Pet Insurance That Covers Medication

Veterinary bills may be just one of the costs you’ll incur if your pet gets sick or injured. In some cases, your feline or canine friend may also need certain medications to complete their recovery. 

But depending on your furry companion’s medical needs, prescriptions can cost anywhere from under $10 to more than $100. Fortunately, if you have pet insurance, you may be able to get some help covering the cost of your pet’s medication, albeit with some exceptions and limitations.

Here’s what you need to know about pet insurance that covers medication and which providers offer it. 

Does pet insurance cover medication?

Generally, medication is covered under a comprehensive pet insurance plan, though there are some caveats you’ll need to know about:

• Pre-existing conditions generally aren’t covered: If your pet has a pre-existing condition—an injury or illness that predates your policy’s waiting period—then any medication required to treat the condition likely won’t be covered by your plan.
• You may need to pay extra for coverage: Like health insurance for humans, pet insurance policies may have different tiers of coverage. If you go with the base coverage, for instance, some medications, such as alternative therapies, may be excluded. Additionally, preventive medications and some types of prescriptions, such as medication for anxiety, may require an add-on.
• You’ll likely still have some out-of-pocket costs: Medication coverage is typically subject to your policy’s deductible—the amount you have to pay before your coverage kicks in—and coinsurance, which is your share of expenses that exceed your deductible. Some policies also have coverage limits for certain types of medication, such as vaccines and other preventative prescriptions.
• All expenses are subject to an annual limit: Many pet insurance plans have annual coverage limits, which may range from $2,500 to $25,000. These limits typically apply to all coverages under the policy after you hit your deductible. If you reach your coverage limit, additional expenses beyond that will be your responsibility.
• Medication generally must be approved by the FDA: In most cases, you can’t get coverage for experimental medications—they must be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and prescribed by your veterinarian.

Keep a “rainy day” fund in addition to your emergency fund to cover costs such as insurance deductibles and medications. Save $1,000 to $2,000 per year for each pet, so about $80.00 to $150.00 per month.”

Erin Kinkade

CFP®

While coverages can vary depending on which pet insurance company you choose, here are some general guidelines on what you can expect to have covered for your cat or dog:

	Covered by insurance	Covered by wellness	Covered by a separate add-on
Prescription medication	✔
Supplements, vitamins, and wellness medication		✔
Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention		✔
Allergy medication	✔
Behavior medication	✔
Holistic and alternative medication			✔

Pet insurance providers that cover medication

We conducted research on the top pet insurance carriers to find providers that offer medication coverage for your furry friends.

Provider	Prescription medication covered?	Medications covered by insurance	Preventive medications covered?	Coverage details	Preventive medications covered
Embrace	✔	Antibiotics, allergy medication, insulin and supplies, eye and ear drops, oral chemotherapy, steroids, pain relievers, anxiety medication	✔	Wellness plan add-on required to cover preventive medication	Flea, tick and heartworm preventatives, prescription diet food, ear cleaning drops, nutritional supplements, medicated shampoos, vaccines
Lemonade	✔	Medications related to covered accidents and illnesses, including hereditary, chronic and congenital health conditions; allergy medication	✔	Preventative+ Care plan add-on required to cover preventive medication	Vaccines, flea, tick or heartworm medication
ASPCA	✔	Accident-only coverage includes medication related to unexpected injuries; Complete coverage includes prescription food and supplements and medication related to covered injuries, illnesses, hereditary, congenital and chronic conditions and behavioral issues	✔	Preventive Care plan add-on required to cover preventive medication	Vaccines, flea and tick medication, heartworm prevention
Spot	✔	Medication prescribed by a veterinarian to treat a covered condition, including prescription food and supplements	✔	Preventive care coverage add-on required to cover preventive medication	Vaccines, flea, tick and heartworm prevention
Figo	✔	Prescription medication for covered conditions, including accidents, illnesses and chronic, congenital and hereditary conditions	✔	Wellness care coverage add-on required to cover preventive medication	Vaccines, flea, tick and heartworm prevention

Embrace

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Best for quick coverage

• LendEDU rating: 4.7/5
• Provides a detailed list of coverage prescriptions
• The most comprehensive preventative medication coverage

Embrace offers a single full coverage plan for illnesses and injuries. In contrast, some other pet insurers offer multiple tiers, making it difficult to compare medication coverages. Instead of simply saying prescriptions are covered, Embrace offers a detailed list of what you can expect.

