Pet insurance is designed to cover unexpected accidents and illnesses. When you buy a policy, you typically won’t have immediate coverage for certain types of problems, such as pet illnesses or cruciate ligament issues. You’ll have to clear the “waiting period” before your coverage kicks in.
Every pet insurer has waiting periods, but the best pet insurance companies have short ones. Here’s a look at pet insurance waiting periods and the companies with the shortest waiting periods.
Featured Partner Offers
1
Paw Protect
$5,000, $10,000, Unlimited
70%, 80%, 90%
$100, $250, $500
2
Embrace
$5,000, $8,000, $10,000, $15,000, Unlimited
70%, 80%, 90%
$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000
3
Spot
$2,500, $3,000, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, Unlimited
70%, 80%, 90%
$100, $250, $500, $750, $1,000
Can I Get Pet Insurance With Immediate Coverage?
Pet insurance plans don’t offer immediate coverage. Pet insurance typically includes waiting periods for coverage, including for accidents, illnesses and specific ailments, such as orthopedic, hip dysplasia and knee injuries.
Some pet insurance companies will reduce the waiting period under certain conditions, but the coverage will not be immediate.
For example, ManyPets will reduce your accident and illness waiting period to 24 hours if you switch from a different pet insurance company.
Can I Get Retroactive Pet Insurance?
No, you cannot get retroactive pet insurance, meaning you can’t buy a policy and have it be effective for a date that has already passed.
Pet insurance coverage will be effective after the waiting periods. For example, if you buy a policy on April 1 and have a 14-day waiting period for illnesses, you’re eligible for coverage for illness-related claims on April 15.
Pet Insurance Companies With the Shortest Waiting Periods
Here are the pet insurance companies with the shortest waiting periods:
- Costco and Figo (which are the same plan) have a one-day waiting period for accidents.
- Most pet insurance companies have a 14-day waiting period for illnesses.
- ASPCA, ManyPets, Pumpkin and Spot have no extended waiting periods for specified conditions such as cruciate ligament issues and hip dysplasia.
Some pet insurers will reduce or waive the waiting period if you have your pet examined by a licensed veterinarian within a certain timeframe. Here are some examples:
- Costco and Figo (which are the same plan) will waive the extended waiting period for orthopedic conditions if your vet signs a waiver within the first 30 days of your policy.
- Embrace will reduce the extended waiting period to 14 days if your pet has an orthopedic exam completed within the first 14 days of your policy.
- Figo will waive the extended waiting period for orthopedic conditions if your vet signs a waiver within the first 30 days of your policy.
- ManyPets will reduce your accident and illness waiting period to 24 hours if you are switching from another pet insurance company.
- Prudent Pet will waive the extended waiting period for knee or ligament issues if your pet passes a vet exam within the first 30 days of coverage.
Pet insurance company waiting periods
| Pet insurance company | Accident waiting period | Illness waiting period | Extended waiting period |
|---|---|---|---|
|
14 days
|
14 days
|
None
|
|
|
2 days
|
14 days
|
6 months for orthopedic conditions for dogs
|
|
|
15 days
|
15 days
|
6 months for hip dysplasia and knee injuries
|
|
|
1 day
|
14 days
|
6 months for knee injuries
|
|
|
15 days
|
15 days
|
12 months for hip dysplasia; not covered if your pet is age 6 or older at time of purchase
|
|
|
2 days
|
14 days
|
6 months for cruciate ligament issues
|
|
|
15 days or 24 hours
|
15 days or 24 hours
|
None
|
|
|
1 day
|
14 days
|
6 months for cruciate ligament issues and intervertebral disc disease for policies underwritten by IAIC; no waiting period for policies underwritten by MetGen
|
|
|
14 days
|
14 days
|
12 months for cruciate or meniscus injuries
|
|
|
2 days
|
14 days
|
6 months for orthopedic conditions for dogs
|
|
|
3 days
|
14 days
|
6 months for cruciate ligament issues
|
|
|
5 days
|
14 days
|
6 months for knee and ligament issues
|
|
|
14 days
|
14 days
|
None
|
|
|
14 days
|
14 days
|
None
|
|
|
12-day delay before your policy is effective
|
12-day delay before your policy is effective
|
None
|
|
|
14 days
|
14 days
|
12 months for cruciate ligament issues or hip dysplasia
|
How Does a Pet Insurance Waiting Period Work?
