Does Pet Insurance Cover Spaying and Neutering?
Standard pet insurance doesn’t cover spaying and neutering for your pet. But an optional wellness plan could help cover the cost of these procedures.
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Written byLindsay Frankel
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Lindsay Frankel is a personal finance and insurance writer who’s been writing for Compare.com since 2023. Her work has been featured in publications such as Investopedia, LendingTree, The Balance, SFGate, Bankrate, and FinanceBuzz.
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Edited byNick Versaw
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Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
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In This Article
Spaying and neutering are essential procedures that help protect against behavior problems, illnesses, and cancer, keeping your pet healthy while preventing unwanted births.[1] But the surgery can be expensive, with average costs for dogs ranging from $315 for neutering to $465 for spaying.
Since it’s a routine procedure, a standard pet insurance policy won’t cover the cost. Fortunately, many pet insurance companies and veterinary clinics offer wellness plans that cover spaying and neutering, and low-cost spay and neuter clinics may also help pet parents afford the surgery. Learn how to pay for the procedure your furry friend needs.
Key Takeaways
Standard pet insurance policies don’t cover routine care costs, such as spaying and neutering. But you might be able to add preventive care coverage to your policy.
Spaying and neutering may cost anywhere from $55 to $800, depending on your pet and the clinic you visit.
Options for paying for the procedure include buying a wellness plan from your vet or insurer, utilizing local non-profit resources, applying for financing, and tapping your emergency fund.
Why Pet Insurance Usually Doesn’t Cover Spaying or Neutering
Standard pet insurance policies typically include coverage for accidents and illnesses while excluding coverage for routine care. That’s because the intent of pet insurance is to protect against unexpected costs. Preventive care costs — such as annual vet visits, preventative medication, and spay/neuter procedures — are known costs a pet parent can budget for.
While an accident and illness policy will cover emergency surgery after an accident or surgery to treat a chronic condition like cancer, it won’t cover your puppy or kitten’s spay or neuter surgery. Fortunately, many pet insurance companies offer pet wellness plans that can help pet owners save money on routine veterinary care while spreading the cost into monthly payments.
You can often purchase a wellness package as an add-on to a traditional pet insurance policy. Some pet insurers and veterinary clinics also offer stand-alone wellness plans.
When pet insurance may cover it
You can get partial reimbursement from your insurer for your pet’s spay or neuter procedure in a couple of ways:
Purchase a wellness add-on
Many pet insurers offer wellness coverage as an add-on to an accident and illness policy for an additional premium. Depending on the plan, you’ll get either flexible coverage for all wellness care services up to an annual dollar amount or reimbursement for select services up to a per-item annual limit.
Buy bundled coverage
While not as common, some pet insurance companies offer bundled coverage for accidents, illnesses, and preventative care under one policy. These policies typically reimburse you for a percentage of the care cost for accidents and illnesses up to an annual limit.When your pet needs routine care like spaying or neutering, the policy may cover 100% of the cost up to a specified dollar amount.
Bear in mind, a wellness package or bundled policy may not cover the full cost of your pet’s spay or neuter procedure. While wellness plans aren’t subject to a deductible, they typically cap the reimbursement amount you can receive.[2]
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Alternatives to Pet Insurance for Spaying and Neutering
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If you don’t want to pay the full cost of a spay or neuter surgery out of pocket, you have several options.
Wellness plans from vets or insurers
In addition to wellness add-ons and bundled coverage, stand-alone wellness plans are available from some pet insurance companies and animal hospitals. Some vet clinics, including Banfield, offer packages designed specifically for puppies and kittens.
Stand-alone wellness plans are typically different from standard pet insurance. Rather than covering a percentage of the total care cost, wellness plans typically have per-service payout limits. Some plans have exceptions for select services — for example, the VCA CareClub membership covers unlimited vet visits, including emergency exams.
Not all wellness plans cover spaying and neutering, so be sure to check the schedule of benefits before purchasing a wellness package.
