Planning for your pet’s care

More confidence when the unexpected happens

An illness or injury can turn an ordinary day into a difficult decision. Pet insurance can help with eligible veterinary costs, giving you more room to focus on your pet’s care.

At Cascade Veterinary Clinics, we encourage families to explore coverage while their pets are healthy. This guide explains the basics and offers a few places to start comparing plans.

Explore insurance providers

How pet insurance works

You pay a monthly or annual premium to keep your policy active. When your pet needs care, your insurer reviews the claim and pays eligible expenses according to your plan.

  1. Choose your coverage. Compare the premium, deductible, reimbursement percentage, limits, and exclusions before enrolling.
  2. Know when coverage begins. Check the effective date and any waiting periods. Buying a policy does not mean every expense is covered immediately.
  3. Receive care and pay your invoice. With reimbursement plans, you pay the veterinary clinic first and submit a claim with the required documentation.
  4. Receive any eligible reimbursement. Your insurer applies your policy’s terms. You remain responsible for deductibles, your share of covered costs, and excluded expenses.

Insurance and financing serve different purposes. Insurance helps cover eligible costs under a policy. CareCredit and Scratchpay let eligible clients repay borrowed funds over time. Visit our Payment Options page for accepted payments and financing.

What a plan may help cover

Unexpected accidents and illnesses

Depending on the policy, eligible care may include emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, diagnostic tests, prescription medications, and treatment for chronic or inherited conditions.

Accident-only plans are more limited. Review exam fees, dental illness, specialist care, and any condition-specific restrictions individually.

Routine care is a separate consideration

Wellness exams, vaccines, parasite prevention, and elective spay or neuter procedures are generally outside accident and illness coverage.

Some providers offer optional wellness benefits for eligible preventive services. These have their own terms and are different from accident and illness insurance.

Plan ahead, before symptoms appear. Most policies exclude pre-existing conditions. Enrolling early may help protect against future eligible conditions, but it does not remove existing exclusions or guarantee coverage.

Insurance providers to explore

Trupanion, Pumpkin, Pets Best, and Nationwide are providers we frequently work with and recommend as starting points for your research. There are many other companies to choose from, and we do not rank one as the right fit for every pet.

Trupanion

Offers medical coverage for dogs and cats, with a lifetime deductible for each eligible condition. Direct payment may be available at participating hospitals.

Compare: how the per-condition deductible works and whether direct payment is available for your visit.

Explore Trupanion

Pumpkin

Offers accident and illness insurance for dogs and cats, with optional wellness benefits available separately.

Compare: coverage limits, eligible exam fees, and the cost and benefits of optional preventive care.

Explore Pumpkin

Pets Best

Offers accident and illness coverage with choices for deductibles, reimbursement levels, and limits. Accident-only and optional wellness options are also available.

Compare: the specific plan’s exam-fee coverage, exclusions, and out-of-pocket costs.

Explore Pets Best

Nationwide

Offers pet insurance with different coverage options. Available benefits and limits depend on the policy selected.

Compare: the quoted plan’s accident, illness, and wellness benefits, along with any benefit limits.

Explore Nationwide

Provider offerings can change and may vary by state. Review a current quote and sample policy for your pet. A provider’s inclusion here does not guarantee coverage or claim approval.

Compare more than the monthly price

A lower premium may come with a larger share of the bill when your pet needs care. Use the same coverage assumptions when comparing quotes.

  • Deductible: This is the amount you pay toward eligible expenses before the policy reimburses them. Is it annual or per condition, and how much must you pay?
  • Reimbursement: What percentage of eligible costs does the plan pay, and how is it calculated? An 80% reimbursement rate does not necessarily mean 80% of your entire invoice: deductibles, excluded charges, and limits still matter.
  • Limits: Are there annual, lifetime, or condition-specific caps?
  • Exclusions and waiting periods: What is not covered, and when does each type of coverage start?
  • Claims and payment: What must you pay up front, what documents are required, and is direct payment available? Check filing deadlines and keep your itemized invoice, proof of payment, and any requested medical records.
  • Renewal: How can premiums and benefits change as your pet gets older?

For an independent consumer resource, visit the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner’s pet insurance guide.

Pet insurance questions

Can I use an insurer that is not listed here?

Yes. These four companies are starting points, not an exclusive list. Cascade can help provide records for claims with other insurers, too. Ask the insurer to confirm that your policy covers care at your chosen veterinary clinic.

Does insurance cover a condition my pet already has?

Most policies exclude pre-existing conditions. Symptoms can count even if your pet did not yet have a diagnosis, and conditions that begin during a waiting period may also be excluded. Some insurers make exceptions for certain resolved conditions. Ask for a review of your pet’s medical history and read the policy’s definition.

Will insurance pay Cascade directly?

Some insurers offer direct payment to participating hospitals or by prior arrangement. Availability depends on the insurer, your policy, the claim, and the hospital. Confirm with both Cascade and your insurer before your visit; do not assume direct payment is available.

Are checkups, vaccines, and parasite prevention included?

Routine preventive care is generally separate from accident and illness insurance. An optional wellness benefit may help with eligible routine expenses, often with its own limits. Compare its cost and benefits separately.

How can Cascade help with a claim?

Our team can help provide the medical records and invoices your insurer requests. Follow your insurer’s claim instructions and filing deadlines, and let us know what documentation is needed. The insurer determines coverage, reimbursement, and claim timing.

We’re here to help you get started

Our teams in Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, and Leavenworth can answer general questions and help with claim documentation. Your insurer is the best source for policy-specific coverage decisions.

Contact your Cascade clinic