Pet Insurance for Routine Check-Ups: What Indian Pet Parents Should Know

When you treat your pet like family, you want the best for them. And among all of the care you provide them, regular vet visits top the list.

However, with rising inflation in India’s pet care market, veterinary bills can add up faster than expected. This often leads pet parents to ask a common question: can they claim pet insurance for routine check-ups?

The short answer is usually no for standard policies, but there is a catch. Modern pet insurance is evolving. Some comprehensive plans and add-ons now offer wider financial protection. Let us decode how this works and what Bajaj General Insurance offers for your furry companion.

The Real Cost of Pet Parenting in India

Before diving into insurance specifics, let us look at the general costs of vet visits all over India. Owning a dog or a cat in India is a financial commitment. Routine veterinary care is not cheap.

1. Consultation Fees: A standard visit to a vet in a metro city, such as Mumbai or Delhi, costs between ₹500 and ₹1,000.
2. Vaccinations: Annual core shots (Rabies, DHPPiL) can set you back ₹1,500 to ₹3,000.
3. Preventive Care and Annual Checkups: Tick treatments, deworming and supplements add another ₹2,000 to ₹4,500 annually.

Overall, a responsible pet parent spends roughly ₹10,000 a year just on basic preventive health. This does not even include emergency surgeries or treatment for chronic illnesses. This is the reason why pet wellness insurance in India is required for routine check-ups, so it can ease your financial stress.

Can You Get Pet Insurance for Routine Check-Ups?

In India, most standard pet insurance policies tend to cover unexpected situations. They function like human mediclaim. They will cover you in situations when things go wrong, such as for:

1. Surgery-related treatment and fracture care costs for the insured pet during the policy period.
2. Hospital admission expenses for illness or injury treatment at a registered veterinary hospital.
3. Financial benefit if the insured pet dies due to illness, accident or humane euthanasia.
4. Paying the agreed amount when a veterinarian confirms the diagnosis of a terminal disease.
5. Treatment expenses are incurred when a pet suffers from a long-duration illness needing ongoing care.
6. Outpatient vet clinic treatment expenses up to ₹30,000.
7. Legal defence expenses arising from third-party liability claims involving the insured pet.
8. Compensation for permanent loss due to theft, straying or missing a pet after 45 days.

If you walk into a clinic for a healthy annual wellness exam, a standard policy will likely reject the claim. Insurance providers view routine pet visit coverage as ‘maintenance’ rather than ‘risk’. Therefore, purely preventive care pet insurance is rare as a standalone product.

The Game Changer: OPD Cover from Bajaj General Insurance

Bajaj General Insurance understands that vet visits are not always about surgeries. This is where the Out-Patient Department (OPD) coverage becomes vital.

What is OPD Cover?

OPD coverage is coverage that you get under your base pet insurance policy. It reimburses expenses for treatments that do not require overnight hospitalisation. Bajaj General provides OPD cover for up to ₹30,000 for their policyholder’s pet care.

Does OPD Cover Routine Check-Ups?

Typically, OPD cover pays for the treatment of illnesses. Your vet visit under OPD can go either of these two ways:

1. Scenario A: Your dog has a fever and needs a vet consultation, blood tests and medicines. OPD cover will generally pay for this.
2. Scenario B: You take your healthy dog for a yearly vaccination shot. Most OPD covers exclude this unless specified.

With Bajaj General, you can get a pet check-up insurance plan with OPD benefits, which can significantly lower your financial burden.

The Bottom Line

Pet parents often wonder whether pet insurance for routine check-ups is actually claimable. In most cases, purely preventive wellness visits are not covered.

However, with the OPD cover, you can claim for consultations and treatments related to minor illnesses that do not require hospitalisation. This bridges the gap effectively.

Bajaj General Insurance offers the OPD cover with its standard plan itself. So, do not wait for an emergency and secure your pet’s future today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between OPD and hospitalisation cover for pets?

Hospitalisation cover pays for expenses when your pet stays at the clinic for at least 24 hours. On the other hand, OPD cover pays for day-care treatments, consultations and diagnostics where no overnight stay is needed.

Is there a waiting period for pet insurance claims?

Yes, there is typically a waiting period of 20 days with Bajaj General Pet Insurance for illness-related claims after policy inception. However, accident covers usually start immediately.

Can I buy insurance for an older dog?

Yes, Bajaj General Insurance covers dogs generally up to age 10, depending on breed size. The entry age usually starts from 3 months. However, it is highly recommended to get pet wellness insurance for your dogs as soon as possible, while they are younger.

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***Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet and is subject to changes. Please consult an expert before making any related decisions.