Extended Wait On Orthopedic 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: 
Extended Wait on Orthopedic Conditions

What is this?

Orthopedic conditions in dogs and cats are hip and elbow dysplasia, patella luxations, fractures, tendon or ligament injuries and osteoarthritis to name a few. There are insurance providers that have an additional wait on specific orthopedic issues, or on all orthopedic conditions altogether.
 

How does this affect you?

Providing your pet comprehensive coverage for issues that may arise is the main reason pet parents seek out pet health insurance for their beloved dog or cat. Not having coverage for orthopedic pet conditions is problematic – especially if your pet has an injury such as a broken bone, luxating patella and hip/elbow dysplasia. These can be expensive procedures and will not be reimbursable if you pet doesn’t have a policy that covers these conditions during an extended wait period.
 
Average Vet Bills for Orthopedic Conditions:

Fracture:                        $719.65
Patella Luxation:             $523.46
Hip Dysplasia:                $509.19
Osteoarthritis:                $201.01
 
Though, that is an average, there are some outliers with extremely high bills for treating these issues. Below demonstrates the highest vet bills for orthopedic conditions from PetFirst pet parents last year:

Fracture:                        $10,336.10
Patella Luxation:             $3,378.67
Hip Dysplasia:                $6,000.00
Osteoarthritis:                $894.63
 

Which Pet Insurance Companies Have Extended Waits on Orthopedic Conditions:
 

• Embrace Pet Insurance
• ASPCA Pet Health Insurance

 

Where does PetFirst stand?

PetFirst has the shortest standard waiting period in the industry (accident coverage begins at midnight EST following enrollment, and illness coverage begins 14 days later), and coverage for orthopedic conditions is no different. With PetFirst having accident coverage beginning the next day, there is no need to worry about broken bones, and illnesses like hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis are covered 14-days after enrollment. 

 

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
• Bilateral Conditions
• Holistic/Alternative Therapies
• Vaccinatable Diseases
• 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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