Enrollment age limits
From each insurer's website, since the policy documents don't state it.
- FetchNo upper age limit
No upper age limit (minimum 6 weeks)source
- FigoNo upper age limit
No upper age limit (minimum 8 weeks)source
- MetLifeNo upper age limit
No upper age limitsource
- OdieNo upper age limit
No upper age limit (minimum 7 weeks)source
- PumpkinNo upper age limit
No upper age limitsource
- SpotNo upper age limit
No upper age limitsource
- EmbraceFull cover under 15
Accident & illness: under 15 years. 15+ = accident-only plan.source
- ASPCANot stated
We couldn't find an age limit in the documents or on the website.
Conditions your dog already has
How long a cured condition must stay clear before the policy will cover it again.
- ASPCA6 months symptom-free
Excluded. Curable conditions cured and free of treatment and symptoms for 180 days become a new occurrence (not ligament/knee) (from a 2020 sample form; newer forms may be stricter on chronic conditions).p. 4
- Pumpkin6 months symptom-free
Excluded. Curable conditions free of treatment and symptoms for 180 days become a new occurrence (not chronic or ligament/knee).p. 6
- Spot6 months symptom-free
Excluded. Curable conditions free of treatment and symptoms for 180 days become a new occurrence (not chronic or ligament/knee).p. 5
- Embrace12 months symptom-free
Excluded. Temporary (curable) conditions free of signs and treatment for 12 consecutive months are no longer pre-existing.source
- Fetch12 months symptom-free
Excluded. Curable conditions seen in the 365 days before enrollment or during the wait: 365-day exclusion, then coverable with an annual vet exam; if it recurs, a second 365-day period; recurrence in the second period = excluded for life. The policy's wording is unclear on the second year; check with Fetch.p. 10
- Figo12 months symptom-free
Excluded. Curable conditions become coverable after 365 consecutive days without symptoms or treatment; genetic, ligament/knee, orthopedic and chronic conditions are never curable.p. 5
- MetLifeNo cured-condition clause
Excluded. The 2021 sample policy we read has no cured-condition clause; MetLife's website says curable conditions are typically covered.p. 7
- OdieNo cured-condition clause
Excluded. 18-month look-back: anything Present in the 18 months before the effective date (or during the wait) is excluded. No cure clause. Chronic, bilateral and IVDD conditions are excluded if Present at any time before.p. 16
Knee and hip problems
Embrace Pet Insurance and Fetch Pet Insurance exclude for life any knee or hip problem that starts in the first 180 days. For an older, larger dog, read that clause before choosing. See every policy's knee and hip rule.
Common questions
Can you get pet insurance for an older dog?+
Yes. 6 of the 8 insurers we read say on their websites that they have no upper age limit to enroll, and Embrace Pet Insurance lists an age limit for full cover.
What is the biggest catch for senior dogs?+
Pre-existing conditions. An older dog is more likely to have a vet record of symptoms, and anything that started before cover is excluded. Whether a cured condition can be covered later depends on the policy.
Do age limits appear in the policy document?+
Not in the documents we read. The policies leave age to the declarations page, so the age limits here come from the insurers' websites. Check your quote.
This reads sample policy documents. Terms vary by state and change over time. It is not insurance or veterinary advice, and we are not an insurance agent.