Like people, many pets have medical conditions that require treatment, and these therapies can be pricey. Additionally, even though pet insurance can help with medical costs, you’ll need to select pet insurance that covers pre-existing conditions for some chronic illnesses and other health issues that already existed when you first obtained coverage. For more information on the best US pet insurance that covers pre-existing conditions, consult our guide.
Is There Pet Insurance That Covers Pre-Existing Conditions?
No pet insurance plan covers pre-existing conditions, and most policies don’t pay for taxes, grooming, or boarding. However, having a medical condition won’t stop you from getting pet insurance coverage. Your coverage possibilities for a pre-existing condition in your pet depend on whether it is treatable.
Embrace is one of the few firms that distinguish between curable and incurable pre-existing conditions to provide the best long-term coverage. It’s crucial to know whether your pet insurance provider considers pre-existing conditions to be curable or incurable before enrolling. It may cover curable pre-existing conditions if the pet remains free for 12 months from symptoms and treatment. However, it will never cover incurable conditions.
Curable Pre-existing Conditions
Before enrolling in an Embrace Pet Insurance plan, if your cat or dog has shown any of the following symptoms or had a diagnosis for one of these disorders, any subsequent episodes will be excluded for 12 months from the time of the last episode:
- Breathing infections
- Bladder and urinary tract infections
- Vomiting, diarrhea, & other gastrointestinal disorders
- Other treatable conditions
We reserve the right to resume coverage for these conditions going ahead if your pet’s medical history reveals no such incidents after this.
Any further diagnoses of the same anatomical region in your pet during 12-12 months not be covered if the underlying cause of the condition has not been identified. For instance, whereas colitis and gastritis are both generic diagnoses of inflammation, they do not address the condition’s underlying cause.
Incurable Pre-existing Conditions
Prior to enrolling in an Embrace plan, if your cat or dog displayed any of the following symptoms or had a diagnosis of one of these conditions, they (and any associated conditions) will be permanently excluded from coverage under your pet insurance policy:
- Any orthopedic disorder, disease, or injury, even those on the side opposite to an earlier injury.
- Allergies
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Skin lumps or lipomas
- Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism
- Urinary or bladder crystals or blockages
- Other chronic conditions
Best Pet Insurance That Covers Pre-Existing Conditions
Pre-existing conditions are treated in a nuanced manner. Although no pet insurance provider covers previously identified hereditary or chronic health conditions; if the illness is treatable, there is still a chance that your pet will be covered. The pet insurance providers we look at below pre-existing cover conditions and take an inventive approach to these medical issues.
#1. Embrace Pet Insurance
Embrace provides a detailed explanation of how its policies handle pre-existing conditions. They confirm that a pre-existing ailment will never prohibit you from acquiring pet insurance coverage if they do not cover such conditions.
If your pet’s pre-existing disease is treatable, it ultimately determines whether it can be covered by insurance. Regarding pre-existing conditions, Embrace is one of the few pet insurance providers to consider this distinction.
Embrace will never cover incurable pre-existing conditions, but if your pet spends 12 months without experiencing any symptoms and receiving any treatment for the problem, Embrace does give coverage. Curable pre-existing conditions include bladder/urinary tract infections, vomiting, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal problems.
Embrace, at its option, reinstates coverage for such conditions going ahead; provided that your pet’s medical history shows that there have been no more episodes following the first diagnosis. Before purchasing your policy with Embrace, you must have a recorded visit to the veterinarian within the last 12 months. To begin providing coverage, you must pass this test.
#2. Pet Assure
Pet Assure exists to assist pet owners with animals who have existing conditions; even though it is not a pet insurance company. This veterinary discount program will save you money on various veterinary services for your pets. Pre-existing conditions are irrelevant because they aren’t offering discounts; rather, they aren’t insuring you.
Pet Assure is a quick and easy solution that covers everything, so your dogs can receive the care they require. They don’t consider your pet’s age, current medical conditions, or breed. No animals are excluded from coverage under Pet Assure.
Pet Assure members receive 15% off on PetCareRX in addition to discounts for any in-house treatments; such as spays and neuters, wellness exams, emergency care, surgical procedures, and cancer care. This plan can help you save a lot of money throughout your pet’s life when purchasing necessary medications.
#3. Pet’s Best
The insurance provider Pet’s Best also takes the effort to distinguish between treatable pre-existing and incurable conditions. They clarify that, even if it happens within your waiting period; any disease or injury that develops before the policy’s effective date is regarded as pre-existing.
Pet’s Best does not classify this as a pre-existing condition when it applies. You can protect your dog or cat against accidents, illnesses, surgeries, cancer, and more with Pet’s Best coverage. In order to provide coverage for normal treatment, they also provide a wellness coverage plan. You can also look at their specific coverage options if you need specialized care.
