How Does Pet Insurance Waiting Period Work
Pet insurance provides peace of mind to pet owners by easing the financial burden of unexpected veterinary expenses. However, understanding the various aspects of pet insurance is crucial for making informed decisions. One essential component of pet insurance policies you should clearly understand when looking for the best pet insurance plans is a feature common to all policies: the waiting period.
This guide will delve into the details of how the pet insurance waiting period works. By understanding waiting periods for pet insurance and their purpose, duration and limitations, pet owners can confidently navigate the insurance landscape and pick the best plan for their pet's needs.
What is a waiting period for pet insurance?
A waiting period for pet insurance refers to the time between when you enroll your pet in an insurance policy and when the coverage becomes effective. During this waiting period, the insurance company typically doesn't provide coverage for any new illnesses, injuries or health conditions your pet may face.
The purpose of a waiting period is to protect pet insurance companies from fraudulent claims. Pet insurance companies don’t cover pre-existing conditions — accidents or illnesses you already know about when you purchase a policy. But that doesn’t stop some pet owners from applying for coverage only when their pets are already sick or injured. That practice amounts to insurance fraud, which is illegal.
Waiting periods, and what pet insurance covers, can vary depending on the insurance provider and the specific policy. Waiting periods typically range from a few days to several weeks. For example, a common waiting period for illness can be 14 days, while a waiting period for accidents might be much shorter, such as 48 hours.
How does a pet insurance waiting period work?
A pet insurance waiting period is a specific period of time that must pass after enrolling your pet in an insurance policy before a company will pay any claims.
Here's how a pet insurance waiting period generally works:
- Enrollment: You sign up for a pet insurance policy and provide the necessary information about your pet, such as its age, breed and medical history. You complete an application and pay the required premium to enroll your pet.
- Waiting period begins: Once your enrollment is confirmed, the waiting period starts. Insurance companies require different waiting period lengths for different types of coverage, so you should carefully review the policy details for the specifics of the plan you are considering or have already purchased.
- Coverage limitations during the waiting period: Generally, during the waiting period, the insurance company will not provide coverage for any new illnesses, injuries or conditions that arise. If your pet experiences a health issue during this time, the company typically considers it a pre-existing condition and may not cover the issue in the future.
- Waiting period completion: After the waiting period expires, coverage for your pet’s health needs becomes active, and the pet insurance company will reimburse you for any eligible claims according to the terms of your policy. From this point forward, any new illnesses, injuries or conditions that occur will be eligible for coverage, subject to the policy's terms, limits and exclusions.
With some providers, you can request they waive or reduce the pet insurance waiting period for certain conditions. This is a possibility with select companies if you switch from another pet insurance provider while maintaining continuous coverage and can document it.
Waiting period for illness coverage
The pet insurance waiting period for illness coverage is generally about 14 to 15 days. Think of it as a brief waiting room visit before your pet's health protection springs into action. There are currently no providers that offer pet insurance with no waiting period for illness.
If any illness pops up during this time, the insurance company might consider it a pre-existing condition and won't pay for it moving forward. However, once the waiting period is over, your pet's illness coverage becomes active, and you can file claims for covered expenses.
Waiting period for accident coverage
The waiting period for accident coverage refers to the duration of time after enrolling your pet before coverage for accidents becomes effective. This pet insurance waiting period typically applies to injuries resulting from accidents, such as fractures, cuts or ingesting foreign objects. Once the waiting period is over, your pet's protection against accidental mishaps begins, according to the terms of your policy.
Fortunately, many insurance providers offer short one or two-day waiting periods for accident coverage, which is good news for you and your pet. Further, the waiting period for accident coverage is generally the same on accident-only policies as well as those that include accident and illness coverage.
Waiting period for orthopedic conditions
Orthopedic conditions involve problems with bones, joints, muscles and ligaments, such as hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament issues. The waiting period for orthopedic conditions may last as long as 6 to 12 months.
Some pet insurance companies will reduce or waive the waiting period for orthopedic conditions, provided your vet signs a waiver on your pet’s behalf during the first 30 days of your enrollment. However, cruciate ligament and other knee issues may be considered pre-existing conditions, which insurance often doesn't cover.
