Pet insurance has become a go-to for pet owners looking for financial protection against huge vet bills. The pet insurance industry set a record for premiums sold in 2023. Cost and coverage are important if you’re in the market for a plan, but details like waiting periods can get lost in the fine print.
Waiting periods dictate when your insurance coverage takes effect. While they are standard with most pet insurance companies, a few exceptions exist. Let’s explore why waiting periods exist, which companies offer policies with shorter or no waiting periods, and how you can get the waiting period waived altogether.
Why most pet insurers require waiting periods
Pet insurance waiting periods are a predetermined time frame set by insurers before certain aspects (or all) of your policy become active. It can range from one or two days to several weeks. During this time, if anything happens to your pet, it may not be covered.
Pet insurance companies implement waiting periods to protect themselves from fraud. Without a waiting period, insurance companies worry they’ll have to pay for your pet’s pre-existing condition or an unforeseen major illness. Waiting periods not only ensure fairness but also help keep premiums affordable for everyone.
Three types of pet insurance waiting periods
There are three main types of pet insurance, each with a waiting period that varies by policy and provider. Typically, pet insurers impose waiting periods that differ based on the type of condition covered.
- Accidents: Because they are unpredictable events, such as emergencies, some companies have shorter waiting periods of one to five days.
- Illness: Illnesses may have a two-week or longer waiting period to rule out any pre-existing conditions, which are often not covered by pet insurance companies.
- Orthopedic and cruciate conditions: These conditions typically involve issues that affect bones, joints, tendons and ligaments. Again, to ensure they are not part of a pre-existing condition, it can take up to six months for coverage to take effect.
If you are considering pet insurance, the sooner you enroll, the better. Signing up for insurance early makes it so you have time for the waiting period to pass. It also means you aren’t at as much risk of pre-existing conditions preventing your pet from getting care.
Pet insurance companies with no waiting period
Here’s where doing your homework can pay off. While it’s rare for pet insurers to begin coverage on day one, especially for illness or chronic conditions, three companies offer no waiting period for accidents that happen on the same day you enroll and are approved.
Embrace pet insurance
Embrace offers no waiting period for accidents, allowing coverage to begin once you sign up and are approved. So, if your furbaby breaks a leg chasing their favorite toy, your vet bills are covered according to your policy. However, illness claims still have an industry-standard 14-day waiting period.
MetLife pet insurance
MetLife has different waiting periods for different types of coverage. Luckily, one of them is a zero-day waiting period for accidents. Like other pet insurers, MetLife requires a 14-day waiting period for illness coverage. Should you purchase MetLife’s optional preventive care, your pet will also be covered as soon as enrollment is approved.
Companion Protect pet insurance
Did you adopt your furbaby from a shelter or rescue? They may be eligible for Companion Protect. Companion Protect provides one comprehensive plan that covers accident, illness and wellness exams for pets adopted from partner shelters and rescues. There’s no waiting period! The company offers same-day coverage once you sign up and are approved.
Shortest waiting period by insurance company
Even if they don’t offer a complete waiver, several pet insurance companies have shorter-than-average waiting periods, particularly for accident coverage. Here’s a breakdown of the shortest waiting periods of the top pet insurance companies.
| Company | Accidents | Illness | Orthopedic conditions | Cruciate ligaments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASPCA | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Embrace | None | 14 days | 6 months | 6 months |
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | 6 months | 6 months |
| Hartville | 15 days | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Lemonade | 2 days | 14 days | 30 days | 6 months |
| Liberty Mutual | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| ManyPets | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days | 15 days |
| MetLife | None | 14 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Nationwide | 14 days | 14 days | 12 months | 12 months |
| Pets Best | 3 days | 14 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Progressive | 3 days | 14 days | 6 months | 6 months |
| Spot Pet | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days |
Even some of the best cheap pet insurance plans can have short waiting periods, so it’s worth getting several quotes to see which is the best for you.
