A chronic condition is a disease that will need long-term (ongoing) treatment after it manifests itself and diagnosis and treatment is started. Many chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes) can be treated and controlled for several years, allowing the pet to live a relatively normal (symptom free) life.
Why is coverage for chronic conditions an important factor to consider when purchasing pet insurance? Because every pet, if they live long enough, will develop one or more chronic conditions that will require ongoing treatment - sometimes for years. Some pets can manifest symptoms of a chronic condition relatively young in life e.g. allergies.
How do companies handle coverage for chronic conditions?
- Some don't cover chronic conditions. For example, if your dog develops diabetes two weeks before your renewal date, the diabetes is only covered for two weeks because when you renew your policy, the company considers the diabetes a pre-existing condition.
- Some cover chronic conditions, but have limited coverage. Some cover the condition up to the per-incident maximum (total). The per-incident maximum isn't reinstated annually. Pets Best is an example of a company that does this. Lets assume you have their Basic policy which has a $2500 per-incident maximum and your pet develops diabetes. If you spend $1000 this year on diagnosis and treatment, then in the following years, your pet would have $1500 total coverage left for the treatment of the diabetes. Once you've spent $2500 on the diabetes, there isn't anymore coverage for it. 24 PetWatch covers chronic conditions up to the category maximum (total). ASPCA has recently added a chronic conditions optional rider that has its own annual and per-incident maximums and deductible. These limits are less than the normal illness limits in the policy.
- Some cover chronic conditions just like any other illness. Therefore, coverage for all injuries and illnesses (including chronic) combined are covered up to the full per-incident and/or annual maximum which is reinstated every year upon renewal. VPI, PetPlan, and Purina, Trupanion, Embrace and Healthy Paws are companies that do this.
You need to know how each company handles coverage for chronic conditions as you choose which company to purchase a policy from. From a veterinarian's perspective, I consider it an important factor because many of the problems that I diagnose and treat are chronic conditions.
After I finish this series of posts on exclusions, I'll try to put it all together in a summary post that will be a very useful tool for you to use in your research. Right now, I'm giving the details of the exclusions I feel are important. Please offer your comments or ask any questions that may come to your mind and I'll try to answer them.
