Does pet insurance cover accidents?
Accidents happen — and they can happen all too easily to our pets, too. A dog swallows something they shouldn’t, causing abdominal pain and distress. A cat runs into the road, is hit by a car, and fractures a leg. Sadly, incidents like this happen every day.
If your dog or cat has been hurt in an accident and needs treatment, without pet insurance you’re likely to be confronted with a hefty vet bill that might be difficult to pay.
Fortunately, pet insurance does provide coverage for accidents, and treatment costs as a consequence of accidents. Some pet insurers offer specific accident-only coverage as an alternative to more comprehensive accident and illness coverage.
Pet insurance made easy!
Compare the top pet insurance brands of 2024
Price Promise. The lowest price-guaranteed!
Why do I need pet insurance with accident coverage?
Pet insurance plans typically come with some form of accident coverage — though coverage levels will differ depending on the insurer, and the policy you have.
Life with a pet is fun and fulfilling, and our furry friends really do bring happiness and joy to our lives. But life with a pet can also be unpredictable. Pet parents should always be prepared to deal with health-related curveballs — during a pet’s lifetime, it’s likely that they’ll suffer an injury as a result of an accident at least once. 1
Pet insurance with accident coverage can help to cover the cost of expenses like X-rays, MRI scans, surgery, hospitalization, medications and treatment.
Select an insurer for more info on how they provide coverage for accidents
How much can accident treatments cost?
The cost of accident treatments for pets can vary — anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. It depends, of course, on the treatment required, but also the veterinarian involved and your pet. You might expect emergency surgery on a large dog breed like a Great Dane to be more expensive than a kitten, for example.
Surgery is often needed in the most serious of accidents, and it’s tough to put a consistent figure on the cost here. You need to consider the different areas involved with a surgery — the diagnosis, x-rays or MRI scan, anesthetic, the surgery itself, the post-op recovery time, the rehabilitation and follow-up appointments. All of that can easily total a significant bill for a pet parent — without pet insurance, you’d be liable for paying all of it.
| Illnesses | Example vet bill 2 |
| Labrador gets hit by a car | $10,380 |
| Puppy eats toxic food (grapes) | $1,658 |
| Newfoundland dog swallows a rock | $1,882 |
| Dog has a cruciate ligament tear | $6,989 |
| Cat breaks its leg | $4,061 |
| Labrador eats Ibuprofen | $1,718 |
Signs your pet has had an accident
It’s easy to tell if your pet’s had an accident, isn’t it? Well, sometimes. While some symptoms are clear and obvious, others can be much more subtle and difficult to detect. A lot depends on what’s happened to your pet, and the seriousness of the accident.
Signs your dog or cat has had an accident include: 3
- Bleeding
- Limping
- Noticeable wounds or broken bones
- Showing vocal distress — crying, yelping
- Panting
- Excessively licking paws or the affected area
- Lethargy
If your pet has ingested a poison, or swallowed an object, warning signs might be: 4
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dehydration
- A swollen abdomen
- Difficulty breathing
You know your pet better than anyone. Go with your gut instinct if you sense something is wrong.
Preventing accidents
Accidents are unpredictable and difficult to prevent, but there are steps you can take to protect a pet as much as possible.
Your pet being injured in a road traffic accident is a nightmare scenario. To minimize the risk, make sure the space around your home is safe and secure, so your pet can’t easily ‘escape’. Keep your dog on a leash near busy roads and keep your cat inside at night.
Be cautious when your dog is off-leash, especially in open areas around unknown dogs. Good training is key to developing obedience skills.
Keep anything potentially toxic well out of reach, away from curious paws — household cleaning products should be locked away.
Be careful what you feed your pets; some types of food are poisonous to dogs and cats. Only give your pet suitable toys too — if too small, these can be a choking hazard.
If you live in a home with an upstairs, you may want to prevent your dog from being able to access the stairs — especially if they’re a puppy and still getting used to surroundings, or an older dog that might find it harder to navigate steps.
While you can’t prevent accidents completely, taking precautions can reduce the risk.
Pet insurance made easy!
Compare the top pet insurance brands of 2024
Price Promise. The lowest price-guaranteed!
How to find pet insurance with great accident coverage
Having pet insurance is the best way to make sure that your pet is looked after if they get injured due to an accident.
Pet insurance typically always includes coverage for accidents, either in the form of accident-only coverage, or as part of a more comprehensive accident and illness package. If you’re considering accident-only coverage, it’s important to understand that’s exactly what it is — your pet won’t be covered for any illnesses.
Accident-only coverage might be suitable for puppies, kittens and younger cats and dogs with no health conditions. Pets of a younger age are less likely to develop illnesses, compared to older, senior pets. But a young age doesn’t prevent illness and, in any case, you’ll probably want to review your pet insurance coverage as your pet gets older anyways.
Most pet insurers have different levels of accident coverage, so check details carefully before a policy to see what’s included. You’ll want to make sure your pet is covered for emergency care, as well as treatment for injuries — including surgeries — and after care. Check any exclusions on a policy, too.
Remember, you can’t take out accident coverage after an accident. This would then be considered a pre-existing condition, and not covered.
Pet Accident Insurance Coverage FAQs
-
No — coverage doesn’t start immediately. Most, if not all, pet insurers have a waiting period, which is the time between taking out the policy and when coverage officially starts. Those waiting periods vary by insurer. Pumpkin, for example, has a 14-day waiting period on diagnosis, treatment or surgery related to accidents.
-
Arthritis is considered a chronic condition, and is a common issue in pets, especially as they age. It’s typically not considered an accident, but might be covered if it develops following an accident. For example, your dog may rupture their cruciate ligament while running, which is accidental, and later develop arthritis in that same leg. Treatment for arthritis may be covered by an accident and illness, or full coverage, pet insurance policy.
-
The cost of pet insurance is calculated using lots of different factors. These include the breed of your cat or dog, the age of your pet — senior dogs and cats are generally more expensive to insure than puppies and kittens — and your location (which takes into account vet costs in the area). The level of coverage is also a factor, as is the deductible amount. Accident-only coverage is typically less expensive than accident and illness coverage, too.
-
Unfortunately, no. Taking out a pet insurance policy retrospectively — after an accident has occurred — means you won’t be covered for any treatment relating to that accident. It will be considered a pre-existing condition, and excluded from coverage.
-
It can be. Pet insurance typically includes coverage for treatment due to accidental injuries. Without it, as a pet parent you could be facing an expensive vet bill if your dog or cat suffers an accident that needs medical help. Some accidents can cause only minor injuries that might cost little to treat, but others are far more serious and costly — thousands of dollars that many pet parents simply won’t be able to afford.
-
The worst-case scenario with any accident involving a pet is that a dog or cat sustains such serious injuries that their life is threatened. If a vet has to make the heartbreaking recommendation that it would be kinder to put a pet to sleep, because of injuries received as a result of an accident, pet insurance will usually cover end of life expenses.