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Key takeaways
- Pet wellness plans help offset the recurring cost of routine and preventive care
- Covered services are reimbursed up to a set amount, helping make wellness expenses more predictable and affordable year-round
- Pet insurance and wellness plans cover different things and can work together
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Table of contents
- What are pet wellness plans?
- Pet wellness plans vs. pet insurance
- What do pet wellness plans cover?
- What don’t pet wellness plans cover?
- How much does routine pet care cost?
- Are pet wellness plans worth it?
- What to look for in a pet wellness plan
- Why pet parents choose Wishbone Wellness
- Wishbone Wellness FAQ
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Pet wellness plans are one of the simplest, most helpful tools to stay on top of your pet's well-being, and yet one of the most underutilized by pet parents today.
Keeping a pet healthy takes more than showing up when something goes wrong. It involves consistency: the yearly visit, the vaccination that’s due, the dental cleaning that’s easy to postpone. Routine care is the foundation of a healthy pet's life, but it also comes with recurring costs that can be easy to anticipate and hard to consistently budget for.
This guide covers what pet wellness plans are, what they cover, and whether one is worth considering for your pet.
What are pet wellness plans?
Pet wellness plans help pet parents plan and budget for essential routine veterinary care each year. Plans provide benefits toward the services pets need on a regular basis, such as annual checkups, screenings, and preventive treatments.
By making routine care more predictable and affordable, pet wellness plans can make it easier to stay on top of the preventive care that supports a pet’s long-term health.
How do pet wellness plans work?
Pet wellness plans are almost like an annual budget for your pet’s routine care. Your plan gives you a prearranged allowance for each covered service, like that annual checkup, dental cleaning or vaccination.
When your pet needs one of those services, you pay your veterinarian at the time of the visit and submit a claim for reimbursement. Your plan then reimburses you up to the amount allowed for that service. For example, if your plan reimburses $50 for an annual exam and the exam costs $100, you receive $50 back. If the exam costs $40, you receive the whole $40 back.
With pet wellness plans, there are no deductibles to meet or reimbursement percentages to consider. You’ll always know upfront how much your plan contributes toward each covered service.
Pet wellness plans vs. pet insurance
Even though both can help with the cost of veterinary care, pet wellness plans and pet insurance serve very different purposes. Wellness plans focus on the routine and preventive care pets need throughout the year, while pet insurance helps with the cost of unexpected accidents and illnesses.
How they differ
For many pet parents, these plans aren’t an either-or decision. Having both can help spread the financial responsibility of pet care across the predictable expenses you can plan for and the unexpected ones you can’t. For a closer look at pet insurance, including how coverage works and what it can help pay for, see our pet insurance guide.
What do pet wellness plans cover?
Pet wellness plans cover two categories of care: routine and preventive. Although the two might be somewhat similar, they have separate functions in keeping your pet healthy throughout the year and in the future. Most wellness plans cover a combination of both.
Routine care makes up the exams and screenings that monitor pet health. These visits help veterinarians track changes over time and catch potential problematic signs and symptoms early.
Preventive care, on the other hand, involves treatment which prevents certain illnesses or conditions; for example, vaccination.
What don’t pet wellness plans cover?
As plans made for routine and preventive care, pet wellness plans typically don’t cover services related to accidents or diseases. Coverage can also vary by plan, so you should review the details to understand which services are included and which aren’t.
How much does routine pet care cost?
Routine veterinary care is predictable in timing but variable in cost. Factors like location and provider determine pricing, as does your pet’s breed, age, and species.
Based on the average costs below, a dog or cat receiving each of these common services over the course of a year could incur roughly $1,000 or more in wellness veterinary expenses. Here's a general look at what pet parents can expect to pay for some common routine services.
Average routine care costs
Sources: 2024 & 2025 Synchrony Average Procedural Cost Study (latest data available), ASPCA
When added up throughout the year, wellness care represents a significant, recurring monthly and annual expense. Without a pet wellness plan, these costs come entirely out of pocket.
Are pet wellness plans worth it?
The short answer: yes, for many pet parents. Tight budgets often push routine care to the back of the line. Pet wellness plans can help offset these costs, making it easier to stay on top of care throughout the year.
