Pet Insurance That Covers Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia can be expensive to treat. Surgery alone can cost $4,500, not to mention medications, vet visits, therapies, and other treatments.

If you have pet insurance that covers hip dysplasia, you could save thousands of dollars over your pet’s life. Here’s a rundown of pet insurance policies covering hip dysplasia and how much coverage they offer.

4 pet insurance companies that cover hip dysplasia

Let’s take a look at four popular pet insurance companies that offer coverage for hip dysplasia and what each insurer’s coverage entails.

Spot

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LendEDU rating: 4.5 out of 5

• Covers hip dysplasia as long as it isn’t a pre-existing condition
• Choose an annual limit of $2,500, $4,000, $5,000, $7,000, $10,000, or no limit
• 10% discount when enrolling multiple pets

Pet insurance through Spot is available for dogs and cats. Plans cover care related to illnesses and injuries (including hip dysplasia), and you can get an optional preventive care plan. Spot will reimburse pet parents for exams related to their pet’s hip dysplasia, specialist care, alternative therapies, diagnostic exams, treatments, medications, and surgery as long as the condition isn’t a pre-existing condition.

You can choose a Spot pet insurance plan with an annual benefit limit ranging from $2,500 to unlimited coverage. Reimbursement can be for 70%, 80%, or 90% of the cost, with an annual deductible between $100 and $1,000. 

A 14-day waiting period applies before you can claim any coverage expenses for your pet. If your pet requires care during this time or signs of hip dysplasia are noted before this waiting period ends, it’s considered a pre-existing condition.

Embrace 

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LendEDU rating: 4.7 out of 5

• Covers hip dysplasia as long as it isn’t a pre-existing condition and the waiting period has passed
• Covers curable pre-existing conditions that go symptom-free for 12 months

Pet insurance plans through Embrace cover genetic and hereditary conditions, including hip dysplasia, as long as the condition is not deemed pre-existing. Embrace will reimburse for pet care expenses related to exams, testing, rehabilitation, treatment, surgery, and more.  Embrace covers bilateral conditions as long as neither side is pre-existing; if either side has pre-existing care or a diagnosis, the other side is excluded from future coverage.

Waiting periods through Embrace are 14 days for illnesses, 48 hours for accidents, and six months for orthopedic conditions. You wouldn’t be able to file a claim for your pet’s hip dysplasia care for the first six months of the policy term. However, you can reduce this six-month waiting period to 14 days if you visit your vet and have them complete an Orthopedic Exam and Waiver.  

Embrace doesn’t have a lifetime maximum for this coverage, just an annual limit between $5,000 and $30,000, which you choose when buying your policy. You can choose a reimbursement percentage of 65%, 70%, 80%, or 90%, with an annual deductible of $200 to $1,000. 

Fetch

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LendEDU rating: 4.9 out of 5

• Covers hip dysplasia as long as it isn’t a pre-existing condition and the six-month waiting period has passed
• Up to $1,000 in virtual vet visit coverage
• Includes an extensive library of pet content

Fetch is another pet insurance carrier offering coverage for hip dysplasia. As long as this condition is not pre-existing, Fetch coverage can reimburse you for exams, imaging and diagnostic tests, treatments, therapies, surgery, rehabilitation, and more. 

With Fetch, you can build a pet insurance plan that offers reimbursement at a rate of 70%, 80%, or 90% of eligible care expenses. Annual deductibles can be $300, $500, or $700, with annual benefit limits ranging from $5,000 to unlimited.

For injuries and illnesses, the waiting period is up to 15 days (depending on your state). However, hip and knee issues have an additional waiting period of six months. If your pet is diagnosed with hip dysplasia or demonstrates symptoms related to the condition before reaching the six-month mark from the time your policy went into effect, it’s considered a pre-existing condition.

Lemonade

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LendEDU rating: 4.7 out of 5

• Covers hip dysplasia that isn’t a pre-existing condition after the 30-day waiting period
• Multiple discounts available
• Claims can be approved in minutes

A basic Lemonade pet insurance will cover the surgery costs associated with hip dysplasia after accounting for your deductible and coinsurance. This can provide significant financial relief and ensure your furry friend gets the necessary care without breaking the bank.

Because hip dysplasia can affect both sides of a pet’s body, the policy will only cover the surgery if your dog or cat shows no signs of the condition at the time of signing up or during the policy’s 30-day waiting period. If a pet develops hip dysplasia in one hip after enrollment, any subsequent issues in the other hip are deemed a pre-existing condition and therefore not covered.

Lemonade offers a physical therapy add-on that can benefit pets recovering from hip dysplasia surgery. This add-on helps cover physical therapy costs—often a crucial part of the recovery process. By enrolling your dog or cat in a Lemonade policy as early as two months old, you can ensure comprehensive coverage that includes both surgical and post-operative care, providing peace of mind and optimal health for your pet.

You can choose a Lemonade policy with annual limits of $5,000, $10,000, $20,000, $50,000, or $100,000, reimbursement at a rate of 70%, 80%, or 90%, and a $100, $250, $500, or $750 deductible.

Can I get pet insurance that covers pre-existing hip dysplasia?

We couldn’t find pet insurance that covers pre-existing hip dysplasia because pet insurance plans don’t cover costs related to pre-existing conditions.

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Tip

An exception is if your dog or cat has been symptom-free for several months—the pre-existing condition might then be considered “curable,” and some insurers will cover curable pre-existing conditions. For example, Embrace covers curable pre-existing conditions that go symptom-free for 12 months.

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If your pet was already exhibiting signs of hip dysplasia or had a diagnosis from their veterinarian before you obtained pet insurance coverage (or during the waiting period for that policy), it’s considered a pre-existing condition. So when it comes to getting your pet insurance carrier to cover hip dysplasia treatment, the diagnosis date is crucial.

You can buy coverage if your pet’s breed is more likely to be diagnosed with hip dysplasia. However, some plans may exclude hip-related claims for a longer waiting period or during the first few years of your pet’s life.

Why coverage for hip dysplasia is important

Hip dysplasia is a hereditary and often bilateral condition that occurs when your pet’s hip joints don’t perform as intended. Most often, this happens if their hip socket and the ball of their femur bone don’t fit together correctly. Hip dysplasia is often a progressive disease that can cause your pet pain and make it difficult for them to walk, run, stand up, and enjoy life. 

Hip dysplasia is a painful condition that affects many dogs but is rarer in cats. The frequency of hip dysplasia is based on genetics and your dog’s age, but some breeds—including bulldogs and pugs—have occurrence rates of 50% or more. 

Recap of pet insurance for hip dysplasia