Typically, there are two types of limits you should be aware of when choosing your policy:
Annual limits: These cap your reimbursement within a 12-month period and are the maximum amount of money you can be reimbursed per year. Once you’ve hit your annual reimbursement limit, you’ll be responsible for the full cost of your vet bills until your annual limit resets. Some providers offer plans with an unlimited annual maximum, meaning you never have to worry about hitting your pet’s annual limit.
Per-incident limits: These determine how much you can be reimbursed for a single illness or accident. For example, if your dog ate something they shouldn’t and needed an emergency exam, lab work, and surgery, those fees would typically be covered by your policy as a single “incident.” A broken bone in an unrelated accident would be a separate incident. You’d need to submit a new claim, and the per-incident limit would reset.
Annual and per-incident limits typically vary per policy plan, and you should consider all of your pet’s health care needs when choosing the best pet insurance plan. For example, a younger dog might not need too many vet visits, so you may want to start with a policy that has lower limits. An older dog, on the other hand, may require frequent checkups as they age, potentially making a policy with higher limits the better option. MetLife Pet offers no per-incident limits and has flexible annual limits you can choose from.3