Pet Insurance Laws by State: Where the NAIC Model Act Applies
Pet insurance is regulated state by state. In 2022 the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) adopted a Pet Insurance Model Act (Model #633) that states can enact. Where a state has done so, certain protections apply to policies sold there. This page summarizes what the model says and which states the NAIC lists as having adopted it.
What the Model Act Requires
| Topic | Requirement in the model |
|---|---|
| Waiting periods | Waiting periods for accidents are prohibited. For illness and non-accident orthopedic conditions, the waiting period may not exceed 30 days. No waiting period on renewal. |
| Exam to waive waiting period | The policy must allow a veterinary exam to remove a waiting period; the policyholder pays for it unless the policy says otherwise. |
| Pre-existing conditions | Defined as a condition for which, before coverage or during a waiting period, a vet gave medical advice, the pet was treated, or verifiable sources show signs or symptoms. The insurer has the burden of proving the exclusion applies. A covered condition cannot become pre-existing at renewal. |
| Disclosures | Insurers must disclose whether they exclude pre-existing, hereditary, congenital, or chronic conditions; deductibles, coinsurance, limits, and waiting periods; whether they raise premiums or reduce coverage based on claims history, age, or relocation; and a standardized “Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions” document. |
| Free-look period | 15 days to return a policy for a full refund if no claim was filed. |
| Wellness plans | Wellness products may not be sold as insurance or required as a condition of buying a policy. |
| Orthopedic definition | Includes hip and elbow dysplasia, disc disease, patellar luxation, and cruciate ligament rupture. |
Source: NAIC, Pet Insurance Model Act (#633).
States Listed as Having Adopted the Model
According to the NAIC’s state-by-state table (summer 2026), these 17 jurisdictions have adopted the model act:
California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey (effective January 1, 2027), Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.
The same table lists related regulatory activity, without adoption of the model, in Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, Tennessee, Texas (which classifies pet insurance as inland marine), and Utah. It shows no current activity for most other states, including New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Source: NAIC, Model #633 state implementation table. Legislatures change laws, so confirm your state’s current rules with its department of insurance.
What This Means If You Are Buying
- In a state that adopted the model, an insurer cannot impose a waiting period on accidents, and illness waiting periods are capped at 30 days. Waiting periods of several months that insurers advertise may not apply in those states; check the state-specific policy form.
- Elsewhere, the policy document itself sets these terms, so read the waiting period, pre-existing condition, and hereditary-condition sections before enrolling. See waiting periods explained and pre-existing conditions.
- New York is the second-largest market by insured pets according to NAPHIA but does not appear among the adopting states in the NAIC table.
General information, not legal or insurance advice.
