When To Get Pet Insurance: A Guide

Whether you already have a pet or are looking to add a member to the family, you may wonder when you should get pet insurance. Since pre-existing conditions aren’t typically covered by a new pet insurance policy, you could say the earlier in your pet’s life you can enroll them in a policy, the better. However, it can depend on your unique situation and pet.

We’ve put together some guidance that may help you decide when is the best time to get pet insurance.

When Should I Get Pet Insurance?

There’s no specific time that’s best for every person and pet to get pet insurance — it can depend on your individual circumstances. Usually, the sooner you can enroll your pet in an insurance policy, the more expenses you’ll likely be able to get covered. Here are a few factors you may want to consider when choosing the right time for you.

Before pre-existing conditions arise

A pre-existing condition is typically any illness or injury contracted, manifested, or incurred prior to the date an insurance policy goes into effect or before any relevant waiting periods end. It can be a good idea to insure your pet as soon as you can — even, and especially, if your pet’s healthy — to help avoid denied claims due to pre-existing conditions.

However, if your pet has pre-existing conditions already covered by another insurance provider, MetLife Pet can provide coverage of previously covered pre-existing conditions when switching pet insurance providers.¹

When it helps protect your finances

The average annual cost of owning a pet can be more than $1,500 for a dog and around $1,000 for a cat, and emergency care costs could run from $300 – $10,000 or more.^2,3,4 One big benefit of pet insurance is that it can help protect your budget against unexpected costs by reimbursing you for covered vet expenses. With MetLife Pet, you can customize your policy to get reimbursed up to 90% on covered expenses and choose your deductible and annual limit.^5,6,7

Our policies start as low as $7 per month for a cat and $16 per month for a dog.⁸ Also, MetLife Pet offers a deductible discount and a variety of premium discounts for eligible policyholders, like veterans, animal care workers, and healthcare workers.^9,10,11

When your pet is younger

Getting pet insurance while your pet is young can help ensure they’re protected into their golden years. Enrolling early can also reduce the chance that future health issues are classified as pre-existing conditions, which are typically not covered by most policies.

Also, age is a factor that can affect your policy’s cost. Pets who are younger, healthier, and may be less predisposed to genetic health conditions could receive lower rates.

That doesn’t mean getting pet insurance for your senior dog or cat isn’t worth it. With MetLife Pet, your senior pet won’t be denied enrollment because of their age, and policies can help cover biannual vet visits, hospitalizations, medications, surgeries, cancer treatment, and more. Just keep in mind that certain expenses may not be covered if they’re related to a pre-existing condition.

Should I Get Pet Insurance as Soon as I Get a New Pet?

When you get a new pet, it can be a good idea to get pet insurance to start protecting them ASAP. In fact, it can be a good idea to enroll your pet before your first vet visit to ensure they’re covered from the start. Here are a couple of things you may want to consider when it comes to enrolling your pet right away.

Near-future vet expenses

New puppies and kittens can be curious and may get into things they shouldn't, resulting in trips to the vet. A MetLife Pet Insurance policy and optional Preventive Care plan can typically help you cover these costs — potentially saving you money in your pet’s first year alone.

If you’re bringing home an adult dog or cat, you may not know their complete health history and could be faced with an unexpected trip to the vet at any time. Enrolling them in a MetLife Pet policy ASAP can make the difference between getting unexpected vet bills covered or not.

Waiting periods

You may also want to consider waiting periods. Most pet insurance policies have waiting periods from the time you enroll before your benefits begin. Any accidents or illnesses that happen during that time likely won’t be covered. MetLife Pet has one of the shortest waiting periods in the industry — including a 0-day waiting period on accidents and Preventive Care coverage.¹² In other words, your pet will be covered virtually the same day you enroll them.

You may even be able to enroll your pet before you bring them home. MetLife Pet doesn’t require an initial vet visit or previous vet records to enroll — as long as you have the information we need, you may be able to purchase a policy before your new companion’s first ride home.

MetLife Pet Insurance Can Help You Save at Any Age

To help you see how pet insurance can help your pet at different ages and in various situations, take a look at these real-life claims we’ve paid out to MetLife Pet policyholders.¹³

• A California Anatolian shepherd puppy, Buddy, was adopted by his pet parents, and they quickly enrolled him in a MetLife Pet dog insurance policy. At the dog park, young Buddy caught parvovirus. After diagnosis and treatment, the vet bill totaled almost $10,400, and MetLife Pet reimbursed Buddy’s parents over $9,100.
• A 10-year-old domestic shorthair cat from New Jersey, Jasper, was exhibiting signs of an illness. His pet parents took him to the vet, where he was diagnosed and treated for a urinary obstruction. The vet bill totaled more than $6,300, and because Jasper’s pet parents had a MetLife Pet insurance policy, they were reimbursed over $4,900.

Whether you’re looking to adopt or have had your furry friend for years, pet insurance can help you focus less on the cost of medical care and more on your pet’s quality of life. You can also add our optional Preventive Care plan to help cover routine care expenses throughout your pet’s life, like vaccinations, parasite prevention, and more.

Help ensure your dog or cat can receive the veterinary care they need by protecting your finances with an award-winning¹⁴ MetLife Pet Insurance policy. Get your free quote today.