Does Pet Insurance Cover Cancer Treatment?

We love our pets like family, so we want to do whatever we can to help them beat their cancer or provide a happy, comfortable quality of life in the time they have left. But pet cancer treatment can be expensive—unless you have pet insurance.

Typical accident and illness pet insurance policies cover cancer treatment. Below, we’ll review some of the best pet insurance that covers cancer, review policy exclusions, and discuss the cost of cancer treatment for dogs and cats.

Does pet insurance cover cancer treatment?

Pet insurance covers cancer treatment if you have an accident and illness policy, as cancer qualifies as a covered illness. Given the high cost of cancer treatment in dogs and cats, getting pet insurance can be worth the cost just for cancer coverage alone.

How vets treat your dog’s or cat’s cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer, but all related procedures and medications should be covered. Basic pet insurance coverage for cancer includes:

• Consultations and exam fees
• Diagnostics and testing
• Amputation or tumor removal
• Surgery and hospitalization
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy
• Rehabilitation
• Follow-up care and medication

Cancer is unfortunately common in dogs and cats, particularly older animals. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, nearly 50% of dogs who are 10 or older will get cancer. Though there’s less data available about feline cancer, cats are more likely than dogs to get certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma.

If you’re worried your pet could develop cancer down the road—particularly if you have a breed that is more predisposed to certain types of cancer—make sure you purchase pet insurance early enough in their life to ensure coverage. 

In general, pet insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, so you need the policy to be in effect before a cancer diagnosis.

Pet insurance that covers cancer

Most pet insurance companies cover cancer treatment in dogs and cats, as long as you get an accident and illness policy. Below, we’ve included our top four picks for the best pet insurance that covers cancer because of their comprehensive coverage, affordable pricing, and fast claims processes.

Fetch

Lemonade

Embrace

Spot

Exclusions and limitations on cancer treatment

While accident and illness pet insurance covers cancer treatment in most cases, there are some exclusions and limitations.

Pre-existing conditions

Most notably, pet insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. (There are a few exceptions, but the few pet insurance policies that cover pre-existing conditions have a lot of fine print and exclusions.) If your dog or cat has already developed and been diagnosed with cancer before you start the policy, cancer treatment will not be covered.

That said, if your pet previously had and beat one type of cancer before your policy but develops a different kind of cancer after you start a policy, treatment for that new cancer should be covered. Read your policy details closely to be sure.

Accident-only plans

Cancer is considered a covered illness for accident and illness pet insurance. However, if you purchase an accident-only plan, cancer treatment for your dog or cat will not be covered.

Annual benefit limit

Make sure you choose an annual benefit limit on your policy that is high enough to cover the cost of cancer treatment.

For instance, a $2,500 annual benefit limit would barely scratch the surface. With such a low benefit limit, you’ll quickly meet your annual cap and will have to pay for the rest of the treatment out of pocket.

A $10,000 annual limit—or even better, an unlimited annual benefit—would serve you much better in the event your dog or cat develops cancer.

Waiting periods

Timing is everything with pet insurance. Most accident and illness policies have waiting periods of 14 days for illnesses, though this varies by insurer. That means, after starting a policy, illnesses wouldn’t be covered until after the waiting period (e.g., 14 days).

If your dog or cat develops cancer and is diagnosed with it during the waiting period, it, unfortunately, will not be covered.

How to choose the right pet insurance

If you have a dog or cat and you’re worried about the possibility they may someday develop an expensive-to-treat cancer, you’ll want to get pet insurance well before any such diagnosis. Here are the steps to take to ensure you get the best pet insurance that covers cancer:

1. Research multiple pet insurance policies: Review various pet insurance companies, such as those listed above. Make sure they cover not only cancer but any other illnesses your dog or cat is genetically more predisposed to get. Read customer reviews and compare waiting periods and claims processes.
2. Get quotes: Once you’ve found a handful of pet insurance companies you like, get quotes to see how much pet insurance costs. Ensure you compare similar policies (similar coverages, deductibles, annual benefit limits, and reimbursement rates). If you like all the policies you’re considering, choose the most affordable option.
3. Sign up: Don’t wait long to start a policy. Enter your billing information and pay your first premium to cover your dog or cat ASAP. You’ll still have a short waiting period to get through before coverage kicks in, so the sooner you start a policy, the better.

Cost of cancer treatment for pets

Treating cancer is expensive for humans and pets. Though costs vary depending on the type of cancer and the treatments recommended, you might spend anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 for your dog’s or cat’s chemotherapy alone.

However, cancer treatment can include several other costs, including initial consultations, ongoing medications, potential surgeries, and rehabilitation. In some cases, cancer treatment costs for dogs and cats can go as high as $30,000.

The table below shows estimated cost ranges for various parts of cancer treatment:

Treatment	Cost range
Chemotherapy	$3,000 – $10,000
Radiation therapy	$2,500 – $7,000
Surgery	$500 – $5,000
Bone marrow transplant	$13,000+
Palliative therapy	$1,000 — $1,800
Oncology consultation	$125 – $250
Pain medications	$10 – $60 per bottle (varies significantly by medication)
Bloodwork	$100 – $200 per panel
X-rays	$75 – $500 per X-ray
CT scans	$1,500 – $3,500

How to file a pet insurance claim for cancer treatment

Most pet insurance companies require you to pay upfront and then submit a bill for reimbursement. To file a claim for cancer treatment, use your pet insurance company’s website or mobile app to upload your invoice; you may also have your vet send the invoice to the insurance company on your behalf.

If this is the first cost associated with a cancer diagnosis, the pet insurance company may have follow-up questions for your vet. Coordinating medical records and documentation may be needed. 

As treatment proceeds, you can work with a customer service agent with your pet insurance company as needed to understand the best ways to submit claims for fast reimbursement—and to learn what will and won’t be covered.

There are a few pet insurance companies that pay the vet directly. If you have a policy with this benefit, you won’t need to worry about coming up with the cash at the time of the treatment. Assuming you don’t have a policy that pays the vet directly, but you’re struggling to pay the expensive bill at the time of service, you can consider options such as:

• Paying with a credit card
• Paying with a veterinary-specific credit card, such as CareCredit
• Taking out a personal loan
• Borrowing from friends and family
• Working out a payment plan with your vet

Assuming your pet insurance company prioritizes quick reimbursements, you can soon pay off whatever debt you take on during treatment.

Recap of pet insurance that covers cancer