Switching pet insurance companies? Read this first.

March 6, 2023 - 5 min read
girl patting white dog on head while talking to service provider on phone

If you’re reading this article, you probably already have pet insurance. And kudos! You want to make sure you can afford to take care of your furry friend no matter what happens, which makes you a very responsible pet parent. At the same time, you may not be satisfied with your current policy. There are a number of pet insurance companies to choose from, and none of them are exactly the same.

A sizable number of ManyPets customers held policies with other companies before joining our pack. Here are some common reasons for switching pet insurance:

  • Better Premiums: Independent reviewers have consistently found ManyPets to offer prices that are competitive with — and in many cases lower than — those of other companies

  • Better Reimbursement: ManyPets offers unlimited reimbursement for all qualified claims, and we don’t charge extra for it. Many other companies place annual limits on coverage or charge higher premiums for coverage tiers with better payouts.

  • Better Coverage: Some pet insurance companies cover more than others. For instance, unlike some other providers, ManyPets covers accident and illness exams, as well as dental injuries/diseases.

  • Access to Preventative Coverage: Unlike some providers, ManyPets offers a Wellness Plan to help cover routine and preventative care like wellness exams, vaccinations, parasite prevention, dental cleanings, vitamins, and supplements.

  • Faster Payouts and Better Customer Service: In most cases, ManyPets pays out claims within 48 hours of approval — often faster.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about switching to ManyPets.

Will I Have a Waiting Period When I Switch to a New Plan?

Unique among pet insurance providers, ManyPets will completely waive its waiting period if you’re switching from another company.

Like all pet insurance companies, ManyPets usually excludes claims for conditions that arise within a short period after purchasing your policy. For non-transfers, the ManyPets waiting period varies by state. But if you’ve switched from another company, you can file claims right away. You’ll just need to prove that your pet was insured with another company within 24 hours of purchasing your ManyPets policy.

How Do I Get My Waiting Period Waived?

You’ll only need to get your waiting period waived if you make a claim within the waiting period from the start date of your new ManyPets policy. As part of that claim, simply provide documentation showing that your pet was covered under another policy within 24 hours of the start of your ManyPets policy.

There’s no special sign-up process for customers transferring from another company. And if you make your first ManyPets claim after the waiting period after switching companies, there’s no need to document the fact that you’ve transferred from another company. However, like all new customers, you will need to send us documentation of the last 18 months of your pet’s veterinary history (or however much you have).

Do I Need to Cancel My Other Plan Before Signing Up With a New Insurer?

You don’t have to, but there’s little to be gained from having two policies for an extended period. No one wants to get stuck paying monthly premiums to two companies at once.

At the very least, you should cancel your old policy soon after enrolling with ManyPets. However, do make sure that your old policy was in effect within — at most — 24 hours of your ManyPets policy start date. If you weren’t covered up until that point, we won’t be able to waive your waiting period.

There may be a brief period of overlap between your old policy and your new ManyPets policy. With ManyPets, for example, most cancellations don’t take effect until the scheduled due date of your next premium. Be sure to contact your current provider if you’re uncertain about their cancellation policy.

Can I Submit the Same Claim to Two Companies?

Technically speaking, it is possible to submit the same claim to both ManyPets and (if your coverage hasn’t expired yet) your previous provider. But ManyPets will only reimburse you for any excess beyond what you’ve already received from your other company. So if, for example, your ManyPets policy happens to cover $100 more than your old provider for the same claim, we’ll pay you the amount that your existing provider hasn’t covered, minus whatever deductible you owe.

However, once you’re enrolled with ManyPets, your former insurance company may not cover any claims at all. That’s because some pet insurance companies have a strict policy of never making payouts to pet owners whose pets are also enrolled under a separate insurance policy.

Finally, just be aware: It’s criminal fraud to claim to an insurance provider without disclosing that you’ve submitted the same claim to a different provider.

At the end of the day, it will almost certainly make the most sense to simply send your claim to ManyPets and only ManyPets.

How Do I Cancel My Old Plan?

You’ll need to learn your previous provider’s policy for cancellation and then contact them. Most companies will require you to call and cancel over the phone. (ManyPets lets customers cancel by phone or email, FYI.)

Will Pre-Existing Conditions Be Covered?

Unfortunately, no pet insurance company covers pre-existing conditions, even when the pet has transferred from another company. So if your pet has an existing or recent condition that arose during their current coverage term, switching companies might prevent you from getting that condition covered in the future.

Some pre-existing conditions are minor and easy to treat without expensive veterinary care, in which case switching providers might not cause any problems. But some conditions that seem minor actually get worse over a pet’s lifetime, becoming much more expensive to treat later on even if you’re not facing any major costs now.

So if your pet has a pre-existing condition, think hard and do your research before canceling your current coverage.

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Pre-existing conditions and insurance - how does it work?

ManyPets has exclusions for pre-existing conditions, but past conditions don’t always prevent future coverage. Get the details.

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We know that these rules can leave pet owners feeling trapped in a policy they’d otherwise like to cancel. But here’s some good news: Unlike some other pet insurance companies, ManyPets will stop excluding a pre-existing condition from coverage if enough time has passed. Once a condition has been free of treatment, diagnosis, or symptoms for 18 months, ManyPets will no longer consider that condition to be pre-existing, and you should feel free to switch over to us.

If you have any doubts or concerns about whether ManyPets would deem your pet to have a pre-existing condition, please be sure to consult your veterinarian or contact our customer support team. We’re always happy to help.

Will I Still Have to Pay a Deductible?

Yes, you’ll have a new deductible when you sign up for ManyPets.

Your deductible is the amount you’ll have to pay each year before your policy starts reimbursing you. If you transfer from an existing policy, you’ll have to meet your ManyPets deductible before you’re eligible for reimbursement on your new policy. This will be true even if you’ve already met part or all of the deductible for your previous policy’s term.

ManyPets offers annual deductibles rather than per-condition deductibles. (We’re not big fans of per-condition deductibles — they keep restarting, and they cost a whole lot.) Once you’ve met your ManyPets deductible, it will remain satisfied for the remainder of your annual policy term, and won’t reset until your policy renews.

What Type of Policy Will I Have?

All ManyPets policies offer reimbursement for both accidents and illness. While our pet insurance policies don’t cover preventative care, our Wellness Plans do. You’re free to purchase a wellness plan along with your insurance policy. If you do, both plans will be grouped into one monthly charge.

How Can ManyPets Pet Insurance Help?

Our pet insurance is designed to solve pet owners' problems with comprehensive coverage and unlimited payouts for qualified claims. If you have any questions, our customer support team is always happy to help. You can reach them at 1-888-978-5291, Mon-Fri: 9 am-9 pm EST; or Saturday: 10 am-6 pm EST. You can also email us at manyhelp@manypets.com.

If you’re interested in switching to ManyPets, you can start by getting a quote.


David Teich
Lead Editor

David oversees content strategy and development at ManyPets. As Lead Editor, he focuses on delivering accurate information related to pet care and insurance. David’s editorial background spans more than a decade, including a pivotal role at Digiday, where he wrote content and managed relationships with media and tech companies. As an Associate Editor at Cynopsis Media, David wrote the Cynopsis Digital newsletter and interviewed executives and digital marketing experts in the TV industry. His background also includes film journalism. His diverse experiences in journalism and marketing underpins his role in shaping content within the pet care industry.