This article explains waiting period claim refusal in plain English, so UK pet owners can understand the question being answered before comparing policies or reading the small print.
If your claim has just been refused because of something called a waiting period, you're probably feeling pretty frustrated right now, especially if you thought you'd sorted the insurance out well in advance. Unfortunately it's one of the most common ways people get caught out, and it doesn't always get explained clearly when you take a policy out.
What is a waiting period?
A waiting period is a short period of time at the start of a new policy during which you're not yet covered for certain things, usually illness. Most policies have one.
The most common version is a 14 day waiting period for illness, meaning any illness that starts within the first 14 days of your policy won't be covered. Some policies have shorter or longer waiting periods, and the period for accidents is often shorter, sometimes immediate, because accidents are clearly unforeseeable in a way that illness sometimes isn't.
The reason insurers have waiting periods is to stop people taking out a policy when their pet is already unwell, making a claim, then cancelling. It's a pretty standard feature across the industry.
The thing that catches people out
The timing that matters is when the symptoms first appeared, not when you took out the policy. So if you took your policy out on the 1st of the month and your pet showed symptoms on the 10th, that's within the 14 day waiting period even if you got your policy out weeks before bringing your pet home.
This is exactly what happened in the situation that prompted this article. The policy was taken out in February, the puppy came home in March, and symptoms appeared a few days later. Because the symptoms fell within 14 days of the policy start date, the claim was refused. It feels deeply unfair when you've planned ahead, but the waiting period runs from when the policy starts, not from when the pet arrives.
"The timing that matters is when the symptoms first appeared, not when you took the policy out."
Does that condition stay excluded forever?
Not necessarily, but it's likely to be complicated. If the condition resolves completely and there's no recurrence and no ongoing treatment, some insurers will consider covering it again after a period of time, usually 12 to 24 months with no related symptoms. But if it becomes an ongoing issue it's likely to be treated as pre-existing going forward, which means it won't be covered.
Is it worth keeping the policy going?
Yes, generally. The policy still covers everything else that might happen that has nothing to do with this condition. Cancelling doesn't get you anything back and leaves you with no cover at all. The one thing that was affected is that one condition. Everything else your dog might need remains covered.
What to do if this has happened to you
Check the exact wording of the refusal and the policy. Ask the insurer specifically what the exclusion covers, whether it's just the exact condition or anything related to the same body system. Make a note of it for future reference. And if you feel the refusal is wrong, most insurers have a formal complaints process and there's an ombudsman service you can go to if you're not satisfied with the outcome.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice of any kind.