MetLife Pet Insurance's No Waiting Period Explained

It’s hard to see your pet unhappy or not feeling well. Luckily, having pet insurance can make it easier to pay for the care they need to get back to their normal selves. But if you just enrolled in a policy, 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.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.²

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 plan.¹ That’s virtually same-day pet insurance coverage! When you enroll, your 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.

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.

However, MetLife Pet works with animal shelters across the country to help pets and people find their perfect match. If you enroll in a MetLife Pet policy through some of our partner shelters when you adopt a pet, you may be able to get the 14-day illness waiting period waived. This means covered illnesses would be reimbursable starting at midnight the day you enroll in your policy — the same as accidents, as well as expenses covered under our optional Preventive Care plan.

We know adopting a dog or cat with an unknown medical history can be a little intimidating for some. So we want to provide this safety net to adopters in the hopes of helping pets find their forever homes. Take a look at our partner list and pet adoption tips, then check your nearby shelters to see if they partner with us!

Pet Insurance Waiting Period FAQs

What is the waiting period for 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.

Why do waiting periods exist?

Pet insurance is meant to help cover expenses related to future medical needs — 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 happened prior to a policy starting. Waiting periods help ensure insurance companies only pay for eligible expenses after a policy is bought. They can also protect companies from insurance fraud.

What if I change coverage?

If you make changes to your insurance policy or choose a different provider, there could be new waiting periods. You might be able to get the waiting period waived in certain situations, so check with each pet insurance provider if you’re shopping around.

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. MetLife Pet Insurance’s same-day waiting period gives pet owners peace of mind when determining when to get pet insurance.

Are all waiting periods the same?

The short answer is no — each insurance policy and provider has its own waiting periods, as well as differences regarding which benefits fall under each waiting period. However, you may find commonalities when shopping around for pet insurance. 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.

Don’t Wait To Get Your Pet Covered

Another thing to know about waiting periods is they naturally exclude pre-existing conditions from being covered. This is one reason why it can be a great idea to enroll in a dog insurance or cat insurance policy while your pet is still young and healthy. That way, you won’t have to worry about waiting periods or pre-existing condition exclusions preventing you from getting eligible costs covered.

Save your future self from having to make a hard decision between your finances and your pet’s care by getting a policy now. Read more about why pet insurance may be worth it for you, or get a free quote today.