Pet Insurance Waiting Periods for French Bulldogs (by Condition & Provider)
Coverage doesn't start the day you buy a policy. Every plan has waiting periods — and for French Bulldogs, the ones that matter most are the long orthopedic waits for hips and knees, which can run 6 to 12 months. Here's how each type works, how they differ by provider, and how to make sure your Frenchie is covered before a problem appears.
The three kinds of waiting periods
Waiting periods fall into three buckets, from shortest to longest:
- Accident waits are short — often 0–5 days, sometimes up to 15. They cover injuries like a fall or a swallowed object.
- Illness waits are typically 14–15 days and cover conditions like infections, allergies, and — importantly for Frenchies — BOAS, which is classified as an illness.
- Orthopedic waits are the long ones: 6 to 12 months for hips (hip dysplasia) and knees (cruciate ligaments, patellar luxation), because these conditions develop gradually and are expensive.
Anything that shows symptoms during a waiting period is treated as pre-existing and permanently excluded — see the coverage pillar.
Why orthopedic waits matter for French Bulldogs
French Bulldogs are prone to hip dysplasia and patellar luxation — exactly the conditions that carry the longest waiting periods. If you buy a policy after your Frenchie is already limping, you'll almost certainly be inside the orthopedic waiting period or, worse, the condition will already be pre-existing. That is why enrolling as a puppy — long before any joint issue appears — is the single most important move for this breed.
Waivable waiting periods (the vet-exam trick)
Several providers will waive or shorten the orthopedic waiting period if you submit a clean veterinary exam within a set window after enrolling (often 14–30 days, sometimes up to 180). Healthy Paws waives its 12-month hip dysplasia wait after a complete exam; Fetch waives its knee (but not hip) wait with an exam within 180 days. If your Frenchie is young and healthy, getting that exam done early can unlock orthopedic coverage months sooner — ask each provider about their specific waiver.
Waiting periods by provider
Accident and illness waits are fairly consistent across providers; the orthopedic column is where French Bulldog owners should look hardest.
← Scroll to see all columns →
| Provider | Accident | Illness | Orthopedic (hips / knees) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthy Paws | 15 days | 15 days | 12 months for hip dysplasia (waivable with exam; not covered if enrolled at age 6+) |
| Trupanion | 5 days | 30 days | None beyond the 30-day period |
| ASPCA | 0 days | 14 days | 14 days (no extended orthopedic wait) |
| Embrace | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months (waivable with exam) |
| Lemonade | 2 days | 14 days | 6 months for cruciate ligament |
| Fetch | Up to 15 days | Up to 15 days | 6 months for hips & knees (knee waivable with exam; hip is not) |
| Pets Best | 0 days | 14 days | Cruciate ligament varies — confirm with Pets Best |
Accident and illness waits are from our provider reviews. Orthopedic waits are verified against provider waiting-period pages and reputable guides (see Sources); several are waivable with a timely vet exam. Waiting periods and waiver rules change and can vary by state — confirm current terms with each provider before buying.
Timing strategy: how to race the clock
- Enroll as early as possible — ideally as a puppy, before any symptoms and before the orthopedic clock even matters.
- Book the qualifying vet exam right after enrolling if your provider waives orthopedic waits with a clean checkup.
- Don't cancel existing coverage before a new policy's waiting periods have passed, or you'll reopen the pre-existing gap.
- Match the plan to the risk — if you're insuring an older Frenchie, a shorter orthopedic wait (e.g. ASPCA or Trupanion) may matter more than a low premium. Compare on our side-by-side page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It varies widely by provider — from 14 days (ASPCA) up to 12 months (Healthy Paws). Many providers set a 6-month orthopedic waiting period for hips and knees. Some, including Healthy Paws and Fetch, waive or shorten it if you submit a clean veterinary exam within a set window after enrolling.
Hip dysplasia and cruciate ligament conditions develop gradually and are among the most expensive claims insurers pay, so companies use longer waits (6–12 months) to reduce the chance that owners buy a policy only after symptoms appear. It's another reason to enroll a Frenchie early, before joint issues start.
No. BOAS is treated as an illness, so the standard illness waiting period applies — typically 14–15 days. The long orthopedic waits apply to hips and knees, not the airway. See our guide on whether pet insurance covers BOAS surgery.
Not really — every reputable provider has at least a short accident and illness waiting period, and orthopedic waits are standard for a breed prone to hip and knee issues. The practical goal isn't to avoid waiting periods but to start the clock as early as possible, before any condition appears.
Related Reading
Does insurance cover BOAS surgery?
BOAS uses the short illness wait, not the orthopedic one.
Coverage for every breed health risk
The pillar: how coverage works across all Frenchie conditions.
Hip dysplasia guide
The condition behind the longest waiting periods.
Cost guide
What Frenchie insurance costs, plus a waiting-period table.