Does Pet Insurance Cover Euthanasia and Cremation?

Most pet insurance policies cover costs related to euthanasia as long as euthanasia is recommended by a veterinarian and is not related to a pre-existing condition. However, very few policies cover the costs related to cremation or burial. Below is a list of common pet insurance providers as well as specific notes regarding their coverage policy for end-of-life care.

Euthanasia Coverage and Types of Pet Insurance Policies

Whether your pet insurance policy covers euthanasia, cremation, or end-of-life care is dependent on the type of policy you have. Most pet insurance companies offer three types of policies:

• Accident Coverage - these policies tend to cover accidents like broken bones, poisonings, animal attacks, and similar. They tend to be the lowest cost and coverage plan option. Some accident-only plans provide coverage for euthanasia, but often times the benefit is restricted to euthanasia performed due to an underlying covered accident.
• Illness Coverage - these policies tend to cover illnesses ranging from ear infections and allergies to cancer and heart disease. They tend to be a higher cost, higher-coverage option than accident-only plans, and most illness plans cover some cost of euthanasia, so long as the euthanasia is not performed due to a pre-existing condition.
• Optional Add-Ons - some pet insurance providers offer add-ons or “wellness plans” that go beyond coverage for accident and illness to cover more routine care like annual physical exams and vaccinations. Other providers have end-of-life specific add-ons, such as Lemonade’s “End-of-Life and Remembrance" add-on.

How to File an Insurance Claim for Pet Euthanasia: A Checklist

Every insurer is different, but most will require you to provide the following items and information before they are able to process an insurance claim for euthanasia:

• Your policy number
• Your pet’s name, age, gender, and breed
• Your name and contact information
• Invoices (with the pet’s name and the date of service)
• Medical records (such as a veterinarian’s notes or lab results)

You can find a sample claim form here for Fetch insurance or here for Nationwide insurance.

It’s important to note that many insurers will have a defined timeframe during which you must file your claim. For example, Trupanion pet insurance allows you up to “90 days to file a claim for any costs associated with veterinarian-recommended euthanasia”

Many insurance companies will also have a defined waiting period, like Pets Best, where no coverage is provided after a policy is underwritten.

Does Pet Insurance cover cremation?

Most pet insurance plans do not cover the cover of cremation for your beloved dog or cat. Generally, insurers view cremation as a non-medical procedure, and therefore it is not covered. However, there are some exceptions. For example, some insurers, such as Nationwide, MetLife, and Lemonade pet insurance, offer a mortality benefit of between $250 and $500 that can be used toward any end-of-life services, including cremation. However, this benefit is intended to cover euthanasia costs as well. Additionally, ASPCA, Spot Pet Insurance, and Hartville Pet Insurance all include “euthanasia, burial and cremation” as covered expenses in both their accident-only and their comprehensive coverage plans.

Does my pet insurance cover euthanasia?

We spoke to many of the top pet insurance providers to research whether their plans cover the cost of pet euthanasia and cremation. Please not the information below is intended to serve as a general guide comparing coverage across major providers; you should contact your own insurer to understand your policy before making any end-of-life decisions for your beloved companion.

• Nationwide Pet Insurance - Generally, Nationwide’s accident-only plans provide minimum benefit for end-of-life care. However, their Illness & Hereditary coverage has historically included a $250 benefit (no deductible) that can be used toward euthanasia and cremation.
• Trupanion - Generally, Trupanion’s policies cover the cost of euthanasia when a veterinarian recommends it. Trupanion has a 90-day timeframe for filing a claim after a pet has been put to sleep.
• Pets Best - Generally, Pets Best plans cover euthanasia for human reasons, so long as the reason for euthanasia is due to an underlying illness that is covered as part of your plan. Pets Best does not cover the cost of cremation, burial, or other similar costs.
• Fetch - Generally, any cost of care up to and including euthanasia will be covered by Fetch insurance. However, your plan will not cover euthanasia in a few circumstances, including: if your pet was put to sleep at your request (and not at the recommendation of a veterinarian) or for a behavioral disorder, or if your pet’s death is the result of a pre-existing condition.
• MetLife - Generally, a $500 benefit is standard on all policies, as long as the underlying cause of euthanasia is not related to a pre-existing condition that is not covered by the plan. The $500 can be used toward euthanasia, cremation, paw prints, or any other end-of-life expense. Additionally, if the dog is 8 years old or younger, MetLife can pay up to an additional $500.
• ASPCA / Spot / Hartville - the ASPCA, Spot Pet Insurance, and Hartville Pet Insurance are underwritten by the same or similar carriers, and share the same benefits and conditions. Both their Accident-Only and their Complete Coverage plans include coverage for expenses related to end-of-life, which these insurers define as: “Expenses for euthanasia, burial and cremation only. This does not include funeral expenses, memorial items, urns, caskets, burial plots or burial plot maintenance fees”
• Lemonade Pet Insurance - Lemonade is one of the few providers that offers a dedicated “end-of-life and remembrance" plan. This supplement offers a $500 benefits that can be used to cover the cost not only of euthanasia but also cremation, and it can help pay for memorabilia and keepsakes as well. Unlike end-of-life benefits from other providers, Lemonade’s add-on provides coverage even for pre-existing conditions. However, the benefit cannot be used for funeral or burial costs.
• Figo - Figo pet insurance plans cover the cost of hospice and euthanasia when a veterinarian determines it is necessary for human reasons. Like most insurance providers, however, this does not apply to euthanasia resulting from pre-existing conditions.
• Health Paws - Generally, pet insurance from Healthy Paws covers the cost of euthanasia if a veterinarian recommends it.
• Petplan - Generally, Petplan pet insurance covers the cost of euthanasia for a dog or cat if euthanasia is related to an illness or injury and is determined to be the best course of action by a veterinarian. However, no cremation or burial cost is covered.
• Embrace - Embrace pet insurance covers euthanasia under their accident and illness policies, so long as the underlying condition that caused a veterinarian to recommend euthanasia is covered. While cremation and keepsakes are not covered under their standard plans, Embrace does offer an optional Wellness Rewards plans that reimburses for memorial items and costs, such as burial fees, cremation, and memorabilia like pawprints and urns.