Low-cost spay/neuter clinics
Some local animal shelters, humane societies, and non-profit veterinary clinics offer low-cost spaying and neutering to help control the population of dogs and cats without homes. Pricing varies by location, but a neuter procedure may cost as little as $55, while a spay procedure may cost as little as $60, according to CareCredit.[3]
Some shelters even host periodic free spay/neuter days for low-income pet owners. While some clinics have a maximum income threshold or sliding-scale pricing, others offer affordable spay and neuter surgeries for all pets. If your area doesn’t have options, you might consider raising funds through a crowdfunding platform like Waggle or applying for financial assistance.
Payment plans or credit options
If you can’t afford to pay for your pet’s procedure all at once, plenty of financing options are available. Below are a few common payment options. You may be able to apply directly or through your vet’s office:
Scratchpay: Scratchpay offers installment loans with terms ranging from 12 to 24 months and direct payment to your vet. Some pet owners may qualify for interest-free financing.
CareCredit: CareCredit is a medical credit card you can use at various veterinary and medical practices. Eligible applicants may qualify for rewards points and promotional financing.
Cherry: Cherry offers low- and no-interest installment plans for veterinary care with no hard credit check.
You can also consider traditional financing options that aren’t specific to veterinary expenses, like 0% interest credit cards or personal loans.
How Much Does Spaying or Neutering Cost?
The average cost to spay a dog is $465, while the average cost to neuter a dog is $315, according to a CareCredit study. At low-cost vet clinics, you could pay as little as $60 for a spay procedure and $55 for a neuter procedure. Low-income pet owners may have access to free spaying and neutering in some cities.
Spaying costs for cats typically range from $150 to $800, while neutering for cats costs between $70 and $200, according to CareCredit. You may find lower pricing at non-profit clinics, especially if you earn a low income.
The cost to spay or neuter may vary depending on factors such as:
The type of clinic and location
Your pet’s species and weight
Your income (if the clinic offers income-based pricing)
Paying Out of Pocket vs. Adding a Wellness Plan
Since you can plan based on the cost of a spay/neuter procedure near you, it’s OK to pay with savings or a credit card. A wellness plan could save you money, but you’ll also need to file a claim every time your pet gets routine care. In most cases, you’ll need to pay your vet before receiving reimbursement. Consider the pros and cons of both options before choosing.
Paying out of pocket
Pros
No need to file a claim for reimbursement
Pay only for the services you need with no monthly premium
Savings for vet costs can grow in a high-yield account
Cons
Spay or neuter procedure may be unaffordable without wellness plan coverage
Financing options may come with interest or fees
Need to hold yourself accountable for setting aside money for vet care
When it makes sense
Paying out of pocket makes sense if any of the following are true:
You already have sufficient savings to cover your pet’s procedure, or you have a credit card you can afford to pay off in full by the due date.
You’re diligent about setting aside money for your pet’s healthcare needs and don’t want the hassle of filing a claim for every vet visit.
You qualify for free or low-cost care from a local spay/neuter clinic, and you can’t afford to pay the monthly premium for a wellness plan.
Adding a wellness plan
Pros
Predictable monthly cost for your pet’s routine care needs throughout the year
Typically no deductible, co-insurance, or waiting periods
Some puppy and kitten plans also cover microchipping and extra exams
Cons
Must keep track of your vet’s paperwork and file claims
With most plans, you’ll still need to pay your vet before you receive reimbursement
Limited savings, and you may still have out-of-pocket costs
When it makes sense
A wellness plan might save you a couple hundred dollars annually if you’ll use all the services. More flexible wellness packages typically offer limited savings, as little as $25 per year. You may also need to cover the cost while you wait for reimbursement, though a few companies offer direct vet pay.
A wellness plan might also make sense if you need help sticking to a budget. If you find a plan that covers services you know your pet will use and saves you enough money to make filing a claim worth your while, it could be worth adding. But you shouldn’t choose a pet insurance company solely based on its wellness package offerings.
