MetLife Pet Insurance's No Waiting Period Explained

It’s hard to see your pet unhappy or unwell. But having pet insurance could help you cover some of the care they need to get back to feeling themself. If you just enrolled in a policy, however, those pesky waiting periods can make getting reimbursed a bit more complicated. Learn more about how MetLife Pet’s waiting periods work, and see how you can get pet insurance coverage virtually the same day you enroll.

MetLife Pet Insurance has some of the shortest waiting periods on the market, with coverage that starts as soon as midnight today.¹ 

Get Almost Immediate Pet Insurance Coverage With MetLife Pet¹

MetLife Pet offers pet insurance with virtually no waiting period on certain expenses — so you can get coverage that starts at midnight the same day you enroll.¹

Many other pet insurance companies have longer waiting periods. The specific length of time and any applicable exclusions can vary between providers and policies. But it’s common for most policies to have a 3- to 5-day or 14-day waiting period for different kinds of coverage.¹

So how do MetLife Pet’s waiting periods work? Let’s break it down.

MetLife Pet Insurance’s Waiting Periods

Like most providers, MetLife Pet has varied waiting periods for different types of coverage and policies.

Accidents and preventive care

MetLife Pet offers a 0-day waiting period on accidents and our optional Preventive Care coverage benefits.¹ That’s virtually same-day pet insurance coverage! When you enroll, these benefits begin at midnight. So if your pup needs their annual checkup or your cat breaks a bone the very next day, you won’t have to wait to file a claim for reimbursement on covered expenses.²

Illnesses

For illnesses, MetLife Pet has a 14-day waiting period.¹ While it’s not as short as our accident coverage, this waiting period is fairly standard across pet insurance providers. You’ll need to wait 2 weeks after you enroll in a policy to submit a claim for expenses related to a new illness your pet’s diagnosed with.

Orthopedic conditions

Unlike many providers, MetLife Pet doesn’t have a separate waiting period for orthopedic conditions. These would fall under your policy’s accident or illness waiting period.¹

This can mean not having to wait up to 6 months or more before coverage of orthopedic conditions begins — which is a common waiting period length for these types of conditions.

Pet Insurance Waiting Period FAQs

What is a waiting period in pet insurance?

A waiting period is the time between the date you enroll in a pet insurance policy and when the provider begins to cover costs. After the waiting period is over, you’ll be able to submit claims on eligible expenses for reimbursement.²

Why do waiting periods exist?

Pet insurance is meant to help you cover expenses related to new health issues — not pay for illnesses or injuries a pet already has. It’s not financially feasible for pet insurance companies to pay for all medical issues that occur prior to a policy starting.

Waiting periods help ensure insurance companies only pay for eligible expenses after a policy is purchased. They can also protect companies from insurance fraud.

What if I switch pet insurance plans or providers?

If you make changes to your insurance policy or switch to a different provider, there could be new waiting periods. Therefore, new health issues would likely be considered pre-existing conditions if they happen during your waiting period, and be excluded from coverage. Plus, any conditions that were covered by your old policy will likely be considered pre-existing with your new policy.

However, if you have a different provider and switch to a MetLife Pet policy through your employer, you could get continued coverage for your pet’s health conditions that are already covered by that provider.³

What if my pet gets hurt or sick during the waiting period?

Typically, anything that happens to your pet during a waiting period isn’t covered. For example, if you enrolled in a policy with a 10-day waiting period on illnesses, but your dog got sick on day eight, your policy won’t cover those vet expenses. You’d be fully responsible for the cost of your pet’s care.

Are all waiting periods the same?

Each insurance policy and provider has its own waiting periods, as well as differences regarding which benefits fall under each waiting period. When researching pet insurance options, you might find separate waiting period lengths for accidents, illnesses, wellness plans, and orthopedic conditions.

However, you may notice commonalities among different options, too. Fortunately, we’ve made it easier to compare pet insurance coverage, so you can see how waiting periods and other benefits stack up against each other.

Can you get a waiting period waived?

Some providers may offer to waive a waiting period if you meet certain requirements. This could look like getting a vet to perform an exam and signing a specific form, providing proof of previous coverage if you switched providers, or enrolling through certain offers. Waivers aren’t always available, so it’s important to check with each pet insurance provider if you’re shopping around.

Don’t Wait To Get Your Pet Covered

Waiting periods tend to automatically exclude pre-existing conditions from being covered. This is one reason why it can be a great idea to enroll in a policy while your pet is still young and healthy. That way, you can worry less about waiting periods or pre-existing condition exclusions preventing you from getting eligible costs covered if something pops up later.

Save your future self from having to make a hard decision between your finances and your pet’s care by purchasing a policy now. Get a free quote, and enroll your pet today to have coverage for accidents and optional Preventive Care coverage tomorrow.