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The most common reason French Bulldog owners find their insurance does not cover what they expected is the pre-existing condition clause. A claim is declined, the owner is told the condition was pre-existing, and the bill falls on them. Understanding how pre-existing condition exclusions work, how broadly insurers apply them and what options remain is essential knowledge for any Frenchie owner buying or changing a policy.
How insurers define pre-existing conditions
Most policies use a definition along these lines: any condition for which the animal has received or is receiving treatment, for which a vet has been consulted, or for which symptoms were noted in veterinary records, prior to the policy inception date.
This definition has several important features that often surprise owners.
It includes conditions that resolved. A cherry eye that was surgically corrected a year before the policy started is pre-existing. A bout of diarrhoea noted at a puppy appointment is pre-existing. Resolved conditions are often still treated as pre-existing unless the policy specifically states otherwise, and unless a defined symptom-free period has passed.
It includes undiagnosed symptoms. A vet noting “snuffly breathing” or “seems to struggle on walks” at a routine appointment creates a veterinary record of respiratory symptoms. If BOAS is subsequently diagnosed, the insurer can point to that earlier note as evidence that the condition was pre-existing.
It includes conditions mentioned in passing. An owner saying at a vaccine appointment “he sometimes makes a snorting noise, is that normal?” and the vet writing a brief note, even one that says “likely normal for breed,” creates a record. Some insurers use exactly these kinds of incidental mentions to support pre-existing exclusions.
French Bulldogs and the pre-existing condition problem
The breed creates a specific difficulty because the conditions Frenchies are most commonly treated for are the same ones that often show subtle early signs in puppyhood. A French Bulldog puppy that breathes noisily, rubs its eyes occasionally, or has loose stools more than average is a completely normal Frenchie puppy. It is also a Frenchie puppy accumulating veterinary records that could later be used to support pre-existing condition exclusions.
This does not mean avoiding the vet during puppyhood; it means being aware of what is documented and ensuring insurance is in place before any veterinary appointments create a record. The insuring a puppy guide covers the timing argument in detail.
Whether BOAS is automatically pre-existing
BOAS is not automatically pre-existing simply because the dog is a brachycephalic breed. A French Bulldog puppy with no veterinary history, no recorded respiratory symptoms and no BOAS assessment on file is insurable for BOAS as a new condition, provided the policy is taken out and active before any symptoms are first recorded.
Where it becomes pre-existing is when:
- A vet has assessed the dog for breathing difficulties before the policy started
- Noisy breathing or respiratory symptoms have been noted in records before the policy started
- The dog has had previous treatment for breathing or airway issues
The second category to be aware of is the blanket brachycephalic exclusion. Some insurers add a specific policy exclusion for “conditions arising from or related to brachycephalic anatomy” or similar wording. This is separate from the pre-existing definition: it means that even a Frenchie with no previous respiratory history would not have BOAS covered. This is a significant limitation for the breed and must be checked explicitly when comparing policies.
Switching insurers with an existing condition
Switching insurers is where the pre-existing condition problem becomes most acute for Frenchie owners. A dog that developed BOAS on Policy A, had a BOAS procedure claimed on Policy A, and whose owner then switches to Policy B will find that BOAS (and often related conditions) are excluded from Policy B as pre-existing.
This is the primary reason why staying with a single lifetime policy from puppyhood is the standard recommendation for French Bulldogs. Once a condition is on record, switching becomes increasingly costly because each new policy applies its own pre-existing condition assessment.
If you do need to switch insurers, the procedure is:
- Obtain a complete copy of your dog’s veterinary records before you apply elsewhere.
- Compare these records against what the new insurer will require you to disclose.
- Request written confirmation from the prospective insurer of which conditions they intend to exclude, before you cancel your current policy.
- Only cancel the current policy once you have written confirmation of the terms of the new policy.
Never have a gap in cover. Any condition that develops during a gap between policies will be pre-existing on the new policy.
Managing insurance when your Frenchie already has conditions
If your French Bulldog already has documented health conditions, insurance is still worth having. The reasoning is that even with BOAS excluded, a Frenchie is still exposed to significant non-respiratory health costs: spinal problems, allergies, eye conditions unrelated to the initial conditions, joint issues and other conditions that may well be covered.
When accepting a policy with exclusions:
- Get the exclusions in writing before you accept the policy
- Confirm the exact wording: an exclusion for “BOAS” is narrower than an exclusion for “all respiratory conditions” or “all brachycephalic conditions”
- Ask whether the exclusion is permanent or subject to review (some insurers will review exclusions for resolved conditions after a symptom-free period)
Challenging a declined claim
If a claim is declined on pre-existing condition grounds and you believe it has been applied incorrectly, the process is:
Step 1: Request the full basis for the decision in writing. Ask the insurer to identify the specific veterinary record entry they are relying on.
Step 2: Review your dog’s veterinary records. These are yours to request from the practice at any time. If the entry the insurer cites is ambiguous, inaccurate, or describes a different condition, this is the basis of your challenge.
Step 3: Submit a formal complaint to the insurer’s complaints department. Include a copy of the relevant veterinary records and your argument for why the exclusion has been incorrectly applied. Many declined claims are reversed at this stage.
Step 4: If the insurer upholds the decision, escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS adjudicates pet insurance disputes and can require the insurer to pay valid claims. The service is free to the policyholder.
For the full picture on insurance types and annual cost ranges, the insurance types guide and the insurance cost guide cover the options in detail.
Frequently asked questions
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A pre-existing condition is generally defined as any condition for which the dog received treatment, for which a vet was consulted, or for which symptoms were noted in veterinary records, before the current insurance policy began. This includes conditions that were investigated but not fully diagnosed, conditions that resolved before the policy start, and conditions that were mentioned in passing at a routine appointment. The definition varies by insurer, but most apply it broadly. Anything documented in veterinary records before the policy start date is potentially pre-existing.
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If a vet has assessed your French Bulldog for breathing difficulties, noted loud breathing, or performed a BOAS evaluation before your policy started, BOAS-related conditions are likely to be excluded as pre-existing. However, if your Frenchie has never been assessed for breathing issues and has no respiratory symptoms recorded in veterinary notes, BOAS is not automatically pre-existing, it would be covered if it develops while the policy is in force. Some insurers add a blanket exclusion for brachycephalic conditions regardless; this is a separate issue from the pre-existing condition definition and must be checked in the policy wording.
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Yes, you can still get pet insurance if your dog has diagnosed BOAS. However, BOAS and related conditions (and typically all respiratory conditions) will be excluded from the policy. The remaining policy may still be valuable for non-respiratory conditions such as spinal problems, allergies, eye conditions and orthopaedic issues. It is worth shopping around: the breadth of BOAS-related exclusions varies between insurers, and some will exclude only BOAS itself while others exclude all respiratory conditions.
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This depends on the insurer. Some insurers treat fully resolved conditions as non-pre-existing if they have been symptom-free for a specified period (commonly two years). Others treat any previously recorded condition as permanently pre-existing regardless of resolution. Ask the insurer directly when comparing policies, and request written confirmation of how resolved conditions are treated. A resolved episode of diarrhoea is treated very differently from resolved cherry eye surgery, but both may appear in veterinary records.
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Yes. If a claim is declined on pre-existing condition grounds, you have the right to challenge the decision through the insurer's internal complaints process and, if unresolved, through the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Common grounds for challenge include: the recorded symptoms were not clinically significant, the condition resolved and did not recur, the exclusion was not clearly disclosed when the policy was sold, or the connection between the recorded symptom and the claimed condition is medically tenuous. Keep records of all veterinary correspondence and policy documentation to support a challenge.
