Pet Insurance for Older Dogs and Cats: What Changes and What Stays the Same

Yes, older pets can get insurance, but the terms shift significantly

Most pet insurance companies will cover dogs and cats over age 7, and some will cover pets into their early teens. However, the older your pet is when you first buy a policy, the higher your monthly premium will be, and the more conditions the insurer will exclude as pre-existing. A pre-existing condition is anything your vet has diagnosed or treated before your policy starts, and insurers will not cover it for the life of the policy, even if it goes away and comes back.

The real constraint is not age itself but the gap between now and when you bought coverage. If your 10-year-old dog has arthritis, diabetes, or a heart murmur, those conditions will not be covered no matter which company you choose. If your pet has no diagnosed conditions yet, you can still buy a policy — but you will pay more per month than someone with a younger pet, and you may face a waiting period before coverage begins.

Key Takeaways

• Most insurers will sell policies to pets up to age 10 or 12, though a few stop at age 7 or 9, so you need to check your specific company's age limit.
• Monthly premiums for older pets are significantly higher than for younger ones, sometimes two to three times the cost for the same coverage level.
• Any condition your vet has already diagnosed or treated will be permanently excluded, so the sooner you buy coverage the better.
• Some insurers require a waiting period of 14 days or longer before coverage starts, even for new policies on older pets.
• Chronic conditions like arthritis or diabetes that develop after your policy starts will be covered if you have accident-and-illness coverage, not accident-only.

Age limits vary by company and sometimes by breed

Nationwide, Embrace, and Fetch all cover pets up to age 10 at the time of enrollment. Trupanion covers up to age 14. ASPCA Pet Health Insurance stops at age 9. Petplan (now part of Fetch) has historically covered older pets but varies by state. Before you look at prices, call or check the company's website for their maximum enrollment age — this is not negotiable and does not change based on your pet's health.

Some companies also set different age limits for different breeds. Large-breed dogs, which tend to develop joint and heart problems earlier, may have a lower cutoff age than small breeds at the same company. If you have a senior large-breed dog, you may have fewer options than someone with a senior small dog or cat.

Once you are enrolled, you can usually keep your policy as long as you pay the premium, even if your pet ages past the enrollment cutoff. The company cannot drop you because your dog turned 15. They can raise your rates, but they cannot cancel you for age alone.

Pre-existing conditions are the biggest cost barrier

A pre-existing condition is defined by your pet's medical history before the policy starts. If your vet has ever noted, diagnosed, or treated something — even if it was years ago and the pet seems fine now — it counts. This includes conditions that resolved on their own, conditions treated once and never again, and conditions that are currently managed with medication.

The exclusion is permanent. If your 11-year-old cat had a urinary tract infection five years ago and it was treated and never came back, a new insurance policy will not cover urinary issues for the rest of that cat's life. If your dog has been on thyroid medication for three years, thyroid-related claims will be denied forever, even if the medication stops working and the condition worsens.

This is why buying insurance before your pet develops health problems is so much cheaper in the long run. A 5-year-old dog with no diagnosed conditions can get comprehensive coverage. That same dog at age 10, after developing arthritis and ear infections, will have those conditions excluded and will pay a much higher premium for what remains covered.

Monthly costs for older pets are substantially higher

A 2-year-old dog with accident-and-illness coverage might cost $30 to $50 per month. The same coverage for a 10-year-old dog typically runs $80 to $150 per month, depending on the breed and the company. For a 12-year-old dog, you may see $120 to $200 per month. Cats generally cost less than dogs, but the age-related increase is proportional.

These numbers vary widely based on your location, your deductible choice, and your reimbursement percentage. A $1,000 deductible with 70% reimbursement will cost less than a $250 deductible with 90% reimbursement. But no matter which options you choose, an older pet will cost more than a younger one with identical coverage.

Some owners find that the monthly cost for an older pet approaches or exceeds what they would pay out of pocket for routine care. If your 12-year-old dog has arthritis and needs a $200 vet visit twice a year, you might pay $400 annually out of pocket — less than the $1,200 to $2,400 you would pay in premiums. Insurance makes sense if you want protection against a catastrophic illness or injury, not for predictable, manageable costs.

Waiting periods and coverage start dates matter for older pets

Most insurers impose a waiting period between when you buy the policy and when coverage begins. For accident coverage, this is usually 3 to 14 days. For illness coverage, it can be 14 days or longer. During this time, if your pet gets sick or injured, the claim will be denied.

For older pets, this waiting period is more likely to matter. A younger dog might go months without a vet visit, so a 14-day waiting period is invisible. An older dog with arthritis or a chronic condition might have a scheduled vet appointment in two weeks, and if that appointment falls during the waiting period, it will not be covered. Check the exact start date before you buy, and plan around any appointments you already have scheduled.

Accident-only coverage is cheaper but leaves older pets exposed

Accident-only policies cover injuries — broken bones, torn ligaments, hit by car, poisoning — but not illnesses. Accident-and-illness policies cover both. For an older pet, accident-only coverage is tempting because the monthly cost is often half that of accident-and-illness.

The trade-off is real. Older pets are more likely to develop illnesses like diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, and heart problems than to suffer injuries. If your 10-year-old dog develops diabetes, an accident-only policy will not cover the insulin, the vet visits, or the blood work. You will pay for all of it yourself. Accident-and-illness coverage costs more but protects against the health problems that actually threaten older pets.

What to do before you buy a policy for an older pet

Gather your pet's complete medical records from your vet before you apply. This includes vaccination records, any diagnoses, treatments, medications, and even notes from routine visits. The insurance company will request these records, and anything documented will be excluded. If you have records from a previous vet, get those too.

Call the insurance company and ask about their specific age limit, waiting period, and how they define pre-existing conditions. Some companies are more lenient than others — a few will cover conditions that resolved more than a year ago, though this is rare. Ask whether they cover breed-specific conditions common in your dog or cat.

Get a quote before you commit. Most companies will give you a price estimate based on your pet's age, breed, and location without requiring medical records. Once you apply, they will review the records and may adjust the price or add exclusions. If the quote is already higher than you expected, you know the final price will not be lower.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get insurance for a 13-year-old dog?

Some companies will cover pets that old, but most have a cutoff between ages 9 and 12. Trupanion goes up to 14. Call the company directly to confirm their age limit before you spend time on an application. Once you are enrolled, you can keep the policy as long as you pay the premium, regardless of your pet's age.

Will insurance cover my older dog's arthritis if it develops after I buy the policy?

Yes, if you have accident-and-illness coverage. Arthritis that develops after your policy starts is a new condition, not a pre-existing one, so it will be covered (minus your deductible and based on your reimbursement percentage). Accident-only policies will not cover it.

What if my vet diagnosed something years ago but my pet is fine now?

It will still be excluded. Insurance companies consider anything in your pet's medical history a pre-existing condition, even if it was treated once and never recurred. The exclusion is permanent and applies to that condition for the life of the policy.

Is pet insurance worth it for a senior pet?

It depends on what you are protecting against. If you want to cover routine care and predictable costs, insurance is usually not worth the monthly premium for an older pet. If you want protection against a sudden, expensive illness or injury — like cancer treatment or emergency surgery — it may be worth the cost, especially if your pet has no pre-existing conditions yet.

Can the insurance company raise my rates after I enroll?

Yes. Most companies can raise your premium each year based on your age, claims history, and inflation. They cannot drop you for age alone, but they can make the policy unaffordable over time. Review your renewal notice each year and compare it to other companies' quotes for your pet's current age.