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If you’re a pet owner, one of the best things you can do for your wallet and your furry friend is buy pet insurance.
But insurance can be more complicated if your pet already has a medical condition, whether it’s an illness, injury, or other symptom. Unlike human health insurance, which protects pre-existing conditions from price increases or denial of coverage, pre-existing conditions are often not covered by pet insurance.
When it comes to your pet, a pre-existing condition usually will not be eligible to be covered by your insurance policy. However, there are still options that can help you save money on your pet’s care.
Make sure your pet’s veterinary treatments are covered in the future – start your pet insurance search now with a free quote.
Insurance options for pets with a pre-existing condition
Here are some options to consider for insuring a pet with a pre-existing condition. Although you usually won’t get coverage for the current illness, these caveats can still help save money while keeping your pet healthy over time.
Wait for the condition to heal
Not all pre-existing conditions are lifelong. If your pet has a injury or illness this is only temporary, many pet insurance providers will cover curable conditions after a certain period of time.
For example, the ASPCA specifies that under its pet health insurance plan, “a condition will no longer be considered pre-existing if it is curable, cured, and free of symptoms or treatment for 180 days.”
Using a different approach, Figo, another insurance provider, only considers pre-existing conditions that exist within 12 months of signing up for a plan. Likewise, if your pet has a pre-existing curable condition, Figo will cover it once your pet has been symptom-free for at least 12 months.
Be sure, however, to read all the details of curable pre-existing conditions in your provider’s policy. Some may be ruled out even after recovery, such as some knee and ligament conditions.
Learn more about pet insurance policies you can qualify for now with a free quote.
Cover unrelated care with insurance
Just because your pet has a pre-existing condition doesn’t mean they’re not eligible for pet insurance. You can still get pet insurance for your pet, but coverage will not extend to veterinary trips and expenses associated with the specific condition they previously faced.
New conditions or injuries that may affect your pet in the future – unrelated to the pre-existing condition – will still be covered by your plan.
For example, suppose your pet has a broken leg when you purchase pet insurance. Your insurance policy likely won’t cover any x-rays, medications, or vet visits associated with the broken bone. However, if your pet develops allergies a year later, this unrelated condition will be covered by your plan.
Pet insurance can still be a great monthly cost, even if your pet has a pre-existing condition, because you never know what might happen or what coverage you might need in the future.
Make sure early
If your pet is predisposed to certain genetic conditions, you may still be eligible for coverage as long as they have not yet shown symptoms or have a history on their medical records.
While some breeds — often those most prone to genetic diseases — might have higher premiums and cost more to insure overall, the increased likelihood of a disease does not itself qualify as a pre-existing condition.
This is why it is extremely important to insure your pet as soon as possible. Especially if you have a breed that is prone to developing a health problem in its lifetime, getting pet insurance beforehand can help. protect you from expensive treatments they may need.
The bottom line
Getting insurance for your pet is a great way to save money throughout their life – annual checkups, possible injuries and illnesses can be a lot to cover out of your pocket. And while pre-existing conditions can complicate the details of your care a bit, they shouldn’t stop you from getting pet insurance. Even if your pet already has a health problem or injury, learning more about the specific options available to you can help you make the best financial choice. And if your pet is still healthy with no pre-existing conditions, now is the best time to apply for comprehensive coverage to ensure that all future events are covered.
Find out which pet insurance options are right for you with a free quote today.