Among our top choices, the pet insurance provider also offers the most comprehensive set of medications under its preventative wellness plan, including prescription diet food and supplements. 

While pre-existing conditions aren’t covered, Embrace only looks back 12 months, while other insurers may look back 24 months or the pet’s entire life. You can apply for coverage online to get a quote.

• Monthly premium: Not disclosed
• Benefit limit: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000 or $30,000
• Deductible: $200, $300, $500, $750, or $1,000
• Reimbursement amount: 65%, 70%, 80%, or 90%
• Eligible pets: Dogs and cats six weeks – 14 years

Lemonade

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Best for fast claims

• LendEDU rating: 4.7/5
• Broad range of covered medications
• Requires an add-on for anxiety medication

Instead of giving you a specific list of covered medications, Lemonade simply states that it covers medications related to covered accidents and illnesses. That said, you’ll need to pay extra for a behavioral add-on to get access to anxiety medication.

You’ll also be able to choose between three wellness plans, including an option designed specifically for puppies and kittens. Keep in mind, though, that the base preventative plan does not include medication to prevent fleas, ticks or heartworms. You can request a quote for coverage online.

• Monthly premium: As low as $10
• Benefit limit: $5,000 to $100,000
• Deductible: $100, $250, or $500
• Reimbursement amount: 70%, 80%, or 90%
• Eligible pets: Dogs and cats, age requirements undisclosed

ASPCA

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Best for reliability

• LendEDU rating: 4.3/5
• Accident-only plan has limited medication coverage
• Complete coverage plan covers a broad range of medications

ASPCA offers two health insurance plans. If you choose the accident-only plan, only medications related to unexpected injuries are covered. If you opt for the complete coverage plan, however, you’ll get a lot more options, including medications for accidents and illnesses, various conditions, behavioral issues and even prescription food and supplements.

The insurance provider also offers two wellness plans, though only the second tier covers flea, tick and heartworm prevention medication. It also offers broader vaccine coverage. For pre-existing conditions, ASPCA will cover your pet if the condition is curable, cured and free of symptoms and treatments for 180 days. You can get an online quote based on your needs.

• Monthly premium: As low as $8
• Benefit limits: $5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, or $30,000
• Deductible: $100, $250, or $500 annually
• Reimbursement amount: 70%, 80%, or 90%
• Eligible pets: Dogs and cats at least eight weeks old

Spot

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Best for variety of terms

• LendEDU rating: 4.5
• Provides broad medication coverage
• Offers two coverage options plus a wellness plan

Spot doesn’t offer many specifics about its medication coverage on its website. However, using sample policies, we were able to confirm that it offers coverage for all medications prescribed by a veterinarian. That includes prescription pet food and supplements to treat a covered condition.

That said, Spot offers an accident-only plan and an accident and illness plan, and if you choose the cheaper option, medication to treat illnesses won’t be covered. The insurer also offers a standard wellness plan. You can request a quote for coverage through Spot’s website.

• Monthly premium: As low as $10
• Maximum benefit: $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited 
• Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000
• Reimbursement amount: 70%, 80%, or 90%
• Eligible pets: Dogs and cats at least eight weeks old

Figo

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Best for no best-for designation

• LendEDU rating: 4.4/5
• Offers broad medication coverage 
• Preventative medication limits are low

Figo allows you to customize your pet insurance plan based on your needs, but regardless of how you do it, any medication prescribed by your doctor to treat a covered illness or injury is included. 

That said, you have to pay extra for a “vet exam fees” add-on for prescription food to treat a covered illness. Figo offers two wellness plans, both of which include vaccines and flea, tick and heartworm prevention. However, there’s an annual limit of $30 or $50 for those preventative measures, depending on which plan you choose. 

• Monthly premium: As low as $20
• Maximum benefit: $5,000, $10,000, or unlimited
• Deductible: $100, $250, $500, $750, or $1,000
• Reimbursement amount: 70%, 80%, 90%, or 100%
• Eligible pets: Dogs and cats at least eight weeks old

How to choose the best pet insurance plan for medication coverage

Because pet insurance generally doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, you’re choosing a policy based on things that could happen in the future. With no way of knowing what coverage you might need, here are some questions to ask yourself as you’re choosing an insurance plan:

• How broad is the coverage? It’s a good idea to consider policies that offer broad coverage of prescription medications so you can be as prepared as possible in the future. For older pets, it’s also worth considering policies that offer coverage for prescription food and supplements, which may be more necessary as pets age. 
• What is your budget? Comprehensive plans that include illnesses and injuries may offer broader prescription coverage, but they’re also more expensive. If you can’t afford comprehensive pet insurance coverage, accident-only coverage is better than nothing, even if it won’t cover illness-related prescriptions.  
• Do you need preventive care? It may make sense to purchase this coverage if you have a kitten or puppy who needs regular vaccinations and checkups. But as your pet gets older, it typically only needs one wellness visit each year, which may not be frequent enough to require insurance coverage.