Pet insurance waiting periods can generally be broken down into three different groups.
Waiting periods for accidents
This is the amount of time before your coverage begins for an accident, such as a broken bone or swallowed object. The waiting period for accidents typically ranges from one day to 15 days, depending on your pet insurance company.
Waiting periods for illnesses
This is the amount of time before your coverage kicks in for an illness, such as cancer or a urinary tract infection. Most pet insurance companies have a 14-day waiting period for illnesses.
Waiting periods for other types of problems
This is the amount of time before your coverage kicks in for specific conditions, such as cruciate ligament damage or hip dysplasia. This waiting period can often range from six to 12 months.
Not all pet insurance companies have waiting periods for certain conditions. For example, ASPCA pet insurance does not have a waiting period for orthopedic conditions or any other specified issues.
Why Do Pet Insurance Companies Have a Waiting Period?
Pet insurance plans are designed to cover unexpected accidents and illnesses. A waiting period helps insurers prevent fraudulent claims that are actually due to pre-existing conditions. For example, if a dog swallows an object and needs an expensive surgery, a pet owner can’t buy a policy right away and use it to pay for the surgery.
How to Compare Pet Insurance Policies
The waiting period is an important component of your pet insurance policy, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration. Here are other things to look for.
- Type of pet insurance plan. What’s covered by pet insurance depends on the type of plan you buy. If you want comprehensive coverage, you’ll need to purchase an accident and illness plan. But if you want a less expensive plan that covers emergencies like a swallowed foreign object, you might opt for an accident-only plan.
- Annual coverage, deductible and reimbursement percentage. Some pet insurers offer a wide variety of choices while other companies have fewer options. Choosing a lower coverage amount, deductible and reimbursement percentage is one way to save on your pet insurance costs.
- Pet insurance extras. You might want to add a wellness plan or have access to 24/7 pet telehealth. But not all insurers offer these options, which is why you need to shop around.
- Pet insurance discounts. You might be able to save on your pet insurance costs if you qualify for a discount, such as multipet discount, military discount and spay/neuter discount.
Once you have narrowed down the type of pet insurance plan you want and other options, like your coverage amount and reimbursement percentage, the best way to find a good policy at a reasonable price is by comparing pet insurance quotes. You can get free quotes online or by speaking with an agent.
Find The Best Pet Insurance Companies Of 2024
Pet Insurance Waiting Period FAQs
When is the best time to buy pet insurance?
It’s best to buy pet insurance as soon as possible and before your pet develops any conditions, such as a torn cruciate ligament or cancer. If your pet develops a condition before you buy a policy, it will be considered a pre-existing condition and will be excluded from coverage.
Some pet insurance companies will cover pre-existing conditions if they are considered a “curable” condition, like an ear infection. The age of your pet also impacts pet insurance costs. Older pets are typically more expensive to insure because they are more likely to develop an illness, which means higher vet costs. Some insurers have an age limit for when you can buy a plan.
How does pet insurance work?
Pet insurance is reimbursement based, meaning you’ll pay upfront for your pet’s veterinary bills and submit a claim for reimbursement. If your pet’s vet bills are covered by your policy, you’ll get a reimbursement check. The amount will be based on your annual coverage limit, deductible and reimbursement level. Here’s what that means.
Pet insurance typically includes:
- Annual coverage limit: The most the pet insurance plan will pay annually, such as $5,000 per year or unlimited coverage.
- Deductible: An annual deductible is the amount you must pay for services before your coverage kicks in.
- Reimbursement percentage: The percentage your insurance company will pay for claims covered by the policy, such as 70%, 80% or 90%.
Related: How Does Pet Insurance Work?
What is a pet insurance waiting period?
A pet insurance waiting period is the time between when you purchased your policy and when coverage begins.
For example, if your pet insurance plan has a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and your dog has an ear infection two days after you buy the policy, you won’t be covered for veterinary expenses related to the ear infection.
What is the average waiting period for pet insurance?
The average pet insurance waiting period is nine days for accidents and 14 days for illnesses, among the pet insurance companies we analyzed.
Some pet insurance companies have an extended waiting period for problems such as hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament issues. The average waiting period for these types of issues is about six months, but not all insurers have an extended waiting period.
