How Does Your Pet Insurance Company Handle Renewable Benefits?

There are a lot of things to consider when you are trying to decide what pet insurance company to go with from the coverage available to the cost. Beyond the obvious things like the premiums that you will be charged and what is covered is how conditions that have been treated during your policy term are handled. It is very important for the health and safety of your pet that you question your insurance company about renewable benefits.

An easy definition of renewable benefits would be the benefits that are considered upon the renewal of your pet insurance policy. This may seem like an obvious definition and something that doesn't seem very important, but it can have a major effect on your pet's policy. One major thing will change how your pet is covered upon renewal and that is your pet insurance company's stance on pre-existing conditions. In short, is something that happened in your last policy term considered pre-existing upon renewal of the policy?

For example, let us say that Fido, your prized boxer pup contracted a nasty bladder infection three months ago and your policy has come up for annual renewal. You receive a letter from your pet insurance company informing you that this condition is now considered pre-existing and will not be covered. This is common, but not standard, with pet insurance companies. It is a way to save money for the insurance company, while hanging you out to dry.

Some pet insurance companies will consider a situation like the bladder infection to be curable and will only exclude it for the renewed period, usually six or 12 months. Once that period of time is over and your pet has not had another bladder infection the exclusion will usually be removed. However, some pet insurance companies will not consider the bladder infection for coverage at any point during your pet's existence again. It is important to know how these exclusions work.

When you are enrolling or applying for pet insurance coverage with any company in particular you should ask very clearly about how they treat renewable benefits. Any company that excludes them should be considered as one of the outsiders to receive your pet's policy. Excluding this type of coverage could cost you a lot of money and your pet a lot of comfort. Don't cause your pet to have to suffer so that your pet insurance policy will be a couple of dollars cheaper every month.