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Seresto doesn't protect against parasitic worms (as our Bravecto pick does), but it fights fleas and many tick species. Also, some pets may not appreciate having the extra bulk of a collar around their neck. And pets with especially sensitive skin may experience side effects of redness or inflammation near the collar; if this sounds like your pet, try an oral or topical treatment instead. Seresto Collar for Cats protects against fleas, American dog ticks, deer ticks, brown dog ticks, and lone star ticks. Seresto Collar for Dogs protects against fleas, American dog ticks, deer ticks, brown dog ticks, lone star ticks, lice, and sarcoptic mange.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Fleas And Ticks?
How Does Flea and Tick Coverage Work?Most pet insurance providers don't cover flea and tick prevention in their base plans. Insurers see preventive care as an expected monthly cost pet parents can plan for, rather than an unpredictable expense they may need help covering. However, many companies offer preventive care add-ons for an extra monthly fee. This includes flea and tick coverage and other pet needs.
Though pet insurance is similar to human health insurance, the payment process works differently. Rather than only paying your co-pay at checkout, you pay your full vet bill, submit a claim and wait for reimbursement. Your provider will reimburse you for your exam fees at the care coverage rate you selected during enrollment (typically between 70% and 90%) after you've met your deductible.
Add-on coverage typically comes with an annual limit. For example, if you choose $450 of add-on coverage, you'll be reimbursed for up to $450 worth of preventive treatments that year. Individual treatments sometimes have annual caps and exclusions as well.
Some pet insurance companies that reimburse prescription medication will also reimburse prescribed flea and tick treatment. However, each company works differently. We've researched some of the top pet insurance providers and outlined their coverage options below.
Lemonade Flea and Tick CoverageLemonade's base pet insurance policy covers diagnostics, procedures and medications. This includes blood tests, hospitalization, surgeries and prescription medications. However, preventive medications aren't covered.
You can add flea/tick medication coverage by purchasing Lemonade's Preventative+ Package, which includes a wellness exam, fecal or internal parasite test, three vaccines, heartworm or feline leukemia virus (FeLV) test, blood test and routine dental cleanings. This costs an additional $20 to $27 per month for dogs and $15 to $22 for cats. Depending on your selected reimbursement rate, you can receive $55 to $75 reimbursement for flea, tick or heartworm medication per year.
To learn more: Lemonade Pet Insurance review
Spot Flea and Tick CoverageSpot's standard illness policy doesn't cover preventive care, including flea/tick medication. You can add this coverage by purchasing the company's Gold or Platinum Preventive Care add-on.
The Gold plan costs an additional $9.95 per month and includes a dental cleaning, wellness exam, blood test, urinalysis, deworming, flea/heartworm prevention and vaccinations. It has various per-treatment limits at an annual cap of $250. The Platinum plan costs $24.95 per month and includes everything in the Gold plan but with higher per-treatment limits, totaling $450 of coverage per year. It also includes spay/neuter coverage.
To learn more: Spot Pet Insurance review
Embrace Flea and Tick CoverageEmbrace offers preventive care as an add-on under its Wellness Rewards package. You can choose $250, $450 or $650 of annual coverage for preventive care including flea/tick/heartworm prevention, routine vet visits, microchipping, vaccinations and more. The plan costs $18 to $53 per month depending on your selected annual limit.
Embrace's wellness plan is more comprehensive than other providers on this list. It covers things such as grooming, medicated shampoo and wearable pet activity monitors plus alternative treatments such as chiropractic care, massage therapy, reiki and acupuncture. The Wellness Rewards plan is not available in Rhode Island.
To learn more: Embrace Pet Insurance review
ASPCA Pet Flea and Tick CoverageASPCA offers two wellness add-ons with varying levels of coverage. Both plans cover flea/tick prevention. The Basic plan costs $9.95 per month and includes $250 of annual coverage for services such as a wellness exam, dental cleaning, heartworm test, fecal test, deworming and vaccinations. The Prime plan costs $24.95 per month and includes $450 of annual coverage for everything in the Basic plan plus a blood test, urinalysis, additional vaccines and more.
To learn more: ASPCA Pet Insurance review
Pets Best Flea and Tick CoveragePets Best provides two preventive care add-ons covering flea and tick prevention. The EssentialWellness plan costs an extra $16 per month and provides $305 per year for services including a wellness exam, teeth cleaning, vaccinations and microchipping.
The BestWellness plan covers everything in the EssentialWellness plan but at a higher annual limit of $535. It costs an additional $26 per month. Flea/tick prevention is capped at $50 per year for the EssentialWellness plan and $65 per year for the BestWellness plan.
Annual Cost of Flea and Tick CoverageFlea and tick prevention costs an average of $40 to $200 per year depending on your Here's a breakdown of how much pet insurance costs per month plus the cost of a wellness add-on for flea/tick care plan.
