If you’re hoping for pet insurance to cover your dog’s taste for expensive shoes or your cat’s love for spas, you’ll be disappointed.
Having said that, pet insurance can help cover the cost of surgery if your dog ends up eating a part of your shoe or your cat develops a skin condition. From surprise illnesses to unexpected injuries, pet insurance has your back (and your pet’s paws, head, skin, tail, teeth, and eyes).
Here’s a detailed answer to your question –
What Can Pet Insurance Help Cover?
You’ll mostly find two types of pet insurance policies in the market –
Accident only
Accidents and illnesses
Here’s what an accident-only plan would typically help cover –
Diagnostics
Vet exam fees
The above costs must be related to an accident. It won’t cover the costs arising from any kind of treatment of an illness.
An accident and illness plan, also known as a more robust plan, would help cover the accidents mentioned above and the following-
Hereditary conditions*
Congenital conditions*
Cancer & growths
Eye problems
All other illnesses, like urinary tract infections, bloat, and other gastrointestinal issues
(This is not an exclusive list - to learn more about our accident and illness coverage, please visit our homepage.)
*The reason you see an asterisk on hereditary and congenital conditions is that not every pet insurance provider covers them. Both hereditary and congenital conditions can be covered with a plan from Spot.
What does Pet Insurance not cover?
Routine care is usually not included in base-level pet insurance plans. However, most insurers offer a preventive add-on at an additional cost. Here’s what it can help cover –
Wellness exams
Apart from routine care, here’s what pet insurance plans usually do not cover –
Elective or cosmetic procedures like tail docking, ear cropping, and declawing
Grooming and everyday expenses like food, dog walking, dog training, etc.
Breeding and pregnancy-related expenses, like prenatal care, delivery, or any complications.
Alternative and experimental treatments*
Why the asterisk on alternative treatments? Most other insurers do not cover those expenses, but Spot Pet can.
Is Pet Insurance Worth It?
The average cost of veterinary care is around $679.50 annually(1) not including the cost of treatment for any accidents or illnesses that might affect a pet.
Here are the average costs for a few common conditions in pets–(2)
Cancer treatment - $4,000
Diabetes - $1,600-$2,900
Kidney disease - $1,318
Heart murmur - $1,140
Hernia - $700-$2,500
Urinary tract infection - $1,053
The average cost of dog insurance is around $44 per month, and the average cost of cat insurance is about $24 per month.(3)
How Can Spot Help?
We can write a long paragraph here and do a comparison study, but it’s just better for both of us to cut to the chase and save time by telling you why you should consider Spot Pet -
We are robust in the true sense - Spot has the most robust coverage. We don’t just cover vet bills and medications; we can also help cover prescription diets, microchipping, alternate therapies, behavioral issues, specialist vet visits and much more. We even help cover chronic, hereditary, and congenital conditions.
We help cover Pre-existing conditions - Most insurers do not cover pre-existing conditions, but we do in some cases. We help cover pre-existing conditions as long as they are treated and symptom-free for at least 180 days, excluding pre-existing knee and ligament conditions.
No upper age limit - We do not have an upper age limit for insurance. We know how big vet bills can be for senior pets.
Curated discounts - As part of our mission to help pets lead happier and healthier lives, we offer access to a curated list of discounts on pet essentials.
It’s not like you won’t be able to find these benefits with other insurers, but we doubt you’ll be able to find all of these perks with one insurer.
Spot Fact!
The average claim cost at Spot Pet for the year 2024 was $441.46.*
FAQs
What if my pet passes away? Does pet insurance cover those types of expenses?
Some policies can help reimburse pet parents for the cost of end-of-life expenses if a pet passes due to an accident or illness, but this varies.
Does pet insurance cover overseas travel?
Most policies do not cover vet bills resulting from a pet falling sick or getting into an accident abroad. Spot Pet plans can provide reimbursement in the US and Canada.
Does pet insurance cover euthanasia?
Pet insurance policies usually do not cover the cost of euthanasia. Spot pet plans, however, do help cover the cost of euthanasia for covered illnesses and accidents.
More About Spot Pet Insurance
Dog Insurance can help provide financial assistance for eligible veterinary care in case of unexpected accidents, illnesses, or injuries. Our plans can help pet parents manage the eligible costs of covered veterinary care and help ensure that their pets can receive the best treatment possible. Here are some ways that Spot pet insurance plans can help:
Covers Unexpected Veterinary Costs: Spot pet insurance plans help cover the eligible costs of unexpected veterinary treatments, such as emergency surgeries, X-rays, and prescription medications for covered conditions.
Customizable Plans: Choose your annual limit, reimbursement rate, and deductible from a range of options, and create the plan that will fit the needs of your pet and your budget.
Peace of Mind: With Spot pet insurance plans, pet parents can know that they can provide the best care for their pet with less worry about the cost.
To learn more about Spot Plans or to get a free quote, click here.
Mostly a tech person, always a pet person. I am dedicated to improving the lives of pets and their humans with technology. Off-duty, I enjoy writing about the misbehaving of computer programs and my two Aussiedoodles, Calvin and Hobbes.
* 2025 Spot Pet Insurance Services, LLC. claims data
Megna, M. (2025, January 2). Pet Ownership Statistics 2025. Forbes Advisor. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/
How much does a vet visit cost? Average pricing by procedure. (2024, August 5). https://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/costs/
Getman, S. (2025, March 12). Average pet insurance rates as of March | Insurify. Insurify. https://insurify.com/pet-insurance/news/average-pet-insurance-rates-march-2025/
[BL1]We need to rework, as we are not able to refer to coverage as ‘comprehensive’. Something like We offer robust plan options, would suffice, but comprehensive is a no-go.
