Can You Get Pet Insurance After Diagnosis One of the most common questions among pet owners is: “Can I get pet insurance after my dog has already been diagnosed with a health issue?” If you’re living in Texas and your pet has just been diagnosed with a condition like diabetes, arthritis, or allergies, you might be wondering if it’s too late for coverage.
The short answer? Yes, you can get pet insurance—but with limitations.
Let’s break down what you need to know as a responsible pet parent in the Lone Star State.
🐾 What Counts as a Pre-Existing Condition?
A pre-existing condition is any illness, injury, or symptom that showed signs before your insurance policy started. For example, if your dog had frequent ear infections before you enrolled, those will likely be excluded from coverage.
There are two categories:
- Curable conditions – Examples: respiratory infections, bladder infections, and vomiting (if treated and gone for a set time)
- Incurable/chronic conditions – Examples: cancer, arthritis, diabetes, allergies
🔍 What Insurance Companies in Texas Will Cover
While most insurers won’t cover incurable conditions diagnosed before enrollment, some make exceptions for curable conditions if the pet has been symptom-free for 6–12 months. This rule varies by company.
Here’s how a few popular insurers handle pre-existing conditions:
1. Embrace Pet Insurance
- Covers curable conditions after 12 months without symptoms.
- Doesn’t cover chronic illnesses diagnosed before coverage.
- Good for pets who have had temporary issues but recovered.
2. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance
- Doesn’t cover existing conditions but offers wellness and accident-only plans that can still help reduce costs.
- Some flexibility in what is considered “chronic.”
3. Figo Pet Insurance
- Excludes pre-existing conditions, but has short waiting periods (as little as 1 day for injuries).
- Strong mobile app support for fast claims in Texas.
💡 What You Can Do After Diagnosis
If full illness coverage is no longer an option, here are alternatives to still protect your pet’s health:
- Accident-Only Plans: These cover things like car accidents, broken bones, cuts, and bites—even if your pet has an illness.
- Wellness Plans: These help cover vaccinations, flea prevention, dental care, and annual checkups.
- Savings Accounts: Some Texas vet clinics now offer in-house wellness memberships that include discounted services.
🚨 Realistic Expectations for Coverage
It’s important to know that no pet insurance company in the U.S.—including Texas—will cover existing, diagnosed chronic illnesses. However, that doesn’t mean coverage is worthless.
Getting partial protection (accidents, unrelated future illnesses, wellness) can still save you thousands over your pet’s lifetime.
✅ Final Thoughts
So, can you get pet insurance after a diagnosis? Yes—but not for that exact condition. Still, don’t wait. If your pet has one issue today, it could develop another tomorrow—and those future issues can be covered if you act fast.
For Texas pet owners, the key is to compare providers carefully, start with basic or accident coverage, and consider wellness add-ons. Even limited insurance can offer peace of mind—and financial relief.