What is a waiting period?
And how long does a waiting period last?
So you’ve signed up for Fetch Pet Insurance. That’s just a first step in a series of smart decisions to ensure your pet’s health is always taken care of. Now there’s a waiting period, of up to 15 days, before you can submit claims for some conditions.
Unsure of what a waiting period is? It’s a standard practice amongst most pet insurance companies — here’s what you need to know.
What is an insurance waiting period?
The waiting period starts on the effective date of your pet’s policy — during this time, some of your coverage hasn’t kicked in yet. Here are some important things to consider about the waiting period, including:
- We cover conditions that occur after the waiting period of up to 15 days.
- Any claims you submit during the waiting period will not be covered.
- Depending on your policy, applicable accidents, injuries or illnesses that occur during the waiting period will be considered a pre-existing condition, which means they won’t be eligible for coverage (keep reading to see what we cover).
Once the waiting period is over, we’ll cover up to 90% of your cat or dog’s medical expenses. And we’re the most comprehensive pet insurance provider, meaning we’ll pay you back for several health instances. Here’s some of what we cover:
- Prescription medications and supplements
- Emergency vet visits
- Virtual, in-home and office visits
- Hospital stays
- Physical therapy
- Allergies
- Surgery
- X-rays and CT scans
- Ultrasounds
- Blood tests
- Breed-specific issues, including hip dysplasia
- Specialists
- Sick-visit exam fees
- Laboratory tests
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Hereditary and congenital issues
- Swallowed objects and toxins
- Every tooth covered (and gum disease)
- Diabetes and insulin
- Cancer treatment
- Veterinary acupuncture and chiropractic care
- Treatment to help aggression and separation anxiety
RELATED: What does pet insurance cover?
How does pet insurance work?
If your waiting period is over and you need a little refresher on how pet insurance works, feel confident knowing that with Fetch, it’s straightforward. Here’s how to get paid back:
Step one: Visit any licensed vet in the U.S. or Canada.
Step two: Submit a claim on our app or website by taking a photo of your vet documents. We’ll handle it from there.
Step three: Get paid back for your covered claims! You can receive up to 90% of your vet expenses back and get paid back quicker if you use direct deposit.
We understand wanting to cover your pet’s medical expenses as soon as possible. That’s why it’s a good idea to sign up for pet insurance while your pet is young or right after you first welcome them home.
Save up to 90% on unexpected vet bills
Use any veterinarian in Canada or the U.S.
Rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot
The most comprehensive pet insurance
Photo by Bianca Ackermann on Unsplash
The Dig, Fetch Pet Insurance's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
