A pet insurance policy covers veterinary expenses. Think of it as health insurance for the animal: it pays for the veterinarian's medical work, not for the everyday costs of owning a pet.

The CDI outline's definition (it cites Insurance Code §12880(g)): veterinary expenses are the costs associated with medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment provided by a veterinarian, including, but not limited to, the cost of drugs prescribed by a veterinarian.

Current law: the definition is now in §12880(k), and it also expressly names veterinary dental care and services provided under the supervision of a veterinarian. On the exam, follow the outline's wording; the newer text only adds to it.

What it is not: costs that are not medical care, such as boarding a pet at a kennel while the owner travels, are not veterinary expenses.