Waiting period and wellness coverage
Some pet insurance policies offer wellness or routine care coverage as an add-on or a separate plan. There are companies that offer wellness coverage with no waiting periods for essential preventative care. So immediately after enrollment, you can start utilizing your wellness benefits for routine care, such as vaccinations, annual wellness exams, dental cleanings and other eligible treatments. Other pet insurance providers have brief waiting periods for wellness coverage to prevent individuals from enrolling solely to receive immediate reimbursement for routine procedures.
Waiting period for an unforeseeable emergency
The waiting period for an unforeseeable emergency refers to the time after enrolling your pet before coverage for emergency treatment becomes effective. It typically applies to sudden and unexpected events like accidents or severe illnesses that require immediate medical attention. Not all insurance companies have this separate restriction. Emergency care is subject to the same 14-day waiting period as other veterinary services.
Pet insurance waiting periods and pre-existing conditions
Pet insurance providers typically exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. Any health issue that arises before or during the waiting period is generally considered a pre-existing condition.
It's essential to be aware of these pet insurance waiting periods to ensure you understand which conditions will be covered and which will not during the first days of enrollment. Additionally, maintaining continuous coverage will allow you to avoid resetting waiting periods when switching pet insurance companies.
Pet insurance with the shortest waiting period: your best options
An important step in learning about how to buy pet insurance is conducting a thorough pet insurance waiting period comparison. In your search for the best pet insurance with short waiting periods, you will find quite a range of waiting periods across different providers and types of coverage. While there is no pet insurance without a waiting period, the following companies stand out for having the shortest waiting periods for pet insurance providers.
This table highlights the pet insurance companies with the shortest waiting periods by coverage type compared to the average waiting periods required by other providers.
Pet insurance plans with the shortest waiting periods
| Accidents | Illness | Orthopedic conditions (dogs) | Wellness care | |
| Most providers | 14-15 days | 14-15 days | 6 months | 1 days |
| Figo | 1 days | 14 days | 6 months | 1 days |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months | None |
| Lemonade | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months | 1 days |
| ManyPets | 15 days | 1 days (with proof of continuous coverage) | 15 days | 1 days |
| ASPCA | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | 1 days |
| Pumpkin | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | None |
| PetsBest | 3 days | 14 days | 6 months | 1 days |
| Wagmo | 15 days | 15 days | 6 months | None |
By being aware of the waiting period associated with their policies, pet owners won't face surprises and can make informed pet insurance purchase decisions.
Additionally, waiting periods allow insurers to establish a baseline for a pet's health. This period enables the identification of any pre-existing conditions which pet insurance plans typically don't cover. This practice of mitigating risk contributes to the overall financial stability of the insurer.
Waiting periods also promote responsible pet ownership by encouraging pet parents to secure insurance coverage before their furry friends encounter any health problems. Enrolling in pet insurance early allows pet owners to be proactive in managing their pet's health and ensures that coverage is in place when unexpected accidents or illnesses arise.
While waiting periods are common practice, the length of waiting periods varies between different insurance providers and policies. Some providers offer shorter waiting periods compared to others, depending on the specific coverage types.
In addition to accident and illness policies, some insurance companies also offer wellness coverage as a stand-alone plan or in combination with pet insurance. These wellness plans often have no waiting periods, with coverage for preventive care, such as wellness exams, bloodwork and vaccines, starting immediately after enrollment. While you won't find any cheap pet insurance with no waiting period on the market, an affordable wellness plan with a short waiting period can be a good option for covering your dog's or cat's preventative care needs.
Summary of Money's how does pet insurance waiting period work
Pet insurance waiting periods are a crucial aspect of all pet insurance policies. These periods vary in duration, usually ranging from a few days to several weeks, and serve to prevent fraudulent claims and assess a pet's health before coverage begins. During the waiting period, the insurance company provides no coverage for new illnesses or injuries. Once the waiting period ends, coverage for all covered health events begins.
It's important for pet owners to carefully review policy details to understand waiting periods specific to their plans. No pet insurance provider currently offers no-waiting-period pet insurance, but you may be able to find options that have shorter-than-average waiting periods.