Best Pet Insurance Companies With No Waiting Period (2025)
Get same-day pet insurance coverage from insurers like MetLife and Embrace.
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Written byCassie Sheets
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9 years writing data-driven content
Lifestyle contributor to 30+ local news sites
Cassie Sheets has a background in home and garden and real estate content. At Insurify, she translates industry jargon into insights that empower insurance buyers.
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Reviewed byMark Friedlander
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Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
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Table of contents
When your beloved cat or dog is injured or ill, the last thing you want to do is put off medical care because of financial concerns. Pet insurance can help cover costly veterinary services, but most insurers have waiting periods before your coverage kicks in. This is usually to prevent policyholders from buying insurance to pay for pre-existing conditions, which nearly all insurers exclude from coverage.
But some insurers offer same-day coverage for accidents and shorter-than-average waiting periods for illnesses or orthopedic conditions. Whether you just adopted a new pet or need veterinary care for a longtime furry family member, these pet insurance companies offer the best coverage with no waiting periods for accidents and short waiting periods for illnesses.
Quick Facts
Most pet insurers have a six-month waiting period for orthopedic conditions, but some plans, like Pumpkin’s coverage, kick in after two weeks.[1]
Some pet insurance companies will waive waiting periods if your veterinarian examines your pet and reports back to the insurer.
ManyPets offers immediate coverage to pet owners who switch from another insurer.
Understanding pet insurance waiting periods
A pet insurance waiting period is the time between when you enroll in a policy and when your coverage begins. The delay protects insurance companies from fraudulent claims by preventing pet owners from signing up for coverage after their pet is already sick or injured. Insurers typically set three different waiting periods for different conditions.
Accident coverage usually begins between one and 14 days after enrollment. Covered accidents include foreign-body ingestion (your pet eating something it shouldn’t), poisoning, broken bones, cuts, and torn nails.
Illness coverage starts between two weeks and one month after you buy a policy. Illness policies cover diagnostics and treatment of illnesses, like kennel cough or cancer.
Orthopedic conditions, like hip dysplasia, have the longest waiting periods, ranging from six months to one year.
Wellness coverage, or preventive care coverage, may start immediately upon enrollment. Wellness policies cover routine exams, vaccinations, microchipping, preventative medications, and spaying/neutering.
If your pet develops an issue during the waiting period, insurers consider it a pre-existing condition and won’t cover it under your policy. Understanding how pet insurance works and the different types of coverage can help you find the best policy for your furry family member.
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Pet insurance companies with no waiting period for accidents
Most pet insurance companies have at least a two-week waiting period before coverage begins. A few insurers offer accident coverage immediately upon enrollment, which is the closest thing to no-waiting-period coverage. But these insurers still have longer waiting periods for illness and orthopedic coverage.
The companies below cover accidents within hours of enrollment or have a shorter-than-average waiting period for accidents.
MetLife
MetLife pet insurance doesn’t have a waiting period for accidents. Benefits begin at midnight after your enrollment. The pet insurer also has an add-on preventive care plan without a waiting period, which covers spaying and neutering, teeth cleaning, parasite prevention, and more.[2] MetLife has a 14-day waiting period for illnesses, which is standard for pet insurance companies.
Pros
No extended waiting period for orthopedic conditions like hip dysplasia
Family plan covers up to three dogs and cats with a shared deductible
May cover a pre-existing condition if your prior insurer covered it
Cons
No option for 100% reimbursement
Family plan is limited to dogs age 12 and younger and cats age 14 and younger
No coverage for microchipping
Lemonade
Lemonade pet insurance policies have waiting periods of two days for accidents, 14 days for illnesses, 30 days for orthopedic conditions, and six months for cruciate ligament events.[3] Preventative care coverage doesn’t have a waiting period, so Lemonade covers expenses like wellness exams, dental cleanings, and spaying and neutering from the day your policy begins.
