Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying and Neutering?
If you’re a fan of The Price is Right, and honestly, who isn’t, you know our late friend, Bob Barker, always signed off with the phrase, “Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.” We may have laughed as a child home sick, but as adults, we may honestly consider this catchphrase.
We have our pet, but we don’t want a bundle. One’s quite enough, thank you. Then, the cost of pet food, immunizations, and other amenities.
With my eight years of insurance experience, I can tell you that pet parents are happy with the decision to purchase pet insurance with the option to spay and neuter over the cost of a bundle of extra mouths to feed. Let’s discuss how and if this procedure is covered under your policy.
Key Takeaways
Spaying and neutering are not covered under a standard pet insurance policy. You must purchase an add-on to cover your pet for these advanced procedures.
Spay and Neuter costs differ between dogs and cats. Size and breed also determine the price of the surgery process.
Keep in mind that pet insurance is not like health insurance. It is based on a reimbursement agreement. You pay out-of-pocket first, then you are reimbursed by the company you pay your premium to.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying?
The good news is that most pet insurance providers offer spay and neutering coverage. However, traditional pet insurance policies do not cover the procedure on their base plan.
You must upgrade your policy by purchasing a Wellness Package or Preventative Care add-on that include spaying or neutering for your pet. Only one of the companies we are reviewing does not provide this benefit at all.
How Does Spay and Neuter Pet Insurance Work?
Spay and neuter insurance is an add-on endorsement to a pet insurance policy. It cannot be purchased on its own. When you have your female pet spayed or your male neutered, you pay for the procedure out-of-pocket at the time of the procedure.
Then, you submit the claim to your insurance company. The pet insurance company reimburses you the agreed amount on the policy. Different insurers pay different amounts, between $120-$150.
Related: Do all vets accept pet insurance?
Important : It is important to know that the vet’s office is not involved in the claim process. Pet insurance is reimbursement insurance. It is between you and the pet insurance provider. You pay the vet, you submit the claim to the insurance company, and are reimbursed you the amount you paid.
Why Most Pet Insurance Policies Don’t Cover Spaying and Neutering
Spaying an neutering are considered elective surgeries and, thus, add-ons to a pet insurance policy. Pet insurance is designed to cover bills associated with accidental injuries and illnesses. They are considered non-essential care and are usually not covered by a standard policy.
Are There Policies That Cover Spaying in Emergencies?
Under most circumstances, there wouldn’t be any reason for a pet to require a spay or neuter. However, if an emergency, such as a tumor growth on a testicle, or a pet gets injured and needs surgery, these may warrant a spay or neuter-like surgery. Pet insurance providers will cover this type of instance in a case-by-case instance.
How Do Pet Insurance Wellness Plan Add-Ons Work?
Most insurance companies offer a basic policy that provides your accident insurance. They give you coverage in the event of accidents and illnesses. These are sudden injuries like broken bones and bites, digestive and respiratory issues, and behavior issues like anxiety and compulsive behavior.
Insurance companies, but not all, provide additional coverage called Wellness Plans. These cover dental cleaning, wellness exams, and spay and neutering. When your pet has one of the procedures done, you send the bill to your insurance company, and then they pay the claim to you.
Related: How does pet insurance work?
What Does a Pet Wellness Plan Cover?
Wellness Plans can cover a wide range of benefits. It will depend on the insurance company and the plan level you purchase. Some companies have a Gold level and Platinum plan level. Benefits can include, depending on your plan level:
- Dental cleaning
- Wellness exams
- Dog heartworm exam
- Cat HELV Test
- Deworming
- Fecal Test and Urinalysis.
- Blood Testing
- Rabies Testing
- Dog Lyme or Cat FIP Vaccine
- Microchipping
- TeleVet
- FVRPC Vaccine
What Does a Pet Wellness Plan Not Cover?
When your pet has a Wellness Plan, there will still be exclusions. These can include:
- Pre-existing conditions – If your pet has a medical condition when you sign up for your medical plan, that issue will not be covered.
- Waiting periods – Many companies will have a waiting period for coverage: 2 days for injury, 14 days for illness, and six months for cruciate ligaments.
- Cosmetic procedures – While you may like a tummy tuck, your precious puppy will not be covered for elective surgery.
