Can Your Pet Be Insured with Pre-Existing Conditions?

Having a pet in your home is like having an additional family member, and keeping it in the best of health is as important as other members. The only problem is that providing care for your pet, mainly when sick or injured, can rapidly become prohibitively expensive.

Veterinary treatment is costly, and many pet owners turn to pet insurance for pre-existing conditions to help cover the costs. However, if your pet is suffering from a pre-existing disease, pet insurance may not be an option for you.

It is critical to understand the insurance policy’s restrictions, like the fact that it does not cover treatment for pre-existing conditions, which can pile up over time.

Similar to auto insurance, which does not cover incidents that occur before the policy is activated, pet insurance does not often cover expenses connected to ailments or injuries that have already happened.

Pet insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical issues are few and far between, but some specialty insurers may be able to assist. There is, fortunately, another option for pet owners who have pets who have pre-existing conditions.

What Is A Pre-Existing Condition In Pet Insurance?

A pre-existing condition is any condition that has been discovered before the effective date of a pet insurance policy. It could be anything from a viral infection to a chronic illness such as diabetes that is causing the problem.

It is considered high-risk from the standpoint of the pet insurance business, which is why insurance companies do not provide coverage for pre-existing medical disorders.

Pet Insurance Does Not Cover Pre-Existing Conditions, So How Does It Work?

Any pet insurance company does not cover pre-existing conditions, but having a pre-existing ailment will never prohibit you from being eligible for pet insurance coverage.

The extent to which your pet’s pre-existing condition is curable will affect the time to which your coverage options for that condition apply. According to your pet insurance company’s standards, it is critical to understand whether a pre-existing condition is treatable or not according to your pet insurance company’s standards.

Curable pre-existing conditions may be covered if the pet is a symptom and treatment-free for 12 months; however, pre-existing incurable diseases will never be covered under any circumstances. It is significant to mention that even if a pet has not been diagnosed with an injury or illness, an insurer may still deny coverage if the pet exhibits any signs or symptoms of an injury or disease before the start of the range,” says Alex Stone.

Suppose your dog was limping before your waiting period and coverage began; treatment for the limb would not be covered by your insurance policy.

What Are the Symptoms of Pet Pre-Existing Conditions?

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According to the company, curable pre-existing conditions are covered by pet insurance companies like Embrace as long as any recurrence occurs at least 12 months after the last problem occurred.

Because it is treatable and there have been no symptoms for 180 days, many insurance plans will not consider a condition to be “pre-existing” (excluding knee and ligament conditions).

If the disease recurs after 180 days, it will be treated as a new problem and covered. Infections of the ear, bladder, respiratory tract, urinary tract, vomiting, and diarrhea are just a few examples of illnesses that can be cured.

Incurable Pre-Existing Conditions

However, pet insurance carriers consider some pre-existing diseases incurable, and these are listed as such.

Orthopedic disorders, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, allergies, bladder stones, epilepsy, arthritis, and hip dysplasia are just a few of the conditions that might affect you.

Is It Possible to Cover Bilateral Conditions?

When a problem or disease affects both sides of the body, such as hip dysplasia or a cruciate ligament tear, it is bilateral disease or condition.

Because a pet has a greater chance of developing the same ailment on the other side of the body, if a pet already has a bilateral condition on one side of the body, we cannot cover the condition on the other side.

For pets diagnosed with one covered bilateral disorder, we will cover the disease if it manifests itself on the opposite side of the body.

Difference Between Pre-Existing, Hereditary, And Chronic Conditions

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Insurers make an effort to distinguish between several different types of chronic health issues that affect pets.

1. Pre-Existing Conditions

Pre-existing conditions are those that have existed previously.

In the insurance industry, pre-existing conditions are health issues that have presented themselves before purchasing an insurance policy.

2. Hereditary Conditions

Hereditary conditions are genetic conditions that primarily affect pedigree and purebred animals and are carried down from one generation to the next due to inbreeding.

They can be common in dog breeds such as French Bulldogs.

Hereditary conditions are genetic disorders that are passed down from one generation to the next.

Hip dysplasia in some dog breeds is one of the most common examples.

Many – but not all – pet insurance policies will cover hereditary issues; however, you will have a better chance of getting coverage if you get coverage before your pet develops the problem.

3. Chronic Conditions

Chronic diseases are illnesses that can’t be cured and require continual, life-long treatment to be managed well.

If your pet is prescribed ongoing medicine by your veterinarian or needs regular check-ups with your veterinarian for a specific condition, these are typically considered chronic conditions.

You will have difficulty finding a pet insurer who will provide you with new coverage in these circumstances.

Insuring Pets With Pre-Existing Conditions

Do you need pet insurance?

As a pet owner, you may be perplexed about what constitutes a pre-existing ailment and what your pet insurance policy would protect you against.

As a result, pet insurance firms do medical history checks on the pets they insure.

They intend medical history evaluations to identify any conditions that are not covered by your insurance coverage. You will be aware of all the expenses for which you will be accountable.

They will conduct the medical evaluation once you have applied for coverage.

Once the assessment is complete, most insurers will give you a choice to terminate your policy if you believe the coverage is insufficient for your pet’s needs.

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