Does My Pet's Age Matter For Insurance?
In short, the answer is YES.
Almost all pet insurers will only consider insuring pets who are within a certain age range. This range will vary depending on both the insurer's rules and the kind of animal being insured. However, it's fairly common that the minimum age will be around eight weeks, whatever the animal.
It's the upper age limit that's probably more important. As any pet is more likely to need treatment as it gets on in years, insurers are less willing to provide cover - it probably won't be as profitable for them.
This means you're going to have trouble taking out a new policy if your pet is heading towards old age. The maximum age for new policies is usually around 10 years for cats, a bit less for dogs (often 8 years), and even less for pets with a shorter lifespan.
One important 'gotcha' to look out for though is whether a policy taken out on a younger animal will still be valid when the pet reaches the upper age limit.
It seems only fair that if you've been paying your premiums for years while your pet was young and healthy, you should be entitled to some payout when your pet is older and needs more help. Unfortunately, insurance is a business and not a charity, and so 'fairness' might not be as common as you'd hope.
Before you sign up for a particular provider's insurance, make sure that it won't suddenly be withdrawn at the very time you're most likely to need it.