- Breeding costs – Add-on policies can cover spaying and neutering. However, if you want litters to sell to others, your policy does not cover this option.
- Preventive care – Keep in mind that a base policy is labeled accident insurance. If you want advanced care, you will need to purchase a rider.
Can I Get a Stand-Alone Pet Wellness Plan?
Pet wellness plans are sold as add-ons to pet insurance plans. They cannot be purchased as stand-alone policies. A pet’s wellness is intertwined with many of the issues/conditions listed within the basic plan. To purchase an upgraded policy would be an advantage to pet owners.
Is It Worth Getting a Wellness Plan to Cover Spaying and Neutering?
Spaying or neutering can cost hundreds of dollars. If you have more than one pet, this can be quite costly if that pet should have a litter. Pets are not like humans, where it is one-and-done. Most pets have between 3 and 6 per litter. That is a lot of mouths to feed.
True, momma will feed them for about ten weeks. Then, after that, you are responsible for food, care, and maintenance. Does the cost of a wellness plan look attractive now? However, if your pet is a house pet and never goes outdoors, the cost may be more than it is worth.
How Much Does spaying and Neutering Cost?
The cost to spay or neuter a pet will depend on where the process takes place. According to Forbes, spay and neutering costs can vary from low-cost options up to $600. These factors will depend on:
- Type of pet: Whether you have a cat or dog.
- Size of animal: Weight of pet will matter.
- Breed: Different breeds will matter in your cost of neutering.
- Location: Where you live can factor in your price.
The cost of the matter: Financial assistance may be available from charities for those who cannot afford the cost.
Below, we have gathered each state’s average cost for spaying and neutering. This is for an accident and illness plan since most pet owners will choose to enroll in the advanced coverage due to the added coverage of spaying and neutering.
| State | Average Cost For Cats | Average Cost For Dogs |
| Alabama | $26.09 | $42.09 |
| Alaska | $28.35 | $46.89 |
| Arizona | $31.96 | $53.22 |
| Arkansas | $27.52 | $41.10 |
| California | $31.97 | $61.29 |
| Colorado | $28.78 | $47.56 |
| Connecticut | $31.56 | $52.63 |
| Delaware | $27.68 | $25.70 |
| Florida | $21.87 | $39.70 |
| Georgia | $22.44 | $35.61 |
| Hawaii | $28.15 | $45.82 |
| Idaho | $25.92 | $41.87 |
| Illinois | $26.90 | $43.71 |
| Indiana | $21.99 | $36.77 |
| Iowa | $22.54 | $37.34 |
| Kansas | $24.68 | $41.14 |
| Kentucky | $24.47 | $41.13 |
| Louisiana | $21.41 | $35.18 |
| Maine | $24.19 | $40.64 |
| Maryland | $30.17 | $50.02 |
| Massachusetts | $28.04 | $47.56 |
| Michigan | $21.71 | $36.79 |
| Minnesota | $23.05 | $36.58 |
| Mississippi | $19.46 | $34.17 |
| Missouri | $19.77 | $39.21 |
| Montana | $22.68 | $39.21 |
| Nebraska | $22.87 | $37.90 |
| Nevada | $26.08 | $42.72 |
| New Hampshire | $28.08 | $46.27 |
| New Jersey | $25.98 | $48.63 |
| New Mexico | $24.67 | $40.11 |
| New York | $30.30 | $61.05 |
| North Carolina | $23.84 | $40.07 |
| North Dakota | $23.25 | $39.90 |
| Ohio | $24.67 | $40.15 |
| Oklahoma | $21.77 | $35.71 |
| Oregon | $27.85 | $45.65 |
| Pennsylvania | $26.90 | $42.85 |
| Rhode Island | $25.85 | $42.43 |
| South Carolina | $24.63 | $38.07 |
| South Dakota | $23.72 | $39.00 |
| Tennessee | $24.35 | $40.92 |
| Texas | $20.68 | $41.65 |
| Utah | $23.90 | $40.40 |
| Vermont | $22.66 | $37.88 |
| Virginia | $27.14 | $45.46 |
| Washington | $26.46 | $43.63 |
| West Virginia | $21.61 | $36.95 |
| Wisconsin | $25.86 | $42.11 |
| Wyoming | $19.35 | $33.97 |
Best Pet Insurance Companies for Spaying and Neutering
Compare The Best Spay And Neuter Pet insurance
| Overall Rating | Multi-Pet Discount | Average Cost | Outside Of Office Service | Get A Quote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spot |
|
10% |
$21.99 |
Virtual Vet |
Instant Quote |
| Pets Best |
|
5% |
$23.17 |
24/7 Nurse Line |
Instant Quote |
| Embrace |
|
10% |
$24.97 |
24/7 Nurse Line |
Instant Quote |
The Best Spay And Neuter Pet Insurance Companies
Below, we have rated the top three pet spaying and neutering companies. First, the top three we selected are Pets Best, Embrace, and Spot. Let’s break down how we chose each company. This is in no particular order.