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How to Decide If a Wellness Plan Is Worth It
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Before adding a wellness plan, decide which spay/neuter clinic you’ll visit and find out the cost of the procedure. That’ll help you calculate the value of the plan versus paying out of pocket.
In the following scenarios, a wellness plan may be worth it:
The company you choose offers a preventative care package for puppies and kittens. This type of policy helps with some of the other one-time costs pet parents face, in addition to spaying/neutering. The wellness plan from Lemonade is a good example.
You live paycheck to paycheck, don’t have access to financing options, and have an accident and illness policy from a company that offers direct vet pay.
For example, the wellness plan from Pets Best offers great value for the monthly cost, plus direct payment to participating veterinarians.
Your vet office offers a wellness plan that covers spaying or neutering and includes valuable extras for your pet’s first few years. For example, some puppy and kitten packages from Banfield Animal Hospital include nutritional coaching and unlimited office visits.
Your employer offers a discounted wellness plan that covers spay and neuter procedures as an employee benefit.
Real-life example
Imagine you just brought home a new pit bull puppy (Congrats!), and you can’t afford the cost of a comprehensive pet insurance policy, let alone a spay/neuter procedure. You decide to buy an accident-only policy from Pets Best for $9 per month and add the company’s BestWellness plan for your pup’s first year, which adds $26 to your premium.
You see a vet that accepts direct payment and performs your puppy’s spay procedure. You get a bill for $300, and Pets Best pays half the spay costs directly to your vet’s office. The company also pays some money toward an exam, some vaccines, and lab tests, covering about half your vet bill.
A few months later, your pup eats a sock and needs a $3,000 emergency surgery to remove it. Pets Best pays a 90% reimbursement rate after a $250 deductible. After one year with your pup, you’ve paid $420 in premiums and saved more than $3,000 in veterinary costs for your puppy’s accident and preventative care.
FAQs About Pet Insurance and Spaying and Neutering
If you still have questions about pet insurance coverage for spaying and neutering, check out the additional information below.
What pet insurance will cover spaying?
While a standard pet insurance plan won’t cover spaying, a wellness add-on or stand-alone preventive care package may cover some of the cost.
Why doesn’t pet insurance cover spaying?
Pet insurance companies intend for accident and illness policies to cover unexpected veterinary expenses, and spaying is a preventive procedure with a predictable cost.
How much does spaying cost with insurance?
The cost of spaying with pet insurance depends on the cost of the procedure and the annual limit for spaying under your wellness plan. If you don’t purchase a wellness package, you’ll pay the full cost of the procedure out of pocket.
Does Pets Best insurance cover spaying?
Pets Best offers a wellness plan that pays up to $150 toward spay surgery. You can purchase the plan as an add-on to an accident and illness or accident-only policy.
How much do vets charge for spaying?
Spay costs depend on the geographic region, the veterinarian’s pricing, and your pet’s species.
Sources
- American Veterinary Medical Association. "Spaying and neutering."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts about pet insurance."
- CareCredit. "Dog Spay vs. Neuter: Age Guidelines, Benefits and Costs."
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Lindsay FrankelInsurance Writer
Lindsay Frankel is a personal finance and insurance writer who’s been writing for Compare.com since 2023. Her work has been featured in publications such as Investopedia, LendingTree, The Balance, SFGate, Bankrate, and FinanceBuzz.
Nick Versaw leads Compare.com's editorial department, where he and his team specialize in crafting helpful, easy-to-understand content about car insurance and other related topics. With nearly a decade of experience writing and editing insurance and personal finance articles, his work has helped readers discover substantial savings on necessary expenses, including insurance, transportation, health care, and more. As an award-winning writer, Nick has seen his work published in countless renowned publications, such as the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and U.S. News & World Report. He graduated with Latin honors from Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Digital Journalism.
