Best pet insurance companies to cover pets with curable pre-existing conditions (2024)

Pet insurance typically excludes health issues your pet has been diagnosed with before purchasing your policy and completing the waiting period. These are considered pre-existing conditions, and your coverage won't apply to these conditions.

However, some pet insurance companies distinguish between curable and incurable conditions, covering pre-existing conditions that have been cured for a certain amount of time, such as broken bones or respiratory infections.

Here, CNBC Select reviews the best pet insurance companies for covering curable pre-existing conditions and the terms of their coverages, such as waiting periods and deductibles. (See our methodology for more information on how we made this list.)

Who's this for? Spot is a top choice for many pet owners thanks to its flexible policies and variety of coverage options. A comprehensive preventative care option can cover dental treatments, behavioral issues and more. Plus, Spot has no maximum age limit for coverage, so even older pets can get coverage.

Pre-existing condition policy: The insurer's site states that while Spot doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, it may cover "injury or illness that is curable, cured and free of treatment and symptoms for 180 days" (except knee and ligament conditions). Many other pet insurers we reviewed require a 12-month waiting period for curable pre-existing conditions.

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Who's this for? Pumpkin Pet Insurance stands out for those wanting a high reimbursem*nt rate on their pet insurance policy as all policies from the brand offer 90% cash back on covered vet bills.

Pre-existing condition policy: Pumpkin has a 180-day waiting period for curable pre-existing conditions. If your pet faces a curable condition, is cured and treated and is symptom-free for 180 days, the condition could be covered if it presents itself in the future. However, knee and hind leg ligament conditions are excluded.

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Who's this for? ASPCA's Pet Health Insurance isn't one-size-fits-all — it offers the ability to customize your policy's maximum annual coverage limits, reimbursem*nt limits and deductibles, which could help you adjust the monthly cost of your coverage.

Pre-existing condition policy: With ASPCA, conditions are no longer considered pre-existing if the pet is cured and symptom-free for 180 days, with an exception for knee and ligament conditions.

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Who's this for? Lemonade combines affordability and convenience for pet owners. It offers relatively low monthly premiums and the opportunity to bundle and save up to 10% with renters, homeowners or car insurance. An easy-to-navigate app and online interface make it quick and easy to file claims or manage coverage.

Pre-existing condition policy: Lemonade states that conditions cured for 12 months may be considered eligible for coverage.

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Who's this for? Figo Pet Insurance is ideal if you're looking to cover your pets on a budget. The company offers a 5% discount for those insuring multiple pets. Costco members can save more with a 15% discount, and Costco Executive members can waive a $15 enrollment fee.

Pre-existing condition policy: Figo's pet insurance can cover conditions cured for 12 months.

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Who's this for? A big insurer like Nationwide is ideal if you want to have all your coverage with one company. Nationwide's pet insurance coverage also stands out for those with exotic pets, including birds, reptiles and small mammals, as it is one of the few insurers that will cover pets outside of cats and dogs.

Pre-existing condition policy: Nationwide covers curable illnesses after six months symptom-free.

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Spot's Pet Insurance boasts strong coverage with strong customer reviews according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). With nationwide availability, no upper age limits for coverage and numerous coverage options, many pet owners can find coverage in their budget.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is eight weeks; no maximum age limit

Type of pets covered

Dogs and cats

Policies offered

Accident and illness, accident only and preventative care options

Waiting period

14-day waiting period for all coverage

Notable perks

Spot offers generous coverage options, including coverage for prescription medications, alternative therapies and vet exam fees. Other perks include access to a 24/7 veterinary helpline and a 10% discount for insuring multiple pets.

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Pumpkin Pet Insurance includes many things that other pet insurance companies charge extra for, like prescription food for covered conditions, alternative therapies, microchip implantation and even behavioral issues. The insurer also has no upper age limits or breed exclusions.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is eight weeks; no maximum age limit

Type of pets covered

Dogs and cats

Policies offered

Accident and illness and preventative care options

Waiting period

14-day waiting period for all coverage

Notable perks

All of Pumpkin's policies feature a 90% reimbursem*nt level to help you get the most back from your covered vet visits and other expenses. Plus, you can get a 10% multi-pet discount for each additional pet you enroll.

