Pet Insurance

Find Pet Insurance that’s right for you

Read advice about Pet Insurance and choose from our hand picked list of insurers; or explore our articles to find out more.

Is your pet insured against vets fees?

The average claim is about £750 – but many diseases and injuries cost a lot more than that to fix, with claims of £4000-6000 not uncommon for severe accidents, or ongoing diseases such as diabetes or epilepsy. Even relatively “minor” conditions can prove expensive!

Pet insurance can help to…

  • Pay the bills for tests, scans, medical or surgical treatment. Remember, there’s no NHS for pets!
  • Cover you for third party liability if your pet injures someone or their property.
  • Pay for advertising to help find a lost or strayed pet.
  • Cover emergency treatment if your pet is injured or becomes ill when travelling abroad.
However, not all pet insurance is the same. Different policies will cover different conditions, or have different exclusions - so make sure you know what you’re getting!
  • Lifetime Cover - your pet is covered for any new illness or injury, from the start of the cover, for life - as long as you keep up premium payments. Your pet’s insurance will pay out each year up to the maximum on the policy - but at the end of the insurance year, that pot is “renewed” - and they will pay out up to the same limit next year. In some cases, there may also be a limit on how much can be claimed per condition, in others it may be a simple cap on total payments. This is the most comprehensive cover, but also the most expensive.
  • Maximum Benefit Policies (also known as “Per Condition” cover). These will pay out up to a fixed limit for each condition - accident, injury or illness. However, when the money’s spent, that injury or illness is “excluded” from future claims - and this can apply to the same condition reoccurring - perhaps in another part of the body, or the same leg being injured.
  • Time-limited Cover - your pet is covered up to a set amount of money per condition, but only for a certain period of time (usually 12 months after it first developed). As soon as either the money limit is hit, or the time limit, the policy won’t pay out any more. The same “Exclusion” system applies as in a “Per Condition” policy.
  • Accident Only Policies - your pet is covered for accident and injury, but not for illness. These may be Per Condition or Time-limited; they’re the cheapest policies but don’t cover for large ongoing bills, e.g. treating diabetes, epilepsy, Cushing’s, hyperthyroidism, or other long-term illnesses.
And different insurers will assess the risks differently - so in some cases, you might be able to get a more comprehensive policy for your pet at a better price with a different company. Remember, though, if you change companies, any pre-existing diseases are likely to be excluded in the future. So, it’s really important to shop around - and that’s what our tool is designed to help you do! Read more from the Association of British Insurers: https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/choosing-the-right-insurance/pet-insurance-guide/ Want to learn more about pet insurance? Check out our selection of articles, covering everything you ever needed to know!

Find out more from our affiliates

Agria

Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
Providing animal healthcare since 1890, Agria is a leading provider of Pet Insurance in the UK. Winner of Moneyfacts Consumer Award 2018 & 2019: Pet Insurance Provider of the Year, offering Lifetime cover with up to £12,500 vet fees. Agria has an in-house health team who provide ongoing healthcare advice; including a specialist vet, behaviourist and nutritionist to help support pet owners. You can access a free Pet Health Helpline 24/7
Pet Insurance Provider of the Year 2018/19
Lifetime Cover up to £12,500 for vets fees
24/7 Pet Health Helpline
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PetGuard

Dogs
Cats

PetGuard

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PetGuard offer over 37 years of experience insuring dogs and cats in the UK. You can enjoy a 20% discount on your first year, with cover for new long-term and chronic conditions also available.
20% off your first year
Vet bills paid directly to your vet
Cover for new long-term & chronic condition
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Animal Friends

Dogs
Cats

Animal Friends

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With over 20 years of providing insurance for UK pets, Animal Friends is a popular choice amongst owners. You'll enjoy 24/7 vet video consultations, coverage for all pets and Animal Friends will donate to charity for every policy.
24/7 Vet Video Consultations
Each Policy Supports Charity
Over 20 Years of Experience
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4Paws

Dogs
Cats
Rabbits
4Paws can provide cover for your cat, dog or rabbit. This Defaqto 5 star rated cover pays out between 5-10 days of a claim in 97% of cases. From time-limited to lifetime cover, you can get the policy you need for your pet.
Defaqto 5-star Rated Insurance
Insure Your Dog, Cat or Rabbit
97% of Customer Rate Good to Excellent
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