Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to the questions that we are frequently asked.

Please note that they are intended as a guide to what our policies are able to offer and assume that you are complying with our policy wording and will be in contact with us regarding every claim you may have.

Why choose Pet Insurance?

Just as health insurance protects you and your family against unexpected medical expenses, pet health care insurance offers you a financial safety net to meet unexpected medical expenses for your pets. Most pet owners regard their dogs and cats as members of their family, and want their pets to get the best medical treatment when the need arises. However treatments and care at veterinary hospitals can easily leave you with hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars in bills. This is when a pet insurance coverage plan proves to be a invaluable – allowing you to concentrate on taking care of your pet without worrying about the expense.

What does your Pet Insurance cover?

Our pet insurance plan covers the veterinary costs of treating your pet for any illness or accident that
occurs post taking the insurance coverage. In fact, our flexible plan covers almost anything that requires
professional medical attention for your pet due to illness or injury. The illness coverage includes
infections that may be hereditary, congenital, or chronic, on the condition that these have occurred
after enrolment. Whether the pet has an accident or an illness, our insurance coverage provides for the
following aspects of the treatment –

– Diagnostic tests
– Veterinarian fees
– Pet hospitalization
– Prescribed medicines
– Orthotic devices
– Other associated medical expenses

Does the pet insurance cover hereditary and congenital conditions?

Yes, our pet insurance plan provides for any hereditary and congenital illnesses that may appear
after insurance enrolment, for the entire validity of the pet insurance policy. However, please note
that the pet insurance policy does not cover expenses incurred for pre-existing hereditary, congenital
and chronic illnesses.

Does the pet insurance cover chronic conditions?

Yes, the pet insurance will cover all illnesses, including chronic conditions, which appear
post the insurance coverage commencing. However, the pet insurance does not cover pre-existing chronic conditions
that have occurred before that point.

Does the pet insurance cover hip dysplasia?

It is our aim to offer you the best medical coverage for the lifetime of your pet. Our pet insurance covers
hip dysplasia under the following conditions;

1. It is not a pre-existing condition in your pet, and
2. The condition of hip dysplasia appears after the 14 day waiting period of the insurance coverage.

What is the payout cap on the pet insurance policy?

Our pet insurance policies come with robust annual claim limits. The claim limits are reset at the start
of each policy year. You can use the annual limit all at once for a single claim or for multiple claims
during the validity of your pet insurance policy.

Do I need to refer my pet only to veterinarians registered in your network to be eligible for the
insurance claim?

Absolutely not! Feel free to take your pet to any veterinarian you know and trust. We honour
insurance claims for all pet referrals to licensed veterinarians, specialists, and emergency animal
hospitals in the U.S.

Does the pet insurance cover expenses for alternative medicine and therapies?

Yes! If the alternative medicine/therapy you have chosen for your pet is administered by a veterinarian licensed in the US, the expenses will be covered by the pet insurance plan.

Do you offer a discount for insuring more than one pet in the family?

Yes, we would love to offer the same health coverage benefits for all your pets. You can insure up to
three of your pets (under the age of ten) under our Family Plan. This comprehensive coverage helps you
save almost thirty percent in insurance costs in comparison to maintaining individual policies for
each of your pets. What’s more, we offer you the option of adding a new pet in the family to an
existing insurance policy, which can then be converted to a Family Plan.

Are routine wellness checks covered by the insurance?

Routine wellness checks are not covered under our basic insurance plans. To provide for your pet’s
routine wellness checks under your existing insurance plan, you need to add the ‘Routine’ rider
feature. This benefit is available at an additional fee.

What is not covered under the pet insurance plan?

The pet insurance plan we offer does not cover pre-existing conditions (as discussed above). Also
our basic accident and illness plans do not cover routine and preventive care expenses. However,
this can be added by opting for the ‘Routine Wellness Coverage’ rider in your insurance plan by
paying an additional fee.

What are pre-existing conditions in a pet?

Pre-existing conditions in your pet refers to the illnesses/ injuries that occurred before you enrolled
for the pet insurance plan, or illnesses/ injuries that occurred during the waiting period of the
insurance coverage. Medical care/ treatment required by your pet due to pre-existing conditions are not
covered under the pet insurance plan. Our pet insurance plan protects you against expenses
incurred due to pet illnesses / injuries which have occurred post enrolment of the policy and end of
the waiting period.

