Every pet insurance company has limitations and exclusions, but you'll find that most won't come right out and tell you what they are.
To help you make an informed decision, we're listing ours here. If this list doesn't answer your questions, please e-mail Pets Best Customer Service, or phone us at 1-877-738-7237. You can also download and read our entire policy online.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Coverage on your policy becomes effective 3-days after the enrollment date for accidents and 14-days after the enrollment date for illness and wellness coverage. If your pet develops an illness or has an accident or injury before your policy becomes effective, it’s a pre-existing condition whether or not your pet was previously diagnosed or manifested any symptoms.
Sometimes illnesses develop several months before your pet manifests any symptoms. By purchasing insurance for your pets when they are young and healthy will help to ensure that coverage is effective before accidents happen and illnesses develop.
Some conditions—like broken legs, ear infections and bladder infections—heal and require no further treatment. Those conditions are no longer considered pre-existing once they are cured.
If a pet has a serious on-going pre-existing condition (e.g., diabetes, Addison’s disease) we cannot issue full health coverage. We are happy to provide accident coverage to pets with serious on-going health conditions. Please contact one of our pet insurance experts at 866-929-3807 to find out more about our accident coverage.
Hereditary Conditions if Pet Enrolled after Second Birthday
- Hereditary conditions are not excluded, but benefits are limited.
- Click the following link to see a list of conditions that have limited coverage.
- Unlike other pet insurance companies, only the items on this list are considered hereditary and are subject to the limited coverage reimbursement amount.
Limited coverage for hereditary conditions is included depending on when you purchased your policy. Pets enrolled for coverage before their second birthday will receive limited benefits for hereditary conditions. Click on the link to see a
list of conditions that have limited coverage and the
limited coverage reimbursement amount.
Depending on when your policy was purchased, coverage for hereditary conditions are excluded if the pet was enrolled for coverage after its second birthday. Click on the link to see a list of hereditary conditions. Only the items on this list are considered hereditary.
For more information, please consult your declaration page or call us 866-929-3807.
Congenital Conditions
A congenital condition is something your pet is born with and unfortunately is ineligible for coverage because it is a pre-existing condition.
The most common examples of congenital conditions are:
- Patellar luxation
- Entropion
- Ectropion
- Liver shunt
Cruciate Ligament Injuries During the First 12 Months of Your Policy
Depending on when your policy was purchased, cruciate ligament injuries that occur in the first year of the policy are either excluded or subject to a
limited reimbursement amount. Policies in Illinois that were purchased after 1/22/2009 have a limited reimbursement for injuries that occur in the first six months of the policy and full coverage under the specified plan thereafter.
For more information, please consult your declaration page or call us at 866-929-3807.
Parasites
Parasites are nasty little bugs like fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, ear mites, tapeworms, giardia, or scabies. Depending on where you live, the BestWellness Plan may provide benefits for flea, tick and heartworm preventatives.
Ask your veterinarian which parasites you should be protecting against.
Preventable Diseases
Those diseases that could be prevented by vaccines are ineligible for coverage if the pet was not properly vaccinated by a licensed veterinarian against that disease.
Elective Procedures
In human terms it's like plastic surgery, but in pets it's called elective procedures. Elective procedures (including tail docking, ear cropping, declawing, skin folds, and anal gland expression) are not covered under your policy.
Vitamins and Supplements
Vitamins and supplements are excluded by your policy. A vitamin or supplement is defined as any product that is not on the FDA approved list of veterinary drugs. For a complete list of approved drugs, please visit the FDA list of approved veterinary drugs.
Dental Coverage
Just as with other types of medical insurance, dental coverage is not included with your pet’s accident-and-illness plan. What we are able to cover is any dental procedure that is required because of an accident or injury, such as extractions or a root canal.
For those interested in routine dental care, BestWellness reimburses $100 each year for teeth cleaning with no deductible.
Pregnancy in Certain Breeds
Expenses related to pregnancies have a limited reimbursement amount, with the exception of a few excluded breeds. Unless your pet is on our list of excluded breeds, pregnancy expenses are eligible for our limited reimbursement amount.
Additional Excluded Items
- Expenses related to breeding
- Treatment or prevention of obesity
- Food, including prescription diets
- Non-veterinary services, including but not limited to:
- Taxes, waste disposal fees, bathing, grooming and boarding
- Any services not performed by a licensed veterinarian
- Herbal therapies
- Wellness items, except as covered by the BestWellness™ additional coverage
- Transportation and house call fees
Specific Questions?
If you would like more specific information about our coverages, please use our live chat feature, e-mail Pets Best customer service, or phone us at 1-877-738-7237.