Pet insurance in Louisiana

Effective since 2024

Louisiana’s pet insurance law is La. Stat. §§22:1371 to 22:1375. The official HB579 history records the Governor’s signature on Act 94 on 6 June 2023. It took effect on 1 January 2024, also recorded in the current statutory sections. The enactment and effective years differ.

Section 22:1371(C)(5) defines pet insurance as property insurance. Louisiana’s health and accident category covers insurance of human beings (§22:47(2)(a)), so rules for human health insurance cannot automatically be applied to veterinary expenses.

Waiting periods and veterinary examinations

Section 22:1373(B) establishes these rules:

An insurer imposing a wait must provide a contractual way to waive it following a medical examination. It may require a licensed veterinarian to perform the examination after purchase and specify examination elements and documentation. Those requirements cannot unreasonably restrict access to the waiver. The policyholder pays unless the policy says the insurer will pay.

A veterinary examination cannot be required for renewal itself — §22:1373(C). No waiting period does not remove exclusions, deductibles or other payment conditions.

Pre-existing conditions and renewal

Under §22:1371(C)(6), a condition can be pre-existing if, before policy effectiveness or during a wait, a veterinarian provided advice about it, the pet received treatment, or verifiable sources establish signs or symptoms directly related to the condition being claimed. The definition does not require a diagnosis.

Such conditions may be excluded with appropriate disclosure, but the insurer must prove the exclusion applies to the claimed condition — §22:1373(A).

A condition covered by the policy cannot become pre-existing on renewal. The statutory definition of renewal covers a replacement at the end of the policy period by the same or an affiliated insurer, with substantially similar types and limits of coverage — §22:1371(C)(7). Moving to an unrelated company does not automatically transfer coverage history.

This protection does not promise lifetime renewal, fixed prices or unchanged terms throughout the pet’s life. Section 22:1371(B) preserves other exclusions; requiring disclosure of hereditary or chronic-condition exclusions does not itself require those conditions to be covered.

Separate disclosures and a 15-day return right

Section 22:1372 requires disclosure of exclusions, waits, deductibles, coinsurance, limits and whether claim history, pet age or moving can reduce coverage or increase premiums. The company must disclose whether the underwriting company differs from the brand used to market and sell the product, and explain its payment formula and any benefit schedules or prevailing-fee reimbursement limits.

The summary must be a separate Insurer Disclosure of Important Policy Provisions document. It must be linked from the insurer’s or program administrator’s main website page and supplied with a new policy in at least 12-point type — §22:1372(H)–(J). Section 22:1372(K) also requires written insurer and regulator contact information.

If no claim has been filed, §22:1372(B) gives the applicant these rights:

1. Return the policy, certificate or endorsement to the company or its agent within 15 days after receipt, without giving a reason.
2. Receive the full premium within 30 days after the insurer receives the returned document. The refund goes to the payer and the contract is void as if never issued.

Return instructions must be on or attached to the first page. The document-return period and premium-refund deadline start at different events.

Wellness programs are sold separately

Under §22:1374, a wellness program cannot be marketed as insurance or made a requirement for buying pet insurance. Its price and terms must be separately identified, with disclosure that it is not insurance. Wellness benefits included in the insurance contract itself are insurance coverage.

Rates, forms and filing access

Section 22:47(13)(f) places veterinary care plan insurance within marine and transportation insurance. Read with §22:1456, this brings it within the property-insurance rating framework. Calling a product pet health insurance does not make it human health insurance, which is excluded from that subpart.

Under §22:1451(B), an authorized insurer files rates, supplementary rate information and supporting information. These are deemed approved unless the commissioner notifies the insurer otherwise within 30 days of filing. Earlier approval is possible. If missing supporting information is required, the period begins when the filing is completed — §22:1464(A)(2).

Special rules apply to certain commercial clients and specifically rated inland marine risks. The classification alone does not exempt every household pet policy from filing.

Basic forms must be filed and approved before issuance, delivery or use. Section 22:861(B) generally requires filing at least 45 days beforehand. At the end of that period, a form is deemed approved unless it has been affirmatively approved or disapproved; the commissioner can give advance notice extending review by up to 15 more days. Statutory exceptions and exemptions by order remain possible.

Under §22:1464(D), rates and supporting information become open to inspection after the applicable notification period expires or upon disapproval. Confidential, trade-secret and proprietary information is excepted; nonconfidential portions remain accessible. Section 22:42(J) preserves public-records law for electronic filings too. When comparing documents, check the legal insurer, form number, date and filing status.

Example: Healthy Paws’ Louisiana documents

On 1 November 2026, the Louisiana documents page contained three links:

Published samples do not establish enrollment availability or issuance of those editions. Obtain the declarations and all amendments for your policy.

The disclosure specifies no accident wait, 15 days for other illnesses and injuries, including orthopedic conditions except hip dysplasia, and 30 days for nonaccident hip dysplasia. A complete clinical examination waives waiting. The older base text on PDF page 3 instead contains a 15-day accident-injury wait and 12 months for hip dysplasia. It cannot be read separately from applicable amendments.

Base II.5.b, on PDF page 4, adds an age rule: if the pet was six or older at enrollment, illness related to hip dysplasia is not covered. The disclosure does not mention this exclusion, and none of the three linked documents removes it.

The notice on the first PDF page counts a 15-day return period from receipt; the base on page 6 says 30 days from effectiveness. The statute provides 15 days after receipt. Check the applicable provision in the full bundle before paying.

Disclosure page 2 applies the reimbursement percentage before subtracting the remaining annual deductible: $1,200 × 90% − $100 = $980. This illustrates a claim payment, not a premium. It also permits changes to premiums, coinsurance, deductibles or coverage based on regional program experience, location and pet age, among other factors; premiums are not based on the pet’s individual claims experience.