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ASPCA's Pet Health Insurance is offered through PTZ Insurance Agency, Ltd., and has a long history of covering pets. It offers a variety of annual limits, reimbursem*nt rates and deductibles, making it easy to customize coverage.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is eight weeks; no maximum age limit

Type of pets covered

Dogs, cats and horses

Policies offered

Accident-only, accident and illness, preventative care

Waiting period

No waiting period for preventative care and a 14-day waiting period for accident and illness coverage.

Notable perks

ASPCA offers some of the most comprehensive plans on the market, covering typical accidents and injuries, as well as less common hereditary, congenital and breed-specific conditions. You can take advantage of a 30-day money-back guarantee if no pet insurance claims are filed and receive a 10% discount when insuring multiple pets.

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A relative newcomer to the insurance space, Lemonade prioritizes an online-first experience. In addition to pet insurance, it offers renters insurance, homeowners insurance, car insurance and more.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is two months; pets must be under age 14 to qualify for new coverage

Type of pets covered

Dogs and cats

Policies offered

Accident and illness, preventative care

Waiting period

No waiting period for preventative care, two days for accidents, 14-day waiting period for illness coverage, 30 day waiting period for orthopedic conditions, and six month for cruciate ligament coverage. Can vary by state.

Notable perks

Lemonade's user-friendly app makes it relatively quick and easy to get reimbursed for your pet's expenses.

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Underwritten byIndependence American Insurance Company, Figo offers flexible pet insurance policies that combine convenience with affordability.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is eight weeks old; no upper age limits

Type of pets covered

Dogs and cats

Policies offered

Accident and illness, preventative care

Waiting period

Waiting periods vary by state

Notable perks

Figo offers discounts for Costco members. And, quick average claims coupled with an easy-to-use app make filing claims simple.

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With nearly 100 years in the insurance space and over 40 years of providing pet insurance specifically, Nationwide is one of the more established insurance providers on the market. It stands out for offering coverage for exotic pets, which many competitors don't cover.

Age limits

The minimum enrollment age is eight weeks old; enrollment in illness coverage limits to dogs and cats 8 years old or younger.

Type of pets covered

Dogs, cats and exotic pets

Policies offered

Accident and illness, preventative care

Waiting period

Typically 14 days after application approval

Notable perks

Nationwide's pet insurance coverage can include things like prescription food. And, you can make getting prescriptions for your pet a breeze since Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacies offer preferred pricing and can also submit claims automatically on your behalf.

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Diseases and illnesses your pet will always have, called incurable pre-existing conditions, generally aren't covered if developed before you buy the policy and the waiting period ends. This can include things like kidney disease and diabetes, among other issues. If your pet develops these while they're insured, however, they could be covered. It's one of the reasons that it makes sense to get coverage for your pet when they're young and healthy, along with the fact that the cost tends to be lower.

Some policies will cover a condition your pet has faced after being cured for a certain period, generally between 6 and 12 months, called a curable condition. Temporary illnesses like a broken bone or an upper respiratory infection may be eligible for coverage on a pet insurance policy if the pet insurance company considers it a curable condition and the condition has cleared up.

There's no list of what every pet insurance company considers curable versus incurable — the exact list of conditions that insurers will cover varies by company. If your pet has had medical conditions in the past, you'll want to have a good idea of what your policy will cover and what it won't. Be sure to read your pet's policy closely and ask questions before you buy if you're unsure about coverage.

Pet insurance won't cover chronic illnesses and diseases your pet has before enrolling them. However, it might cover small, treatable issues your pet has faced if they've been cured and treatment-free for a certain timeframe. Make sure to read your policy carefully to understand what conditions are covered, and when a condition can be considered curable, as criteria can vary by company.

If you're worried about a pre-existing condition not being covered, it might be worth creating a separate emergency fund to cover your pet's expenses — a high-yield savings account can be an excellent way to keep that fund growing. Saving each month can give you peace of mind if and when your pet does need care.

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To determine the best pet insurance companies, CNBC Select analyzed dozens of pet insurance companies and compared them based on various factors.

To rank them, we looked at data points including the types of policies available, choices of deductibles, reimbursem*nt levels, annual coverage limits, waiting periods, and customer reviews from Better Business Bureau data. We also considered the language regarding pre-existing conditions and the length of the period a policy required to be considered a cured pre-existing condition.

From there, we sorted our recommendations by the best for preventative care, best for high reimbursem*nt rate, best for flexibility, best for quick claims, best for affordability and best from a large insurer.

Note that the premiums and policy structures advertised for pet insurance companies are subject to fluctuate in accordance with the company's policies.

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