Pros
Lower premiums than most competitors
Discounts for bundling renters, home, or car insurance
User-friendly mobile app for policy management and claims filing
Cons
Not available in every state
Waiting period of up to six months for some conditions
No coverage for pre-existing conditions
Embrace
Embrace offers customizable pet insurance coverage with an optional wellness add-on for routine care. Embrace covers accidents as soon as your policy is effective, but illnesses have a 14-day waiting period. The insurer also has a six-month waiting period for some orthopedic conditions, including intervertebral disk disease (IVDD), cruciate ligament injury, and hip dysplasia.[4]
Pros
Customizable pet insurance policies
Multi-pet discount for 10% off premiums
Covers behavioral therapy
Cons
No coverage for pre-existing conditions
Wellness coverage claims don’t apply toward the annual deductible
180-day waiting period for orthopedic conditions
Compare waiting periods by pet insurance company
Pet insurance waiting periods vary by company, but most fall between one and 14 days for accidents and illnesses. Waiting periods can also vary by state, so you should always check the terms of your policy to confirm your coverage.
Orthopedic conditions, like hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament injury, typically have longer waiting periods. Pumpkin pet insurance offers a shorter waiting period of 14 days for orthopedic conditions.
You can compare waiting periods for popular pet insurance companies in the table below.
Pet Insurance Company  | Accident Waiting Period | Illness Waiting Period | Orthopedic Conditions Waiting Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figo | 1 day | 14 days | 6 months |
| Prudent | 5 days | 14 days | 6 months |
| Pumpkin | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
| Fetch | 15 days | 15 days | 6 months |
| Healthy Paws | 15 days | 15 days | 12 months |
Special offers and waiting period waivers
If a vet has recently examined your pet, you might qualify to waive your pet insurance waiting period. Insurers like Prudent will waive the waiting period for orthopedic conditions if a veterinarian clears your pet.
Some insurers also offer special promotions so your coverage starts immediately. Trupanion partners with veterinarians to provide same-day coverage. Pet owners can activate the insurer’s Exam Day Offer within 24 hours of a veterinary exam for immediate coverage and unlimited lifetime claims payouts.[5] Trupanion has a similar Go Home Day Offer for newly adopted pets, if activated within 24 hours of bringing your pet home from the breeder or shelter.
Pet owners can get same-day coverage through ManyPets by switching from their current insurer. Your current pet insurance policy must be active within 24 hours of your ManyPets policy enrollment date for the promotion to apply.
Offers may change, so it’s best to verify current waiting period waivers with the pet insurance company before enrolling.
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How to get pet insurance coverage that starts quickly
Active pet insurance coverage provides financial protection by lowering costly veterinary bills. Getting a policy that’s effective within days rather than weeks means your pet insurance will cover the next emergency.
Here’s how to find pet insurance coverage with short waiting periods:
1. Get an accident-only policy
Almost all illness and orthopedic condition policies have waiting periods, but some insurers offer accident coverage that’s effective the same or the next day.
2. Check for special waiting periods in your state
Some insurers have different waiting periods for different states. Spot, for example, usually has a 14-day waiting period for accident policies, but in some states, coverage kicks in the day after enrollment.
3. Ask your veterinarian or the shelter
Some vets have special offers from pet insurance companies, like Trupanion, that will waive waiting periods if you enroll within 24 hours after the exam. Shelters may offer similar promotions for newly adopted animals.
4. Contact pet insurers to ask about promotions
Pet insurers may offer different promotions throughout the year, including waiting-period waivers. Contact the insurer you’re interested in directly to see if any special offers apply to you.
Enrolling in pet insurance coverage as early as possible can help you secure the lowest premium for your pet. Starting a policy when your pet is young also means it’ll have fewer excluded pre-existing conditions, which you need to disclose to your insurer.
Understanding what’s covered during no-waiting-period policies
Most pet insurers offer a choice of accident-only coverage or accident and illness coverage. Illness policies, which cover conditions like infections or cancer, almost always have a two-week waiting period.
