Pet insurance plans generally fall into three tiers: accident-only, accident and illness, and accident and illness plus wellness.
Accident-only plans cover injuries like broken bones or swallowed objects, but nothing related to sickness. Accident and illness plans add coverage for things like cancer treatment, infections, and chronic conditions. Wellness add-ons cover routine care u2014 checkups, vaccines, and dental cleanings u2014 but usually come with an annual cap.
The detail that trips people up most is the waiting period: most insurers require 14-30 days after enrollment before illness coverage kicks in, so it’s worth getting a policy in place before you need it, not after.