What Is a Waiting Period for Pet Insurance?

A waiting period is the time between when your pet insurance policy begins and when coverage becomes active—typically 2 to 15 days, depending on the type of condition.
Source: BestPetPlanGuide.com

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Pet insurance is designed to protect against future risks, not existing ones. That’s why every provider includes a waiting period to prevent people from enrolling only after their pet becomes sick or injured.

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Typical waiting periods:

• Accidents: 1 to 3 days

• Illnesses: 14 to 30 days

• Orthopedic conditions: Up to 6 months (often waiveable with a vet exam)

 

No claims are covered during this time—even if the issue begins just a few hours into the waiting period. That's why it's critical to enroll before your pet shows any signs of illness or gets hurt.

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Some insurers offer shorter waiting periods as a competitive advantage, but they may offset that with higher premiums or stricter exclusions. Other companies allow vet evaluations to waive orthopedic waiting periods for certain breeds.

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Keep in mind that each condition has its own start date. If your pet experiences an accident on day 2, it might be covered—but an illness wouldn’t be eligible until after the longer illness waiting period ends.