As of now, no pet insurance company covers pre-existing diseases.

How is a condition classified as pre-existing?

We identify a condition as pre-existing if the symptoms or signs of the illness/ accident/ injury are
present either at the time of enrolment or during the waiting period of the insurance coverage. Each pet
insurance case is reviewed separately. Therefore, pre-existing conditions in your pet may be
identified even if your licensed veterinarian has not yet sighted/ recorded the existence of the
condition in your pet.

Is a congenital health problem viewed as pre-existing condition?

Any congenital health problem that is identified in your pet prior to enrollment of the insurance policy,
or during the waiting period, is classified as pre-existing condition and is therefore not covered in the
plan. However, a congenital health problem that surfaces for the first time after the waiting period of
the insurance plan is over, will be taken care of in the pet insurance.

How do you identify a pre-existing condition in a recently adopted pet?

We review each pet insurance case separately, which is why we request that all medical records of
the adopted pet be submitted to us at the time of claim. We will be happy to work with you and your
licensed veterinarian to review the available paperwork for determining any pre-existing conditions in
your dog or cat.

Can a condition be considered pre-existing at the time of pet insurance renewal?

Any chronic condition that has been successfully claimed under the insurance policy will be eligible
for future coverage as long as the pet insurance does not lapse. Pre-existing conditions refer to
illnesses/ injuries that have been identified in your dog or cat prior to start of the insurance coverage or
during the waiting period.

What is the maximum age limit for my pet to be eligible for health insurance?

We would like all of your pets to be able to enjoy the benefits of pet insurance, which is why there is no upper age limit for any of our insurance plans. Dogs and cats have to be at least eight weeks old to be eligible for pet insurance coverage.

Does the policy require a vet exam for the coverage to start?

No, the pet insurance policy does not require a vet exam of your pet, for the cover to begin.

When does the pet insurance cover start?

Your pet insurance plan provides accident insurance from the very next day. However, there is a fourteen day waiting period for the illness coverage. Any pet illness that occurs during this period is treated as ‘pre-existing’ and is therefore not eligible for claim. Please read our ‘pre-existing’ section for more information.

Does the insurance policy include expenses for taking my pet to a specialist or emergency vet?

We leave it to you to decide the best care for your dog or cat. We will cover any care/ treatment expenses incurred when you take your pet to a local licensed veterinarian, a specialist, or for an emergency trip to the hospital. Your claim will be honored as long as the expense is not for a pre-existing condition.

Are there any policy discounts?

Most certainly! Here are some options;

 Enroll multiple pets in your family under the Family Plan to save almost 30% in your pet insurance costs.

 Pay a yearly insurance premium to lower your overall premium cost.

 For every year your policy goes claim free, you may qualify for a ‘no-claim’ discount on renewal.

Do I have to spay or neuter my pet to be eligible for the insurance coverage? Does the policy cover expenses for spaying or neutering?

Our insurance benefits are the same for pets that are spayed or neutered and those that are not. While we do not cover the expenses for spaying or neutering in our standard pet insurance plans, you can buy additional riders with your insurance policy for eligibility to claim these expenses for your pets.

Does the policy cover claims for therapeutic or prescription pet food?

As of now we do not offer this coverage in our standard insurance plan. However, you can claim these expenses when you buy the prescription pet food rider with your policy.

Does the policy cover pet supplements?

We cover pet supplements prescribed by licensed veterinarians. Some of the commonly prescribed supplements which we cover are Denamarin (for livers) and Cranadin (for UTI). To be sure if the supplement prescribed by your vet is covered by the insurance policy, just give us a call and we will help you figure it out.

Do you the policy cover expenses for cruciate surgeries?

Our lifetime medical plan offers coverage for cruciate surgeries. But the coverage is active only after a twelve-month waiting period. This means that any cruciate surgeries during this period are not eligible for claim.

The pet insurance plan includes expenses for bi-lateral cruciate and recurring cruciate injuries. We also offer lifetime cover for these surgeries as long as the policy has not lapsed.

Cruciate surgeries due to a pre-existing condition are not eligible for claim. If your pet has a cruciate injury in one leg that has been identified as pre-existing, and then injures the other long after the twelve months waiting period, the surgery will not qualify for claim. On the other hand two successive cruciate surgeries are eligible for claim if the first one has not been classified as pre-existing, and if the second injury is unrelated to the first injury.

