Does pet insurance cover rehab and alternative therapy?
Physical therapy and acupuncture after surgery or for chronic pain: included, an add-on, or not covered, by insurer.
Updated October 2, 2026. Plan facts come from each insurer's published documents; each insurer's policy documents control.
The short answer
Embrace, Fetch, Healthy Paws and Spot include rehabilitation and alternative therapies like acupuncture in their accident and illness policies; Lemonade, Odie and Pets Best cover them only with an add-on.
In every case the therapy has to treat a covered condition and be given or supervised by a vet.
What will it cost for your dog?
Pick your breed, age and ZIP code to see the estimated monthly price from the insurers we compare.
Rehab and alternative therapy, by insurer
| Insurer | Rehab and alternative therapy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace | Included (acupuncture, hydro, physio)[1] | Complementary therapies for covered conditions by or under vet supervision; not for maintenance or prevention. |
| Fetch | Yes, PT, hydrotherapy, acupuncture included[2] | Physical and complementary therapies included in base policy when administered by a vet; no add-on needed. |
| Healthy Paws | Yes, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, PT included[3] | Eligible when performed by a licensed veterinarian; herbal medicine and homeopathy not covered. |
| Lemonade | Add-on (Physical Therapy)[4] | Physical therapy, acupuncture and hydrotherapy covered only with the physical therapy add-on; CBD/aromatherapy excluded. |
| Odie | Optional rehab/acupuncture/chiro benefit[5] | Supplemental benefit for extra premium; hydrotherapy not named (treadmill therapy is); other alternative/holistic treatments excluded. |
| Pets Best | Optional rehab/acupuncture/chiro add-on[6] | Rehab, acupuncture and chiropractic only via supplemental benefit; holistic treatments excluded; hydrotherapy not in policy list. |
| Spot | Covered in base policy[7] | Alternative therapy/rehab covered when by a vet or certified veterinary rehabilitation referral; hydrotherapy not named specifically. |
| Trupanion | Not verified yet | Trupanion's website blocks automated requests, so we could not check this against its policy yet. Ask Trupanion directly. |
From each insurer's own sample policy, terms or FAQ, checked October 2, 2026. Terms vary by state and plan, and the policy you buy controls.
Check how this applies to your breed
What this means for your dog
Rehab is often part of recovering from the most common orthopedic and spinal surgeries: cruciate ligament repair, IVDD surgery in a Dachshund or Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and hip procedures in large breeds. Weeks of sessions add up, so whether they are covered can change the total cost of a claim.
Where it is an add-on, it usually has to be chosen when you enroll; at Odie and Pets Best it is a supplemental benefit with its own premium. If your breed is prone to joint or back problems, decide at the start.
Look at what is excluded too: Healthy Paws doesn't cover herbal medicine or homeopathy, Lemonade excludes CBD and aromatherapy, and therapies for maintenance or prevention are generally left out.
Who gives the therapy matters. Spot covers rehab given by a vet or by a certified veterinary rehabilitation practitioner your vet refers you to; Embrace and Healthy Paws require the therapy to be given by or under a licensed vet. A session at a non-veterinary clinic may not qualify.
Before you buy
- Check whether rehab and acupuncture are in the base policy or an add-on.
- Read who must provide the therapy: a vet, or a certified rehab practitioner on a vet's referral.
- Ask whether there is a limit on the number of sessions or a yearly cap.
- Decide at enrollment if your breed is prone to joint or back problems.
Questions owners ask
Does pet insurance cover physical therapy for dogs?
Embrace, Fetch, Healthy Paws and Spot include it for covered conditions. Lemonade, Odie and Pets Best cover it with an add-on.
Is acupuncture covered by pet insurance?
At Embrace, Fetch and Healthy Paws yes, in the base policy, when performed by or under a vet. Lemonade covers it with its physical therapy add-on, and Odie and Pets Best with a rehab, acupuncture and chiropractic add-on.
Is hydrotherapy covered?
Embrace, Fetch and Healthy Paws name hydrotherapy, and Lemonade covers it with its physical therapy add-on.
Are herbal remedies or CBD covered?
Generally not. Healthy Paws excludes herbal medicine and homeopathy, and Lemonade excludes CBD and aromatherapy.
Sources
- Embrace Pet Insurance Sample Policy Terms & Conditions (v6, most states). Embrace Pet Insurance.
- Does Pet Insurance Cover Physical Therapy? | Fetch FAQs. Fetch.
- Pet Insurance for Alternative Therapy | Healthy Paws. Healthy Paws.
- Lemonade's Pet Insurance Add-Ons, Explained. Lemonade, 2026.
- Sample Illness & Injury Insurance Policy (Trisura Insurance Company, TRSA-OPI-PC101-ILL). Odie Pet Insurance, 2026.
- Accident and Illness Policy Form, Arizona sample (IAIC-PB10001-ILL). Pets Best Insurance Services.
- Accident & Illness Sample Policy (Arizona, form PET-P-20000-1024, Independence American Insurance Company). Spot Pet Insurance.
How we choose and check sources: Sources we use.
Get an email if prices for your breed change
We update our estimates monthly. We will email you when the estimate for your dog changes, and nothing else.