All pet insurance companies have waiting periods, but some are shorter than others. Ultimately, this impacts when coverage kicks in for your pet. The shortest illness waiting period is 14 days (companies include Pets Best, Figo, Embrace, Lemonade, AKC Pet Insurance, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Spot, and Nationwide). Figo has the shortest accident waiting period, with only one day.
Some companies have additional waiting periods for specific conditions. Two common ones are cruciate ligament issues and hip dysplasia, with the shortest being 14 days for each from some providers. Learn more about waiting periods and how they impact your pet insurance policy coverage.
Can I Get Immediate Pet Insurance?
No company offers instant pet insurance coverage. There is no such thing as pet insurance without waiting periods or same-day pet insurance. That’s why it’s crucial to subscribe to a pet insurance plan before your pet sustains health problems. Getting pet health insurance at a young age ensures coverage for as many accidents and illnesses that your pet may experience during its lifetime.
Why Do Waiting Periods Exist?
Ultimately, waiting periods exist to weed out recent illnesses and accidents pets may have sustained before obtaining insurance, allowing companies to keep premiums lower. Without waiting periods, companies could receive claims for conditions that should have been excluded from coverage during the quote process*, increasing premiums and, ultimately, making pet insurance less affordable. Charging and receiving fair policy premiums allows pet insurance providers to pay for claims and remain profitable.
*If a customer misrepresents their pet’s condition during the application process, they are guilty of insurance fraud, a felony in most U.S. states.
Some pet insurance companies also offer optional wellness plans covering preventative care items like flea and tick medication, microchipping, annual wellness exams, and more. Wellness plans typically have no waiting periods and become active on the policy’s effective date.
What Are Common Pet Insurance Waiting Periods?
Pet insurance companies have two primary waiting periods, one for illnesses and one for accidents. It’s also common to see additional waiting periods for more serious health conditions (e.g., hip dysplasia, canine cruciate ligaments, Intervertebral Disc Disease [IVDD], and other orthopedic conditions).
It’s most common for pet insurance companies to have roughly a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and a 3-day waiting period for accidents. As for hip dysplasia, cruciate ligament injuries, IVDD, and other orthopedic conditions, it’s more of a mixed bag, ranging from 14 days to a longer waiting period at 12 months.
*States are slowly adopting a Model Law for pet insurance. This Model Law attempts to standardize each state’s regulations, which includes a standard for waiting periods that all companies must follow. Waiting periods for California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, and Washington are as follows:
- Accidents – 0 days
- Illnesses – 14 days
- Cruciate Ligament Conditions – 30 days
- Routine Care – 0 days
Who Has The Shortest Waiting Periods?
In other words, when does pet insurance take effect with my provider? This varies by pet insurance provider. Once you’ve signed your contract, you’ll know your insurance policy’s effective date. Here’s a chart so you can see which of the most popular pet insurance companies have the shortest waiting periods.
Can I Get Retroactive Pet Insurance?
No, you cannot purchase pet insurance and have it be effective beginning on a date that has already passed.
When Is The Best Time To Buy Pet Insurance?
We know many pet parents search for pet insurance that’s effective immediately because their dog has already experienced an accident or illness, and they want it to be covered by the policy. Unfortunately, given the nature of insurance, this doesn’t exist. Most pet insurance companies don’t cover pre-existing conditions. So, if your dog suffers from allergies or was hit by a car before you purchased your policy, then those items will be considered pre-existing and are not eligible for illness and accident coverage.
This is why we urge you to purchase pet insurance as early in your pet’s life as possible. Last-minute pet insurance can lead to more exclusions, and we want you to get the most out of your policy.
On the other hand, some providers cover pre-existing conditions that can be treated. The definition of curable pre-existing conditions varies among pet insurance companies. Usually, there’s a waiting period after which the pet is symptom-free. Pre-existing curable conditions may include kennel cough, diarrhea, vomiting, ear infections, and urinary tract infections.
If you’d like to learn more about pet insurance and how it works in general, you can read our pet insurance 101 guide. We explain what pet insurance is, how it works, why you need it, what it covers, and more. Then you can read about the best pet insurance companies to see who we’ve ranked as our top picks this year.
Methodology
We review each U.S. pet insurance company to provide an unbiased breakdown of providers’ performance in real claim situations. We use a 100-point scale for each pet insurance company to rank them. Our in-depth research includes:
- Coverage & Exclusions (30%) – We scrutinize every policy from top to bottom and read all the fine print, carefully noting each exclusion. We factor in any age restrictions, required add-ons for basic coverage, and whether a company is available nationwide. Insurers with fewer exclusions receive more points in this category than those with less coverage.
- Pricing (15%) – We evaluate pricing by running thousands of sample quotes for dogs and cats of various breeds, sizes, locations, and ages. We analyze which companies charge extra fees and discounts and consider which companies nick and dime pet owners with add-on coverage. Providers with the lowest premiums, fewest extra fees, most discounts, and fewer add-ons receive more points in this category.
- Customer Service & Reputation (12%) – We assess hundreds of customer reviews, scope out the sign-up process, speak with representatives, and factor in company history and years in the pet insurance marketplace to determine the points in this category. Companies with an easy sign-up process, highly rated mobile apps, multiple ways to reach customer service, positive consumer feedback, and a seamless claim filing process score high in this category.
- Financial Strength (10%) – Insurance is only beneficial if you can count on reimbursed claims. Companies with at least five years of nationwide experience and high A.M. Best and Demotech ratings receive high remarks in this category.
- Customization Options (10%) – We consider customizations available to adjust your coverage to fit your budget. Companies with fewer restrictions based on breed, age, location, etc., multiple plan options, and more reimbursement rates, deductibles, and annual limits earn the highest scores.
- Waiting Periods (5%) – Providers with the shortest illness and accident waiting periods and fewer additional waiting periods for other conditions merit high remarks.
- Claim Processing (5%) – We share our firsthand experience submitting claims with companies and examine how long it takes to be reimbursed. Insurers with a vet direct pay option and short claim processing averages earn the most points.
- Innovation (3%) – We meet with company representatives to discuss changes related to the industry, their company, and their offerings. Providers offering unique, comprehensive coverage and utilizing advanced technology receive more points.
Unlike many other review sites, we refuse to let pet insurance companies pay for the top spot in our rankings. Companies must earn their position in our comparisons by performing well in the marketplace. We also highlight each company’s pros and cons in light of their competitor’s strengths. In doing so for over a decade, we’ve helped pet parents make more educated decisions among the top pet insurance options. Pet insurance providers read our reviews, regularly check them for accuracy, and value our input to help create positive industry changes and better protect your pets. We only recommend the best of the best because it’s what our readers deserve.
Why Trust Canine Journal
Canine Journal has been covering the topic of pet insurance since 2012, well before other conglomerates discovered the rising popularity of health care for our pets. Many of our authors have personal experience with pet insurance, including Kimberly Alt, who has been Canine Journal’s go-to author for pet insurance for over a decade, having written about nearly every possible facet related to pet insurance. Kimberly knows the subject so well that she can answer a breadth and depth of pet insurance questions immediately. And on the rare occasion she doesn’t know the answer off the top of her head, she can find it within minutes due to her extensive list of resources. Kimberly also consulted with Michelle Schenker, Canine Journal’s in-house licensed insurance agent, for additional expertise, to ensure accuracy, and give Canine Journal the authority to write about and assist readers in purchasing pet insurance policies that are accurately represented.
