If you have "lifetime insurance" can you swap to a different insurer and still be covered for existing conditions?

[SunnyAgain]

I'm just coming to the end of my 4 week free Pet Plan insurance, and wondering if I take out a policy with them now, and one of the cats turns out to have a life long condition, would I essentially be tied to this company if I wanted ongoing treatment to be covered by insurance? (I know, pessimistic view!)

Just to add, one of the cats is unwell at the moment. She was sick several times today, and the vet has given her an anti-emetic. She couldn't feel anything amiss in her tummy but advised to give her plain chicken or fish for 24 hours, and monitor her. She isn't even slightly interested in the chicken :-(. If she doesn't improve, she may need an x-Ray, etc. etc..... So just thinking if I stay with Pet Plan, I should be able to claim if necessary, as I will be past the first 14 days of the policy, if they accept that the policy has run on from the free trial, but I have a feeling I could find a cheaper policy in the future, so wondering what the consequences would be if there was a long term condition.

There is currently no pet insurance company in the market that will take on pre-existing conditions. I tried very hard to find one earlier in the year when one of the cheaper insurance companies folded with 30 days notice.

So once your pet has a condition, you are tied to that insurer?

Isn't every health insurance policy like this? The new insurer excludes preexisting conditions or sets a really high excess if you claim for it. Or even car insurance if you've made a claim recently.
Or travel insurance excess for a preexisting condition.
Isn't this just the nature of insurance - damned if you do, damned if you don't.
My now departed old girl went through her whole life without a claim and the premium crept up with age anyway. But in the last year of her life she needed a lot of medical treatment and the insurance people made absolutely no fuss. All dealt with without any battles. If I'd not got insurance and put the money aside for a rainy cat day, no doubt it would have been cheaper. I paid my premiums for peace of mind which is how they "get" you.
I'm still glad I didn't have to take the cost of her care into consideration at the end.

I was with Pet plan. There was a budget whole life policy I took out when I got my old girl and her sister. Her sister predeceased her with no claim ever made.
I'll look around for policies when NewKitten rescues us after our summer hols (probably stick with pet plan but want to shop around first). However, I will go for a whole life policy.

There are human health insurance policies that take on pre-existing conditions, but usually where they are taking on a group of people so spread the risk.

Pet Plan are fab. If you're going to stuck with one of them that's the one I'd choose.

I'm no fan of insurers, but I'd have to say: what possible incentive would there be for an insurer to take on a pet they knew would cost them money? Yes, you will be tied to the insurer you're with if a lifelong condition is diagnosed.

If your cat has been to the vet with vomiting, and other insurance policy will now likely have an exclusion for gastrointestinal conditions for at least 12 months. If you continue your existing petplan 4 wks free (you also get another month free when you continue it) then gastrointestinal issues will still be covered.

Thank you, I will stick with Petplan for now.
I went back to the vet again yesterday, as 23 hours after the anti emetic jab had been given (which was to be effective for about 24 hours), little Pixel was sick again. She only ate 2 tiny cubes of chicken all day, and had been hiding a lot. She had done a small poo and a wee. The x-ray didn't show anything, her temperature was fine and she has been given another jab and I now have some oral anti emetic medicine to give via syringe 3 times a day .... Dreading that as she doesn't even like being picked up! I am to take her back to the vet this afternoon unless there is a drastic improvement.

I hope little Pixel feels better soon (great name btw, I have a Pixel too!)

Just make sure the 4-week free bit doesn't lapse before you carry it on with pet plan, I've had clients caught out by that, if the 4 weeks free lapses before they carry on the policy then it classes as a new policy with appropriate exclusions etc.

Yes, thank you, it runs out tomorrow so I will contact them today. My children and I chose the name together