Which pet insurance kicks in the fastest?
Lemonade. In our review of more than a dozen top pet insurance providers, Lemonade offers the shortest waiting periods. The insurer imposes no waiting period on accident coverage in certain states, offering protection as soon as you enroll your pet and make the first premium payment.
Pet Insurance Companies With the Shortest Waiting Periods
ASPCA, ManyPets, Pumpkin and Spot have no extended waiting periods for specified conditions such as cruciate ligament issues and hip dysplasia.
Most pet insurance providers have no waiting period for covering preventive care. Accident coverage usually kicks in faster than illness coverage. Most pet insurance plans provide both accident and illness coverage in about 14 days (although some plans can take as long as 30 days).
Accident coverage and wellness coverage (for those who select it) begin on the effective date of your policy. Illness coverage begins 14 days later.
What are Embrace's Waiting Periods? All Embrace insurance policies have a 14-day waiting period for illnesses, while accident coverage starts on your policy's effective date, which you'll receive when you sign up.
Is there a waiting period for services? No, there is no waiting period for major services with the exception of a 24-month waiting period for orthodontic services. Only the High Option offers Orthodontia coverage and services are limited to dependent children only up to age 19.
Can I get pet insurance and then use it immediately? No, all pet insurance providers have a waiting period between the policy's effective date and the start of coverage. There may be exceptions for routine care add-ons or emergency-only plans, but these are rare.
This is an amount of time before your plan kicks in when coverage is restricted. Waiting periods can vary between providers. MetLife Pet offers a 0-day waiting period on accidents and our optional preventive care plan, and a 14-day waiting period on illnesses.
You can still get pet insurance even if your pet has a pre-existing condition. If it's a curable pre-existing condition, medical expenses for your pet may be covered as normal.
Does MetLife Pet Insurance start same day?
MetLife Pet Insurance1 provides among the shortest wait periods for accident and illness coverage. Accident coverage and optional Preventive Care coverage begin on the effective date of your policy. Illness coverage begins 14 days later.
Overall, we rated Lemonade Pet Insurance 4.8 out of 5 stars. The company is our top overall pick for pet insurance due to its comprehensive coverage and affordable rates.
Previously called Petplan, the company rebranded to Fetch in 2020. For years, Fetch has offered uniquely comprehensive coverage and perks, making it one of our top recommended pet insurance companies.
A 14-day waiting period applies, starting from the time your application is approved and we receive payment.
Does Healthy Paws have a waiting period? Healthy Paws has a 15-day waiting period for accidents and illnesses. The company will not cover conditions that occur during the waiting period. There is also a 12-month waiting period for hip dysplasia for pets 5 years and younger.
Wagmo Pet Insurance has a 15-day waiting period to file insurance claims related to accidents and illnesses and a 30-day wait for cancer treatments. It has a $100,000 pet lifetime limit in claims and up to $10,000 per incident.
With MetLife's Health Screening Benefit, available with critical illness insurance (CII), you'll receive $50 each year you take one of the covered screenings or tests.
In our MetLife Pet Insurance review, we gave the company a 3.8 out of 5.0 stars. Choosing a pet insurance company can be very difficult because there are so many around today.
MetLife Insurance Denial Reasons
Your medical examinations were insufficient or inadequate. There were problems with your paperwork or documentation. Your medical condition does not qualify as a “covered” disability. Your procedure was elective, not medically necessary.
Younger animals are just as prone to accidents as older ones, and there are lots of illnesses that can affect them, too. This is why it is important to get your pet insured straight away.
Is pumpkin good insurance?
Pumpkin makes good on its promise to provide comprehensive care, offering pet insurance at a 90% reimbursem*nt rate to all pets regardless of age. Although one of the more expensive pet insurance options, Pumpkin offers above-average coverage.
This usually includes an exam by the veterinarian and a review of records of the dog's health.
Like most insurance types, the best pet insurance rates and terms are generally reserved for younger, healthier applicants. If you want to pay as little as possible for as much coverage as possible, you should apply when your pet is still young. Every birthday that passes will make a pet insurance plan more expensive.
| Lemonade | AKC | |
|---|---|---|
| Average Claim Turnaround Time | 12–18 days | 5 days |
| Illness Waiting Period | 14 days | 14 days |
| Injury Waiting Period | 2 days | 2 days |
| Exam Coverage | Add-on | Add-on |
| Company | Monthly Cost | Star Rating |
|---|---|---|
| MetLife Pet Insurance EXPLORE PLANS | $25-$40 | 4.9 |
| Our Top Pick Lemonade EXPLORE PLANS | $15-$30 | 4.8 |
| Spot Pet Insurance EXPLORE PLANS | $34-$75 | 4.5 |
| Embrace EXPLORE PLANS | $39-$73 | 4.7 |
