You have taken out the insurance, your dog falls ill that same week and you discover that you still cannot claim. It is not hidden small print: it is called a waiting period, every insurer has one and it is worth understanding before taking out a policy, not after.
What exactly a waiting period is
It is the time that passes between the moment you take out the policy and the moment you can start using it. During those days the policy is active and you are paying for it, but any veterinary expenses that arise are not yet reimbursed.
It exists for a specific reason: without a waiting period, anyone could take out insurance on the way to the clinic with the animal already ill. That would make the product unviable for everyone else. The waiting period is what keeps the price low for those who insure their pet while it is healthy.
How long it is at Petplan
At Petplan the waiting period is 15 days for accidents and 30 days for illnesses.
The difference between the two periods is not arbitrary. An accident is a sudden and verifiable event: a fracture, a road accident, a wound. An illness may have begun to develop before taking out the policy, and is much harder to date. Hence the longer period.
How it compares with the rest of the market
The main policies for dogs, cats and rabbits in Spain set waiting periods of 1, 2 and even 6 months for surgery. Petplan applies 15 days for accidents and 1 month for illnesses, with no separate, longer period for surgery.
It is a detail that almost nobody compares and that changes things a great deal if the problem appears in the first few months.
What happens if the problem appears during the waiting period
That specific expense is not reimbursed. And there is a consequence worth being clear about: if the ailment is diagnosed during the waiting period, it comes to be considered a pre-existing condition, and pre-existing conditions are permanently excluded. It is not that you have to wait for the period to end to claim for that same ailment: that ailment is left out.
That is why the best time to take out pet insurance is when the animal is healthy, not when there are already symptoms.
What is covered from the first day
The waiting period affects the reimbursement of veterinary expenses. Petplan’s assistance services are available from the moment the policy comes into force: the telephone veterinary emergency service, available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, and the chat with registered vets from Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00.
If you have a question in the first few days of the policy, you can use them.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take out the insurance if my dog is already ill?
You can take out the policy, but that illness will be excluded as a pre-existing condition. No pet insurance in Spain covers conditions that existed before taking out the policy, and Petplan does not either.
Does the waiting period apply each year on renewal?
No. The waiting period applies when you take out the policy. As long as the policy remains in force without interruption, it does not apply again at renewals.
Is there a waiting period for accidents?
Yes, of 15 days. It is half the period that applies to illnesses.
What does Petplan cover once the waiting period has passed?
100% of veterinary expenses for illness or accident up to €3,100 a year, with a €45 excess per illness, at any vet in Spain.