A few insurers, like Embrace, offer accident coverage without a waiting period. Accident coverage helps to cover the cost of incidents like foreign-body ingestion, getting hit by a car, torn cruciate ligament injuries, cuts and lacerations, poisoning, and prescription drugs to treat covered conditions.
Some pet insurance companies also provide wellness plans that begin coverage immediately after enrollment. Wellness coverage pays for preventative or routine care, including dental cleanings, spay and neuter procedures, and vaccinations.
Even same-day pet insurance coverage doesn’t apply to pre-existing conditions, so insurers will exclude any injuries or illnesses your pet had before enrollment.
Pet insurance and waiting period FAQs
Find answers below to the most frequently asked questions about pet insurance waiting periods.
What pet insurance doesn’t have a waiting period?
Embrace offers pet insurance without a waiting period for accidents, but illnesses and orthopedic conditions will have waiting periods. MetLife also effectively offers same-day coverage for accidents, with coverage beginning at midnight after your enrollment.
Is Lemonade pet insurance effective immediately?
No. Lemonade pet insurance isn’t effective immediately. Coverage for accidents begins two days after enrollment, which is shorter than the 14-day waiting period for most companies.
Lemonade illness coverage starts two weeks after enrollment. Orthopedic condition coverage kicks in 30 days after your policy starts, and cruciate ligament events have a six-month waiting period.
Can you get pet insurance to cover a current emergency?
No. You can’t use pet insurance for pre-existing conditions. Insurers won’t cover any illness or injury your pet had before the start of your policy.
What happens if my pet gets sick during the waiting period?
If your pet gets sick during your insurance policy’s waiting period, your insurer will consider the illness a pre-existing condition and won’t cover it. Most pet insurers have a waiting period of 14 days for illness coverage.
Does Spot pet insurance start immediately?
No. Spot pet insurance isn’t effective immediately. Spot policies usually have a 14-day waiting period for accident and illness coverage. In some states, Spot offers a one-day waiting period for accidents.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250,000 pet insurance quotes from our proprietary database — sourced by Fletch Insurance Services LLC (“Fletch”) — to determine the premium prices displayed on this page. These quotes come directly from Insurify’s 10+ partner insurance companies across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., reflecting monthly pet insurance costs for both dogs and cats.
Unless otherwise specified, premium prices represent one-year rolling medians to account for market volatility driven by factors such as rising veterinary care costs and increased pet ownership.
Breed-level prices incorporate both mixed and purebred pets. To ensure reliability, a minimum of eight quotes is required for dogs and four quotes for cats. Breeds with significant price deviations from the average are noted explicitly; other breeds are estimated based on average costs for all purebred pets.
Pets are grouped into three age brackets:
- Young: under 12 months
- Adult: 12 months to 7 years
- Senior: over 7 years
Coverage Limits
Dog premium averages reflect policies with annual coverage limits of $2,500, $5,000, $10,000, or unlimited.
Cat premium averages reflect policies with annual coverage limits of $2,500, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or unlimited.
For both dogs and cats, monthly premiums are segmented by:
- Deductible options: $250, $500, $1,000
- Reimbursement options: 70%, 80%, 90%
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Sources
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Cassie SheetsData Journalist
Cassie Sheets has more than nine years of experience creating compelling content for clients, brands, and local news sites. She started her career at Movoto Real Estate, where she transformed dry data into interesting insights for potential homebuyers. She’s since covered a wide range of topics, from pop culture news to home and garden trends.
Before joining Insurify, Cassie wrote engaging landing pages and blog posts for medical practices at MyAdvice. Now, she uses her knack for diving into the latest data and pulling out key details to empower insurance buyers.
Cassie holds a BFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago. In her free time, you can find her exploring the city with her dog, trying not to fall over in yoga classes, and petting cats at the shelter.
15+ years in content creation
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
Featured in
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
