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Does Spot pet insurance have a waiting period?

By the WhichPetPlan editorial team · Last verified 2026-08-24
Short answer

Yes. Spot applies a 14-day waiting period to both accidents and illnesses, with next-day accident cover in select states. Uniquely in our lineup, there is no separate orthopedic or cruciate wait beyond that same 14 days, which is why Spot is often the pick for joint-risk breeds despite mid-table pricing.

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Lemonade is the one insurer on this site we can send you to for a live quote. That does not make it the right plan for every pet. As of August 2026, Lemonade Pet is not available in Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, or Wyoming.

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The exclusions cheat sheet

One page, all 8 insurers: every waiting period, annual cap and excluded condition, in plain English. We email it as soon as you join.

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One clock, including joints

Most competitors hold cruciate injuries, hip dysplasia or IVDD for 6 months (Lemonade, Embrace, Figo, Pets Best) or 12 months (Healthy Paws hips in most states). Spot applies only the standard 14-day period to all of it, with next-day accident cover in select states.

For breeds our catalog flags for joint risk, that timeline difference decides claims: a cruciate injury surfacing in month three is covered under Spot’s terms where longer-hold policies would still be waiting.

Pre-existing rules and the linked-knee caveat

Signs shown before enrollment or during the 14-day window are pre-existing. Two Spot-specific caveats from our review data: both knees are treated as linked, so a prior cruciate injury on one side excludes the other side entirely, and the wide limit menu makes it easy to under-buy coverage if configured carelessly.

Related questions

Does Spot make you wait 6 months for cruciate injuries?
No. Spot applies only its standard 14-day accident and illness period to orthopedic conditions, per our review data. The 6-month cruciate holds appear at Lemonade, Embrace, Figo and Pets Best.
What is Spot’s accident waiting period?
14 days, with next-day accident cover available in select states. Illness also waits 14 days.
Does the short Spot wait affect pre-existing rules?
Only in timing: signs during the 14-day window are still pre-existing. The linked-knee exclusion means one documented knee injury can exclude the other side regardless of the wait.

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Some links (currently Lemonade) may earn a fee; it never changes the premium and never changes a ranking. Other insurers listed here do not pay us. Premium figures are illustrative starting estimates, not quotes. See our methodology for how scores are set.