Pet insurance waiting periods by category
Depending on your pet’s needs, shorter orthopedic coverage wait times may be more valuable than same-day accident coverage. This is especially important for dog owners, as orthopedic and cruciate coverage waiting periods do not typically apply to cats.
Here is a breakdown of the shortest waiting periods per category.
- Accident coverage: Five companies have the shortest accident coverage waiting periods, including Figo (one day), Lemonade (two days), Pet’s Best (three days), Progressive (three days) and Trupanion (five days). Depending on your state, the waiting period may be voided entirely.
- Illness coverage: While a 14-day waiting period is standard, companies like Trupanion will waive it with a complete veterinarian examination before enrollment. Figo will also waive the 14-day waiting period if a medical exam is performed within seven days of the pet’s original start date.
- Orthopedic coverage: Seven companies have a two-week waiting period. Embrace offers to reduce the waiting period for orthopedic coverage if an exam is performed within 14 days of the policy.
- Cruciate ligament: If cruciate ligament coverage is top of mind, only ASPCA, Hartville, Liberty Mutual, ManyPets and Spot Pet offer a two-week waiting period. However, Pets Best reduces its cruciate coverage from six months to 30 days if you are in Delaware, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota or Washington.
It’s important to note that some insurance companies, such as Trupanion, will waive the waiting period for most coverage if you live in Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska or Washington. Other companies, like MetLife, offer to waive the 14-day illness waiting period if you adopt a pet from a partner shelter.
How to minimize your waiting period
While you can’t always eliminate waiting periods with most pet insurance companies, there are ways to minimize them. Let’s look at a few steps you can take to reduce or waive the waiting periods for pet insurance.
Pet insurers work with shelters to reduce waiting periods
Some pet insurers collaborate with shelters and rescue organizations to offer immediate illness coverage from the first day of adoption, supporting the health of newly adopted animals. This is a great way to ensure your new furry family member is protected from the start.
Prior pet insurance coverage can waive waiting periods
Transitioning between pet insurance providers? Your new insurer may waive the waiting period if you had prior coverage, provided there’s no lapse or proof of insurance within 24 hours of enrolling. This continuity benefits those looking to upgrade or change their pet insurance provider without losing immediate coverage.
Vet exams can waive pet insurance waiting times
A comprehensive veterinary exam conducted shortly before or after enrollment can prompt an insurer to waive the waiting periods. This is often due to state laws. A vet exam can waive illness or accident waiting periods with some pet insurance carriers and reduce the waiting period from six months to 30 days for orthopedic and cruciate conditions.
State laws can reduce pet insurance waiting periods
Speaking of state laws, legislation at the state level sometimes steps in to protect consumers and their pets. Several states, including California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire and Washington, have measures that either eliminate waiting periods or allow them to be waived. Other states, like New York, are just steps away from approving laws that waive waiting periods upon completion of a veterinarian exam.
The bottom line
Waiting for your pet insurance to kick in can be a little nerve-wracking, especially if you have a rambunctious puppy or a pet that finds themselves in precarious situations. Luckily, there are options available for pet owners who want coverage to start sooner.
Understanding the reasons for waiting periods, knowing how long you may have to wait for coverage and researching the best pet insurance companies can help you make an informed decision about the best policy for your pet and your financial situation.
Frequently asked questions
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Embrace, MetLife and Companion Protect do not have waiting periods, but only for accident coverage. It’s rare to find policies with no waiting period for illnesses or orthopedic conditions.
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The average waiting period is around one to three days for accidents and 14 days for illnesses. Orthopedic conditions may have a waiting period of up to six months to a year depending on the pet insurer.
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Unfortunately, injuries or illnesses that occur during the waiting period are usually not covered by pet insurance. If this happens, you will need to cover the vet expenses out of pocket. However, you can still seek treatment for your pet immediately, and once the waiting period ends, future incidents may be covered.
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