Ask the expert

Erin Kinkade

CFP®

When choosing an insurance plan, determine what type of pet you want or currently have and factor in pre-existing conditions not covered. From there, identify the basic insurance you need and add-ons that could be beneficial.

Is paying for medication coverage worth it?

Most pet insurance policies cover medication in some form or another without requiring you to buy add-ons. Because veterinary costs can be expensive in general, it’s often worth it to have at least basic coverage for your cat or dog. 

However, some pet insurance carriers require you to pay extra for certain types of medication, either through a more comprehensive plan, a wellness plan or a separate add-on. 

Because illnesses can happen unexpectedly and develop into long-term health issues, it can be worth it to pay extra for a comprehensive plan that includes medication for both injuries and illnesses. 

If you can’t afford pet insurance, you probably can’t afford a pet!

Erin Kinkade

CFP

For preventive and other add-on medication coverages, however, consider:

• How often you might need to use the coverage. If your pet doesn’t likely need to take regular medication, it may not be worth it.
• The costs of medications would be without your plan helping you out. If you can afford to pay for the medication on your own and the difference isn’t much, you may get by without paying extra for coverage.

How to file a claim for medication coverage with your pet insurance provider

The claims process can be a bit different for each pet insurance carrier. While some are willing to pay the veterinary medication provider directly, most require you to pay out of pocket and submit a reimbursement request. 

If your insurance company pays directly, the medication provider can get paid using the insurer’s system, which will cover the bill based on your policy’s terms. If there’s any amount left over, you’ll pay the medication provider the difference. 

If your insurance company requires you to pay upfront, you may have the option to submit your reimbursement request online, via email or fax or by mail. You’ll typically need to include your out-of-pocket cost, a copy of your bill and a description of what happened. 

The insurer will then review your claim and apply any deductibles or coinsurance before deciding how much to cover. For example:

• Let’s say you have a $500 deductible, after which you’re responsible for 20% coinsurance. 
• If you’ve already paid $450 out of your $500 deductible, and your medication costs $100, 
• Your insurance company will pay $40,
• Which is 80% of the remaining amount after you max out your deductible.

FAQ

Does pet insurance cover medications for pre-existing conditions?

Generally, no. When you buy a pet insurance policy, there’s usually a waiting period for illnesses and injuries—typically a few days for injuries and a couple of weeks for illnesses. 

Any injuries or illnesses that occurred or showed symptoms before your policy went into effect or during the waiting period, related expenses, including medication costs, typically won’t be covered.

What types of medication are generally excluded from coverage?

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pet insurance company that covers medications that aren’t approved by the FDA. Additionally, pet food and supplements usually aren’t covered if it’s recommended solely for weight management. 

As for other types of medications, such as prescriptions for anxiety and other behavioral issues and alternative therapies, coverage can vary depending on the provider.  

Does pet insurance cover over-the-counter medications?

Generally, no. Medications typically need to be prescribed by your veterinarian to be eligible for coverage under your plan.

Remember, though, that even some prescribed medications may not be covered if they’re specifically excluded from your plan.

Is it possible to add medication coverage to a basic pet insurance plan?

Basic pet insurance plans typically offer medication coverage, even if only for accidental injuries. If you want more comprehensive medication coverage for illnesses, prevention and more specialized needs, you can usually pay extra for add-ons.

That said, add-ons can vary by provider, so research several options to find the right coverage for you.

Can you get medication coverage for multiple pets?

Yes, pet insurance carriers allow pet owners to include multiple pets on the same policy—some even offer multi-pet discounts. Each pet listed on your policy will get the same amount of coverage, including prescription medications. 

What are the red flags to watch for in medication coverage?

Because pet insurance policy terms vary by provider, it’s crucial that you review the plan document’s fine print in detail before you agree to buy it. 

Under medication coverage, make sure you understand the exclusions and limitations, including annual coverage limits that are separate from your plan’s overall limit.