Emergency vet care: Know the costs & pet insurance coverage

Yes, pet insurance covers emergency vet visits as long as your dog or cat started showing signs or symptoms of the condition after you’ve signed up and your waiting period has passed. If you haven’t signed up when the emergency happens, that vet visit won’t be covered because it’ll be considered a pre-existing condition. In general, no pet insurance covers all pre-existing conditions.

Fetch Pet Insurance has the most complete coverage for emergency vet visits and much more, reimbursing up to 90% of unexpected vet bills. You can use any vet in the U.S. or Canada with Fetch Pet, which includes emergency care and specialists.

Yes, Fetch Pet covers emergency exam fees. Every unexpected trip to the vet comes with a sick-visit exam fee, which can be around $50-$300. Fetch Pet’s complete coverage includes exam fees in addition to other tests, medications and treatment your pet may need during an emergency vet visit. With Fetch Pet, you can get reimbursed up to 90% for emergency vet bills. Other providers charge extra to cover sick-visit exam fees or don’t cover them at all.

With Fetch Pet, there’s no waiting period for emergency accident coverage and a 15-day waiting period for emergency illness coverage. This means you can start getting reimbursed for accidents that occur the day after you sign up (also known as your “policy effective date” in insurance-speak) and going forward. Since there’s a waiting period for illness coverage, it’s important to sign up when your pet is healthy so you’ll be covered before your pet needs emergency care for an illness.

A waiting period is the time a pet insurance provider requires you to wait before your pet’s vet bills are eligible for reimbursement. Any signs or symptoms of a condition that are noted in your pet’s veterinary medical records as well as any vet visits that take place prior to, or during the waiting period, will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Fetch Pet is the most complete insurance — it covers both emergencies (with Accident and Illness) and preventive care (when you add Fetch Wellness). Fetch Pet covers up to 90% of your vet bills for unexpected sicknesses and injuries with Accident and Illness coverage and reimburses you up to $1,200/yr. for preventive care with optional Fetch Wellness coverage.

Pet insurance won’t cover a vet visit if you didn’t sign up in advance or if your plan’s coverage doesn’t include the treatment your pet receives.

It’s key to be signed up before the emergency happens because pet insurance won’t cover a vet visit if your pet showed signs or symptoms of the condition prior to enrollment or during the waiting period — it’ll be a pre-existing condition. A pre-existing condition is defined as any injury, illness or condition that your pet shows signs or symptoms of either before you enroll in insurance or during the waiting period of 15 days. A waiting period is the time a pet insurance provider requires you to wait before your pet’s vet bills are eligible for reimbursement. Any signs or symptoms of a condition that are noted in your pet’s veterinary medical records as well as any vet visits that take place prior to, or during the waiting period, will not be eligible for reimbursement.

Pet insurance will not cover an emergency vet visit if the treatment isn’t included in your pet insurance plan. Some providers exclude vet expenses like sick-visit exam fees, dental illness and behavioral therapy, but not Fetch Pet. Fetch Pet Insurance covers more injuries and illnesses than other providers with the most complete coverage, reimbursing you up to 90% for covered care.

Pet insurance works on a reimbursement model, which means you’ll pay your emergency vet bill in full, then file a claim to get paid back. Filing a claim to get reimbursed for your dog or cat’s vet bills is simple and fast with Fetch Pet. After you’ve paid your bill at the vet, you’ll upload a photo of your paid invoice and supporting medical records and submit them in the Fetch Pet Insurance app. Claims are typically processed in less than 10 days. Once the claim is approved and you’ve met your deductible, you’ll get paid back up to 90% straight to your bank account when you set up direct deposit.

Keep in mind that you must be enrolled in pet insurance before the emergency happens in order to get reimbursed for coverage. No pet insurance covers all pre-existing conditions.