Pet insurance with no waiting periods

Waiting periods for pet insurance

Waiting periods vary depending on the ailment and the provider offering pet insurance. Generally cover for accidents have a waiting period of either zero days or just a couple of days, while illnesses have waiting periods from a couple of weeks to about 6 months.

Below is an outline of how long you will likely have to wait for specific conditions and illnesses.

Typical waiting periods for pet insurance

Accidents: 0 days

Generally, accidents have no waiting period but in some cases, you may have to wait a day or two. Typically, accidents you can claim for include:

• A motor vehicle incident
• A burn or electrocution
• Allergic reaction to insect or spider bite excluding flea bites
• A traumatic ligament or tendon injury other than cruciate ligament condition

• Snake bite toxicity
• A bone fracture
• Bite wound or fight wound abscesses
• Lacerations or abrasion of tissue, skin or mucous membrane due to external violence

Routine care and illnesses: 14 - 30 days

Routine treatments and most illnesses usually come with a 14-30 day waiting period. These treatments might include:

• Eye trauma
• Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)
• Heat stroke
• Ingestion of foreign object
• Poisoning
• Soft tissue injury

• Tick paralysis
• Torn nail
• Trauma-induced respiratory impairment
• Traumatic spinal disc rupture

Specified conditions: 6 months

Most pet insurance policies have a 6 month waiting period for certain serious conditions. These can include:

• Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)
• Cherry eye
• Cruciate ligament condition
• Ectropion
• Elbow dysplasia

• Entropion
• Hip dysplasia
• Intervertebral disc disease
• Lumps
• Osteochondritis dissecans
• Patella luxation

Our expert says

"If you're in a sticky situation where your pet needs help but you don't have insurance, or your insurance hasn't come into effect yet, talk to your vet about a payment plan. Given treatments are often quite expensive, many vets offer payment plans that allow you to get access to the treatment or surgery and pay for it later. It'll likely come with interest fees so be sure to understand what you're getting into before you sign the dotted line."

Peta Taylor

Publisher of Insurance

Does switching policies reset waiting periods?

It's common to take out one pet insurance policy when your dog or cat is young and switch to a different policy when your pet gets older. This can save you money, but it will generally reset your waiting periods. It might still be worth it, depending on your situation. You might be able to negotiate it with a new insurance provider, but you'll need to give them a call first.

If you upgrade your policy with the same company, for example, from accident and illness cover to comprehensive, you may still have to re-serve the waiting periods, depending on your provider and what you're being covered for. Your best bet is to call them and chat through your options.

FAQs

• What is a waiting period in pet insurance?

  The waiting period is the time between when you take out your insurance policy and when it comes into effect. If you take out pet insurance the day before a vet visit to investigate an illness, you won't be able to claim a benefit for that visit.

• Why do pet insurance policies have waiting periods?

  Pet insurers impose waiting periods to prevent fraudulent claims and minimise risk to the insurer. Having waiting periods for illnesses and conditions also helps to manage costs and keep premiums fair for policy holders.

• How long will I have to wait until my pet is insured?

  Conditions covered under illness and tick paralysis and routine treatments usually come with a 30-day waiting period. For cruciate ligament conditions, you usually have to wait 6 months, although some providers will offer a form for waiving or shortening this. For accidents, there's often no waiting period but you'll need to check with your insurance provider.

• What happens if my pet gets sick during the waiting period?

  You can seek treatment for any illness outlined in your insurance policy, but it won't be covered until after the waiting period has been served.

• Can I get pet insurance for a pre-existing condition?

  Generally, no. Pet insurance doesn't usually cover pre-existing conditions. In some cases, however, your pet can get covered for an ailment if your vet can advise that your pet is now fully cured. For ongoing pre-existing conditions though, you'll struggle to find cover.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Journalist

Gary Ross Hunter has over 6 years of expertise writing about insurance, including life, health, home, and car insurance. Having reviewed hundreds of product disclosure statements and published over 800 articles, he loves simplifying complex insurance topics for everyday readers. Gary has contributed to major outlets like Yahoo Finance, The Sydney Morning Herald, and news.com.au, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Literature from the University of Glasgow, along with a Tier 2 General Advice certification, ensuring his work adheres to ASIC’s RG146 standards. See full bio

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Gary Ross has written 589 Finder guides across topics including:

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Co-written by

Tim Bennett

Insurance expert

A seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in news, politics and finance reporting, Tim has previously held roles at the ABC, SBS and Fairfax Media. Tim’s expert insights have been quoted in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail and more. He regularly appears on TV and radio, and has been interviewed on 7 News, Sunrise, SBS News, ABC Local, 3AW and 5AA. Tim is passionate about simplifying complex insurance topics for Australian consumers. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Politics) from Macquarie University and a Tier 1 General Insurance (General Advice) certification, which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). If you’re interested in a media interview with Tim, please reach out to our PR team at aupr@finder.com. See full bio

Tim's expertise

Tim has written 158 Finder guides across topics including:

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