Routine care medications help keep your pet healthy through preventive treatments like flea and tick prevention, heartworm medication and vaccinations. Pet insurance doesn't cover these medications since it focuses on accidents and illnesses rather than preventive care.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Routine Care Medication?
Updated: October 7, 2025
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Key Takeaways
Standard pet insurance policies don't cover routine care medications like flea, tick and heartworm prevention, but you can add an optional wellness plan to get reimbursed for these costs.
Most pet insurance companies offer optional wellness plans that cover routine care medications, except Healthy Paws and Trupanion.
To determine if you need routine care medication coverage, calculate your annual medication costs, compare them to wellness plan premiums and check if the total value of covered services exceeds what you'd pay.
How Does Pet Insurance Work for Routine Care Medication?
What Covers Routine Care Medication?
Wellness plans are optional add-ons to your standard accident and illness policy, covering preventive medications like flea treatments and heartworm pills. Unlike your base policy, wellness plans don't require you to meet a deductible before receiving reimbursement and they don't have waiting periods. Most wellness plans offer annual benefit limits between $250 and $500, reimbursing you for eligible medications up to that amount each year.
Who Has Routine Care Medication Coverage?
Most pet insurers offer optional wellness plans that cover routine care medications, as shown in the table below.
AKC | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
ASPCA | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Embrace | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Fetch | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Figo | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Healthy Paws | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Lemonade | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Liberty Mutual | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
MetLife | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Nationwide | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Pets Best | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Prudent Pet | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Pumpkin | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Rainwalk | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Spot | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Trupanion | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Wagmo | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Coverage details also vary by state and individual policy terms. Always review your specific policy documents for exact coverage terms and exclusions.
Do You Need Routine Care Medication Coverage?
Most insurers only cover routine care medications if you add a wellness plan to your base policy, which increases the cost of pet insurance. Here's how to decide if the added premium makes sense for your budget.
- 1
Consider your pet's age
Puppies and kittens need multiple vaccinations and preventive medications in their first year, making wellness plans more valuable. Adult pets usually need fewer routine medications, so coverage may cost more than paying out of pocket. Senior pets often require more frequent checkups and bloodwork, which wellness plans can help cover.
- 2
Calculate your annual medication costs
Add up what you spend yearly on flea and tick prevention, heartworm medication and vaccinations for your pet. Track these expenses for at least six months to get an accurate picture of your routine care spending. Don't forget to include costs like deworming treatments and booster shots your vet recommends.
- 3
Compare wellness plan premiums to annual medication expenses
Multiply the monthly wellness plan premium by 12 to find your annual cost. If your actual medication expenses exceed this amount, wellness coverage can save you money. Remember that wellness plans have annual benefit limits, so check if these caps cover your full medication costs.
- 4
Evaluate the wellness plan's total value
Look beyond just medication coverage to see what else the wellness plan includes, like annual exams, dental cleanings and microchipping. Calculate the combined value of all covered services you'll use during the year. Choose wellness coverage only if the total benefits exceed your annual premium.
- 5
Factor in your total monthly pet insurance costs
Add the wellness plan premium to your base policy premium to see your complete monthly insurance expense. Make sure this combined cost fits comfortably within your budget without stretching your finances. If the total feels too high, you can skip wellness coverage and pay for routine medications directly.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Routine Care Medication?: Bottom Line
Standard pet insurance doesn't cover routine medications like flea prevention and heartworm pills, but adding a wellness plan to your policy provides reimbursement for these expenses. Most insurers offer wellness plans with routine care medication coverage, except Healthy Paws and Trupanion. Before adding a wellness plan to your base policy, calculate your annual medication spending and compare it to the wellness plan's cost to see if you'll save money.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Routine Care Medication?: FAQ
We’ve addressed frequently asked questions about pet insurance that covers routine care medications below:
Can I buy pet wellness coverage without accident and illness insurance?
Most pet insurers require you to purchase a base accident and illness policy before adding wellness coverage. However, Pumpkin and Wagmo offer standalone wellness plans that don't require buying accident and illness insurance first.
How long does it take to get reimbursed for routine care medications?
You can submit claims immediately after purchasing wellness coverage since there's no waiting period for routine care. Most insurers process wellness claims within two to seven business days, faster than accident and illness claims. You'll pay your vet directly, then submit receipts through your insurer's app or website.
What happens if my medication costs exceed the annual wellness limit?
You'll pay out of pocket for any routine care costs that exceed your wellness plan's annual limit. Most plans cap coverage between $250 and $500 yearly, so if your medications and vet visits cost $600 annually, you'd pay the remaining $100 to $350 yourself. Wellness plans don't carry over unused benefits to the next year, so maximize your coverage by scheduling all routine care before your policy renews.
Can I add wellness coverage to my existing pet insurance policy?
Most insurers let you add wellness coverage when you first buy your policy or during your annual renewal. Contact your insurer directly to ask about adding wellness coverage, as policies vary by provider and state.
Do wellness plans cover generic or brand-name flea and heartworm medications?
Wellness plans cover both generic and brand-name preventive medications as long as they're prescribed by your vet. However, wellness plans reimburse based on fixed annual amounts per service category, not the medication's actual cost. Check your specific policy documents to confirm which medications qualify, as some insurers exclude certain over-the-counter products or require veterinary prescriptions for reimbursement.
How does wellness coverage work for multiple pets?
Each pet needs its own wellness plan with separate annual benefit limits and premiums. If you have two dogs, you'll pay two wellness plan premiums and each pet gets their own $250 to $500 annual coverage limit. Many insurers offer multi-pet discounts of 5% to 10% on your total premiums when you insure multiple pets.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer, is MoneyGeek's resident Personal Finance Expert. With over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, he conducts original research and creates tailored content for all types of buyers. His insights have been featured in publications like CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He's also a five-time Jeopardy champion!
Passionate about economics and insurance, he aims to promote transparency in financial topics and empower others to make confident money decisions.