Pet Insurance Waiting Period: What It Is and Why It Matters

Key Takeaways

Most pet insurance policies have waiting periods before coverage starts. Your benefits often don’t take effect the day you purchase a policy. Waiting periods can be as little as one to two days or as long as two weeks or more, depending on the type of claim, your insurer and sometimes your state.

Since waiting periods are temporary, they shouldn’t be a top consideration when shopping for the best pet insurance policy. Still, understanding them can help you determine if and when you can make a claim.

What is a pet insurance waiting period?

A pet insurance waiting period is the time between a pet insurance policy’s effective date and when coverage starts. If you file a claim during the waiting period, your insurer won’t reimburse you for associated vet bills.

Waiting periods can vary by claim type, with most insurers setting separate waiting periods for illnesses, accidents and special conditions. Waiting periods also vary by insurer, policy type and state regulations.

Types of pet insurance waiting periods

Pet insurance policies generally include several types of waiting periods based on the type of claim being filed.

Illness coverage waiting periods

Waiting periods for coverage for illnesses are generally about two weeks, though some pet insurers have longer windows. Trupanion policies, for example, have a 30-day illness waiting period.

Illness coverage typically includes conditions such as :

If your dog or cat has an infection, heart problem or other illness, these policies help pay the cost of associated care, such as X-rays, MRIs, bloodwork and treatment, including medications and hospitalizations.

Accident coverage waiting periods

Accident waiting periods can vary significantly by insurer and state, but generally range from one to 15 days. Two insurers we analyzed—Embrace and Lemonade—begin accident coverage as soon as midnight on the policy’s start date.

Accident waiting periods will also vary by where you live. Some states, including Delaware, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California, prohibit insurers from implementing waiting periods for accident claims.

Accident coverage typically includes problems such as:

If your dog or cat  breaks a bone, swallows a toy or has some other accident, pet insurance would help cover the cost of X-rays, MRIs, sutures and medications, as well as surgery and hospitalization, among other procedures and accident-related care.

Special waiting periods

Some conditions, usually orthopedic conditions, might have special waiting periods. Not all pet insurance companies have special waiting periods, but when they do they are generally anywhere from one day to six months.

However, some insurers have longer waiting periods. For instance, Nationwide’s waiting period for orthopedic conditions is 365 days.

In some cases, a special waiting period might be waived if your pet has a vet exam.

Special waiting periods might apply to conditions such as:

Waiting periods by insurance company

Waiting periods for pet insurance companies differ, so it’s wise to compare policies before buying coverage.

Why do pet insurance companies have waiting periods?

Waiting periods are a standard part of pet insurance because policies are intended to cover unforeseen accidents and sudden illnesses, not existing problems. The delay is designed to prevent fraudulent claims, according to the North American Pet Health Insurance Association, an industry trade association.

For instance, a waiting period prevents a pet owner from signing up for coverage immediately following an accident or after a major illness has been discovered.

Without waiting periods, pet insurers such as Embrace say it would be challenging for pet insurers to stay in business. These coverage windows can also help keep coverage costs lower for policyholders.

Do any insurance companies have no waiting periods?

Pet insurance companies generally have illness waiting periods, but some might not have accident or special waiting periods.

Embrace and Lemonade, for instance, offer coverage for accidents beginning at midnight on the policy’s start date. Figo and MetLife policies generally have a one-day waiting period for accident coverage.

Several insurers we analyzed, including ASPCA, Pumpkin and Spot, have policies without special waiting periods.

How important are waiting periods?

For pet owners, waiting periods are a small part of the coverage story: They dictate when you can (or can’t) file a claim for a specific type of condition right after you buy pet insurance.

While pet insurance waiting periods shouldn’t be a primary driver when you’re shopping for coverage, they are still worth keeping in mind. For instance, you might want to consider special waiting periods, like those for cruciate ligaments, if your pet’s breed is prone to orthopedic issues.

Waiting periods also help prevent fraud by stopping pet owners from purchasing coverage and immediately filing a claim for a pet’s pre-existing condition or for an accident that happened before the policy was purchased. As such, waiting periods can reduce the risk to insurers, which the pet insurance companies say helps keep rates lower for all policyholders.