Bilateral Conditions – Why The Fine Print In Your Pet Insurance Plan Matters

In our series – Why The Fine Print In Your Pet Insurance Plan Matters – we are educating customers on loopholes in their dog insurance or cat insurance plans which could cause disappointment in coverage down the line.

You can download our entire Pet Insurance Guide: Why The Fine Print Matters.

Today’s topic: 
Bilateral Condition Coverage

What is this?

A bilateral condition is a medical issue which can happen on both sides of the body, such as hip and elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament issues, cataracts, luxating patellas and more. In a pet insurance plan you can see policy conditions that exclude bilateral conditions, or group them as one issue.
 

How does this affect you?

If your pet has a condition like the ones listed above on one side prior to the effective period of the pet insurance policy, some insurance companies will bundle this issue with the other side and deem it a pre-existing condition. So, if your pet has already had a cruciate tear on his left knee, the right knee will be deemed pre-existing as well and not eligible for coverage.
 
Also, should you not have any issues prior to your policy, but end up having one once your policy is in effect, some pet insurance companies will only pay for one-side, which leaves you without coverage when the other side has the same condition.
 
Again, this is another area where your wallet can get hit hard. These conditions are highly likely to affect both sides of the body – it is just a matter of time. As we mentioned, surgery for hip dysplasia and cruciates can cost thousands of dollars, so having coverage for bilateral conditions is imperative.  
 

Which Pet Insurance Providers Do Not Cover Bilateral Conditions:
 

• Healthy Paws Pet Insurance
• Embrace Pet Insurance
• Petplan
• Figo Pet Insurance
• Pets Best
• Trupanion

 

Where does PetFirst stand?

PetFirst is proud to be the only pet insurance company to provide coverage for bilateral conditions. 

 

In this series, we deep dive into the other following areas where coverage could be lacking if you have another pet insurance company’s plan:

• Exam or Records Required for Enrollment
• Annual Care Requirements
• Spay/Neuter Clauses
• Enrollment by Specific Age for Hip Dysplasia Coverage
• Exam Fee Coverage
• Holistic/Alternative Therapies
• Vaccinatable Diseases
• Extended Wait Period on Orthopedic Conditions
• Periodontal Disease
• Dermatological Conditions
• Injuries Caused by Housemates
• Aging Ear & Eye Conditions
• Over-Insuring Your Pet
• Medical Prescriptions
• Reimbursement Formula

Now that you’ve done your research on pet healthcare plans, you can see PetFirst provides the most comprehensive, best pet insurance plan for dogs and cats. With no “gotchas” in the fine print, you can rest easy knowing you are able to give your pet the care they need.

How much does pet insurance cost?

In less than 2 minutes, you can get a customized quote for your pet.
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