Enroll your pet in a health insurance plan early to avoid pre-existing condition exclusions.
Many pet owners consider their companions to be full-fledged members of the family. Combine that sentiment with advances in veterinary medicine, and it's no surprise that enrollment in pet health insurance is growing. However, pre-existing condition clauses can be hard to decipher.
Identification
According to the Pets Best Insurance policy rules, pre-existing conditions are defined as "any illness or injury that begins before your policy is effective, or during your waiting period." Examples of ongoing medical conditions that would fall under this umbrella include diabetes, Addison's disease and congenital conditions like malocclusion and umbilical hernia. However, different policies may specify other ailments that are considered to be pre-existing, so it's important to review policy rules carefully.
Considerations
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), pet owners are expected to spend $12.79 billion on veterinary care in 2010. Similar to medical care for humans, an unexpected accident or illness can become very costly. Obtaining vet insurance as early as possible in a pet's life is the best way to avoid having an illness classified as a pre-existing condition.
Time Frame
Although pet insurance providers don't cover pre-existing conditions, some pet insurance plans, like the policy sold by the Veterinary Pet Insurance Company (VPI), contain special clauses that may allow coverage of a specific ailment after a certain time period. VPI states that "temporary conditions that are proven to have been cured and treatment-free for at least six months may be reconsidered for future coverage."
Tags: pre-existing condition, conditions that, policy rules, pre-existing conditions
