How to switch pet insurance
Switching resets the clock on pre-existing conditions. Each insurer's rule, and how to switch without a gap.
Updated October 2, 2026. Plan facts come from each insurer's published documents; each insurer's policy documents control.
The short answer
You can switch at any time, but the new insurer treats anything in your dog's history as pre-existing, including conditions your old policy paid for. Some insurers will cover a curable condition again after a symptom-free period: 180 days at Spot, 12 months at Embrace, Fetch and Lemonade, and 365 days at Healthy Paws.
Chronic conditions generally stay excluded for good.
What will it cost for your dog?
Pick your breed, age and ZIP code to see the estimated monthly price from the insurers we compare.
Pre-existing rule, by insurer
| Insurer | Pre-existing rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Embrace | Curable covered after 12 months[1] | Curable conditions eligible after 12 consecutive symptom- and treatment-free months; incurable ones permanently excluded. Pre-existing: noted by you or vet in prior 12 months or before end of waiting period, even without a vet visit. |
| Fetch | Curable conditions eligible after 12 symptom-free months[2] | Pre-existing = signs/treatment before coverage or in waiting period; curable conditions coverable after a 12-month exclusionary period. |
| Healthy Paws | Curable after 365 symptom/treatment-free days[3] | Pre-existing = developed before effective date; curable conditions (e.g. kennel cough) may be covered; orthopedic/chronic conditions never considered cured. |
| Lemonade | Curable covered after 12 months[4] | In most states, cured conditions (12 months symptom/treatment-free) can be covered; knee/ligament and chronic conditions cannot. |
| Odie | 18-month look-back; excluded for policy lifetime[5] | No curable-condition reinstatement stated; chronic, bilateral and disc conditions are pre-existing if present at any time before. |
| Pets Best | Curable covered once cured; no period stated[6] | Signs/advice/treatment before effective date or waiting period = pre-existing; healed curable conditions can later be covered. |
| Spot | Curable: covered after 180 days cured[7] | Cured curable conditions free of treatment/symptoms 180 days become new; not for chronic or ligament/knee conditions. |
| Trupanion | Not verified yet | Trupanion's website blocks automated requests, so we could not check this against its policy yet. Ask Trupanion directly. |
From each insurer's own sample policy, terms or FAQ, checked October 2, 2026. Terms vary by state and plan, and the policy you buy controls.
Check how this applies to your breed
What this means for your dog
If your dog has a chronic condition, switching usually means losing cover for it. A Cavalier with heart disease, a Labrador with hip dysplasia, a dog with diabetes or epilepsy: the new policy will exclude it. Knee and ligament conditions are often excluded even when treated; Lemonade and Spot both leave them out of their curable rules.
To switch without a gap: buy the new policy first, keep the old one until the new one's waiting periods have passed, then cancel. Anything that happens in between is still covered by the old policy. Use the new policy's waiting periods and free-look period to read its terms before you cancel the old one.
Look-back windows differ: Odie checks the 18 months before the policy starts, Embrace 12 months. Expect the new insurer to ask for your dog's vet records, often with the first claim. How insurers decide what is pre-existing.
Before you buy
- List every condition in your dog's vet record and assume the new insurer will exclude it.
- Read the new policy's curable-condition rule and its look-back period.
- Buy the new policy before cancelling the old one, and wait out its waiting periods.
- Use the free-look period to read the new policy in full.
Questions owners ask
Can I switch pet insurance if my dog has a pre-existing condition?
Yes, but the new insurer will exclude it. Curable conditions may be covered again after a symptom-free period at some insurers; chronic conditions usually stay excluded.
How long until a cured condition is covered again?
Spot says 180 days free of symptoms and treatment; Embrace, Fetch and Lemonade 12 months; Healthy Paws 365 days. Odie excludes pre-existing conditions for the life of the policy.
How far back do insurers look at my dog's records?
Odie looks at the 18 months before the policy starts, and Embrace at the 12 months before plus the waiting period.
Should I cancel my old policy before the new one starts?
No. Keep the old policy until the new one's waiting periods have passed; otherwise anything that happens in the gap becomes pre-existing.
Sources
- What are pre-existing conditions, and does Embrace cover them?. Embrace Pet Insurance.
- Pet Health Insurance Policy Terms and Conditions (sample, GPTM 050 0326 A). Fetch, 2026.
- Frequently Asked Questions | Healthy Paws. Healthy Paws.
- The Ultimate Lemonade Pet FAQ. Lemonade, 2026.
- Help Center - Odie Pet Insurance. Odie Pet Insurance.
- Pet Insurance Coverage | Pets Best. Pets Best Insurance Services.
- Accident & Illness Sample Policy (Arizona, form PET-P-20000-1024, Independence American Insurance Company). Spot Pet Insurance.
How we choose and check sources: Sources we use.
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