Yes, pet insurance providers — like MetLife Pet — may be able to cover the costs of vaccines with a wellness plan. But usually, they’re not covered under a regular insurance policy.
Since vaccinations are an important part of your pet’s routine health care, keep reading to learn which ones are covered, how coverage works, and how a wellness plan can help you save significant amounts of money every year.
How Does Pet Insurance Cover Vaccinations?
Most providers offer a wellness plan that can help cover vaccinations and other routine or wellness expenses. With MetLife Pet, you can add our optional Preventive Care plan to your insurance policy and get your pet’s routine health care — like vaccinations, teeth cleanings, and parasite prevention — reimbursed.
To save on your pet’s vaccinations, visit the vet for their shots, pay the bill, submit your claim with the vet’s invoice, and then get money back in your pocket according to your policy’s reimbursement rate.1
Keep in mind that typical pet insurance policies are designed to cover vet bills related to accidents and/or illnesses, not routine or wellness expenses.
MetLife Pet’s Preventive Care Can Help Cover Vaccination Costs
Common Vaccines That Can Be Covered
Under MetLife Pet’s Preventive Care add-on, your pet’s vaccinations are reimbursable. Our optional plan can reimburse you up to 90% of the cost of vaccinations — unlike some other providers that only cover up to a certain dollar amount or number of shots per year.1,2
Below are some of the common vaccines your dog or cat may need, that can be covered by MetLife Pet’s Preventive Care add-on, and the cost you might expect to pay without coverage.
Dog Vaccine |
Protects Against |
Cost |
Distemper, adenovirus (canine hepatitis), parvovirus, and parainfluenza |
$75 – $100 for three doses or about $25 for a single booster3 |
|
Rabies disease |
$15 – $203 |
|
Infectious disease (aka kennel cough) attacking the respiratory system caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria |
$30 – $404 |
|
Dog flu virus strains H3N8 and H3N2 |
$46 – $604 |
|
Leptospirosis (aka lepto) |
Infectious disease attacking the liver and kidneys caused by Leptospira bacteria |
$20 – $284 |
Lyme |
$37 – $494 |
The DAPP and rabies vaccinations are considered core vaccines, and they’re given to your dog every 1 – 3 years. Bordetella, influenza, lepto, and Lyme are non-core vaccines recommended yearly, but they’re not always necessary.
Cat Vaccine |
Protects Against |
Cost |
Rabies |
Rabies disease |
$20 – $305 |
Feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia (all upper respiratory infections) |
$20 – $405 |
|
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) |
Virus that attacks the immune system and can cause fatal diseases |
$25 – $455 |
Bordetella |
Infectious disease attacking the respiratory system caused by Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria |
$10 – $305 |
Core vaccinations for cats include rabies and FVRCP, with vets recommending FeLV, and sometimes bordetella, depending on your cat’s lifestyle.
Does Pet Insurance Cover Shots?
Aside from vaccinations, pets may need medication in the form of a shot or injection — like insulin or pain medicine. If your pet’s condition that requires shots for treatment or management is covered by your insurance policy, then the medication is usually covered as well.
MetLife Pet Insurance policies can typically cover your pets’ shots, barring the health issue isn’t a pre-existing condition or falls under any other exclusions in your specific policy.
A 15-year-old cat named Toby has had diabetes for years, and each month he needs insulin shots to help manage it. Fortunately, his family enrolled him in a MetLife Pet policy before his diagnosis. The vet bill for his shots costs over $160, but his family gets reimbursed nearly $150 thanks to his cat insurance.6
Is Pet Vaccination Coverage Worth It?
Pet vaccinations happen every year for your furry family members — why not get money back on expenses you know you’re going to pay? While vaccines may not be the most expensive vet bill you could receive, our Preventive Care add-on can reimburse you up to 90% of the cost, which can make your bill that much smaller!1
Other routine and wellness expenses, however, can get expensive. Flea, tick, and heartworm prevention can cost up to $210 or more for a few months, and teeth cleanings can cost up to $500 or more.7 Getting almost the entire bill covered can help you keep your budget intact and your pet in good health.
Plus, our Preventive Care add-on can reimburse you for spaying or neutering your pet. This one-time expense — that could cost up to $600 or more7 — can help prevent certain health and behavioral issues in your pets.
Real-life savings with MetLife Pet
To help you decide if vaccination coverage is worth it, here’s a look at how much some of our policyholders have saved on vaccinations and other routine care with our Preventive Care add-on:
- Young dog Bill needed his annual vaccinations. The $400 vet bill was reimbursed at nearly $350.6
- Senior dog Wells went in for his routine dental cleaning and also needed a tooth extracted. His $1,400 vet bill was reimbursed at nearly $1,300.6
- Catalina went to the vet for one round of her kitten shots, and her family was reimbursed $80 on the $90 bill.6
- Rottweiler Betty got her heartworm preventive meds from the vet. Her family got over $225 back on the $250 cost.6
- Millie had her kitty teeth cleaned to stay on top of her oral health. Her family received almost $330 back on the $360 procedure cost.6
Customize your insurance plan by adding optional wellness coverage or combining multiple pets on one policy.8
MetLife Pet Can Help You Save on Vaccination Costs
Cost shouldn’t be a barrier to keeping up with your pet’s routine health care, including vaccinations that can help protect them from dangerous diseases. That’s why MetLife Pet offers a wellness plan you can add to your insurance policy — so your finances can be covered for the unexpected and expected.
Life with your furry family gets a lot better knowing you’ve got financial protection on vet bills in your back pocket. Get your pet enrolled today by starting with a free quote.
