Does Pet Insurance Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

If your dog or cat has suffered from any previous illnesses or injuries, these can affect the coverage you'll get from a new pet insurance policy. Find out what is considered to be a pre-existing condition and read about how pet insurance policies treat pre-existing conditions.

• What is a Pre-Existing Condition for Pet Insurance?
• Does Pet Insurance Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?
• Does any Pet Insurance cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

What is a Pre-Existing Condition for Pet Insurance?

Broadly speaking, a pre-existing condition for pet insurance is an injury or illness that occurred or showed signs before your pet insurance becomes effective. It's important to note that policies often don't become effective right away—that is, a new pet insurance policy officially starts after an initial waiting period that can last for days or weeks and usually differs for accidents vs. illnesses. As a result, an injury or illness is considered to be pre-existing if it affected your pet:

Additionally, an injury or illness may be considered pre-existing if it is "related to, caused by or shows the same signs of" another previous injury or illness. For instance, bilateral conditions (conditions that occur to a body part of which your pet has a second, such as an ear, eye or hip) are typically treated as one condition by insurers. For example, a previous left ear infection could exclude cover for infections in both ears (i.e., all ear infections would be considered pre-existing).

Does Pet Insurance Typically Cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

The vast majority of UK pet insurance companies do not cover pre-existing medical conditions. If your pet has a pre-existing condition, most companies will either refuse to insure your pet or offer cover that excludes treatment related to the condition. As a result, customers may think they're trapped with the same insurer, unable to change even if faced with rising, higher-than-expected premiums.

That said, we're very glad to report that a few pet insurance companies offer cover for pre-existing conditions in the UK, and hope more follow suit.

Why are pre-existing conditions restricted on pet insurance? If pet insurance companies covered pre-existing illnesses and injuries without restriction, then pet owners might be tempted to keep their pet uninsured until an injury or illness occurred. In that situation, however, insurance companies would surely suffer financially and premiums would rise for all pet owners. By setting some rules around pre-existing conditions, pet insurance premiums are kept lower for everyone.

Does any Pet Insurance cover Pre-Existing Conditions?

We found three UK pet insurance companies that will insure for pre-existing conditions, subject to conditions such as how recently your pet had symptoms or was treated. For example, very recent pre-existing conditions may not be covered. These companies—ManyPets (formerly Bought by Many), Lifetime Pet Cover and VetsMediCover—are paving the way forward with sensible pre-existing cover for pets and owners alike. Read more in our study on the best pre-existing pet insurance companies.