What's Not Covered Under Our Pet Insurance Plans

Current customers: Due to recent plan changes, the below details may not reflect your policy. Please download a copy of your policy through your Customer Account

Like every pet insurance plan, our plans have some exclusions in order to keep prices affordable. We provide this information so you can fully prepare for your pets’ veterinary needs.

Pre-existing conditions
Any illness or injury that begins before your policy is effective, or during your waiting period, will be considered “pre-existing”. Some conditions, like broken legs or kennel cough, heal or are curable and require no further treatment. Once healed or cured, these are not considered pre-existing conditions.

Congenital conditions are present at birth and are therefore considered pre-existing. The most common examples of congenital conditions include patellar luxation, umbilical hernia, elongated soft palate and portosystemic shunt.

Preventable conditions
Conditions that occur from an absence of an available vaccine are not covered.  However, if your dog is vaccinated for kennel cough but still develops kennel cough, it will be covered.

Elective and preventive procedures
Examples: tail docking, ear cropping, nail trimming, feline declawing, dewclaw removal. Limited coverage for vaccines and preventive care is available with our optional BestWellness™ plan.

Non-veterinary expenses, food, special diets, vitamins and supplements
Examples of non-veterinary expenses: taxes, administration fees, waste disposal fees, transportation fees, shipping and handling fees, bathing, grooming, and any service not performed under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian.

Breeding and reproduction expenses

Herbal, holistic, experimental and alternative therapies and medications
Chiropractic care, acupuncture, cold laser therapy, physical therapy and hydrotherapy are not considered alternative therapies and are covered.

Parasites
Testing, treatment and prevention of parasites are not included Limited coverage for parasite testing and prevention is available with our optional BestWellness™ plan. Examples of parasites: fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, whipworms, hookworms, tapeworms, giardia, coccidia, ear mites or scabies.

Prescription drugs not included in our list of covered medications. (67.8 kb PDF)

Conditions caused by a specific and repetitive activity that causes damage
For example, if your pet has had a foreign body ingestion or sustained bite wounds two or more times within the past 18 months, it will not be covered.

Conditions caused by racing, coursing, commercial guarding, organized fighting, or intentional injury to your pet by a member of your household.

Any treatment of, or utilizing, a cloned animal

Coverage in Some Cases

Hip dysplasia and certain hereditary conditions
Pets Best Insurance considers hip dysplasia and a short list of other conditions to be hereditary. Coverage for these specific hereditary conditions is included for pets enrolled before age 2, otherwise they are excluded from coverage. To learn what is considered hereditary, please view our short list of hereditary conditions. Many genetic conditions such as intervertebral disc disease, cherry eye, dialated cardiomyopathy, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, epilepsy in most breeds and collapsing trachea, are not considered hereditary or congenital conditions and are covered.

Cruciate ligament injuries
Cruciate ligament injuries are covered after the first 12 months of your policy. We do not consider cruciate injuries to be bilateral if the injury to each ligament occurs and is treated at different times. This means that if you pet has a pre-existing left cruciate injury then tears her right cruciate ligament 12 months or more into the policy, the right cruciate ligament injury is covered.

Note for Illinois Residents: Policies include a limited reimbursement for cruciate injuries that occur after the 14-day waiting period and during the first six months of the policy. Regular benefits apply to cruciate injuries that develop thereafter.

Dental care
When damage has been caused by an accident, stomatitis, pulpitis, or resorptive lesions, extractions and reconstruction of upper and lower canine teeth are covered. Routine teeth cleanings and dental treatments for gingivitis and progressive periodontal disease are not covered. Limited coverage for routine teeth cleaning is available with our optional BestWellness™ plan.

Mortality expenses
Covered mortality expenses include euthanasia and cremation.

Coverage Only with BestWellness™ Added to Your Plan for $22/Month

Routine care
Our BestWellness benefit helps pay for wellness exams, vaccines, spays and neuters, dental cleanings, routine diagnostics and more. You can add BestWellness for $22 per month at the time of purchase or upon annual renewal.

Dental cleanings
BestWellness reimburses up to $100 each year for teeth cleaning, and there’s no deductible to meet.

Fleas, ticks and heartworm
BestWellness helps pay for the testing and prevention of fleas, ticks and heartworm.

Accident Only Plan Exclusions

Cancer Only Plan Exclusions