What are Paw Protect’s waiting periods?
There is a two-week illness waiting period which begins on your policies’ effective date. Orthopedic conditions have additional waiting or exclusion periods that vary by state.
The waiting period will start on the same date as your policy. Any medical conditions that occur during the waiting period may be counted as a pre-existing condition and excluded from your coverage. This is to discourage pet parents from taking out a policy when their pet has a known condition and making an immediate claim, which increases premiums for everyone. Pet insurance coverage is meant for unexpected sickness and accidents.
How does a waiting period work with Paw Protect?
The waiting period starts at the same time as your policy, which will be the day after you purchase your plan at 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time (EST).
For example, if you purchase a policy on January 1 before 11:59 pm EST, it becomes effective on January 2.
There is a two-week illness waiting period which begins on your policies’ effective date. Orthopedic conditions have additional waiting or exclusion periods that vary by state.
Can I make a claim during the waiting period?
Unfortunately not, as waiting periods by definition are the time you have to wait before making a claim. Even if your pet develops symptoms or an unforeseeable emergency during this time, you will not be covered.
Mandatory vet visit
Your pet must have been seen by a licensed vet in the past 12 months as part of your policy terms and conditions. You will also need to have access to your pet’s exam record. If your pet hasn’t seen a vet in this time frame, you are required to visit your veterinarian within the first 14 days of your pet’s policy before coverage begins. You will need to provide proof of this exam when making a claim and it will need to contain medical findings so spay/neuter or vaccine clinics may not qualify. Please contact us with any questions you may have.