how does pet insurance work?

ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance plans help make it easier to provide your pet with the care they need while getting cash back on eligible vet bills. Here’s how it works.

our pet insurance plans work in 3 easy steps

  • Visit

    Take your pet to the veterinarian of your choice and pay them as usual.

  • Submit

    Use our app to submit a claim even before you leave the veterinary clinic.

  • Cash Back

    Receive reimbursement for eligible vet bills by direct deposit or check.

calculating reimbursement

For accident and illness coverage, the amount of your payouts depends on factors including your deductible, reimbursement percentage, and annual coverage limit.

  • Deductible

    You’ll need to meet a deductible before you can start getting reimbursed. Some providers have a per incident deductible, which means you’ll need to meet that amount for every incident. Other providers have an annual deductible that you only need to meet once a year no matter how many times your pet is hurt or sick.

    With the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance program, you can choose from $100, $250, and $500 annual deductible options. You can select a higher deductible to pay a lower monthly premium or pick a lower deductible if you want the ability to get more money back.

  • Reimbursement Percentage

    This is the percentage of covered costs you’ll get back after you meet your deductible. We let you pick from 70%, 80%, and 90% options. If you choose a lower amount, you can pay a lower monthly premium. If you go with a higher amount, you’ll get more cash back on your eligible claims.

  • Annual Coverage Limit

    This is the maximum amount you can get reimbursed over a 12-month policy period. It resets when a new policy period begins. We offer a choice of annual coverage limits from $2,500 to unlimited so you can pick the amount that works best for you.

    Here’s an Example:

    Say you have a vet bill for $1,000 of covered costs. Let’s break it down.

    • Deductible

      $100

    • Reimbursement

      90%

    • Annual Limit

      $2,500

    1. Meet Your Deductible

      Your deductible is what you pay per year for covered expenses before you can be reimbursed. You’ll need to meet your annual deductible before insurance kicks in to reimburse covered costs, but once it’s out of the way, you’ll get cash back on eligible bills for the remainder of the plan period.

      So, if this $1,000 vet bill is the first claim you’ve submitted in this plan period, you’re responsible for the $100 deductible, leaving $900 as the remaining balance.

    2. Reimbursement Percentage

      With a 90% reimbursement percentage, you are responsible for a co-pay of the remaining 10%. Since your bill is $1,000, and you’ve paid the $100 deductible, this leaves a remaining balance of $900. 10% of $900 is $90- that’s what you contribute. You are reimbursed the remaining $810 for your claim.

    3. Get Reimbursed Up To Your Annual Limit

      You are reimbursed $810, which goes towards your annual limit of $2,500, leaving you room for future reimbursements during this plan period. 

  • Receiving Payments

    When comparing our plans with other pet insurance providers’ plans, it’s important to understand how you’ll receive your reimbursements. Do you have to wait for a check in the mail? Or can you choose to have your money directly deposited into your bank account? With the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance program, our direct deposit option makes receiving reimbursements a walk in the park.

  • Preventive Care Reimbursements

    We offer two options for preventive care coverage, available to add to a base plan for an additional low monthly cost. With our preventive care coverage, there is no deductible or reimbursement percentage. Instead, you get reimbursed a set amount for a list of covered wellness services, such as annual visits, certain vaccines, and flea prevention. The amount depends on the preventive care coverage option you choose when you sign up.

pet insurance claims

  • Submitting Claims

    When you’re shopping around for pet insurance, you should consider how easy it is to submit a claim. Providers may allow you to submit claims online or by email, fax, or mail. With the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance app, we take it a step further by letting you effortlessly submit and track claims straight from your phone—anywhere, anytime, even before you leave your vet's office. You can also:

    • View policy information

    • Pay bills & view billing history

    • Manage your account

    • Access to 24/7 telehealth services provided by The Vet Connection

    • Enroll additional pets for coverage

    • Find answers to FAQs in the help center

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  • Tracking Claims

    Another thing to look at when you’re comparing providers is whether or not and how they allow you to track the status of your claims. With the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance program, you can track your claims online after you sign into your account or by using the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance App. We’ll also notify you by email when we receive and complete your claims.

  • Preventive Care Claims

    If you’re interested in adding preventive care coverage to your plan to help manage the costs of routine wellness services, such as yearly check-ups, certain vaccines, and heartworm medication, you may be wondering how you would submit those claims. With the ASPCA® Pet Health Insurance program, wellness claims are submitted the same way as claims for accidents and illnesses. Just check the box to indicate the claim is for preventive care and include your invoice for the wellness services your pet received.

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enroll your pet

Customize your plan to get the price and coverage that’s right for you and your four-legged family member.

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