Pre-Existing Conditions Pet Insurance

It can be stressful and expensive if your pet has a recurring illness or condition that needs regular treatment at the vet. And finding suitable pet insurance in this instance is also likely to be tricky.

While the majority of insurers won’t cover pre-existing conditions as part of their standard pet insurance offering, specialist providers can sometimes offer limited cover, depending on the circumstances.

Our guide explores pet insurance with pre-existing conditions, what to expect from the cover, and how to find the right policy for your needs.

What is a pre-existing condition?

Insurers define a pre-existing condition as any symptom, illness or injury your pet has had or experienced prior to taking out insurance cover. This includes injuries and conditions they’ve had in the past, even though they may not be causing your pet any issues at the time you take out pet insurance – or even for many years previously.

With some insurers the definition may extend to any conditions or issues that are caused by, or closely related to, a pre-existing condition.

It also includes chronic and lifelong conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, epilepsy, and kidney disease.

Providers have their own rules about how long your pet needs to have been free of any symptoms or issues associated with the pre-existing condition before that specific condition can be covered under standard pet insurance. This might be a minimum of two years, for example, but it could be longer.

In many cases however, insurers won’t ever include or cover a pet’s pre-existing conditions.

What is pre-existing condition pet insurance?

Pet insurance for pre-existing conditions is offered by a handful of specialist insurers and can, in some cases, cover the cost of vet fees arising due to your pet’s existing or previous injuries and illnesses, although the cover will be subject to significant restrictions.

For this reason cover for pre-existing conditions is likely to be fairly limited. It may also only be included if the treatment is due to a worsening of the condition, for example.

Cover for ongoing treatment, repeat prescriptions and check-up scans, for example, is unlikely to ever be covered.

Can I get pet insurance for an animal with pre-existing conditions?

It may be possible to get some limited cover for your pet’s pre-existing conditions, depending on the condition and its severity, with a specialist pet policy. You may need to speak to an insurance broker to find out what cover could be available in your circumstances.

*National survey of 2,000 people, conducted by Opinium on behalf of Forbes Advisor between 10-13 January 2023

Standard pet insurance won’t cover your pet’s pre-existing conditions. They will always be excluded. Although some standard policies will cover a pre-existing condition (subject to specific terms) if your pet has had no symptoms or issues for at least two years.

What pre-existing conditions could be covered?

Different providers take their own stance on what they will and won’t cover. Check the policy wording to ensure you know exactly what cover you have – as well as limits and exclusions.

It may be possible to get limited cover for the following types of pre-existing conditions:

• chronic conditions: generally speaking these will be long-term or lifelong illnesses, often with no chance of cure. The pet will usually need treatment for the rest of its life. Conditions include diabetes and epilepsy, for example
• historic conditions: illnesses or injuries which your pet has suffered from in the past. This may lead to recurring problems or flare ups, or in some cases there may be no further issues
• hereditary and congenital conditions: this refers to illnesses or conditions which have been passed down through your pet’s family and could be related to the breed. This can often be an issue for pedigree animals
• bi-lateral conditions: this relates to conditions affecting both sides of the animal’s body, including hip dysplasia, for example.

How much does pre-existing conditions pet insurance cost?

Pet insurance that includes some level of cover for pre-existing conditions is likely to be expensive.

The premium you’ll pay will depend on a range of factors including:

• the age of your pet – older pets cost more to insure due to the higher risk of medical claims
• the nature and severity of the pre-existing conditions
• where you live in the country – vet bills will vary widely depending on location, with London and the south east of England likely to be the most expensive
• the excess you’re willing to pay: the excess is the part of a claim which policyholders must cover. On standard pet insurance policies this might be £150 to £300, for example. But for specialist cover, including cover for pre-existing conditions you may have to accept a much higher excess, particularly for vet bills
• the level of insurance cover you want – higher levels of cover will cost more. There are likely to be restrictions and limits on claims relating to any pre-existing conditions.

How can I search for pre-existing conditions pet cover?

Shopping around can help you find and compare pet policies. If your pet has pre-existing conditions you may need to speak directly to individual insurers to find out what their policy might be in your case, and to get an idea of costs.

Your vet may be able to help you find insurers that can offer cover for your pet’s particular situation.

An independent professional insurance broker should also be able to help you sift through relevant providers to find cover that suits your needs, and potentially one that can offer cover for pre-existing conditions, where possible.

When comparing policies to narrow down your options, it is important to look carefully at the following features of the cover:

• the excess: this is the part of any insurance claim which policyholders have to pay. For older pets there may also be a co-payment required on top. For example, you may be asked to pay around 20% of the remaining vet bill, over and above the policy excess amount
• cover limits and restrictions: if an insurer can cover your pet’s pre-existing condition, even in a limited way, ensure you understand the terms and conditions of this cover.

Do I need to tell the insurer about my pet’s illnesses?

It is extremely important to be open and honest with your insurer about all of your pet’s conditions and its medical history. Failure to disclose this information could mean any claims under the cover are rejected and your policy is likely to be cancelled. This can also affect your ability to get insurance cover elsewhere.

Will new conditions be covered under my pet policy?

Any new conditions, which your pet had not suffered from before taking out the cover, should be covered under your insurance.

The details of the cover and any time or cost limits will depend on the specific policy. If you have lifetime pet insurance any new conditions will continue to be covered, typically with the annual cover limit renewing each year.

However, if you have a maximum benefit or time limited pet insurance plan, the new condition will only be covered up until you reach the limits set out in your policy (this could be a 12 month limit, for example, or a monetary limit, such as up to £2,000).

After the cover limit is reached you will no longer have any cover for that particular condition.

Can I switch insurers if my pet has pre-existing conditions?

Once your pet has a pre-existing condition, switching to a new insurer usually means you won’t get cover for that specific condition.

If you have a lifetime pet policy, it probably won’t make sense to switch because these policies will continue to cover conditions for life, with annual limits renewing each year.

Bear in mind if you need to switch policies your premium is likely to rise if you’ve had a claim in the past.

Alternatives to pre-existing conditions pet insurance

If you find pet insurance with pre-existing conditions is too expensive, or you can’t find the right cover, this means you’ll have to pay for the cost of treatment yourself.

Putting money aside into a separate savings account each month could be one way to try to build up a pot of money towards these costs.

If you can’t get insurance for a pre-existing condition and the ongoing vet bills are becoming unaffordable, speak to an animal charity to see if it can help.

Blue Cross and PDSA, for example, can offer advice and support, although they will have criteria (means tested) around eligibility for financial help in these circumstances.