Pets that receive consistent care are more likely to:
- Stay up to date on essential vaccinations and preventive treatments
- Detect health problems before they become severe or expensive to treat
- Develop a health history that gives veterinarians a clearer picture
Every pet's routine care needs are different, and so is every budget. For some pet parents, the benefit is purely monetary since the cost can be cheaper than if you were paying out of pocket. For others, it's about predictability and knowing what to expect throughout the year.
What to look for in a pet wellness plan
Not all pet wellness plans are built the same, and the differences matter. A plan that looks affordable upfront may have lower benefits that limit its value. A plan with broader coverage may include services your pet is unlikely to need.
The right plan isn’t necessarily the most comprehensive. It’s the one that aligns with your pet’s care routine and makes the most financial sense for your budget. Comparing these details can help you find a plan that offers meaningful value throughout the year.
Pet eligibility
Before enrolling, make sure that your pet is eligible. There may be age minimums or species limitations, typically covering only dogs and cats. Many providers today accept all kinds of pets without any exceptions.
Covered services
Look closely at what services are included, and which are excluded. The goal is to find a plan that will cover the services your pet requires rather than the ones you’ll never use. For instance, if you schedule an annual exam, a vaccination, and a dental cleaning every year, make sure the plan covers those essential services.
It’s also a good idea to check how often the plan covers these services. Some plans provide benefits for multiple exams and preventive treatments throughout the year for those who need it.
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🐾 Pet parent tip
If you’re not sure what care your pet needs or how often, ask your veterinarian for a recommended annual care schedule. It can give you a clear picture of what visits and treatments to expect each year.
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Monthly and yearly commitment
Consider what you'll pay each month relative to what you'll realistically use throughout the year. A wellness plan is a year-round commitment with a consistent monthly cost, so it works best when routine care is a regular part of your pet's life.
The question to ask yourself is whether the total annual cost of the plan is less than what you'd spend paying for the same care out of pocket. If it is, the plan pays for itself, and can also help reduce what you spend on routine care over the course of the year.
Benefit amounts and limits
The cost of pet wellness plans only tells part of the story. The benefit amount determines how much you can receive for an individual service, while an annual limit caps the total benefits available over the year.
Add up the total benefits for each service you’d use, and compare that number to the plan's annual cost. If the benefits outweigh that cost, the plan is likely to provide meaningful value.
Why pet parents choose Wishbone Wellness
Choosing the ideal pet wellness plan is about striking a balance between having sufficient coverage and keeping costs manageable.That balance should make it easier to keep up with the care your pet needs, without adding complexity to the way you already care for them.
Wishbone Wellness brings those considerations together, providing benefits toward wellness care for all pets, with no species restrictions, age minimums, or exclusions. Two flat-rate plans make it easy to find a fit regardless of care needs or budget. Both plans cover core routine and preventive services at any licensed veterinarian, so there's no need to change where or how you care for your pet.
Whatever your pet needs throughout the year, Wishbone makes it easier to show up for it.
Wishbone Wellness at a glance
How to enroll in Wishbone Wellness
Wishbone Wellness is available as a workplace benefit, with two flat-rate plan options to choose from based on your pet’s care needs and your budget.
Use the employer finder tool to see if your employer offers Wishbone and get started.
Wishbone Wellness FAQ
Do you have to pay upfront with Wishbone Wellness?
Yes, you pay your veterinarian at the time of the visit, then submit a claim to be reimbursed for eligible services up to your plan's benefit amounts.
Can I visit any veterinarian for routine care?
Yes, Wishbone Wellness reimburses routine and preventive care received at any licensed veterinarian in the U.S., and its territories.
Which pets can enroll in Wishbone Wellness?
Wishbone Wellness is available for all pets with no species restrictions, age minimums, or exclusions for pre-existing health conditions.
Can I use Wishbone Wellness with pet insurance?
Yes, Wishbone Wellness and pet insurance are designed to work together. Wellness helps manage the cost of routine and preventive care, while pet insurance protects against accidents and illnesses. You can learn more about how they work together in our pet benefits guide.
What if my pet is already up to date on routine care?
Even a pet that's fully up to date today will need another exam, screening, or preventive treatment within the next 12 months. You can enroll in Wishbone Wellness ahead of your pet's next round of care and use your benefits as it comes due.
How long does it take to get reimbursed?
Reimbursement timelines can vary. Submitting your claim promptly with complete records from your visit can help move the process along, with some claims reimbursed in as little as 24 hours.
Are there any waiting periods?
No, Wishbone Wellness benefits are available to use as soon as your plan is active.
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