Does Pet Insurance Cover Hip Dysplasia? 2024 Guide
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If your pet has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, you might wonder about their medical care costs. Pet insurance can be a lifesaver for unexpected injuries and illnesses, but there are limitations as to what each policy covers. There are often exclusions for certain treatments. So, does pet insurance cover hip dysplasia? There’s no straightforward answer here. Whether hip dysplasia qualifies for coverage depends on the insurance company, the type of policy that you have, and when your pet was diagnosed.
Insurance Companies That Cover Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia treatment can involve both medical and surgical interventions, but surgery, in the form of a hip replacement, is the most common. Hip replacement surgery can cost between $7,000 and $12,000 or more. This leaves pet owners wondering if their pet insurance will cover the cost.
Since each insurance company has its own rules regarding what expenses they cover, there isn’t a single straight answer. Many companies also have a pre-existing condition clause, meaning they won’t cover expenses related to a condition diagnosed prior to obtaining the insurance.
While co-payment and deductible amounts will vary between pet insurance companies, here are a few pet insurance companies that do cover expenses for hip dysplasia:
To have the best chance of having your pet insurance claim covered, it is recommended to choose from the top-rated pet insurance companies on the market. Here are just a few of them:
Top Rated Pet Insurance Companies
Most policies will only cover part of the costs, so owners should make sure to ask specific questions about what is and isn’t covered. Read the fine print on your policy, so you are prepared.
Pre-existing Conditions
If your pet has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia and you don’t currently have pet insurance, you may be out of luck with finding coverage. Unfortunately, pet insurance companies don’t cover expenses related to pre-existing conditions. But what qualifies a diagnosis as pre-existing?
Let’s say that you purchase pet insurance for your Labrador Retriever at the age of 2, and a veterinary exam indicates that you have a healthy dog. If your dog gets diagnosed with hip dysplasia at age 4, it is not a pre-existing condition because it didn’t exist when you purchased the policy.
But suppose that your dog or cat is diagnosed with hip dysplasia, and you purchase a pet insurance policy after the diagnosis is made. In that case, this is a pre-existing condition, and no related expenses will be covered. In some instances, insurance companies will not pay for treatment on the other hip once they have covered treatment for one hip, so make sure to read your policy carefully.
Final Thoughts
Many pet insurance companies cover treatment for hip dysplasia, as long as it is not a pre-existing condition. If you have a pet that is prone to developing hip dysplasia, it’s important to read the fine print when purchasing pet insurance. Having the right policy can be the difference in being able to provide your pet with medical care or not.
Featured Image Credit: Ekaterina_Minaeva, Shutterstock