Pet Insurance That Covers Pre-Existing Conditions US
This is limited to businesses in our pet insurance ratings that provide coverage for treatable pre-existing conditions in the US. If a provider isn’t mentioned, it doesn’t offer this kind of coverage.
Let’s learn more about the pet insurance providers in the US that could assist in providing coverage for your dog’s treatable pre-existing conditions.
#1. Spot & ASPCA Pet Insurance
Pre-existing conditions that are treatable and have been free of symptoms for 180 days before the start date of your insurance are covered by both Spot and ASPCA Pet Insurance. It excludes conditions involving ligaments and the knee. For treatable pre-existing conditions, these businesses provide the best coverage available.
#2. Fetch
Fetch covers treatable conditions, but reading is important because it can be difficult to comprehend.
A one-year curable exclusionary period from the policy’s start date applies to any treatable ailment discovered, diagnosed, or noted at least a year beforehand. When a vet conducts an annual inspection after the exclusionary period but before the first recurrence of the treatable medical condition, conditions that don’t recur within that time are eligible for coverage.
#3. Figo
One of the few companies, Figo, also offers coverage for treatable pre-existing conditions. Which terms are used? Your pet’s pre-existing condition is no longer regarded as such if it has been treated, is no longer present, and has been symptom-free for a year.
Which conditions don’t apply? Conditions of the ligaments and knees, malignancy, intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), hyperthyroidism, and renal illness* are excluded from this.
If therapy and symptoms have been absent for a year or more, cured pre-existing conditions like dermatological problems and unexplained vomiting and diarrhea may be eligible for reimbursement.
Pay Close Attention to Bilateral Exclusions
A condition known as a bilateral illness or injury, such as hip dysplasia or a torn cruciate ligament, affects both the left and right sides of the body.
Bilateral exclusions are common in insurance policies, as there is a higher likelihood that a pet may get the same ailment on the opposite side of its body. In other words, it won’t cover the other side of your pet’s body if therapy was provided to one side of its body before the coverage began.
After coverage begins, if your pet develops a bilateral condition, it will be perfectly covered.
What Pet Conditions are Insurable and How to Determine Them
You may find it difficult to understand what constitutes a pre-existing ailment and what your pet insurance policy would cover as a pet owner. Pet insurance providers like Embrace and Pets Best do medical history checks on their insured animals.
Reviews of your medical history are intended to identify any conditions your policy won’t cover. You will be well aware of the costs you are expected to bear.
A medical examination will follow your application for a policy. If you feel the coverage is insufficient for your pet’s needs after the evaluation, the insurers will frequently allow you to cancel.
How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance That Covers Pre-Existing Conditions
If you’re seeking to get insurance for a pet who already has a condition, think about which classification that ailment fits under. You may be able to get coverage if it is treatable. Examine the standards for medical history reviews used by insurance providers. Embrace only looks back a year, so if your pet hasn’t experienced any signs of or treatments for the pre-existing ailment in the previous 12 months, Embrace will cover it.
You can still buy complete pet insurance coverage that covers accidents and any additional illnesses, even if your pet has an incurable pre-existing ailment. You can rely on Pet Assure and that pet insurance coverage to assist you in securing discounts for veterinary care when it comes to treating a pre-existing ailment.
The ideal option for most pet owners is combining pet insurance coverage with a veterinary discount plan. In this manner, your pet is protected against mishaps and the emergence of new ailments, and you can save money on veterinary care. Although there are methods for insuring your pet covers the best care, no pet insurance company will cover incurable pre-existing conditions.
Conclusion
A pet owner never wants to decide between their best friend’s health and financial security because pets may be very expensive to care for.
Even if there isn’t pre-existing condition coverage in all pet health insurance conditions, you should still shop around to acquire complete protection for your pet. And if your pet is still in good health, it’s a good idea to purchase insurance now rather than waiting until a condition arises that would exclude you from future coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get pet insurance for a pre-existing condition?
Pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing conditions, but they will never prohibit you from getting pet insurance coverage. Your coverage possibilities for a pre-existing condition in your pet will depend on whether it is treatable or not.
How do I know if my pet insurance covers pre-existing conditions?
Pre-existing conditions are determined by insurance companies in what ways? The medical history of your pet is used to identify any pre-existing conditions. Therefore, any medical symptoms or diagnoses that surface prior to the expiration of your policy’s waiting periods will be regarded as pre-existing conditions. Specific diseases are more common in certain breeds.
Can you get pet insurance after a diagnosis?
As long as your pet hasn’t displayed any symptoms or been diagnosed with one before coverage begins, many insurance providers will cover congenital and genetic conditions. Even more distinct “hereditary and congenital coverage” policies are offered by some businesses.
What pre-existing conditions are not covered?
Because of a pre-existing medical condition, such as pregnancy or a chronic disease like diabetes or cancer, health insurers can no longer increase their rates or refuse to cover you or your child. They are unable to restrict benefits for that condition.
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