Company Monthly Cost of Base Insurance Monthly Cost of Wellness Add-on Lemonade $24.44–$51.14 $26.70 Spot $42.34–$89.79 $24.95 Embrace $37.43–$45.83 $18.75 ASPCA $25.84–$42.34 $24.95 Pets Best $29.27–$30.63 $16.00*These costs are based on quotes we obtained for a 4-year-old, medium-sized, mixed-breed dog in Houston, Texas.
Are Fleas and Ticks Common for Dogs?Unfortunately, fleas and ticks are a common problem for dogs. Though these pests are active throughout the year, they're most present during warmer months, especially in hot, humid climates.
Fleas and ticks can cause numerous health problems for your furry companion. In addition to causing sores and itchy skin, they can carry blood-borne illnesses and diseases that can lead to serious complications. The best way to protect your dog is through prevention. Give your dog oral or topical medications and brush and bathe them regularly. Check them for ticks and fleas if they've been playing outside.
Are Fleas and Ticks Common for Cats?Fleas are extremely common in cats. Just as with dogs, fleas can irritate your cat's skin and infect it with illness and disease. Comb your cat regularly and use shampoos and topical treatments.
Ticks are much less common in cats, but can still pose a threat. Check your cat's fur regularly and talk to your vet about preventive medication, especially if your cat likes to roam outdoors.
The Bottom Line: Does Pet Insurance Cover Fleas and Ticks?Most pet insurance providers don't cover fleas and ticks in their standard plans. However, many companies offer wellness add-ons that include this care plan. Enrolling in a pet insurance plan is a great way to provide peace of mind that your pet will receive necessary care without having to worry about finances. Adding routine care and illness coverage can make you feel even more at ease.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fleas and Ticks How much will a vet charge for flea treatment?Vets generally recommend monthly flea treatments for your pet. Top brands cost an average of $50 for a three-month supply.
What is the average cost of flea and tick prevention for cats?The average cost of flea and tick prevention for cats is similar to dogs. Most medications cost $30 to $60 per month.
What is the most common tick-borne illness for dogs?The most common tick-borne illness for dogs is Lyme disease. It can cause lethargy, lameness, joint pain and even kidney issues. Luckily, Lyme disease in dogs can be successfully treated.
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pet Insurance CompaniesWe review each pet insurance company based on factors most important to pet parents like you. To inform our reviews, we surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage. Our process includes in-depth industry research about each provider, such as comparing coverage options, gathering quotes online to determine pricing and reading reviews to assess customer service.
We then score each provider on a 100-point scale and divide the final score by 20 to calculate an overall rating out of 5.0 stars. Here are more details about the factors we consider when reviewing pet insurance providers:
We use our rating system to compare each company we review and determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.
Dana Getz is a seasoned editor with nearly a decade of experience writing and editing content. She has a background in journalism and worked as a fact-checker for prestigious magazines such as New York and Chicago. She holds a journalism and marketing degree from Northwestern University and has worked across numerous categories within the home services space.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Medication?
How Does Medication Coverage Work?As with most pet insurance coverage, you pay for pet prescriptions out of pocket, file a claim with your insurance company, and receive reimbursement for some or all of the costs. Your reimbursement depends on your chosen rate, co-pay and whether you've met your deductible. Accident-only plans only cover medications related to your pet's accidents. Accident-and-illness plans cover medications prescribed for covered health conditions.
Keep in mind that there's a difference between preventive medication and medication prescribed to treat an accident or illness. Routine medication — such as heartworm prevention, flea and tick medication and vaccinations — isn't typically covered unless you purchase a wellness care add-on for your plan. Medication is also excluded if it's for non-covered procedures such as spaying, neutering, microchipping or cosmetic procedures.
No provider covers medication for preexisting conditions. A condition is preexisting if your pet shows signs or symptoms before enrollment or before the policy's waiting period ends, even if it never received treatment. Waiting periods are typically two to 15 days for accidents and 14 to 30 days for illnesses. They're usually much longer for orthopedic conditions such as hip dysplasia.
Nearly all pet insurance providers offer some prescription medication coverage. These are our top-recommended companies' policies for medication.
Spot Medication CoverageSpot Pet Insurance offers a low-cost accident-only plan, a more comprehensive accident-and-illness plan, and two wellness add-ons. All policies cover medications to treat covered conditions, provided the medication is FDA-approved and prescribed by a licensed veterinarian. Experimental treatments and over-the-counter medications aren't covered.
Unlike some other companies, Spot covers prescription food and supplements as long as they're prescribed to treat a covered condition and not for general health or maintenance. The company's Platinum preventive care add-on also offers $25 per year for flea and heartworm prevention, checkups and other routine vet visits.