Does the pet insurance cover expenses for parvo, giardia, or kennel cough?

Yes, these expenses will be covered as long as the conditions were not pre-existing in your pet when the insurance started.

Does the policy cover euthanasia?

Yes, we cover expenses for euthanasia due to illness or injury. However, we do not cover euthanasia carried out for a chronic or pre-existing condition.

Does the coverage apply during travel?

Your pet is covered anywhere in the U.S. So don’t hesitate to take your cat or dog along on your next vacation if it’s not international.

Does the policy have a waiting period?

Yes, there is a waiting period for the insurance coverage to start. For accidents, you are eligible for
claim by the next day. For instance, if you enroll for the insurance coverage on Monday and your
pet is in an accident on Tuesday, the veterinarian expenses for treating your pet will be eligible
for claim.

The waiting period for illnesses is 14 days. Any illness expense incurred for the care of your pet
within the two week period is not eligible for claim. In addition, there is a one year waiting period
from date of policy issuance for claiming medical expenses for cruciate ligaments and disc
disease.

When do I claim if my pet is in an accident or is ill?

In the event of an illness or accident, take your pet to the local licensed veterinarian,
specialist, or emergency animal hospital for the care that it needs. Once the treatment is
complete, fill our claim form and simply follow the process mentioned below for submitting your
claim.

How do I submit the claim form?

Claiming with USAPetCover.com is easy. Fill the claim form with the help of your
veterinarian. Send the filled claim form, an itemized invoice, along with a copy of your pet’s
veterinary records to us by email, fax, or mail.

Our aim is to honor all claims within 30 business days of getting the completed documents.
You can help speed up the claims process by ensuring that you have submitted all the
information requested, including the claim form, your pet’s full medical and adoption records,
and the vet’s notes. Please ensure that you have filled the contact information in the claim form
so that we can reach you any further information that we may need.

Should I submit a claim if the veterinarian bill is less than my deductible?

The deductible we offer is on a per accident/ illness basis, which is why you must always file a
claim. Even if the claim is lower than the amount of your deductible, filing a claim will lower the
amount of deductible you will be responsible for if there is another incident of claim for the same
illness or injury. Once the deductible has been paid for a specific problem your pet is covered
for life for that condition, as long as the insurance policy is valid.

What happens after the claim has been filed?

At USA PetCover our aim is to keep you informed of your claim at every step of the process.

  • As soon as you file a claim, we will send you an email confirming that the claim has been
    received. Please contact us (via call or email) if you have not received the confirmatory
    email even after 72 hours of the claim being filed.
  • If your claim has any missing information, we will send you a detailed email confirming
    the details needed.
  • Finally, you will receive an email confirmation once we have processed your claim so
    that you can check your account. The reimbursement check should reach you within ten
    business days from the date of claim processing.

Where do I get the claim form?

Please call us on 855-890-PETS (7387) to request one.

How do you calculate the reimbursement amount?

The reimbursement amount is calculated basis the veterinary invoice submitted with your claim application. The formula for calculating the reimbursement amount is as following;

Total cost of treatment less the per- incident deductible* (where applicable), multiplied by the applicable reimbursement rate

For example, if your pet received $1200 of covered treatments and you had a $200 incident deductible with a 90% reimbursement rate, you will receive a reimbursement check for $900 from us.

* All claims that have a previous related injury or illness on record will have to meet the per-incident deductible. Per-incident deductibles are applicable for related illnesses and injuries under the following conditions;

  • There are no lapses in policy coverage, and
  • It is not a pre-existing condition

How is the reimbursement amount paid?

We will send you a reimbursement check by mail.

How long will my first claim take to process once it is filed?

Please note that if this is your first claim, we will require your pet’s complete medical history, which includes previous treatments as well as notes from the present veterinarian treating your dog or cat. Once we have all the documents and information needed, the claim will be processed within ten to fourteen days.

Why haven’t I received the policy documents in the mail?

In keeping with our commitment to being a green organization, we avoid sending paper based communications. Therefore, once your insurance is approved we will send the policy details at the email address provided in your application form. You can also view your policy details on our website. Here’s how;

  • Click on the ‘My Account’ tab at the top of our home page
  • Create your ‘MyPets account’
  • View policy document and claims submitted

What is a deductible?

