Updated: October 14, 2026
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Pet insurance coverage includes TPLO surgery, reimbursing 60% to 90% of eligible costs when the injury occurs after enrollment and waiting periods end.
ASPCA, Pumpkin and Spot cover TPLO surgery with a 14-day waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions, shorter than other competitors.
Your dog's breed, age and weight determine your need for TPLO surgery coverage, with larger breeds and dogs aged two to seven facing the highest risk.
TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) surgery helps repair a torn ligament in a dog’s knee, similar to a torn ACL in people. Dogs often need this surgical procedure after an accident or when the ligament weakens over time, which causes pain, limping, or trouble walking.
Pet insurance helps cover the cost of TPLO surgery if the injury happens after your policy begins and the waiting period has passed. Once you’ve paid your deductible, your insurer provides reimbursement for eligible expenses.
Pet insurance coverage for TPLO surgery depends on which type of policy you have.
If your dog tears its cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in a sudden injury, like a fall or collision, after the waiting period, an accident-only plan covers tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery. These plans cost less in most cases, but you'll pay for treatment yourself if the ligament wears down over time.
This plan covers more. It pays for TPLO surgery whether the damage comes from a sudden injury or wears down over time from aging or repeated strain, as long as it isn't a pre-existing condition. After you meet your deductible, your insurer reimburses you for eligible surgery costs, however the injury happened.
If your dog needs TPLO surgery on one knee, there’s a 40% to 60% chance that the other knee could tear within the next two years.
Some insurance companies treat this as a bilateral condition and won’t cover the second knee if the first injury happened before your policy started or during the waiting period. To avoid unexpected costs, review your plan’s bilateral coverage details before getting pet insurance.
Most insurers provide surgery pet insurance for TPLO when the condition isn't pre-existing. Coverage varies mainly by each insurer's waiting period for cruciate ligament injuries.
Covers TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament conditions after a 180-day waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a 14-day waiting period for illnesses | |
Covers TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injuries after a six-month waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery for knee injuries after a six-month waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery after a six-month waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament injuries with a 15-day waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery for cruciate ligament events after a six-month waiting period | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a standard 14-day waiting period for injuries, illnesses and cruciate conditions | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a 0-day waiting period for accidents and 14-day waiting period for illnesses | |
Covers TPLO surgery after a 12-month waiting period for ACL issues | |
Covers TPLO surgery after a six-month waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a six-month waiting period for knee and ligament conditions | |
Covers TPLO surgery after a 14-day waiting period for illnesses and accidents | |
Covers TPLO surgery after a 14-day waiting period for injuries and illnesses | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a five-day waiting period for accidents and 14 days for illnesses | |
Covers TPLO surgery with a waiting period of three to 15 days for orthopedic conditions | |
Coverage varies by state and policy terms. Always review your specific policy documents and consult with your insurance provider to understand exact coverage terms, exclusions and limitations.
Several risk factors play a role in deciding if you need pet insurance that covers TPLO surgery.
Because of their size and activity level, larger breeds are more likely to tear a cruciate ligament. They include:
These breeds account for the majority of TPLO surgeries each year. If your dog's breed makes it prone to this injury, pet insurance can help pay for surgery even when you've done everything you can to prevent it.
Cruciate ligament tears are most common in dogs between two and seven years old, but they can happen at any age. Older dogs are at risk too, because their ligaments weaken over time. Younger, active dogs can tear a ligament with a sudden movement during play or exercise.
Active dogs that love to sprint, jump or change direction quickly put more strain on their knees than laid-back dogs. Dogs that exercise hard only once in a while are also more likely to tear a ligament suddenly.
If your dog enjoys agility training, hiking or long games of fetch, coverage can help you pay for expensive surgery.
Extra weight puts more stress on a dog's cruciate ligaments with every step, so overweight and obese dogs are more likely to tear one. Even five pounds over a healthy weight raises your dog's risk of needing TPLO surgery. A healthy weight lowers the risk but doesn't remove it, especially for breeds prone to this injury.
TPLO surgery costs $6,000 to $10,000 per knee, according to Lemonade, and that doesn't include diagnostics before surgery, pain medication or physical therapy. If your pet insurance covers TPLO surgery, you'll get 60% to 90% of eligible costs back after you meet your deductible and file a claim, within a few days to two weeks in most cases.
Pet insurance covers TPLO surgery when your dog’s cruciate ligament injuries occur after your policy’s waiting periods. ASPCA, Pumpkin and Spot are some of the companies offering the shortest 14-day waiting period for cruciate ligament conditions. Consider your dog's breed, age and weight to determine whether you need to get the best pet insurance that covers TPLO surgery.
If you’re wondering how TPLO surgery coverage works, these FAQs break it down for you.
Pet insurance doesn't cover TPLO surgery for pre-existing cruciate ligament injuries that occurred before your coverage started or during waiting periods. If your dog tears their CCL before enrollment, insurers consider this a pre-existing condition and exclude it from coverage.
Accident-only plans cover TPLO surgery solely for sudden injuries like falls or collisions, while accident and illness policies cover both sudden tears and gradual ligament deterioration from aging or repeated strain. The latter provide more comprehensive coverage, so expect your pet insurance costs to be higher.
Buy it while your dog is young and healthy, since cruciate ligament tears are most common between ages two and seven.
Once your dog starts limping or showing pain or instability, the injury counts as a pre-existing condition, and insurers won't cover it. Waiting periods range from 14 days to 12 months depending on your insurer, so your coverage won't start right away.
Before you buy, compare several quotes and read the fine print to find the cheapest pet insurance with good TPLO surgery coverage.
You pay the TPLO surgery bill up front, then file a claim with your insurer. With most insurers, you can file through their mobile app by uploading photos of itemized vet invoices and medical records. After you meet your deductible, you'll get 60% to 90% of eligible costs back, within a few days to two weeks in most cases.
It depends on when each injury happens and on your policy's bilateral exclusion terms. Most insurers cover surgery for the first knee if the tear happens after your coverage starts and your waiting periods end.
If your dog later tears the other CCL, some insurers exclude the second knee as a bilateral condition. That's most likely if the first tear happened before you enrolled or during your waiting period.
Connor Bolton is Senior SEO and Content Manager at MoneyGeek, where he leads the business and pet insurance editorial teams. He sets the research framework, data standards and content structure for his team. All content goes through his accuracy review before publication. Connor also writes in-depth guides and has spent more than four years covering insurance products across personal, commercial and specialty lines.
The research infrastructure Connor built covers auto, home, renters, life, health, business and pet insurance across pricing analysis, carrier research, customer experience and coverage evaluation. It includes over 6 million data points for business insurance across 408 industry areas, all 50 states and 16 vehicle types. The pet insurance side covers over 5 million profiles across 18 major providers, 100+ breeds and ages up to 20 years. Connor’s insurance research and his team's work have been cited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Allstate, Liberty Mutual, CBS News, Forbes and LegalZoom.
Connor also talks with underwriters and carrier liaisons at Ethos, The Hartford, ERGO NEXT, Nationwide and State Farm, and monitors business and pet owner communities on Reddit. Those sources shape how his team evaluates carriers, structures rate analysis and writes content for real pet owners.
Questions about MoneyGeek's business or pet insurance content? Reach him at connor@moneygeek.com or on LinkedIn.