Trupanion Medication CoverageTrupanion has a single plan covering accidents and illnesses, including medications prescribed for either. Prescription food is covered at 50% for up to two months. Dietary supplements qualify for coverage if they're prescribed to treat a covered condition and not for general health. Trupanion doesn't offer wellness coverage, but its Recovery and Complementary Care add-on covers homeopathic and herbal remedies plus treatments such as acupuncture.
Fetch Pet Medication CoverageFetch by Dodo offers a single plan for accidents and illnesses but no wellness coverage. Its plan covers all medication prescribed for covered conditions, including chronic conditions and congenital conditions. Nutritional supplements are covered, but prescription food is not.
Embrace Medication CoverageEmbrace Pet Insurance's single plan covers accidents and illnesses, including medication and homeopathic remedies prescribed to treat them. Embrace won't cover flea, tick or heartworm prevention, nutritional supplements or prescription food unless you purchase its Wellness Rewards for Routine Care add-on.
To learn more: Embrace Pet Insurance review
Healthy Paws Medication CoverageHealthy Paws' accident-and-illness plan covers prescription medication for all covered conditions. It doesn't cover herbal medicine or homeopathy, and there is no wellness add-on for preventive medications.
Figo Medication CoverageFigo offers one accident-and-illness plan with optional "power-up" add-ons, including wellness care. It reimburses all prescription medication for covered conditions. You'll need to add its Wellness Power-up for flea, tick and heartworm prevention coverage. Its Veterinary Exam Fees Power-up covers up to $250 of prescription food annually.
To learn more: Figo Pet Insurance review
Pets Best Medication CoveragePets Best's accident-only and accident-and-illness plans cover all FDA-approved, vet-prescribed medications for covered conditions. Some supplements and over-the-counter drugs are covered.You'll need to add the Essential Wellness or Best Wellness add-on for heartworm medication coverage.
Compare Pet Insurance Companies that Cover Medications*Lemonade may offer shorter waiting periods depending on where you live.
Annual Cost of Medication CoverageWe've gathered sample quotes for a female mixed-breed dog to help you compare plans. Monthly costs vary by your selected coverage and pet's age, breed and location, but this will give you a general idea of pet insurance costs. These quotes exclude wellness add-ons, which typically only cover maintenance medication for parasite prevention.
Company Average Cost Spot $11.73–$131.02 Trupanion $39.12–$156.19 Fetch $27.79–$61.16 Embrace $23.75–$92.28 Healthy Paws $32.94–$43.36 Figo $13.66–$66.83 Pets Best $7.79–$48.38*Each provider's monthly cost is based on quotes we obtained for a 4-year-old, medium-size, mixed-breed dog in Raleigh, N.C.
Which Medications Are Common for Dogs?According to PetMD, these are some of the most commonly prescribed medications for dogs.
Common medications for cats are similar, according to PetCareRx.
Pet insurance covers medication as long as the condition it's prescribed for is covered under your policy. Medication for preexisting conditions isn't covered, and you'll need add-on coverage for preventive medication. Make sure you look at a policy's fine print before purchasing it. We recommend getting quotes from at least three providers before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pet Medications Does pet insurance cover preexisting medication?No, medication for preexisting conditions is never covered by pet insurance. This includes any conditions that present during the policy's waiting period, whether or not your pet has received veterinary care for them.
Can I use my insurance for my dog's medications?No. A licensed doctor must prescribe medication to the policyholder; it cannot be given to another person or animal. Additionally, pet parents shouldn't give their pets human medication. Even if the medication is the same, the dosages for humans and animals are so different that you may harm your pet.
Does pet insurance cover medication?Yes, pet insurance almost always covers medication as long as it's FDA-approved and prescribed by a licensed vet to treat a health condition that's covered by your policy.
Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pet Insurance CompaniesWe review each pet insurance company based on factors most important to pet parents like you. To inform our reviews, we surveyed 1,000 dog and cat owners nationwide to determine the most important elements of pet insurance coverage. Our process includes in-depth industry research about each provider, such as comparing coverage options, gathering quotes online to determine pricing and reading reviews to assess customer service.
We then score each provider on a 100-point scale and divide the final score by 20 to calculate an overall rating out of 5.0 stars. Here are more details about the factors we consider when reviewing pet insurance providers:
We use our rating system to compare each company we review and determine the best pet insurance companies in the industry. To learn more, read our full pet insurance methodology for reviewing and scoring providers.
Dana Getz is a seasoned editor with nearly a decade of experience writing and editing content. She has a background in journalism and worked as a fact-checker for prestigious magazines such as New York and Chicago. She holds a journalism and marketing degree from Northwestern University and has worked across numerous categories within the home services space.
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