Which Cocker Spaniel conditions are still not claimable after twelve months?

We list the conditions a Cocker Spaniel is documented to face, then read each insurer's own policy wording for every one. The number under each insurer is how many are still not claimable twelve months after you sign.

This page sorts on one thing only: how many of the breed's documented conditions are still not claimable after twelve months. It ignores premium, payout speed, annual limit and customer service.

Each number counts only what the insurer's own policy document states. Where a document is silent on a rule, the row says so instead of guessing.

How each number is counted

A condition counts as not claimable when any of these is true on day 365: the waiting period for its class has not passed, the policy excludes it by breed or by age, the policy does not cover its category at all, or the condition is usually bilateral and this insurer treats the second side as pre-existing.

• Figo
  • covered an ear infection: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. This comes from the policy’s general illness rule; it names no separate rule for this class. (Definitions 44, Waiting Period, page 3 of 13; What We Cover, Illnesses including Genetic Conditions, page 4 of 13)
  • covered gum disease: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. (Exclusion 19 a to d, page 6 of 13 of form IAIC FPI POL AI KS 1025; Definitions 44, Waiting Period, page 3 of 13)
  • covered a fatty lump under the skin: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. (Definitions 44, Waiting Period, page 3 of 13; What We Cover, Illnesses including Genetic Conditions, page 4 of 13)
• Spot
  • covered an ear infection: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. This comes from the policy’s general illness rule; it names no separate rule for this class. (WAITING PERIODS, page 4; Definitions, Bilateral Condition, page 2; Exclusions c and f, page 5)
  • covered gum disease: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. (Exclusions a and h, page 5 of 8 of form PET-P-20000-1024; WAITING PERIODS, page 4)
  • covered a fatty lump under the skin: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. (WAITING PERIODS, page 4; Definitions, Bilateral Condition, page 2; Exclusions c and f, page 5)
• Trupanion
  • covered an ear infection: Covered after the 30 day waiting period. This comes from the policy’s general illness rule; it names no separate rule for this class. (Exclusions & Limitations 5.b(2) and 5.c(1); page 3 of 9)
  • covered gum disease: Covered after the 30 day waiting period. (Exclusion (8), page 4 of 9 of form TRU-00001 (08/11); general illness waiting period at 5.b(2), page 3 of 9)
  • covered a fatty lump under the skin: Covered after the 30 day waiting period. (Exclusions & Limitations 5.b(2) and 5.c(1); page 3 of 9)
• Lemonade
  • covered an ear infection: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. This comes from the policy’s general illness rule; it names no separate rule for this class. (Waiting periods; Pre-existing conditions; Definitions page 14)
  • blocked gum disease: This policy does not cover this class of condition at all, so no waiting period applies. (Conditions not covered, page 4 of form LEM-PET (09-23), which lists "Any dental illness"; Definitions, Dental Illness, page 15: "An illness affecting the teeth and/or gums"; Definitions, Routine Dental Cleaning, page 19)
  • covered a fatty lump under the skin: Covered after the 14 day waiting period. (Waiting periods; Pre-existing conditions; Definitions page 14)

Where each condition comes from. Sorted by how much this breed stands out, strongest first.

Condition	How much it stands out	Sample	Source
Otitis externa an ear infection	1.67×	n = 22,333	VetCompass 2021
Periodontal disease gum disease	1.66×	n = 22,333	VetCompass 2021
Lipoma a fatty lump under the skin	1.26×	n = 384,284	VetCompass 2018

VetCompass, Royal Veterinary College. O'Neill DG, Volk AV, Soares T et al., Frequency and predisposing factors for canine otitis externa in the UK, Canine Medicine and Genetics, 2021

This figure compares the breed against CROSSBRED dogs, not against every other dog. Crossbreed is the baseline category in the final model. Random sample of 22,333 dogs from a population of 905,554; sixteen breeds showed increased odds. Breed and ear carriage were the two highest ranked risk factors in this study. It did not extract laterality or chronicity, so it cannot say how often ear disease recurs. UK first-opinion data: the biology carries over to the US, referral patterns and recording habits do not.

VetCompass, Royal Veterinary College. O'Neill DG, Mitchell CE, Humphrey J et al., Epidemiology of periodontal disease in dogs in the UK primary-care veterinary setting, Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021

This figure compares the breed against CROSSBRED dogs, not against every other dog. Crossbreed is the baseline category in the final breed-focused random effects multivariable model at Table 3, adjusted for bodyweight relative to the breed-sex mean, age, sex-neuter and insurance status, with clinic as a random effect; eighteen breed types showed increased odds. The study recorded cases as present or absent without severity, and states it was not always clear whether a record referred to gingivitis, which is reversible, or periodontitis, which is not. It expects to undercount. UK first-opinion data: the biology carries over to the US, referral patterns and recording habits do not.

VetCompass, Royal Veterinary College. O'Neill DG, Corah CH, Church DB, Brodbelt DC, Rutherford L, Lipoma in dogs under primary veterinary care in the UK: prevalence and breed associations, Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 5:9, 2018

This figure compares the breed against CROSSBRED dogs, not against every other dog. Crossbreed is the baseline category of the breed variable in the final breed multivariable model at Table 2, adjusted for bodyweight relative to the breed and sex mean, age, sex-neuter status and insurance, with clinic as a random effect. This is the lowest of the eight breeds with increased odds and its confidence interval runs from 1.04 to 1.53, so it only just clears significance. The study did not require laboratory confirmation of a lipoma. UK first-opinion data: the biology carries over to the US, referral patterns and recording habits do not.

What was measured

dogs under UK primary veterinary care during 2016; dogs under UK primary veterinary care during 2013.

Last checked: September 1, 2026. This is the oldest check date of the rows on this page, not the newest.