/Kitten Preventative Plan. Additionally, your pet must be younger than two years old to be eligible. Prices as well as coverage limits can vary. This plan also includes protection against fleas and heartworms, vaccinations, wellness exams, blood and fecal tests, microchipping, and a variety of other preventative care services. Each year, you may be eligible to receive a reimbursement of up to $650 for the costs associated with preventative care.

#5. Spot Pet Insurance

Spot provides pet owners with the option of selecting from two different preventative care plans, namely Gold Preventative Care and Platinum Preventative Care. The Gold plan has a monthly cost of $9.95 and provides coverage for routine veterinary care costs such as dental cleaning, wellness exams, and deworming. However, the plan does not cover the cost of spaying and neutering animals. The Platinum Preventive Care plan of Spot will reimburse an owner for up to $150 of the cost of spaying or neutering their pet. The plan has a monthly premium of $24.95 and offers a total benefit of $450 per year, which is an allowance for routine medical expenses.

#6. Prudent

There are two basic plans and a more extensive plan that includes advertising for a lost pet and reimbursement for canceled vacations, both of which are services that many of Prudent Pet’s competitors do not provide. Due to these features, Prudent Pet Insurance is a great option for supplemental protection.

Spay and neuter procedures are covered under the company’s High Wellness coverage upgrade. You can get $60 back for spaying or neutering with this add-on. Neutering coverage is only available if you purchase the Medium or High Wellness upgrade. The High upgrade provides $60 for spay/neuter procedures, while the Medium upgrade contributes $40.

Pre-existing medical conditions, organ transplants, experimental treatments, holistic therapies not recommended by veterinarians, breeding, pregnancy, whelping, and elective surgeries are all excluded from this plan.

Does Nationwide Pet Insurance Cover Spaying?

Animals as diverse as birds, reptiles, guinea pigs, ferrets, sugar gliders, and goats are all included in Nationwide’s pet insurance plans, which are available in all 50 states. You can get wellness coverage in addition to accident and medical protection.

The Whole Pet Wellness Plan is the most expensive option, but it covers everything your pet could need. Wellness visits, spay/neuter surgeries, urinalysis, blood work, flea/heartworm prevention, vaccinations, and routine care are all included. It is similar to the Whole Pet Plan in that it offers reimbursement choices and an annual deductible, but its coverage is unlimited.

The approval of your insurance application and receipt of your first payment initiate the 14-day waiting period for Nationwide’s Whole Pet with Wellness and Major Medical plans. The Whole Pet Wellness Plan from Nationwide covers pet spaying and neutering, along with other care plans.

The Whole Pet with Wellness plan from Nationwide is a comprehensive health insurance policy that reimburses 90% of your qualifying veterinary costs in the event of an accident, illness, or routine wellness checkup.

Why Is Spaying a Dog So Expensive?

The fact that the dog will require anesthesia, which is another major expense, helps to explain the high price tag. The actual surgery and subsequent follow-up checks to make sure your dog is healthy will add even more to the bill. Your dog may require a second appointment to ensure his or her recovery after surgery. Your dog’s breed, size, age, and level of pre- and post-operative care required all play a role in determining how much money you can expect to spend on this procedure.

How Much Does It Cost to Have a Dog Neutered?

The cost of having your dog spayed or neutered typically ranges from $340 to $1,500 on average. The procedure could cost more if your pet has pre-existing medical conditions or is older.

What Age Should a Female Dog Be Spayed?

According to the Canine Life Stage Guidelines published by the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA),

Spaying should be performed on female small-breed dogs before they enter their first heat cycle, which typically occurs between the ages of 5 and 6 months.
It is recommended that spaying be performed on large-breed dogs between the ages of 5 and 15 months.

Is it Cheaper to Neuter a Male or Female Dog?

The cost of neutering a male dog is always less than that of spaying a female dog because spaying requires a more involved and lengthy surgical procedure.

What Are the Benefits of Spaying a Female Dog?

Spaying a dog has benefits other than keeping it from going through heat cycles. According to Steere, it can drastically lower the risk of developing mammary cancer, which is fatal in as many as 50% to 90% of affected pets. Additionally, it protects against ovarian and uterine cancers, as well as uterine infections. Dogs that are spayed or neutered can live healthier and longer lives and help stop pets from having too many babies.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, pet insurance that does not include a wellness plan add-on will not cover spaying and neutering. We recommend getting a wellness plan that covers spaying and neutering if you are already going to buy pet insurance.

If you’re wondering whether pet insurance covers spaying and neutering, the answer is “it depends.” Most standard pet insurance policies only pay for unforeseen medical expenses resulting from accidents and illnesses.

Spaying and neutering, along with other preventative care procedures, are often not covered by traditional pet insurance policies, but many wellness plans do. If you are trying to decide whether or not to buy pet insurance, comparing quotes from multiple providers can help you find a policy with the best combination of premium costs and potential veterinary care cost savings. Consider the cost of pet insurance alongside the expense of spaying or neutering to make a decision.