You have just collected your new puppy, you are excited, and somewhere in the middle of the first jabs and health checks the vet mentions they have picked up a heart murmur. They are not worried about it, they have said it is common in puppies and they want to keep an eye on it, but now you are wondering whether anything needs to be declared for insurance purposes.
The short answer is that insurers generally expect anything noted by a vet to be declared. But it helps to understand what that actually means before you panic.
What is a puppy murmur?
A heart murmur is an unusual sound detected when a vet listens to the heart. In puppies, so-called innocent or physiological murmurs are fairly common and many resolve on their own as the puppy grows and the cardiovascular system develops.
Vets grade murmurs on a scale of one to six, with one and two generally considered mild and often of no clinical significance. If your vet has said they are not concerned and wants to monitor it at the next check, there is a reasonable chance it will turn out to be minor or temporary.
From an insurance perspective, the key point is that it is now on your puppy's vet records.
Do you need to declare it?
Yes. When applying for pet insurance, you will usually be asked about your pet's health history, and anything recorded by a vet counts. A heart murmur that has been noted, even one the vet is not worried about, is something to include.
If it is not disclosed and a heart-related claim is made later, the insurer may refuse the claim on the grounds of non-disclosure. In serious cases, non-disclosure can affect the policy itself.
"Anything recorded by a vet can become part of the health history an insurer asks about."
What happens if you declare it?
It depends on the insurer and the details of the murmur. Some insurers may accept the policy without any exclusions, especially for a low-grade murmur with no other concerns. Some may add a cardiac exclusion, meaning anything related to the heart is not covered, at least initially. Some may ask for a follow-up vet report before confirming terms.
If the murmur later resolves completely, some insurers may review an exclusion after a defined period with no symptoms, treatment or related concerns. The time period and process vary by insurer.
Does the insurer matter?
Yes, it can. Different insurers assess the same information differently, and their approach to a declared puppy murmur may vary. The premium is only one part of the picture. The exclusions and conditions attached to the policy are just as important.
When getting quotes, the useful question is not just the price. It is what the insurer would and would not cover as a result of the declared murmur.
The main thing
A puppy murmur picked up at a routine check and noted as not concerning by the vet is not automatically a disaster from an insurance point of view. What matters is that it is handled clearly from the start.
The guide to pre-existing conditions explains how insurers treat health history more broadly, and the jargon buster has plain English explanations of terms like exclusion and waiting period.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice of any kind.