Genetic conditions and pre-existing conditions - how do they work together?

Let's start off with a couple of definitions:

A Genetic or Congenital Condition is an illness whose presence is determined solely by hereditary factors, which may or may not be present on the policy effective date.

A Pre-existing or Foreseeable Condition is an illness or injury that first occurred or showed clinical signs before the effective date or within the policy waiting period.

Like most insurance, we insure unexpected events only, so pre-existing conditions are not covered in our policies. For example, you don't expect to be able to buy car insurance for an accident you just had (although you might wish you could!) 

So, one of the questions we have had about Embrace's pet insurance products is: how does excluding pre-existing conditions mesh with the fact that we cover genetic or congenital conditions?

It's a good question since you might think that a genetic condition is already pre-existing.

Well, in fact, a breed can have a genetic predisposition for a particular illness, like hip dysplasia, but a particular dog may never actually get the condition. It's a bit like if your mom and your grandmother had breast cancer, your chances of getting breast cancer are higher than a woman with no breast cancer in her medical history. The chances are higher but you are not guaranteed to get breast cancer.

So, you can be part of a group (breed) that is prone to genetic conditions but not actually ever get the condition. Make sense?

Embrace only excludes genetic conditions if you already know your pet has the condition, otherwise, it's covered if it appears after your waiting period.

Related articles: Embrace Pet Insurance covers genetic and congenital conditions for cats and dogs