One of the main purposes of pet insurance is to cover vet's bills when something goes wrong, but with new products now available, you no longer have to stick with the same insurer once they've paid out for a claim.
What is a pre-existing condition?
For any condition to be classified as pre-existing, your pet must have first showed signs of the condition before you purchased the insurance cover. You may find as in other insurance products, providers have their own definitions of pre-existing conditions, so as we always recommend, it's best to ask the question or review the policy documentation if you are unsure about anything. It can get complicated as some insurers may reject any new conditions if it is in any way linked to the pre-existing, caused by, results from or closely related to the condition.
Do you have to declare your pet's condition?
The simple answer is yes, you won’t be be able to claim for any pre-existing condition that you haven’t declared as it’ll just get rejected and deemed a ‘misrepresentation of risk’. An insurance term for not telling the truth or complete truth. You may also find yourself without insurance as the insurance provider cancels the policy due to this misrepresentation. If this happens, it is likely to have an impact on your ability to get future quotes and the premiums you get quoted. It’s stressful enough when a pet is suffering, let alone if you then have to worry about picking up the vet bill.
Can I get pet insurance if they suffer from a pre-existing condition?
There are insurers out there that cover pre-existing conditions, but this may come with conditions such as a pets age and a length of time may need to have passed before the policy can start. Although most insurance providers may not cover pre-existing conditions, you may be given the option of insuring the pet but the pre-existing condition or conditions will be excluded from cover. For example, if your dog already suffers from Glaucoma, the provider may remove cover for medical care relating to Glaucoma.
Things to be careful of
If you already have pet insurance that has paid out for your pet's medical condition, make sure you get quotations elsewhere before you cancel your policy or lapse your renewal as you may find it hard to get cover elsewhere due to the pre existing conditions.
