If you have a pet, you know that they are a wonderful addition to your family and a great companion for when you need one. Pets in all shapes and sizes are popular throughout the United States. Whereas dogs and cats are perhaps the most common kinds of pets due to their personalities and conditions of living, other animals such as lizards, fish, hamsters and more are loved and embraced by different people.
However, it can also be common knowledge that pets can have a sadly short life in the grand scheme of things, and are open to any number of medical concerns. Modern medicine has allowed for veterinarians across the country to provide the best medical care for your furry or scaly friend, but only for a price. To get the best deal on this medical care for your pet, you may need to get pet insurance. However, it is important to understand your availability for this insurance when your pet has a pre-existing condition. This article will discuss these pre-existing conditions in detail, and how they may impact your ability to get the insurance that you need for your pet.
What is pet insurance?
As with all other forms of insurance, pet insurance is designed to help you in the event that something bad happens that requires you to pay your own money. In particular, this form of insurance is designed to protect your finances in the event that your pet’s medical bills are higher than you might wish to pay out-of-pocket. Although many individuals may come to the conclusion that they do not need pet insurance, this decision may not come about lightly. We all want what is best for our pets, and pet insurance can allow us to do so affordably.
Of course, there are a few instances where you may be ineligible to receive the benefits of pet insurance. Some of the more common of these reasons include if:
- You have incurred pet expenses that are not connected to your veterinary service.
- You have incurred fees from taking your pet to a groomer.
- Your pet has a hereditary or developmental disorder.
- This can be covered by more comprehensive pet insurance plans.
- Your pet has a pre-existing condition.
While these fields can seem murky to understand for someone who is new to pet insurance, learning more about the subject can help you to make the right insurance decision for your pet.
Pre-existing Conditions for Pets Defined
As previously mentioned, your pet may not be eligible to receive the full amount of pet insurance that you desire if they have some sort of pre-existing medical condition. This is a health-related problem of some sort that your pet was suffering from before you attempted to get insurance for it. Additionally, there is a certain window of time after signing up for coverage known as the “waiting period,” during which your new insurance has not kicked in yet. If your pet gets some sort of medical problem during this waiting period, that is considered “pre-existing” and will disqualify your from coverage.
Certain pre-existing conditions are incurable, and therefore permanent. In these cases, you will unfortunately never be given the opportunity to get insurance for your pet. This is because with an incurable disease or illness, your pet is more at-risk of death than a non-affected pet. However, many sicknesses and injuries that occur to a pet are curable, and can go away with time or treatment. If this is the case, your pet’s pre-existing condition may go away at some point, which can allow you to get them the pet insurance that they will need to have a more stable future.
Some Common Pre-existing Conditions for Pets
There are a variety of different maladies that can apply to a pet beforehand, which will prevent them from receiving the benefits of pet insurance. As discussed, these are often the medical concerns which are incurable or injuries that are caused after some sort of accident during your insurer’s designated waiting period. Some of the more widely cited incurable pre-existing conditions that will preclude a pet from coverage include:
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Arthritis
- Skin rashes or lumps
However, some pre-existing conditions will only be labeled as such for as long as your pet is suffering from them. If they are cured before your waiting period begins, you may get pet insurance after your pet has suffered from the following:
- A virus (similar to the flu or common cold, but for your pet’s species)
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Infections (ear, urinary tract, wound)
In addition, any injuries caused to a pet due to negligence or abuse are not eligible for coverage under pet insurance. Broadly put, this special kind of insurance coverage is only given to those pets who are happy, healthy, and not at an increased risk of anything bad happening in the foreseeable future.
What should I do if my pet is turned down for insurance?
If your veterinarian or insurance provider has determined that your pet’s pre-existing condition is preventing them from receiving pet insurance, it can be a frustrating experience. Our pets may be in need of help, and their medical bills can really stack up depending on their need for surgery, medication or other such treatments. While the very rare insurance companies will allow you to get certain pre-existing conditions covered, most others will at least allow you to pay extra for a plan that covers hereditary conditions.
However, not getting your pet’s pre-existing condition covered by insurance should not prevent you from trying to get at least some kind of coverage plan. Even if your main concern is not addressed by insurance, you will want to receive as much financial help with your pet’s bills as possible in the event that something else happens to them in the near future. With the right amount of planning and preparation, you and your pet will be ready for whatever comes your way.
Related Article: Pets: The Affordable and the Expensive
By Admin –
