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A pre-existing condition is an illness or injury that occurred before the effective date of the pet insurance policy. While it can be difficult to get dog insurance coverage if your furry friend is already suffering from a health issue, there are specialist pet insurance providers that can help you cover some of the costs. Plus, if your dog has an accident or illness unrelated to the pre-existing condition, it can still be worthwhile taking out a policy to cover you for future veterinary costs. We’ve looked at the top choices for coverage, discounts, reimbursements, and overall quality.
Pawp offers pet owners an emergency fund up to but not exceeding $3,000 annually. The platform is different from other traditional pet insurance agencies as it does not require you to provide a medical examination report before enrolling your pet. Whether your pet is healthy or has been diagnosed with a pre-existing condition, you can still enroll it and access the emergency fund when the need arises.
With no deductibles and low monthly premiums as low as $24, the digital platform will protect your furry friend during an incident and save money from large vet expenses. Although the agency does not provide any limitations on age, it is best to insure your pet while still young and be prepared in advance when an emergency occurs.
Pet Assure is not like other traditional insurance providers that reimburse you on claims. Instead, the digital platform offers a flat rate discount of 25% on all pet-related medical costs when you visit a participating veterinary doctor. The discount program applies to your vet bills checkout after every visit.
When you take out a pet insurance policy for your dog, the majority of insurance providers exclude pre-existing conditions. This is because it can be costly to offset the claims with premiums, especially if your dog is suffering from a chronic condition.
Certain insurance providers can provide specialist policies or add-ons that cover pre-existing conditions to help pay for medical costs and treatment. For instance, if your dog suffered from diarrhea before the policy but had no issues until one year into the policy, your insurer may agree to pay for some of the costs related to the health issue subject to terms and conditions.
It’s important to be upfront about pre-existing conditions with your insurer when taking out a policy, as this will help determine the best pet insurance plan for your dog’s needs.
A pre-existing condition in dogs is a health issue that started before the start of pet insurance coverage. There is a wide range of possible pre-existing medical conditions for dogs. These can typically be categorized into curable and incurable conditions.
For curable pre-existing conditions, once a specified period has passed and your dog has not shown any symptoms, many insurance providers allow for the health issue to be covered again under the policy. Common curable pre-existing conditions for dogs can include vomiting, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and ear infections.
Incurable pre-existing conditions, or chronic diseases, are ongoing illnesses where your dog may require medical treatment during its life. Common chronic conditions for dogs include allergies, arthritis, cancer, dental disease, epilepsy, diabetes, rabies, and hip dysplasia.
When browsing for dog insurance, you’ll also need to be mindful of bilateral exclusions. This is where your pet insurer will not cover a health condition if your dog has previously suffered from it on the other side of its body. For instance, if your dog suffers from hip dysplasia on the left side before taking out coverage and then develops hip dysplasia on the right side after insurance is taken out, this can be excluded from your policy.
Many insurers have a blanket exclusion on all pre-existing conditions. Therefore, it’s important to read the policy documentation before taking out a pet insurance plan for your dog. However, some pet insurers may cover curable pre-existing conditions if your dog has not had any symptoms and a sufficient amount of time has passed.
If in doubt, it’s a good idea to call customer service for the pet insurance provider before you purchase a policy.
Before you take out an insurance policy for your dog, you will need to inform the provider of any pre-existing conditions. Be mindful to be honest about any health issues, as this can affect the outcome of future claims.
Insurance companies may ask for a full medical review with a sign-off from the vet, although this isn’t always required.
Even if your dog has pre-existing conditions, you can still receive coverage for accidents and illnesses that require emergency veterinary care unrelated to the pre-existing health issues.
For instance, if your dog has an ear infection before coverage, this can be excluded. But, if after the effective date of the policy, your dog gets into a car accident that requires emergency medical treatment, this can be covered under your policy.
Buying pet insurance for your dog can be an emotional decision. We all want the very best for our furry friends, and investing in a quality dog insurance plan can help keep your dog healthy for years to come.
While the pre-existing conditions can be excluded from your pet insurance policy, you can still be financially covered for accidents and illnesses that are unrelated to the pre-existing condition.
It can be a time-consuming task when shopping around for the best pet insurance plans for your dog. It’s important to take into consideration whether the pre-existing conditions are curable or incurable, and choose a policy that can best meet the healthcare needs of your dog.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying your dog insurance policy:
