Exam Fee Coverage – Why The Fine Print In Your Pet Insurance Plan Matters

In our series – Why The Fine Print In Your Pet Insurance Plan Matters – we are educating customers on loopholes in their dog insurance or cat insurance plans which could cause disappointment in coverage down the line.

You can download our entire Pet Insurance Guide: Why The Fine Print Matters.

Today’s topic: 
Exam Fee Coverage

What is this?

An exam fee is the cost the veterinarian charges for the appointment or the physical examination of the pet. These costs can vary by region, and just like human healthcare, a specialist exam fee and emergency vet fee is higher than your general veterinary practitioner’s fee.
 

How does this affect you?

Most likely, you are purchasing a pet insurance plan because you want to get money back from your pet’s veterinary expenses, and by not receiving reimbursement on exam fees, your out-of-pocket expenses can be higher. While your family veterinarian’s fee could be as low as $25-$75, you could be hit with a much larger fee for visiting a specialist or emergency vet hospital. An appointment at a vet specialty facility such as an ophthalmologist, cardiologist, dermatologist, and others can cost $135 or more, while visiting an emergency hospital on the weekend or evening hours can be as high as $250.
 
So, imagine you have a $1,000 vet bill and $250 of the bill is from the exam fee. After subtracting the exam fee and your deductible, and then applying your reimbursement amount, the reimbursement amount will be much lower than you were anticipating.
 
Examples:
Not having coverage for exam fees:
Vet Bill – Exam Fee – Deductible = Subtotal x Reimbursement % = Check Amount
$1,000 – $250 – $100 = $650 x 90% = $585
 
Having coverage for exam fees:
Vet Bill – Deductible = Subtotal x Reimbursement % = Check Amount
$1,000 – $100 = $900 x 90% = $810
 

Which Pet Insurance Do Not Cover Exam Fees:
 

• Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
• Pets Best
• Trupanion

 

Where does PetFirst stand?

PetFirst reimburses pet parents on the entire vet bill – including taxes and fees. At PetFirst, you can expect the highest reimbursement from your veterinary bills due to our reimbursement formula and inclusions of veterinary fees, regardless if it is from a specialist or vet emergency hospital.

 

In this series, we deep dive into the other following areas where coverage could be lacking if you have another pet insurance company’s plan:

• Exam or Records Required for Enrollment
• Annual Care Requirements
• Spay/Neuter Clauses
• Enrollment by Specific Age for Hip Dysplasia Coverage
• Bilateral Conditions
• Holistic/Alternative Therapies
• Vaccinatable Diseases
• Extended Wait Period on Orthopedic Conditions
• Periodontal Disease
• Dermatological Conditions
• Injuries Caused by Housemates
• Aging Ear & Eye Conditions
• Over-Insuring Your Pet
• Medical Prescriptions
• Reimbursement Formula

Now that you’ve done your research on pet healthcare plans, you can see PetFirst provides the most comprehensive, best pet insurance plan for dogs and cats. With no “gotchas” in the fine print, you can rest easy knowing you are able to give your pet the care they need.

How much does pet insurance cost?

In less than 2 minutes, you can get a customized quote for your pet.
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