Waiting periods, or exclusion periods, determine how long you must wait after purchasing a policy before certain conditions or treatments are covered by insurance. These can vary depending on your state. See below for a summary, but as always check your specific Terms and Conditions for details.

Mississippi, Utah, Nebraska, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Delaware

Additionally, there is a specific exclusion for dogs regarding orthopedic conditions. The following conditions that occur before the end of the illness waiting period or for 6 months from the policy's effective date are excluded from coverage:

This means that if your pet is diagnosed with any of these orthopedic conditions within the first 6 months of the policy, they would not be covered for these particular issues for the life of the policy. However, other orthopedic conditions and general illnesses would still have a 14-day waiting period.

Washington

Additionally, there is a specific exclusion for dogs regarding orthopedic conditions. The following conditions have a longer waiting period of 30 days from the policy's effective date:

This means pet owners must wait for 30 days from the policy's effective date before these conditions become eligible for coverage. General illnesses and other orthopedic conditions maintain the standard 14-day waiting period.

All Other States

For all remaining states, not specifically listed, there the following waiting periods apply:

Note: Waiting periods for orthopedic conditions can be reduced to 14 days in all states, following the Orthopedic Waiver process.