Many pet owners go without pet insurance and may not realize just how expensive a vet bill can be for unexpected problems like a torn ligament or cancer. Treatment for these types of conditions can cost thousands of dollars.
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Pet insurance can help you pay for expensive vet bills. It can cover both major and minor incidents, from broken bones to ear infections. We evaluated eight plans to help you find the best pet insurance in Wisconsin.
Best Pet Insurance in Wisconsin
ManyPets
Why We Picked It: ManyPets offers some unique and valuable coverage features, such as reducing the accident and illness waiting period to 24 hours if you switch over from another pet insurance company. It also has very competitive pricing that makes it worth a look.
Embrace
Why We Picked It: Embrace’s pet insurance plan earned the highest score for coverage benefits among the plans we evaluated. This plan covers vet exam fees and access to a 24/7 pet health line. The six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions can be waived if your vet does an orthopedic exam after you purchase the policy.
Pets Best
Why We Picked It: Pets Best combines great coverage with a good price. Its wide range of deductible choices helps you budget for possible claims.
Wisconsin Pet Insurance Cost Comparison
The average cost for pet insurance in Wisconsin is $39 per month, according to a Forbes Advisor analysis of pet insurance costs in the state. That’s for a plan with unlimited annual coverage, a $250 deductible and 90% reimbursement level.
Types of Pet Insurance Plans
You’ll find that pet insurance companies generally offer three types of plans: accident and illness, accident-only and wellness plans.
The types of problems that are covered by pet insurance will depend on which plan you buy. Here’s a look at each plan and what it covers.
Accident and Illness Plans
Accidents, like ACL ruptures and swallowed objects.
Illnesses, such as ear infections and diabetes.
Congenital conditions, including heart disease.
Hereditary conditions, like hip dysplasia and blood disorders.
Holistic and alternative procedures, like acupuncture and chiropractic.
Prescription medications.
Surgeries and hospitalizations.
Testing and diagnostics, such as CT scans, MRIs and X-rays.
Accident and illness plans typically don’t cover problems such as:
Breeding, pregnancy or whelping.
Cosmetic procedures, like tail docking or ear cropping.
Grooming such as baths, shampoos and nail trims.
Experimental treatment, such as investigational or treatment not within the standard care accepted by Wisconsin’s veterinary medical board.
Non-veterinary expenses, such as a dog license or waste disposal services.
Pre-existing conditions, but some plans cover pre-existing conditions that are considered curable if your pet remains free of symptoms for a period of time.
Regular food, dietary and nutritional supplements.
Routine wellness care, such as vaccinations, wellness exams, and flea, tick and heartworm prevention.
Accident-Only Plans
This type of plan only covers accident-related veterinary bills, such as a broken bone or a swallowed object. It won’t cover illness-related expenses like cancer or urinary tract infections.
Accident-only plans are cheaper than accident and illness plans because they cover fewer problems, but it can be a good option for pet owners who only want coverage for accident-related emergencies.
Wellness and Routine Care Plans
Some pet insurers offer wellness plans for routine care as an add-on to accident and illness plans. Wellness plans can help cover expenses such as:
- Dental cleanings
- Deworming
- Fecal and blood parasite exams
- Grooming costs, including nail trims
- Heartworm, flea and tick prevention
- Microchipping
- Neutering and spaying
- Wellness exams
- Vaccinations
How Pet Insurance Works
Pet insurance is much like a health insurance policy for your pet that covers vet bills. Pet insurance is usually reimbursement-based, which means you’ll need to pay up front for your pet’s vet expenses and submit a claim to your insurer for reimbursement. If the problem is covered by your policy, your pet insurance company will send you reimbursement.
The amount of money you’ll get back will depend on your annual limit, deductible and reimbursement percentage. You’ll also need to be aware of your plan’s “waiting period” before your coverage kicks in. To understand how pet insurance works, here’s a look at what each of these terms mean.
Waiting Period
All pet insurers have a waiting period—the specific length of time before your coverage kicks in. You’ll usually find three types of waiting periods:
Accident waiting period (typically one to 14 days).
Illness waiting period (typically 14 days).
Extended waiting period (typically six to 12 months, but not all insurers have this waiting period).
The length of the waiting period depends on the pet insurance company. For example, Embrace pet insurance has a two-day waiting period for accidents, which is on the shorter side compared to top competitors. But it also has a six-month extended waiting period for canine orthopedic conditions. Not all insurers have an extended waiting period for canine orthopedic conditions.
You may be able to find pet insurance with no waiting period. For example, ManyPets does not have an extended waiting period for problems like cruciate ligament issues or hip dysplasia.
Maximum Annual Limit
The most your pet insurer will pay out during the policy term is the maximum annual limit. You’ll have to pay out of pocket for any vet expenses that exceed your annual limit. Common annual limit choices are $5,000, $10,000 and unlimited coverage.
Choosing a higher maximum annual limit, such as $10,000 or unlimited, will be more expensive than a policy with a lower annual limit, such as $5,000.
Deductible
The amount of money you’ll need to pay before your pet insurance kicks in is the deductible. Common deductible choices are $100, $250, $500 and $1,000.
If you choose a higher deductible, you’ll be able to lower your pet insurance costs. That’s because your insurer will pay out less if you file a pet insurance claim.
Reimbursement Percentage
When you pay for your pet’s vet bills and submit a claim to your pet insurance company, the reimbursement percentage is the amount of money you’ll get back. Common reimbursement percentage choices are 70%, 80% and 90%.
A higher reimbursement percentage (such as 90%) will cost more than a lower reimbursement percentage (such as 70%) because your insurer will pay more if you file a pet insurance claim.
Reimbursement Percentage
When you pay for your pet’s vet bills and submit a claim to your pet insurance company, the reimbursement percentage is the amount of money you’ll get back. Common reimbursement percentage choices are 70%, 80% and 90%.
A higher reimbursement percentage (such as 90%) will cost more than a lower reimbursement percentage (such as 70%) because your insurer will pay more if you file a pet insurance claim.
How to Find the Best Pet Insurance in Wisconsin
While pet insurance plans can look similar, details like waiting periods, deductible options and coverage benefits can be a major differentiating factor when you’re trying to find the best pet insurance in Wisconsin. For example, having a 24/7 vet telehealth line might be essential to you, but not all companies offer it. Here are some things to consider when you’re comparing pet insurance plans.
24/7 vet healthline: If you want to be able to talk with a vet at 3:00 a.m., access to a vet telehealth line is an important benefit. But not all insurers offer one. Look at plans such as Embrace and Pets Best.
Plans that will pay the vet directly: Some insurers, like Pets Best and Trupanion can pay your vet directly, meaning you won’t have to wait for a reimbursement check.
Plans with a multi-pet discount: If you have more than one dog or cat, you can find multi-pet insurance. Some insurers offer a multi-pet discount between 5% to 10%.
Plans that offer a wellness plan: Many insurers offer a wellness plan as an add-on to an accident and illness policy. This can help cover wellness-related expenses like routine exams, vaccinations, and flea, tick and heartworm prevention.
Get quotes from several pet insurers. Once you’ve narrowed down your coverage selections and benefits, make sure you compare pet insurance quotes from several different pet insurance companies. Prices can vary by company, so don’t skip this step.