Does pet insurance cover vet exam fees?
The fee for the visit itself is the part of the bill many policies leave out. Here is how each insurer handles it.
Updated October 2, 2026. Plan facts come from each insurer's published documents; each insurer's policy documents control.
The short answer
Sometimes. Of the insurers we compare, Fetch and Spot include the exam fee for a covered accident or illness in the base policy, Embrace and Lemonade sell it as an add-on, Odie and Pets Best make it an optional benefit with its own premium, and Healthy Paws doesn't cover it at all.
Routine checkups are a different thing: no accident and illness policy pays for a wellness exam unless you add a wellness plan.
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.
Exam fees, by insurer
| Insurer | Exam fees | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace | Optional add-on (exam fee coverage)[1] | Exam fees for covered accidents/illnesses are not on all policies; offered as an optional add-on. |
| Fetch | Yes, sick-visit exam fees in base policy[2] | Exam fees for covered accidents/illnesses included at no extra cost; routine exams need Fetch Wellness add-on. |
| Healthy Paws | No, exam fees not covered[3] | The office visit (exam fee) is the owner's cost; Healthy Paws says this keeps premiums lower. |
| Lemonade | Add-on (Vet Visit Fees)[4] | Base policy excludes vet examination fees; the vet visit fee add-on covers them for eligible accidents/illnesses. |
| Odie | Optional benefit; recommended in base plan[5][6] | Office visit/exam fee coverage is a supplemental benefit (extra premium) that can be removed; must be chosen at enrollment. Supplemental benefits must be included in the policy chosen at enrollment. |
| Pets Best | Optional supplemental benefit[7] | Exam fees are a supplemental benefit for additional premium, chosen at enrollment. |
| Spot | Included in base policy[8] | Exams/consultations for covered accidents and illnesses are covered; wellness/annual exams only with preventive add-on. |
| 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
The exam fee is charged on almost every visit, so it adds up for dogs that see the vet often. Breeds prone to recurring problems feel it most: ear infections in Cocker Spaniels, skin allergies in French Bulldogs and West Highland White Terriers, or the follow-up visits after an IVDD diagnosis in a Dachshund. On each of those visits, a policy without exam-fee cover leaves the visit charge with you even when the treatment is paid.
Where the fee is an add-on, it usually has to be chosen when you enroll; Odie and Pets Best both say so. Decide at the start rather than after the first claim.
If your dog rarely goes to the vet beyond the yearly checkup, the add-on matters less, because a routine checkup isn't a covered illness visit anyway. That is what a wellness plan is for.
Before you buy
- Find the words exam fee or office visit in the policy's list of covered costs, or in its exclusions.
- If exam fees are an add-on, ask what it costs per month and whether it can only be chosen at enrollment.
- Remember the add-on covers sick visits only; a yearly checkup needs a wellness plan.
- Count how many sick visits your dog had last year: that is roughly how many exam fees are at stake.
Questions owners ask
Is the vet exam fee covered by pet insurance?
It depends on the insurer. Fetch and Spot include the exam fee for covered accidents and illnesses; Embrace and Lemonade sell it as an add-on; Odie and Pets Best offer it as an optional benefit for extra premium; Healthy Paws does not cover it.
Does pet insurance cover the annual checkup?
Not under an accident and illness policy. Routine and wellness exams are only paid through a wellness or preventive care add-on, where the insurer offers one.
Can I add exam fee coverage later?
Often not. Odie and Pets Best say optional benefits must be chosen at enrollment. Check the insurer's rule before you buy.
Why don't all insurers cover exam fees?
Leaving the visit fee out lowers the premium. Healthy Paws says making the office visit the owner's cost lets it offer a more affordable monthly price.
Sources
- Embrace Coverage FAQ. Embrace Pet Insurance.
- Does Pet Insurance Cover Exam Fees? | Fetch FAQs. Fetch.
- Frequently Asked Questions | Healthy Paws. Healthy Paws.
- Lemonade's Pet Insurance Add-Ons, Explained. Lemonade, 2026.
- Odie Vs. Healthy Paws - Odie Pet Insurance. Odie Pet Insurance.
- 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.
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