Do you cover dental?
Yes, we offer dental coverage as part of our Optional Extra Benefits, but you need to apply for Optional Extra Benefits when your pet is under the age of three. This coverage includes treatment for dental illnesses and diseases such as gingivitis, abscesses, and periodontal disease. However, it does not cover routine or elective dental procedures, such as teeth cleaning.
Eligibility: Dental coverage is available for pets less than 3 years old at the time of applying for Optional Extra Benefits.
Extensive Coverage: There are no sub-limits on treatment costs or vet expenses related to dental illnesses when selected as part of Optional Extra Benefits.
Part of a Bundle: Dental coverage is included in our Optional Extra Benefits, which also includes Specialised Therapies and Behavioural Conditions.
Pre-existing Conditions: Coverage does not apply to pre-existing conditions. Pets over three years of age are more likely to have pre-existing conditions relating to dental issues, which is why this benefit is only available for pets before they reach three years of age, at the time of applying for Optional Extra Benefits.
What is Optional Extra Benefits?
Optional Extra Benefits are extra things you can add to your pet insurance to help cover conditions and treatments that aren’t included as standard.
Optional Extra Benefits include:
- Vet costs for Dental Illness treatment (this doesn’t include regular dental check-ups and cleans)
- Vet costs for Behavioural Problems such as anxiety or aggression
- Special therapies for treatments that do not generally fall within the realm of conventional veterinary medicine, such as acupuncture or hydrotherapy
Over 80% of dogs and cats develop dental disease by the age of three. Although Petsy’s Optional Extra Benefits include coverage for Dental Illness, there’s no coverage if the condition is pre-existing. Given that pets aged three and older are likely to have pre-existing conditions of dental disease (including gingivitis, plaque/tartar and calculus), we’ve set a three year old age limit for adding Optional Extra Benefits – you cannot add Dental Illness to your cover after your pet turns 3 years old – to reduce the chance of pre-existing condition exclusion applying to your pet, and to ensure our coverage genuinely serves the interests of pet owners.
Optional Extra Benefits can only be added when the policy is initially taken out or at the time of renewal, and so the last opportunity to add Optional Extra Benefits is when the pet is two years of age.
Is teeth cleaning covered under Dental Illness?
Teeth cleaning is not covered, if it’s elective, routine or preventative care. However, it may be covered if your vet says it’s necessary to treat a dental illness like gingivitis, periodontal disease or gum tumours and growths.
Dental illness coverage is available if you selected the Optional Extra Benefits with your policy and your pet is under 3 years old when you applied for Optional Extra Benefits. We don’t cover cosmetic, endodontic, or orthodontic dental services, including fillings, caps, crowns, implants, root canals, removal of baby teeth, or routine cleanings.
If I have coverage for dental illness, does this include a scale and polish clean?
Routine or preventative items, such as dental cleanings, tooth scale and polish cleans, aren’t covered by Petsy Pet Insurance.
However, if you have Optional Extra Benefits and your vet prescribes a dental cleaning or scaling as necessary treatment for a covered dental illness, we can cover those costs as long as you’re outside the exclusion period.
