What is a Waiting Period?
The period of time specified in your policy that must pass before some or all of your coverage begins. This is also called an elimination period or qualifying period.
Why Is There a Waiting Period?
Waiting periods keep policyholders from buying coverage for a pet that's already sick or injured and expecting immediate reimbursement. Pet insurance works by pooling risk across all policyholders, and waiting periods help keep that system fair.
What Happens If I File a Claim During the Waiting Period?
The claim will be denied if it's filed before your waiting period ends.
Policy Waiting Periods
The waiting periods shown are provided for general reference only, are subject to change, and were last updated October 16, 2026. In the event of any discrepancy, the terms of your policy will govern. For the waiting periods that apply to your coverage, sign in to your Nibbles account and review your policy documents.
Policies Serviced by Kanguro Insurance LLC
| State | Accident | Illness | Orthopedic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia | 14 days | 14 days | 180 days |
| Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Nevada, North Carolina, Texas | 2 days | 14 days | 180 days |
| Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio | 0 days | 14 days | 30 days |
Policies Serviced by Rainwalk Technology, Inc.
| Accident | Illness | Orthopedic |
|---|---|---|
| 0 days | 14 days | 14 days |
Policies Serviced by Odie Pet Insurance
Waiting periods may vary, refer to your policy document for the current waiting times for your coverage. Periods start from your Policy Effective Date. UII stands for Unexpected Illness and Injury Policy.
| State | UII – Injury | UII – Illness | UII – Cruciate Ligament Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania | 0 days | 14 days | 30 days |
| North Dakota, Oregon | 3 days | 14 days | 30 days |
| Vermont | 3 days | 14 days | 120 days |
| All other states | 3 days | 14 days | 180 days |
Waiver of Waiting Periods for Policies Service by Odie Pet Insurance
If you'd like your pet's waiting periods waived, you'll need to complete a Certified Medical Examination (CME) before your policy becomes active.
- Request a Certified Medical Examination (CME) form from Nibbles. Request it early so we have time to send it to you and your vet has time to complete it before your policy starts.
- Have a licensed veterinarian examine your pet and complete the CME form within the required timeframe: 24 hours before your policy's effective date (7 days for Florida).
- Make sure the exam shows no signs of illness, injury, or cruciate ligament issues, and that the vet notes all systems as within normal limits.
- Email the signed CME form to support@nibbles.com for review.
- Once we verify the form, we'll upload a Waiver of Waiting Periods to your pet's documents area in your account and let you know it's ready.
Important notes:
- Injury and illness waiting periods can be waived if your pet is healthy and the vet confirms all systems are within normal limits.
- Florida policies: accident and injury waiting periods can't be waived. Illness and cruciate-condition waiting periods can still be waived if your pet meets the health requirements above.