Pre-existing conditions for pets: What are they and are they covered?

Read time: 3 minutes

For people trying to get health coverage, “pre-existing conditions” are two dreaded words.

For dogs and cats, though, it’s different.

For our four-legged friends, those two words aren’t the end of the world when it comes to getting pet insurance. In fact, in many cases, pet owners can still buy pet insurance for their beloved pet with pre-existing conditions. Read on to learn how it works …

What is a pre-existing condition?

A pre-existing condition is a medical condition that your vet diagnosed before your pet insurance policy has taken effect. Almost all pet insurance policies do not cover pre-existing conditions completely, or they restrict coverage for them.

But here’s the good news.

Just because your pet has a pre-existing condition, that doesn’t mean they can’t get coverage for other important things not related to the pre-existing condition. These could be any number of accidents, illnesses or conditions — not to mention wellness — that have nothing to do with the pre-existing condition.

What is an example of a pre-existing condition for dogs?

After buying pet insurance for Matilda, your Golden Retriever rescue, you find out she’d been previously diagnosed with arthritis.

You notice Matilda’s limping and take her to the vet. The vet determines that the limping is due to the arthritis.

So in this instance, the treatment for Matilda’s limping would not be covered because her limping is caused by arthritis, a pre-existing condition.

However, if Matilda’s limping is due to a torn ligament, this would be a new occurrence (and not related to her arthritis). In this instance, treatment for the torn ligament would be covered.

What is an example of a pre-existing condition for cats?

During a routine veterinary exam of Zeus, your Maine Coon, the vet tells you that your noble cat is diabetic. While this is certainly not good news, you know that with care and attention to your pet, he can live a long and happy life.

So, in order to avoid running into other potential life-threatening diseases, you decide to get pet insurance.

While the diabetes would not be covered, your policy would help cover your cat in the event of an accident or other illnesses not related to diabetes, like a skin condition.

Can a pre-existing condition be covered in the future?

Sometimes, yes!

With some pet insurance companies, if the pre-existing condition doesn’t show up for 12 months and is cured, you could be eligible for coverage if it ever does re-occur.

When is the best time to buy pet insurance?

To avoid any complications from a pre-existing situation, it’s a good idea to get pet insurance when your dog or cat is younger, and keep it in place for the life of your pet.