Best Pet Insurance for Pre-Existing Conditions

Petplan separates pre-exiting conditions into two categories: curable and non-curable conditions. Their coverage is conditional to cover only curable pre-existing conditions. Diabetes, asthma, and orthopedic illnesses are examples of non-curable conditions, while broken bones, respiratory and bladder infections, and UTI’s are examples of curable ones. Thus, if your pet happens to have a pre-existing condition that is deemed curable you may still be eligible for coverage after an exclusionary period.  You can find more information about this in their Terms and Conditions.

That is not all that PetPlan does however. They will also insure both hereditary and congenital conditions, even if your pet has shown signs prior to enrollment. These two great offers combine to help make PetPlan the number one pet insurance for pre-existing conditions. Overall, if your pet has already had prior treatments before even having insurance then PetPlan is your best bet to receive the most amount of coverage possible.

A Few Details about this Insurer:

PetPlan does not offer wellness add-ons so all of their coverage of congenital and pre-existing conditions is included with their main plan. On average insurance will cost $25/month for cats and $40/month for dogs.

Although Figo states they do not cover pre-existing conditions, they also state that “On a case by case basis, we may waive a pre-existing condition if we deem the condition was curable and it has not shown signs or symptoms in the prior 12 months. Feel free to chat, email or call us with any further questions or to discuss your specific situation.”

Although this does not provide much relief for pet owners with pets suffering from chronic, long-term conditions, it does provide some level of possible coverage for pets suffering from a curable condition that pops up again in the future.

A Few Details about this Insurer:

Figo does not offer wellness add-ons so all of their coverage of congenital and pre-existing conditions is included with their main plan.

With Figo, an average quote for dogs would be: $21.04 - $25.07 and an average quote for cats would be: $11.34 - $12.18.

Our sample quotes are based on: 2 year old female mixed breed (medium dog or domestic short-hair cat) from Minnesota with $200 deductable, 80% reimbursement and $10,000 annual limit.

Covered Animals: Dogs, Cats

Annual Deductibles: $50, $100, $200, $500	Per Incidence Limits: No Limits	Type of Deductable: Annual
Co-Pay Coverage: 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%	Annual Claims Limits: $10,000, $14,000, No Limits	Money Back Guarantee: 30 Days
Minimum Enrollment Age: 6 Weeks	LifeTime Claims Limits: no limits	Multiple Pet Discount: 10%
Maximum Enrollment Age: None	Effective Date: 12:01am (EST) the day after enrollment	Reimbursement Based on: Actual Veterinary Charges
Exam Fees Covered: Yes	Wellness Coverage: No	No Precoverage Exam Required:
Hereditary/Congenital Conditions Covered: Yes	Alternative Therapies: Yes	Prescription Drug Coverage: Yes

Unlike PetPlan, ASPCA does not specifically say that they will provide insurance for pre-existing conditions. This means that if your pet has displayed signs of a disease prior to enrollment or during the waiting period then you will likely be ineligible for reimbursement for that condition. Instead, ASPCA has a 180 day period where your pet must show no signs or symptoms of the disease. If this length of time is reached, then in the future there is the possibility that your pet may be covered for this same condition.

ASPCA also has a program called “Continuing Care” that comes with all of their plans. It is designed to cover chronic and ongoing conditions such as allergies or cancer. This benefit helps put ASPCA second on this list, even if they do not explicitly cover pre-existing conditions.

A Few Details about this Insurer:

ASPCA has four plans that vary in cost and coverage limits. A regular monthly cost averaged between the four plans is $21 for cats and $28 for dogs. “Continuing Care” is included free of charge, however it is subject to a second deductible of $100 before coverage can begin.

Nationwide’s approach to pre-existing conditions is very similar to ASPCA. While not specifically stating that they cover pre-existing conditions, they do allow the possibility if certain criteria is met. If your pets disease has be deemed to be non-chronic, and they have been symptom free for at least six months, then you may be eligible for coverage in the future. This is the case even if your pet showed symptoms prior to enrollment with Nationwide. However, since this is such ambiguous terminology and does not guarantee anything it would be best to contact Nationwide directly and let them know about the issues your pet already has.

Nationwide fails to finish higher on this list because they do not ever provide coverage for any chronic or hereditary conditions, no matter the plan. This greatly limits their effectiveness in dealing with problems that might be considered pre-existing. Nevertheless, they are still very unique among pet insurance companies for even providing any coverage for pre-existing conditions.

A Few Details about this Insurer:

Coverage for pre-existing conditions is included with the main plans offered by Nationwide. They will cost an average of $24/month for dogs and $13/month for cat owners.