Is Spaying and Neutering Covered by Pet Insurance?

Deciding to spay or neuter your pet can have a great impact on both you and your pet, your community, and not to mention — your wallet.

This rings true when we talk about pet health and life expectancy. For one thing, it turns out that spayed and neutered dogs and cats have an average lifespan that is notably longer than that of intact pets.

To illustrate, a study at the University of Georgia found that, compared to intact dogs, the average lifespan of neutered male dogs increased by 13.8%, while that of spayed female dogs increased by 26.3%. Particularly, spayed and neutered dogs had a higher average death age of 9.4, whereas intact dogs had an average of 7.9 years.

The choice of spaying or neutering your pet can prevent certain diseases, may tame disruptive behaviors, and can save you money in the long run. In line with this, if you are considering pet insurance or its alternatives, you may be wondering: Is spaying and neutering included in insurance coverage? And if immediate spay or neuter surgery is warranted, will emergency pet insurance cover the costs? But first, what exactly is pet insurance, and how can it benefit us and our pets?

Stop Googling - Ask a Real Vet

Content:

What Is Pet Insurance
Pet Insurance Types
Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying and Neutering
What Does an Emergency Fund Cover
Is It Worth Buying a Pet Insurance Policy
Conclusion

What Is Pet Insurance

Pet insurance can be defined as a pet health plan paid by the owner (either monthly or yearly) for the reimbursement of veterinary expenses to be incurred during the plan period.

Depending on the policy terms, claiming insurance generally involves the following steps:

The pet is brought to the veterinarian for a condition covered by the insurance policy.
The owner pays the vet the full amount and then files a claim with the insurance company for reimbursement.
The insurance company reimburses the amount paid for the covered condition.

Pet Insurance Types

Normally, there are three types of insurance plans that owners can choose from:

Accident-only;
Accidents and illnesses;
Routine health and wellness.

Coverage, deductibles, and premiums may vary depending on the insurance policy.
Meanwhile, you may have questions such as:

Are there multiple pet insurance plans?
Is there pet insurance for older dogs?
Is there pet insurance with lifetime coverage?
In cases of emergencies, what pet insurance is both pet-friendly and pet-owner-friendly?

These questions are important when choosing which insurance company to invest in. After all, you want to choose an insurance company and policy that would best suit you and your pet’s needs.

Take, for example, Petcube’s Pet Emergency Fund, a pet insurance alternative. For one thing, a Pet Emergency Fund subscription provides annual pet emergency coverage of $3000 for up to six pets. It doesn’t discriminate, so dogs and cats are welcome regardless of age, breed, or medical history. Not to mention, they also have an online vet service, so you can consult with certified veterinarians anytime and anywhere you may be.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying and Neutering

Because most pet insurers classify spaying and neutering as routine or elective procedures, they are often not included in basic pet insurance policies. However, many insurers do offer wellness and preventive care add-ons, which cover spaying and neutering. Note that add-ons come with an additional cost on top of the basic plan.

During pet emergencies warranting a spay or neuter procedure, for example, pet insurance alternatives such as Petcube’s Pet Emergency Fund cover emergency spay or neuter surgeries alongside other pet emergencies. However, if spaying and neutering your pet is a routine procedure scheduled ahead of time, it isn’t classified as an emergency and won’t be covered.

What Does an Emergency Fund Cover

Petcube’s Emergency Fund covers pet emergencies or situations that are unexpected, serious, or life-threatening and require immediate medical care.

Among the common pet emergencies are:

Choking;
Breathing difficulties;
Toxic ingestion;
Serious blockages;
Severe injuries, both internal and external.

In emergencies, pets are covered, even if the emergency is associated with a pre-existing condition. Meanwhile, pre-scheduled appointments and operations are not covered.

Their certified vets will be the ones to assess whether the situation is an emergency based on certain conditions mentioned below. Only those classified as life-threatening emergencies are covered by the Emergency Fund.

Life-threatening emergency - emergency vet care must be sought immediately - covered;
Critical - it is highly encouraged to bring your pet to the vet within 24 hours - not covered;
Urgent - it is advised to have your pet checked within 3 days - not covered;
Non-urgent - you may need to see a vet sometime in the future - not covered.

Exclusions of Emergency Fund Coverage

Deworming;
Vaccinations;
Routine check-ups;
Parvovirus;
Non-life-threatening emergencies;
Non-emergency or scheduled surgeries;
Oral health checkup and cleaning;
Prescription medications not related to approved emergencies;
Follow-up check-ups;
Secondary issues that are unrelated to an approved emergency;
Pre-existing conditions unrelated to approved emergencies;
Any medical procedure unrelated to approved emergencies;
Emergencies that are linked to breeding or pregnancy.

Read more: How Does Pet Insurance Work?

Is It Worth Buying a Pet Insurance Policy

“Why do I need to get pet insurance or have a pet emergency fund?” You might ask. For one thing, being a pet owner comes with responsibility, and this includes financial commitments. From food, toys, treats, and checkups with the vet, the expenses of owning pets can be overwhelming without proper planning. In fact, according to the ASPCA, costs can reach over $1000 per year for only routine costs.

In addition, many pet owners will experience a pet emergency at least once in their pet’s lifetime. During such emergencies, worrying about money is the last thing that you want when you are attending to your ill or injured pet. This is why pet insurance is important, and so is a pet emergency fund.

Petcube’s Pet Emergency Fund, for example, is a good alternative to pet insurance. First of all, it offers up to $3000 for pet emergencies for up to six pets, considering that emergency costs are the most expensive. Payment is directly sent to the clinic, so you won’t have to worry about having to settle the bills. It also welcomes pets regardless of age, breed, and medical history. They also have a team of online vets who can answer your questions 24/7.

If you want to protect your pet and your peace of mind during pet emergencies, the Pet Emergency Fund is well worth it. Luckily, as one of our blog readers, we are offering you an exclusive 27% off if you follow this link.

Conclusion

Owning a pet comes with responsibility, and this includes financial responsibility. Pet insurance or an emergency fund may help, especially when your pet gets into an emergency.

While spaying and neutering are routine procedures that are normally not included in pet insurance policies, options are available, such as availing of a wellness and preventive care add-on, which includes spaying and neutering. If the need to spay or neuter your pet is an emergency that needs immediate surgery, a pet emergency fund can cover this.

It’s definitely worth considering pet insurance or an emergency fund in case of unexpected situations, given the expenses involved in veterinary care, among other pet care expenses. However, when choosing an insurance or alternative insurance policy, make sure to understand its terms, especially the exclusions and limits, so as not to have any problems when the time comes.