An annual deductible is a fixed amount you pay out-of-pocket for covered veterinary expenses before your pet insurance plan starts to pay. Once you've reached your annual deductible, your insurance plan will typically cover a percentage of eligible expenses, up to the policy's coverage limits.

What is Annual Deductible Pet Insurance?

How Does an Annual Deductible Work?

1. Your Pet Gets Sick or Injured: If your pet becomes ill or injured, you take them to the vet for treatment.

2. You Pay Your Deductible: You pay the cost of the treatment up to the amount of your annual deductible.

3. Your Insurance Plan Pays the Rest: Once you've met your deductible, your insurance plan will cover a percentage of eligible expenses, typically 70%-90%, up to the policy's coverage limits.

Types of Annual Deductibles

There are two main types of annual deductibles for pet insurance:

1. Per-incident deductible: This type of deductible applies to each covered incident or illness. For example, if your pet gets sick twice in a year, you would have to pay the deductible twice.

2. Aggregate deductible: This type of deductible applies to all covered expenses incurred over a year. Once you've reached your deductible, your insurance plan will cover eligible expenses for the rest of the year, regardless of how many times your pet gets sick or injured.

Choosing an Annual Deductible

The annual deductible you choose will affect the cost of your pet insurance policy. Generally, a higher deductible will result in a lower premium, and vice versa. When choosing a deductible, it's essential to consider:

1. Your budget: Can you afford to pay a high deductible if your pet needs expensive treatment?

2. Your pet's health: If your pet is healthy and low-risk, you may be able to choose a higher deductible. However, if your pet has a chronic condition, you may want to choose a lower deductible to ensure you're covered in case of an emergency.

3. Your insurance plan's coverage limits: Some pet insurance plans have lower coverage limits than others. If you choose a plan with low coverage limits, you may want to choose a lower deductible to ensure you're covered for the treatments your pet needs.