Deductibles are veterinary expenses that have to be met by the pet owner to become eligible for the illness/accident insurance coverage. Deductibles provided by USAPetCover.com are defined for each incident/illness that the pet may have. The insurance amount paid by us per-incident can be 70%, 80% or 90% of the total veterinarian expenses incurred, depending on the deductible rate you have chosen. For instance, if you have chosen 90%, you are required to pay 10% of the incident expenses and we will reimburse the remaining 90%.

Once the pet insurance policy is issued, can I change the deductible rate?

Yes, you can lower or raise the chosen deductible rate for the pet insurance policy. You can do this by calling us on 855-890-PETS (7387). The changes in the reimbursement level will be effective as soon as you place the request with us.

Are there any penalties for changing the deductible?

No there is no penalty for changing the deductible. You can change the deductible as often as monthly. However, please note that once the deductible is revised, any conditions that were previously covered would also be subject to the new deductible. Feel free to contact us for any further clarifications on deductibles applicable on your policy.

Can I upgrade or downgrade my insurance plan?

Yes, you can also upgrade or downgrade the insurance plan. However, there is a new illness waiting period of fourteen days when you upgrade the insurance coverage. Any illnesses during the waiting time cannot be claimed. There is no waiting period when you downgrade the coverage.

Also, please keep in mind that when you upgrade the plan, conditions that occurred during the old limit period will be reimbursed at the lower limit applicable at the time. On the other hand, when you downgrade the plan, all claims will be covered at the new lower limit.

How can I view and manage my pet insurance policy?

You can view and manage your pet insurance through our MyPets policy management system, which can be accessed through our website. You can do the following through your MyPets online account;

  • View the details of your policy
  • Monitor the status of claims
  • Update your billing information

How does the 14-day money back guarantee work?

As a first time buyer, you are likely to wonder, “Do I really need pet insurance?” This is why we offer the 14-day money back guarantee. After buying the pet insurance policy if you are still not convinced that you need the coverage, you can ask for a full refund of the premium any time within the first fourteen days. The 14-day money back option can be exercised only if you haven’t submitted any claims.

How do I pay for the premium?

You can pay the premium by Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. Payments can also be auto-drafted from your bank account each month.

How can I update the billing information on my policy?

Follow these steps to update the billing information on your policy;

  • Log into your MyPets account. Click the ‘Edit’ tab and update the address.
  • You can also call our customer helpline 855-890-PETS (7387) (Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm EST, or Saturday from 10am to 6pm EST) to request the changes.

What is the frequency of premium payment?

You can choose to pay the premium either monthly or annually. Monthly premiums have to be paid each month on the same date that your policy came into effect. For instance, if your policy was issued on March 15th, your monthly premiums will be charged on April 15th, May 15th, and so forth.

If you pay an annual amount the renewal premium will be charged to your chosen mode of payment, two weeks before the renewal date each year.

Will my policy be renewed automatically at the end of each policy year?

Yes, we will automatically renew your pet insurance at the end of each policy year. The renewal will not happen in the event of the following;

  • We are unable to collect payment from your chosen payment method at the time of renewal.
  • Your pet dies.
  • We receive a request from you (at least a month prior to the renewal date) to end the insurance plan.

Can I renew my expired pet insurance policy?

Yes, you can renew your expired pet insurance policy by placing a request at our customer helpline.

I don't know my pet’s age. Can you insure my pet?

Yes, we can insure your pet even if the age of the dog/cat is not known. In cases where we don’t know the pet’s exact age, the insurance premium is calculated basis the attending veterinarian’s best estimate of the pet’s age.

Will my insurance premium increase on renewal as my pet gets older?

The age of your pet is an important determinant of the premium paid for the first year of your policy. Since older pets need more care, there will be some increase in premium at the time of renewal. What’s important is that in case of claims during any year, we do not penalize policyholders by charging higher premiums on renewal.

Can the insurance coverage be transferred if the pet ownership changes?

Yes, if the pet ownership changes, the existing insurance coverage can be transferred to the new pet owner. Once we receive the request from you, the new ownership information will be reflected on your MyPet account.

How do I cancel my pet insurance policy?

While we can cancel your pet insurance policy at any time, we urge you to reconsider the decision. The pet insurance allows you to take the best care of your pet while minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses for veterinarian treatments.

To cancel the policy, please send us the filled policy cancellation form via email, fax, or mail. The insurance cancellation request by email will only be accepted if it is from the email on record on the policy.