Most affordable option
Key Statistics
Why We Like Them
⇅Spot has shown to be one of the most affordable options for pet owners: $ 19 and $38 for a no-spay option. For a spay option for cats, they are still the lowest option at $44. Dog owners increase to $53, which is still lower than the most costly companies on our list.
Spot also provides Virtual Vet options and microchipping. This is the extra care that pet owners seek. And when a policyholder owns more than one pet, Spot increases the savings with a 10% discount.
Benefits & Drawbacks
⇅- Lowest cost for spay and neuter options
- They offer Virtual Vet options.
- Microchipping
- Unlimited per-incident benefit option
- Multi-pet discount
- Most affordable premium for cats ✓
- Second highest premium for dogs
- Does not have option to pay vet directly
- Dental for accidents only ✘
Lowest Deductible Option
Key Statistics
Why We Like Them
⇅One of the things pet owners purchase their policies for is to be able to use their insurance as soon as possible. While Pet’s Best has a 14-day waiting period, they have the lowest deductible out of the insurance companies we reviewed.
So you don’t have to break the bank if your precious pet has an accident or if you need to choose to have them spayed or neutered. Just know it is only covered on their upper-tiered plans.
Pet’s Best also has a multi-pet discount. Theirs is not as generous, though, at 5%. And you have a 24/7 Nurse Line to call should you need help with a sick fur buddy in the middle of the night.
Benefits & Drawbacks
⇅- Unlimited annual maximum
- Microchipping
- $50 deductible
- Up to 90% reimbursement
- Multi-pet discount ✓
- Spay and neutering is covered on an upper-tier plan
- 14-day waiting period
- Exam fees and therapies only covered on upper-tier plans ✘
Lowest cost with no spay option
Key Statistics
Why We Like Them
⇅Sometimes, you don’t know if you want the spay option, but you want a low-cost insurance policy to be there. So, with Embrace, you can select your plan and choose your reimbursement level depending on where you feel your pet pal is and what does not include benefits you feel you do not need at the time.
They offer a ten percent discount when you sign up multiple pets, and they, too, have a 24/7 Nurse Line for those late-night pet incidents.
Benefits & Drawbacks
⇅- 24/7 Nurse line
- Unlimited per-incident payout
- Up to 90 percent reimbursement
- Multi-pet discount
- Most affordable premium for dogs
- Choose your benefit level ✓
- Spay and neuter can be costly
- 14-day waiting period for illness
- 15 yrs+ only available for accident coverage ✘
FAQs
Does pet insurance cover neutering?
Pet insurance will only cover spay and neutering if you purchase it as a wellness plan add-on to your pet insurance policy.
Is pet insurance cheaper for neutered pets?
The cost of your pet insurance plan is not dependent upon whether your pet is spayed or neutered. However, you will pay less without the upgrade.
What pet insurances offer wellness plans to help cover spaying or neutering?
Many pet insurance companies sell wellness plans. However, some do not cover spay and neutering. Fetch is one company that does not offer this option.
How much does spaying or neutering cost?
Spaying and neutering is not the cost determiner, it is part of a wellness package. The type, size, and age of your pet will determine how much you will pay for your pet insurance.
Which pet insurance offers the cheapest wellness plan?
Currently, under the parameters of this review, Spot offers the least expensive Wellness plan for cats and Pets Best for dogs. This would be for a pet three years of age, mixed breed, and under 20 lbs. for dogs.
