Eli Porter
If a vet has just put your dog or cat on a special diet, the chances are you don’t want to pay for it all out-of-pocket. Presumably you want to see if part of that bill gets picked up by your pet insurance company. The answer really varies from provider to provider and plan-level plan to plan-level plan plan. Some companies include prescription food in a standard policy, others only give it as an add-on, few don’t cover it at all. This article gives you an overview of what constitutes prescription pet food, which insurance companies cover it, and how you can optimize your coverage.
Table of Contents
What Is Prescription Pet Food?
Prescription food is a diet that your vet will prescribe if your pet’s health condition requires it. It is different from ordinary store-bought food, as it usually requires your veterinary recommendation for purchase. These foods are the kind of foods that your vet will often prescribe to manage pets with the following:
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Food allergies
- Urinary tract infections or issues
- Pets with obesity/weight problems
- Digestive or gastrointestinal health issues
The kind of food that is being fed to your pet is very important as far as their treatment is concerned. At times, this food might help them to recover better from a disease, while other times, it will be the main treatment for the disease.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Prescription Food?
There is a big difference between pet insurance providers in terms of prescription food coverage. Very few plans under accident and illness cover will automatically include prescription food. Some insurers will give you a food-related benefit in addition to their standard plan, while others may offer the add-on as the pet wellness plan option.
Why Won’t Every Plan Cover Food?
Actually, the entire pet insurance model has been developed keeping the cover for emergency veterinary services and sudden, unforeseen illnesses in mind. As a result, food, including prescription food, can be considered as a recurring cost rather than a once-off emergency event. Most insurance providers view the regular supply of food as part and parcel of routine veterinary care that can be compared with check-ups and vaccines, which are the types of services that are usually excluded from many standard insurance policies.
What Preparations Must Be Done to Obtain Prescription Food Coverage?
If you are able to get a pet insurance policy that does not exclude prescription food, then you will probably be expected to show some documents:
- Veterinary recommendation for the specific diet in order to address the diagnosed condition
- It must be a medically required intervention. That means that the use of food for this particular food has to be for therapeutic purposes only, not for the pet owner’s convenience or general wellbeing.
- A vet’s letter with the pet’s medical history stating a reason why a prescription pet food is required is mandatory.
- In general, a pre-existing illness will make the claim invalid.
Failure to provide correct paperwork could lead to a denied claim. You should keep the records of your vet’s notes and prescription together with your policy documents as the basis for your claims.
Which Providers Cover Prescription Food?
In terms of the pet insurance world, there is no single standard approach for coverage of food. Here is just a quick overview of the different ways in which food cover is handled by some of the big insurance companies.
| Provider | Coverage Type |
| ASPCA | Add-on wellness plan |
| Nationwide | Covered under select plans in some states |
| MetLife | Add-on plan, up to 90% of cost |
| Embrace | Add-on wellness plan only |
| Spot | Included in the base plan |
| Fetch | Not covered |
| Trupanion | Covered under standard plans in some cases |
Laws are the main factors causing insurance policies to look and function somewhat differently; read one through carefully before a purchase. What you buy is not always what you get in terms of coverage for such a product – if you take an example of prescription foods that might be covered under an insurance policy in, say, New York state but not at all, or perhaps very differently, in Texas, the point should be clear enough.
How to Get Coverage for Prescription Food
If prescription food insurance coverage is one of your main concerns, a little advance organization can save you a world of bother later on. Things you may want to know and find out prior to committing to a plan are listed below:
- Confirm with your insurance carrier if they do offer such coverage or sell it as a supplement
- Don’t settle with just the first provider; rather, you look at a few providers and their offerings side by side to find a better match for you.
- Determine if there would be any eligibility requirements in place that would exclude your pet.
- Pay detailed attention to the small print regarding the exclusions and the limitations of the policy.
- Make sure all veterinary documents and receipts are available and organized.
What Prescription Food Usually Isn’t Covered?
Even if you do find a good prescription food coverage plan, there may still be some situations that your policy will not cover. These may be the typical exclusions of most plans:
- Foods which are only used for general health improvement purposes and not as a medical necessity for a diseased condition
- Foods that are ordered for weight loss but without medical necessity
- Conditions existed and were diagnosed prior to the commencement of your insurance policy
- Diet plans that are meant for the prevention and/or regular maintenance of health but do not necessarily have a medical basis attached to its use
Being aware of these policy limitations upfront will help avoid unpleasant claim denial surprises.
Is a Wellness Add-on Worth It?
Wellness packs can be expensive as you will notice from your monthly premium increase, but the food cost will be offset for the rest of the year if you decide to include such a pack in your insurance package. Let me give you an example, your pet may be taking a lifetime prescription, which you have to spend on the food for the pet, you can work out how much you spend each year and whether it is worth buying a wellness pack or not.
However, for younger pets that are in good condition and not suffering from any disease, you might not see the added value from an extra wellness pack. The age, breed and physical condition of a pet are the main factors influencing this decision.
Quick Recap
Whether prescription foods are going to be covered by a pet insurance policy or not largely depends on the type of provider and the type of plan you’re getting. Here are some key things you should never forget:
- It’s unlikely that you can get prescription foods coverage in a standard insurance program unless you make special arrangements for it
- You are mainly through add-on wellness plans that you can have coverage for prescription diets
- Almost always, you are required to have documentation from your vet to support each of your insurance claims
- It is also likely that there may be variations in rules of coverage by state and by insurer
Looking at the insurance policy closely prior to a crisis saves you hassle, money, and stress in the long run.
Final Thoughts
Prescription food is an important element in caring for a sick pet, and the expenses can add up very quickly. Some pet insurance plans do not cover prescription foods; however, there are several different types of coverage to be found if you look around properly. Shop around, ask the questions, and understand your policy before committing.
Looking for a pet insurance plan tailored to your pet? Visit Insurancheck.com to get an idea of the best policies and to compare pet insurance plans with a side-by-side comparison. You can get coverage to protect your dog and your budget – all starting from today.
You may also read: Does Pet Insurance Cover Dental Extractions?
