Cats suffer from many pre-existing conditions common to dogs, including allergies, cancers, and heart disease. Both types may also suffer from curable pre-existing conditions such as infections and gastrointestinal problems. All of these are considered already present if they are diagnosed before your cat insurance comes into effect, although curable conditions may be covered if they recur later. But don`t worry, there are options for pets with pre-existing conditions! Although most pet insurance policies cover genetic and breed-specific conditions, they do not cover these conditions if they are diagnosed before purchasing coverage. Injuries or bilateral conditions can affect both sides of the body. Dogs with diseases such as ruptures of the cruciate ligament of the knee joint are more likely to tear the ligament of the other knee. Many insurance companies stipulate that if your dog has a bilateral illness before insurance takes effect, they will not cover the same injury on the other side of the body, even if it occurs once the insurance policy goes into effect. Medical background checks are what an insurance company needs before determining what your coverage will cost and whether your dog has any pre-existing conditions that it doesn`t cover. This usually includes a vet review and a review of the dog`s health records. Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered by insurance and include any illness or injury that has occurred or is recurring, persistent or has symptoms, whether diagnosed by a veterinarian prior to enrollment or during the insurance policy waiting period. Edwin Plotts is a pet parent of two amazing cats, one of which has a pre-existing condition. Working with a nonprofit rescue group in Brooklyn, he and his fiancée (@sarazoekittens) rescued, rehabilitated and cared for 14 cats and kittens. Now it also helps Pawlicy Advisor help more pet parents do the right thing.

Well, a chronic disease is a disease that cannot be cured and will affect the animal throughout its life. These pre-existing chronic conditions are not covered by any pet health insurance (however, there are payment options). A bilateral condition is a condition or disease that affects both sides of the body, such as hip dysplasia or a ruptured cruciate ligament. Since a pet poses a higher risk for the same condition on the other side of the body when an animal has a pre-existing case of bilateral illness, we are not able to cover the condition on the other side. However, if a pet is diagnosed with a covered bilateral condition, we will also cover the condition if it occurs on the other side. Even if you can`t get insurance coverage for your pet`s pre-existing condition, there are other ways to prepare for treatment costs and reduce your overall vet bills. Any orthopedic condition, as well as any orthopedic condition or injury on the opposite side of a previous injury. (See example below.) Pawlicy Advisor has an option to help you reduce the cost of treating your pet, whether or not they have a pre-existing condition.

Through a special partnership with PetAssure, you can get 25% off all your vet bills when you sign up for the veterinary discount plan. Hallelujah! A pre-existing condition is defined as any medical condition that your pet has shown signs of or been diagnosed with before the effective date of the insurance policy. Here are some examples: Pre-existing conditions are usually determined by a veterinarian`s diagnosis, but a diagnosis is not always necessary. If your pet has symptoms before you purchase pet insurance and is diagnosed after your insurance takes effect, your insurer may consider it a pre-existing condition. Before you sign up with any of the 20 companies that can insure your pet, the American Veterinary Medical Association recommends that you know how the provider defines and treats pre-existing conditions, including diseases and conditions your pet has now or in the past. Pet insurance has become increasingly popular as veterinary costs continue to rise. If you want to buy pet insurance for your dog or cat, an important question is whether their health conditions are considered “pre-existing conditions” and whether a policy will cover them. Does pet health insurance cover existing medical conditions? No pet insurance covers a pre-existing medical condition. There will also be no subscription-based community alternatives to cover them. But even if your pet has a pre-existing medical condition, they can still have coverage for distinct/unrelated injuries or illnesses. In addition, some providers cover “curable” conditions. But it also highlighted an all-too-familiar issue that is also central to human health – the challenge of purchasing insurance with a pre-existing condition.

Many companies cover both congenital and hereditary conditions as long as your pet has not shown any signs or has been diagnosed before starting coverage. Some companies even have separate “hereditary and innate coverage” policies. If you are struggling with this situation, don`t lose hope! Even if you have pet health insurance and your pet has a pre-existing medical condition, you have options. Just because your pet has a pre-existing condition doesn`t mean you`re not eligible for pet insurance, nor should you give up insurance. You should still purchase pet insurance even if your pet has a pre-existing medical condition. If your dog or cat develops another illness or has an accident, not covering can result in significant expenses to give your pet the care they need. Your cat was limping 2 weeks before the insurance and your vet didn`t know what caused it. At the end of your waiting period, your cat will limp again. Lameness would be an already existing condition. For example, if your pet licks his feet excessively, but has not received an official allergy diagnosis, it is unlikely that the associated claims will be covered. This is because excessive licking of paws is considered a common sign of skin allergies that fall into the category of incurable pre-existing conditions. If your pet`s medical history does not show further episodes thereafter, we will, at our discretion, reinstate coverage for these conditions in the future.

The number of dog owners insuring their pets is growing — 20 percent of dog owners have health insurance for their dogs, up from 15 percent in 2018, according to the American Pet Products Association`s (APPA) 2021-2022 National Pet Owner Survey. In 2020, 3.1 million pets were insured, and about 83 percent were dogs, reports the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA). Any health condition that was present or known before your pet health insurance appeared is considered a pre-existing condition (see definition). For this reason, it is important to register for the report as soon as possible. Some of the most common chronic conditions in pets are: Yes! Even if your dog or cat has a pre-existing condition, that doesn`t stop you from purchasing pet insurance. The cost of treating this particular condition will not be covered by your new plan, but you can expect coverage for future illnesses and injuries. Pet insurance is always worth it. There are no pet insurance policies that cover pre-existing conditions. If a condition is diagnosed before your pet insurance kicks in, you`ll have to pay out of pocket to treat that condition. These include congenital diseases that have already been discovered. For example, let`s say your dog was diagnosed with a right ear infection before registration, but develops a left ear infection after the policy goes into effect.

The insurance company will likely cover the left ear infection as long as your dog has shown no symptoms for 180 days (or maybe longer) after the initial ear infection. Be sure to read the fine print and ask your insurance company what the bilateral terms are. Insurance companies exclude bilateral terms because there is a good chance that a condition will develop on the other side of your pet`s body that occurs on one side of your pet`s body. For example, a dog with left hip dysplasia tends to shift its weight to the right side to avoid discomfort. As a result, they have a higher risk of developing hip dysplasia on the right side. The underlying genetics that predispose pets to many bilateral conditions obviously affect both sides of the body. Your German Shepherd is more susceptible to hip dysplasia because of his breed. If your puppy shows no signs of hip dysplasia before the effective date of the policy, any treatments or diagnostic tests for hip dysplasia will likely be covered by the policy. However, some guidelines have specific rules for inherited conditions such as hip dysplasia, such as requiring your pet to be under a certain age when registering with the policy, or not being covered if hip dysplasia symptoms occur within the first year of coverage.