Pet Insurance for Senior Pets: Pre-Existing Conditions Explained

Getting pet insurance for a young, healthy puppy is straightforward. But what happens when your dog is 9 years old with a history of arthritis, or your 12-year-old cat has been treated for kidney issues? The reality is that insuring senior pets gets more complicated — but it's far from impossible, and in many cases, it's still absolutely worth it.

What Counts as a Pre-Existing Condition?

A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury, or symptom that was diagnosed or showed signs before your policy's effective date — or during the waiting period. This definition is broader than most people expect. It's not just formal diagnoses. If your vet noted a limp during a routine visit three years ago, an insurer may consider any future orthopedic issue in that leg to be pre-existing.

Most insurers classify pre-existing conditions into two categories:

• Curable pre-existing conditions: Some insurers will cover conditions that were fully resolved and symptom-free for a set period (usually 12–18 months). A past ear infection or urinary tract infection might qualify.
• Incurable pre-existing conditions: Chronic or ongoing conditions like diabetes, hip dysplasia, cancer history, or heart disease are almost universally excluded and won't be covered under any new policy.

The key takeaway: the earlier you enroll your pet, the fewer conditions will be classified as pre-existing. But even if your pet already has a health history, new and unrelated conditions can still be covered.

Can You Still Insure a Senior Pet?

Yes — most major pet insurers will cover dogs and cats regardless of age, though the specifics vary:

• No upper age limits: Many carriers have eliminated maximum enrollment ages. You can sign up a 14-year-old dog if you want to.
• Higher premiums: Expect to pay significantly more. A comprehensive plan for a 10-year-old Labrador might cost $80–$120/month compared to $40–$60 for a 2-year-old.
• More exclusions: Senior pets are more likely to have documented health issues, which means more conditions flagged as pre-existing.
• Accident-only options: If your senior pet has too many pre-existing conditions for a full plan to make sense, accident-only coverage can still protect against emergencies like poisoning, fractures, or car accidents — typically for $15–$30/month.

What Senior Pet Insurance Actually Covers

Even with pre-existing exclusions, a good policy for a senior pet can cover a lot:

• New illnesses: Cancer, organ disease, infections, and other conditions that develop after enrollment
• Accidents: Broken bones, lacerations, foreign body ingestion, toxin exposure
• Diagnostics: Blood work, X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds for covered conditions
• Surgery and hospitalization: Including emergency and specialist care
• Prescription medications: For newly diagnosed conditions

What it won't cover is anything tied to the pre-existing conditions documented in your pet's medical records. Insurers will request your vet records during the claims process, so there's no way around this.

Tips for Getting the Best Coverage for an Older Pet

1. Get your vet records in order. Before applying, know exactly what's in your pet's history. This helps you anticipate what will and won't be covered.
2. Compare multiple carriers. Some insurers are more lenient with curable pre-existing conditions than others. The difference in what's excluded can be significant.
3. Consider accident-only plans. If your senior pet's health history makes comprehensive coverage prohibitively expensive, accident-only plans still provide valuable protection at a fraction of the cost.
4. Look at deductible options. A higher annual deductible ($500 instead of $250) can reduce monthly premiums meaningfully — useful when insuring an older pet with naturally higher rates.
5. Don't wait longer. Every month you delay is another month where a new condition could develop and become "pre-existing" once you do enroll.

How Truvo Helps Senior Pet Owners

Finding the right insurer for a senior pet requires comparing how different carriers handle pre-existing conditions, age-related pricing, and coverage limits. Because Truvo works with multiple pet insurance providers, we can identify which carriers offer the best value for your pet's specific age and health history. Our team understands the fine print so you don't have to guess what's covered.

The Bottom Line

Insuring a senior pet isn't as simple as insuring a puppy, but it's still one of the smartest financial moves you can make as a pet owner. Veterinary emergencies don't get cheaper as your pet ages — they get more expensive. Even with pre-existing exclusions, a good policy can save you thousands on new conditions, accidents, and diagnostics. Get a quote from Truvo and find out what coverage is available for your senior pet today.