Looking out for our furry friends is important, but medical bills for pets can spiral if a health issue appears. Insurance can lessen the expense of treatment, and there are plenty of affordable policies from reputable providers on the market today.
Of course if your pet has a pre-existing condition, it can be trickier to get insurance, so here is a look at the best ways to find packages that are tailored to animals with maladies you already know about.
What counts as a pre-existing condition?
Each insurer will have its own definition of a pre-existing condition, which you will need to know about before you purchase one of their policies.
In general, this can be said to be either an illness or indeed an injury from which a pet has suffered before the coverage has commenced.
Even if the exact nature of the problem has not been diagnosed, pets which clearly exhibit the signs of an underlying health issue will probably be excluded from basic plans.
What pre-existing conditions could disqualify your pet?
It is worth pointing out that not all insurers handle pre-existing conditions in the same way, so when you compare pet insurance plans, be sure to check the small print.
As a rule, most providers will compartmentalize conditions according to whether or not they are curable.
Many illnesses fall into the category of curability, with infections sitting at the top of the list in this regard. So long as an insurer knows that it is possible to treat and eliminate an illness or injury in a short time span, you may still be able to procure coverage.
Those conditions which are incurable are more of a sticking point. Everything from cancer and kidney disease to diabetes and arthritis come under this umbrella term, and will usually disqualify your pet from being insurable. This is because providers know that there will be extensive and ongoing medical costs to cover, which means that it is not financially sensible for them to get involved at this point.
Another point to consider is that your pet may be excluded from insurance eligibility if it has been treated for a particular condition in the past, but has since recovered. This generally applies to things like joints and ligaments, and is known as a bilateral exclusion, because it assumes that if the left side of the body has been affected before, the right side could be next.
What insurance options are available?
Having said all that, it is still possible to get pet insurance when your animal has a pre-existing condition. You just need to shop around, and also be honest and upfront with insurers about the issues that do exist.
Some insurers will provide coverage to pets that have curable illnesses, as mentioned earlier. Others will cover pets that have so-called incurable issues, with the caveat being that the protection will not apply to healthcare related to the issue in question.
It is all about playing the field and finding insurers that tailor their policies to the unique needs of pets, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
What can you expect to pay for pet insurance in this scenario?
Costs vary in any pet insurance scenario, and this is even more relevant when it comes to animals with pre-existing conditions.
If you are able to find a policy for around $20 monthly which includes pre-existing condition coverage, then you should be smiling.
It is also better to be preemptive with how you look after your animal, and aim to deal with health issues sooner rather than later so that they do not develop further.