Skip to main content

Does pet insurance cover preexisting conditions? What you need to know

If you consider your pet a member of your family, we’ve got some good news. With more and more people proudly adopting the term “pet parent” to describe their relationship with their pets, pet insurance is on the rise. According to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, over 2 million pets in the United States and Canada are insured.

But what if your pet has a preexisting condition? Pet insurance that covers preexisting conditions can be tough to find, but they aren’t always mutually exclusive. Many pet parents have found themselves online frantically searching terms like “pet insurance preexisting conditions” only to come up short. We’ve got the scoop on common preexisting conditions, whether insurance can help, and what to look for in an insurance company.

A truck bed full of Golden Retriever puppies.
Tina Nord from Pexels

What are preexisting conditions in pets?

If you’ve shopped around for pet insurance, you’re undoubtedly familiar with the term “preexisting conditions.” If not, you might be wondering, “What the heck are they?” If you ask Nationwide, a preexisting condition is described as “basically any illness or injury that your pet had before coverage started.”

According to Healthy Paws, an insurance company that also runs a nonprofit foundation for homeless pets, common preexisting conditions in both dogs and cats include allergies, cancer, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and obesity. Some conditions, such as dry eyes, glaucoma, and hypothyroidism, are more common in dogs, while conditions such as asthma, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease are found more often in cats.

What does this mean for your pet? Essentially, if your fur baby was diagnosed prior to being insured, her condition won’t be covered. However, there is a caveat that works in your favor. If you can prove your pet’s condition has been cured for a minimum of six months before her insurance coverage starts, it may be covered under her new plan if it comes back. Your vet should be able to help you document your pet’s condition and cure.

Curable vs. chronic conditions

We’ll be honest: Insurance can be pretty confusing. Why are some preexisting conditions covered but not others? As it turns out, it all boils down to whether your pet’s condition is considered curable or chronic.

Curable

Curable conditions include illnesses like ear infections, eye infections, diarrhea, upper respiratory infections, and urinary tract infections. As we mentioned, some pet insurance companies will cover curable conditions if you have a note from your veterinarian declaring your pet cured.

The amount of time pets have to be cured prior to coverage varies from one insurer to the next, so you should always read the fine print when you’re applying for pet insurance.

A person holding three blue-eyed, white cats on their lap.
Peng Louis from Pexels

Chronic

Unlike curable conditions, chronic conditions aren’t going anywhere. Because these health issues will affect your fur baby for her entire life, they’re not covered by any pet insurance company. (You may be able to find help with making payments, though.)

Chronic conditions include allergies, arthritis, cancer, cataracts, diabetes, hip dysplasia and other joint issues such as cruciate ligament tears (the dog equivalent of ACL tears in humans) and patellar luxation, and thyroid disease (hyperthyroid and hypothyroid).

Is pet insurance worth it?

If your pet has a preexisting condition, you may be asking yourself if it’s worth the cost. Our honest answer is … it depends. The best time to insure your pet is when she’s young, healthy, and doesn’t have any preexisting conditions. But if you have older pets who already have a ton of health issues, your mileage may vary.

Most insurance plans cover breed-specific conditions as long as they’re diagnosed after enrollment. For example, breeds like German shepherds are prone to hip dysplasia. If you have a shepherd with diabetes, your pet’s policy won’t cover his preexisting condition (diabetes), but a later diagnosis of hip dysplasia will be covered as long as the waiting period has ended.

Choosing insurance for pets with preexisting conditions

The cost of medical treatment for pets is astronomical, running as high as tens of thousands of dollars. Whether your pet has a preexisting condition or not, enrolling in pet insurance can make all the difference. In the event of a sudden illness, injury, or accident, you could be facing significant expenses. Pet insurance makes the costs easier to manage.

Even if your pet does have a preexisting condition, you still have options. From working out a payment plan with your veterinarian to pet-centric credit cards, help is available if you have trouble covering your pet’s medical expenses.

Editors' Recommendations

Mary Johnson
Contributor
Mary Johnson is a writer and photographer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her work has been published in PawTracks and…
Why do you often find your dog with their tongue out? Here’s what vets say about the ‘blep’
A dog with their tongue out may be cute, but what does it really mean?
A German shepherd puppy sticks out their tongue

There's nothing cuter than a "blep" but what does it mean? Whether you first heard the term blep on the internet (it is meme-worthy, after all), or are learning of it for the first time, you're in for a treat. Bleps are positively adorable! The term started gaining online traction in the late 2010s, though it's no less popular today. The common canine behavior it's based on, however, is a habit as old as time: sticking out a tongue. Yep, a dog with its tongue out is enough to break the internet!
It's pretty dang cute, after all, but it's not always easy to figure out why a dog's tongue is sticking out. Don't worry though, pet parents — this is a great place to start! This is everything you need to know about bleps and what they mean.

What is a blep? How about a mlem?
Besides being one of the most popular terms used in pet-related social media, a blep refers to when an animal sticks their tongue out of its mouth only slightly. Braxton's Animal Works describes the action as "leaving the tongue, usually the tip, outside the mouth unconsciously." Many pet owners will notice it while their buddy is sleeping, or even after!

Read more
Can cats have autism? Here’s what to know about unusual behavior in cats
Learn about special needs and autism in cats
Cat with blue eyes staring into the distance

Can cats have autism? This is a question that might have crossed your mind as you try to decipher your cat's behavior patterns. Even though the diagnosis is centered on human behavior, many pet lovers and experts have discovered similarities between special-needs cats and people with autism. Still, cats are typically only labeled as special needs if they have a diagnosed physical or mental disability.

There are several behaviors in cats that are similar to those found in humans on the autism spectrum. These include:

Read more
Best reptile pets: These are the 5 most affectionate reptiles you can welcome into your home
These friendly reptiles will make great additions to your family
Basking Chinese water dragon

When you picture an adorable pet, you probably don't visualize an iguana. Reptiles aren't generally considered the cutest of animals, but that doesn't mean you can't find a cuddly one. Whether you're looking for a new buddy for yourself or for your lizard-obsessed kid, there's a reptilian beast out there that will work great in your home. With proper socialization, these guys can learn to be handled daily, some even by children. If you want a new pet that enjoys human company, consider one of these most affectionate slitherers — they're the best reptile pets for handling.
Are reptiles high maintenance?
Not necessarily. One of the things that makes reptiles tricky is how foreign some of their needs are. Parrots, dogs, and humans often have similar requirements for food, exercise, warmth, and water. Since we're all warm-blooded omnivores (for the most part), it feels natural to care for many of the animals we welcome into our homes.

Reptiles are totally different. You'll have to think carefully about heating lamps, cool spots, gut loading, moisture levels, and skin shedding. So you only want to go down this path if you feel ready. That being said, with the right mindset, many lizards, snakes, and turtles make solid beginner pets (a few species don't and we suggest holding off on those until you turn pro).

Read more