The exclusions behind most refused claims, and what each provider we checked says about dental, wellness and breed-linked conditions.
Drafted with AI tools from our own cost data and the sources linked on this page. A veterinarian has not reviewed this guide. See our editorial policy.
Most refused claims come from a short list: conditions that existed before cover started, routine care unless you add a wellness plan, dental work that is not tied to illness or injury, and conditions inside a waiting period. Providers differ on each, so the policy wording matters more than the brochure.
A pet insurance policy is two documents in one: a list of what it pays for, and a list of what it does not. Owners read the first and skim the second. The second is where claims go to die, so it deserves the time.
Pre-existing conditions. Anything your dog showed signs of before the policy started, or during the waiting period, is normally excluded for life. A limp that a vet noted last spring can make a later cruciate ligament claim unpayable. We cover this in our guide to pre-existing and curable pre-existing conditions.
Routine and preventive care. Vaccines, annual exams, flea and heartworm prevention, spay and neuter are normally not part of an accident and illness plan. Some providers sell a separate wellness add-on, which is a prepaid care allowance more than insurance.
Dental. Cleaning and extractions are where owners are most often caught out, because a bad tooth looks like an illness but a cleaning is routine. Our guide to dental illness versus accident cover goes deeper.
Conditions inside a waiting period. Cover does not start on the day you pay. Illness and orthopaedic conditions usually have their own waits, covered in our waiting periods guide.
Local currency, before tax. Figures are the typical range in our index on 2026-10-25, not a quote from any one clinic.
| Country | Typical range | Currency | Highest city | Lowest city |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇦 Canada | $1,500–$3,500 | CAD | Vancouver $2,875 | Regina $2,175 |
| 🇺🇸 United States | $1,275–$2,975 | USD | San Francisco $2,975 | San Antonio $1,870 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | £870–£2,030 | GBP | London £1,960 | Belfast £1,230 |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | A$1,425–A$3,325 | AUD | Sydney A$2,850 | Hobart A$2,185 |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | €930–€2,170 | EUR | Dublin €1,940 | Waterford €1,395 |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | NZ$1,230–NZ$2,870 | NZD | Auckland NZ$2,295 | Invercargill NZ$1,845 |
Same procedure, same country, eight Canadian cities. Rent, wages and how many clinics compete locally do most of the work.
Not verified for: Spot Pet Insurance Canada. Blank means we could not confirm it on their public pages, not that it is missing from the policy.
Wellness plans differ most in what they bundle. Here is what each provider states on its own pages.
Not verified for: PHI Direct, Sonnet Insurance. Blank means we could not confirm it on their public pages, not that it is missing from the policy.
Hereditary and breed-linked conditions are a common worry for owners of large breeds and flat-faced dogs. These are the providers that state a position.
Not verified for: Desjardins Insurance, Petsecure, Sonnet Insurance. Blank means we could not confirm it on their public pages, not that it is missing from the policy.
The costs behind these exclusions are real. In our index a dental extraction for a dog runs from $1,500 to $3,500 in Canadian dollars nationally, and a cruciate ligament repair from $4,500 to $8,000. Those are modelled ranges, not quotes.
Insurer terms checked 2026-10-25 from each insurer's own public pages. Terms change: check the policy before buying.
We build a national typical range from published clinic price lists, veterinary association fee surveys and real bills owners submit to us, then apply a city multiplier for local rent, wages and clinic density. Non-Canadian markets scale the same base by national price level. Figures are estimates in local currency before tax, never quotes. Once three verified bills exist for a city and procedure, the real bills replace the estimate.
Full method and correction policy: our methodology page. Spotted a price that is wrong? Send us the invoice and we will fix it.
Not on a standard accident and illness plan. Some providers sell a wellness add-on that reimburses routine care up to a yearly allowance. Check the add-on's own limits.
Usually, but a few policies treat a pre-existing condition as curable once it has been symptom-free for a period. Read the wording, because the rule differs by provider.
Dental claims are often refused when the work is classed as routine cleaning rather than treatment of an illness or an injury. The policy's dental section sets the line.
No. A blank means we could not confirm the term on the provider's public pages. Ask the provider and read the policy document.
90% reimbursement, no payout limits, pays the vet directly at many Canadian clinics.
Get a quote →Covers exam fees, dental disease and behavioural therapy; flexible deductibles.
Get a quote →Canadian-owned since 1989, four plan levels, dental included on all plans.
Get a quote →Disclosure: some links are referral links. They never change your price. We list insurers we would consider ourselves, not whoever pays most.
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