Can You Get Pet Insurance After a Diagnosis? 

Pet insurance is meant to help you cover expenses related to your pet’s care in the future. But what if your pet needs medical care to deal with an issue before you’ve gotten pet insurance? Can you get pet insurance after a diagnosis has already been given? It can be a tricky question to answer.

The short version is yes, you can get pet insurance for your furry friend after a diagnosis, but that doesn’t mean the policy will cover any pre-existing conditions. For a more detailed explanation, we’ll need to take a closer look at pet insurance and pre-existing conditions.

Pet Insurance After a Diagnosis: Understanding Pre-Existing Conditions

None of us can predict when our pets may need medical care. Unfortunately, that means some pet owners may not insure their fur babies until after getting a diagnosis. For many, the next question is the same: “Is it too late to get pet insurance?”

The good news is you can get an insurance plan for your cat or dog at any time. However, it’s likely that whatever recent diagnosis they received will become a pre-existing condition in the eyes of the insurance provider.

Pre-existing conditions are health issues your pet already had before the start of their insurance coverage.

Pre-existing condition examples

Examples of pre-existing conditions that may not be covered by a pet insurance policy if taken out after diagnosis include:¹

• Bilateral conditions, which are conditions that affect both sides of the body, such as patella luxation or cataracts
• Incurable conditions like hip dysplasia, cancer, and arthritis
• Anything diagnosed during the waiting period for your new pet insurance plan, before the coverage kicked in

Most pet insurers covers pre-existing conditions, but you could still get coverage for future illnesses and conditions. That means pet insurance could still be a worthwhile purchase even if it can’t cover an immediate issue.

How does pet insurance know about pre-existing conditions?

Signing up for pet insurance involves a review of your pet’s full medical history. This is usually done by obtaining medical records directly from your cat or dog’s primary vet. Teams of veterinary experts may review these records to determine if your pet has any previous or existing conditions that will likely require medical attention in the future.

That’s why many pet insurance providers require your pet to have visited the vet within the last 12 months — to get the most accurate picture of their health when drafting the policy details. At MetLife Pet, we don’t require an exam at enrollment, but vet records are required when you file your first claim.

Why doesn’t pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Excluding pre-existing conditions from coverage helps keep premiums lower for policyholders. If insurance companies were to cover the cost of treatment for every pet’s known medical issues, the increased number and expense of claims would increase, which would bring up costs for everyone with a policy at that company.¹

How Can I Still Benefit From Pet Insurance After a Diagnosis?

Even if your beloved pet has pre-existing conditions that aren’t covered, there are still many reasons to get them a pet insurance policy. Not only can it help protect them in the event of unforeseen emergencies, but it could also help you save on the cost of more routine services.

MetLife Pet Insurance offers an optional Preventive Care add-on. It’s designed to help you cover the type of care pets receive annually to maintain their health, including:

• Dental cleanings
• Wellness exams
• Spaying/neutering
• Vaccinations
• Vitamins and supplements

Prevention can be one of the best ways to keep your pet happy and healthy, especially if they’re already dealing with other ongoing conditions. For many pet owners, that may be enough to make it worth the monthly premium.

Consider MetLife Pet Insurance

While pet insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, MetLife Pet offers a 0-day waiting period on accidents and optional Preventive Care benefits, meaning that some coverage begins the day you sign up for your four-legged friend. Also, keep in mind that even if your pet has pre-existing conditions, you can still enroll them in a MetLife Pet Insurance policy to cover new issues that may arise in the future. Accidents and new illnesses can always occur, even with the most careful pet parents.

For example, Winnie, a dog from Missouri, needed emergency surgery after another dog attacked her at the dog park. The total cost for the surgery and follow-up exams was about $5,650, and MetLife Pet covered over $4,950 of the bill.²

Ready to get started? Fetch a free quote in minutes for a clearer picture of just how much you could save with a policy.