Time limited pet insurance

If your pet is healthy and you want to keep insurance premiums down, you might want to consider time limited pet insurance. This can cover against any injury, accident or illness for a fixed amount of time and often for up to a fixed amount of money. Read our guide to understand how time limited pet insurance works and if it can offer you the right kind of cover for your pet.

What is time limited pet insurance?

Time limited pet insurance offers basic cover for eligible short-term health conditions or accidents within a certain period of time, usually 12 months.

Policies vary between insurance providers but by and large, you’ll find a set amount is allocated to treat each injury or illness. And there will also be a set amount of time in which your pet can receive treatment for each injury or illness.

After the set amount of time has ended, the policy will need to be renewed. But if a claim was made for a particular condition during the previous policy period, that same condition would then be excluded from the new policy as the insurer would now refer to it as a pre-existing condition and you would be left footing any cost relating to the pre-existing condition.

Policy conditions will also vary between pet insurers. For example, with time limited pet insurance being offered to a pet for a period of 12 months, some insurers may consider beginning that 12 month time period from when the injury or condition is first discovered or diagnosed. Other insurers may consider beginning that 12 month time period once the very first treatment begins. Alternatively, there may be some insurers that actually begin the 12 month time period from when the first claim is made.
It’s always wise to shop around and compare deals and the cover offered to ensure you have the right level of protection for your needs.

What does time limited pet insurance cover?

Under this policy, pet insurers will cover any veterinary bills associated with a particular accident or illness up to a certain amount and for a certain amount of time. Once the limit has been reached or the time period runs out, you won’t be able to make any further claims and the injury or illness will become a pre-existing condition.

What does time limited pet insurance not cover?

• Pre-existing conditions
• Routine check ups or vaccinations
• Pregnancy
• Worm or flea treatment
• Bilateral conditions, which are injuries or conditions that develop in a body part in one side of your pet where there is an identical part on the other side, such as eyes, ears or hips, etc.

What other types of pet insurance are available?

Pet insurance is generally available in four different types. Besides time limited pet insurance, there is:

• Lifetime pet insurance. This offers the most comprehensive cover for your pet throughout its lifetime but usually comes at a high price. These policies are usually renewed each year.
• Maximum benefit pet insurance. This offers cover for conditions and accidents up to a certain amount. Once that limit has been reached, the insurer won’t pay out any more and it’s the pet owner’s responsibility to cover any bills.
• Accident only pet insurance. This offers a basic level of cover and will usually come with payout or time limits. It may also include cover if your dog is responsible for injuring someone else but this can vary with insurers.

Pros and cons

Pros

• It is the most affordable cover that protects against illnesses or conditions.
• There usually isn’t an upper age limit so older pets can take advantage of this policy.

Cons

• Treatment for an accident or condition will only usually last 12 months.
• You will likely only be able to make one claim per condition or injury.
• A policy term is usually 12 months so if treatment for an accident or condition continues into the next year, it will likely be excluded from cover thereafter and be referred to as a pre-existing condition.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the difference between time limited pet insurance and lifetime pet insurance?

  Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive cover available for your pet. And as long as you keep up with the premium payments, treatment for an injury or condition is covered and will continue to be covered year after year. On the other hand, time limited pet insurance will only cover an injury or illness for a certain amount of time, which is usually 12 months. If you renew with the same insurer, that injury or illness would then be referred to as a pre-existing condition and excluded from cover.

• Is there an age limit for pet insurance?

  Essentially no, as long as your pet is insured and you’ve kept up with payments. While some pet insurers will allow you to take out a policy for your pet with no age restrictions, others may have an age limit so it’s always worth considering your options against the needs of your pet.