Bilateral Conditions: Covered by Pet Insurance?

Bilateral conditions refer to a number of medical issues that can affect both sides of your pet’s body.¹ However, symptoms may not always develop simultaneously, which can complicate things when it comes to figuring out what’s covered by pet insurance. Keep reading to learn more about bilateral conditions and what to expect from your pet insurance plan.

What Is a Bilateral Condition?

Bilateral conditions can impact either side (left or right) of the body, and they usually will affect both sides eventually. Examples of bilateral conditions common to pets include:¹

• Hip and elbow dysplasia
• Cruciate ligament issues
• Cataracts
• Luxating patella

As mentioned above, a bilateral condition can start on one side and move to the other. This is partly because many of these conditions have underlying genetic causes, but it’s also due to how some of them impact your pet’s overall physiology.¹

For instance, hip dysplasia can cause weight shifting which puts abnormal stress on the hip joints. This may increase the chance of pain and development of degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis in dogs or cats.²

Does Pet Insurance Cover Bilateral Conditions?

Most pet insurance policies won’t cover bilateral conditions if they were diagnosed before coverage began.¹ That places them in the category of pre-existing conditions, which insurance policies don’t cover.

Even bilateral conditions that develop after coverage begins won’t always be eligible for reimbursement. This is especially true if the condition developed on one side of your pet’s body after it had already manifested on the opposite side.¹

A potential exception to this rule is curable conditions. If your pet develops a curable bilateral condition — such as glaucoma — years after it had previously affected one side of their body, then it might be covered as long as your pet has been symptom-free for a certain period of time after the initial diagnosis.¹

Does MetLife Pet Insurance Cover Bilateral Conditions?

As with all pet insurance policies, a MetLife Pet dog insurance or cat insurance plan won’t cover pre-existing conditions. This includes bilateral conditions that were diagnosed prior to the beginning of coverage. Treatment for your pet’s bilateral condition might be eligible for reimbursement³ if the diagnosis was made after your plan’s waiting period ended. You can review the details of your policy for more information or contact our customer support line at (855) 270-7387 to learn more from our experts.