Does Pet Insurance Cover Biopsies?

At some point, your pet may need to undergo certain medical tests to confirm or rule out different diagnoses. That's where a biopsy often comes in.

Biopsies are one of the most common procedures vets use to investigate lumps, skin issues, or suspected cancer. The problem is that biopsy costs can vary widely depending on the type taken and the age and size of your pet. That could make a biopsy difficult to budget for.

The good news is that if you have pet insurance, your policy might pick up the cost of a biopsy. But that depends on the type of coverage you have and the point in time when the biopsy is needed.

Here, we'll review whether pet insurance covers biopsies, what limitations or exceptions might apply, and how to know what costs to expect if you don't have insurance.

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What Is a Biopsy and Why Is It Done?

A biopsy is a procedure where part of a tissue or organ is removed and sent to a pathologist for evaluation. A biopsy on a pet can be performed on:

While skin biopsies are fairly common in pets, they can also be performed on:

A biopsy is usually done when there's a suspicious lump or mass your vet can feel, or when your pet has a skin lesion that doesn't seem to heal. But it can also be done to help diagnose other problems, like gastrointestinal issues, infections, and cancer. If your pet has imaging like an X-ray or ultrasound that reveals something suspicious, your vet may order a biopsy.

Types of Biopsies in Pets

There are different types of biopsies that can be performed on pets.

Your pet may require anesthesia during a biopsy depending on how complex and painful the procedure is expected to be. If your pet needs anesthesia, your vet should give you instructions beforehand on how to prepare, such as withholding food and water for a certain amount of time beforehand.

Typical Dog Biopsy Cost

The cost of a cat or dog biopsy hinges on a number of factors, including the type needed and where the procedure is done. Here's an overview of the costs you may be looking at:

The reason some of these procedures have such a high price tag is that they tend to require anesthesia. On top of these costs, you may be looking at additional bills for follow-up care and additional imaging.

Does Pet Insurance Cover Biopsies?

If you're wondering if pet insurance typically covers the cost of a biopsy, the answer is that yes, most accident‑and‑illness pet insurance plans do cover biopsies when they're deemed medically necessary, since they're considered diagnostic procedures. Coverage will typically apply as long as the biopsy:

Be aware that if you have an accident-only pet insurance plan, it may not cover biopsies, since biopsies are used to diagnose illnesses and medical conditions. They generally aren't required to treat or diagnose injuries.

How Pre‑Existing Conditions Affect Coverage

Unlike human insurance, pet insurance often won’t cover pre-existing conditions or diagnostic testing related to pre-existing conditions. This means that if your pet needs a biopsy for a lump, skin issue, or symptom they experienced before you enrolled them, it will not be covered.


Also, it's common for pet insurance policies to have a waiting period from the time you put coverage in place to when it kicks in. If an issue arises during that waiting period requiring a biopsy, you may not be eligible for coverage.

You should know, however, that pet insurance companies usually distinguish between curable pre-existing conditions and those that aren't curable. Curable conditions are those that are expected to go away with treatment, like an infection. Incurable conditions are those that are expected to be chronic, requiring ongoing treatment. Examples include arthritis, diabetes, and hip dysplasia.

Most insurance companies require your pet to be symptom-free for a period of time (often around 180 days or more) to consider a condition cured. Once the condition is considered cured, your pet may be eligible for future coverage, including biopsies and other diagnostic procedures.

It's best to get pet insurance for your pet as soon as you adopt them. The sooner you put a policy in place, the less likely you are to discover that an issue or condition is excluded.

What Diagnostic Tests Are Usually Covered?

There are certain diagnostic procedures pet insurers will usually cover on top of biopsies for conditions that are not pre-existing. These include:

Before having your pet undergo any sort of testing, it's best to confirm your coverage with your insurer.

What to Check in Your Policy

If you can't swing the cost of a pet biopsy without help from your insurance policy, then it's important to check your coverage to make sure you're eligible. You should specifically read up on your insurer's:

Understanding the pet insurance fine print could help you avoid unwanted financial surprises or out-of-pocket costs you can't afford.

When a Biopsy Is Urgent

A biopsy isn't always an urgent procedure. But in some cases, it could be. You may want to bring your pet to the vet for a biopsy if you're dealing with any of the following:

If your pet undergoes imaging and the results are abnormal, your vet may recommend a biopsy right away.

The Bottom Line on Pet Biopsies

Most of the time, accident‑and‑illness pet insurance plans cover pet biopsies, but accident-only plans don’t. Your coverage, however, may depend on whether the biopsy relates to a pre-existing condition and whether you're still in your waiting period. You'll also need to read your plan's details carefully to make sure diagnostic testing is covered.

If you don't have pet insurance or discover an issue with your pet before you're able to enroll them in a policy, it pays to tell your vet and discuss your options. There are often payment plans available to make the cost of diagnostic testing more manageable for pet owners who must cover it entirely out of pocket.

However, this highlights the importance of buying pet insurance early. The sooner you do, the more likely you may be to get help from an insurer paying for a biopsy and other diagnostic testing should your pet end up requiring it.