Key Takeaways
- Pet insurance may cover “curable” pre-existing conditions like kennel cough, but generally doesn’t cover other preexisting conditions.
- Pet insurance companies for preexisting conditions may want a medical exam or request medical records when you buy a policy.
- An insurer may instead request medical records following a pet insurance claim to see if a preexisting condition exists.
Pet insurance may cover a preexisting condition depending on the policy and the type of condition. If your pet has a preexisting condition, you can still buy coverage, but the company may require that the pet is symptom-free for a period to cover the condition.
Even if your pet has been diagnosed with an incurable condition, pet insurance is still an option. You may get coverage for other issues like accidents, illnesses and prescriptions. You can also buy add-on wellness coverage, which pays for routine expenses like annual wellness exams and vaccinations.
Do Pet Insurance Policies Cover Pre-existing Conditions?
Pet insurance companies may cover “curable” preexisting conditions like ear infections and kennel cough, but the specific policy dictates whether the company covers certain conditions. Pet insurers won’t typically cover “incurable” preexisting conditions like cancer and hip dysplasia.
You don’t need a diagnosis for a pet insurance company to consider it a preexisting condition. Symptoms can be considered a preexisting condition even if your pet hasn’t been diagnosed with the condition. For instance, let’s say you bring your pet to the vet because it was limping, and the veterinarian didn’t diagnose the cause. Your pet’s limp will now be in its medical records, and if it resolves itself but comes back months or years later, a pet insurance company could consider it a preexisting condition.
Even though there isn’t a diagnosis, a pet insurance company could deny future pet insurance claims if an undiagnosed issue resurfaces later.
A pet insurance company may want to see your pet’s medical records to check for preexisting conditions. That’s the case for Embrace. You can still cancel coverage if the company won’t cover your pet for preexisting conditions after a medical record review.
Not all companies require a medical history review, such as ASPCA pet insurance. That insurer doesn’t demand a vet exam or your pet’s medical records when buying a policy.
A company may alternatively want to see medical records following a pet insurance claim. One example is Pets Best, which may require medical records to see if a preexisting condition exists.
What’s a List of Pre-existing Conditions for Pet Insurance?
Some pet insurers will cover curable preexisting conditions, such as an ear infection, after your pet is free of symptoms and treatment for a period of time (such as 180 days). Pet insurance may also cover other types of conditions if they don’t arise until after you buy a policy and following the coverage’s waiting period. Here’s a list of preexisting conditions for pet insurance and whether it’s covered.
| Type of condition | Is this preexisting condition covered? | Examples of condition |
|---|---|---|
| Curable conditions | Some pet insurers cover curable conditions | Bladder infections, diarrhea, ear infections, urinary tract infections and vomiting |
| Incurable conditions | No | Allergies, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, intervertebral disc disease and kidney disease |
| Bilateral conditions | No | Cruciate ligament tear and hip dysplasia |
| Hereditary/congenital conditions | No | Congenital heart disease, hypothyroidism and idiopathic epilepsy |
Which Pet Insurance Companies Cover Pre-existing Conditions?
Here’s a look at the pet insurance companies that cover preexisting conditions and which ones don’t.
| Company | What’s covered? | |
|---|---|---|
| ASPCA | Curable preexisting conditions (except for knee and ligament conditions) if your pet is free of symptoms and treatments for 180 days. | |
| Chewy | Curable preexisting conditions for plans through Lemonade that have been resolved for at least 12 months may be covered. Curable preexisting conditions for plans sold through Trupanion are not covered. | |
| Embrace | Curable preexisting conditions if your pet is symptom- and treatment-free for 12 months. | |
| Felix | Preexisting conditions may be eligible after a 365-day waiting period and only for treatment that occurs after the waiting period. | |
| Fetch | Curable preexisting conditions if your pet does not show any symptoms within 12 months from the day you purchased your plan. | |
| Figo | Figo recommends you call their Customer Experience to determine if your pet’s curable preexisting conditions qualify for coverage after being symptom-free within 12 months of last treatment. | |
| Hartville | Curable preexisting conditions if the pet has been free of symptoms and has had no further treatment for 180 days. | |
| Healthy Paws | Does not cover curable preexisting conditions. | |
| Lemonade | Preexisting conditions that have been cured and resolved for at least 12 months. Eligibility requirements depend on your state. | |
| MetLife | Preexisting conditions that were previously covered under a MetLife group benefits policy will be covered if you switch to a MetLife Pet policy. |
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