Coverage for pre-existing conditions
With our additional coverage for pre-existing conditions, you can insure your furry friend’s health issues that existed before the start of the insurance.
What is a pre-existing condition
At Calingo, a pre-existing condition is an illness or injury resulting from an accident that occurred before the insurance start date, was already recognizable, or could have been diagnosed by a veterinarian during an examination, including any resulting follow-up treatments. Minor treatments, such as a healed ear infection, are not considered pre-existing conditions. Typically, such conditions are excluded by Swiss pet insurance providers. Calingo Pet is the only Swiss pet insurance where you can also cover pre-existing conditions for your furry friend.
Health issues are considered pre-existing conditions at Calingo if:
- your pet received a diagnosis or treatment for this illness or injury in the 24 months before the insurance start date.
- the illness or injury could have been diagnosed by a veterinarian during an examination within the last 24 months. Please note that health issues that have not received a diagnosis or were misdiagnosed may still be considered pre-existing conditions if they were recognizable before the policy start date.
If the last treatment or diagnosis was more than 24 months ago, this condition is no longer considered a pre-existing condition and is therefore covered by the basic insurance.
You therefore only need supplementary cover for pre-existing conditions if the condition as described above occurred in the 24 months prior to the start of insurance.
When can we not cover the costs of a pre-existing condition?
In the case of accidents and illnesses for which your pet was treated or diagnosed for the first time in the three months prior to the start of insurance.
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When is it worth insuring pre-existing conditions?
Additional coverage for pre-existing conditions is generally worthwhile if regular costs are expected (e.g., lifelong medications, check-ups at the vet, or special food). These are usually chronic, incurable, or recurring conditions. Classic examples include allergies, arthritis, or diabetes. Since the insurance premium is higher if you include the additional coverage, we recommend comparing the higher premium to the expected vet costs per year. For example, if you pay CHF 300 more per year for the additional insurance and expect CHF 800 in vet costs per year, then the additional coverage is worth it for you.
Benefits for pre-existing conditions
The maximum annual insurance coverage that Calingo provides for pre-existing conditions is CHF 1,500. Please note that you must pay the first CHF 300 for the treatment of a pre-existing condition only once – not per policy year. Once these CHF 300 are paid, we cover 80% or 60% of the treatment costs, depending on your pet’s age.
Pre-existing conditions - comprehensive protection for your furry friend
We believe that all pets even with pre-existing conditions deserve the best possible protection. That's why Calingo also covers pre-existing conditions.
Pre insrance start date
We offer personalized protection for each pre-existing condition
Genetic & hereditary conditions
Only hereditary conditions that are recognizable before the policy start date are considered pre-existing conditions
Not a pre-existing condition
If the last treatment was more than 24 months ago, you don’t need additional coverage for this condition
Frequently asked questions
A congenital defect or hereditary disease is only treated as a pre-existing condition if it was known before the insurance began. Such conditions are only covered if additional coverage for pre-existing conditions has been purchased.
No, it is not possible to add a pre-existing condition retroactively to an existing policy if the condition was diagnosed before the insurance was taken out. This sepesific pre-existing condition remains excluded from coverage, even if you were to add the additional coverage upon policy renewal.
The coverage amount of CHF 1,500 applies per year for all pre-existing conditions combined. You pay a CHF 300 deductible once per pre-existing condition. Once the deductible has been paid for a condition, no further deductibles will be applied for the same treatments during the policy term. The deductible is subtracted from the initial treatment costs, and then Calingo covers 80%, or 60% for pets over 9 years, of the remaining costs, up to the annual coverage limit of CHF 1,500 for all pre-existing conditions.
In your case, complementary treatments fall under the category of “pre-existing conditions” because the ligament tear occurred within the 24 months before your policy began, and there is a causal connection to the complementary treatment. To cover these treatments, you would need the additional insurance for pre-existing conditions. Without this add-on, these treatments would not be covered.
No, only if the last treatment or diagnosis was more than 24 months ago and no further treatments have taken place will the condition be classified as new and covered under the basic policy without being considered a pre-existing condition.
Since arthritis is joint-specific and has a genetic predisposition (hereditary condition), the occurrence in another joint, like the left knee in your case, is not considered a pre-existing condition. In this case, it would fall under coverage for hereditary conditions and would be covered by the basic insurance.
In this case, the first veterinary visit is relevant, even if the diagnosis was initially incorrect. A pre-existing condition is defined as an illness or accident-related injury that occurred before the insurance began, was already recognizable, or could have been diagnosed by a veterinarian during an examination, including any resulting follow-up treatments.
Cat insurance as unique as your furry nose
