There’s no NHS for pets. Veterinary care can be eye-wateringly expensive but most cats and dogs will need treatment for an illness or injury at some point in their life.
It’s difficult to think about your animals being hurt or unwell, but you need to ask yourself: what would you do if you were faced with a vet bill for hundreds or thousands of pounds a year?
Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that you’ll be able to pay for treatment and concentrate on getting them on the road to recovery.
Pet insurance can be quite cost effective for young, healthy animals that have never been unwell, starting from just a few pounds a month.
Cats are generally cheaper to insure than dogs and costs rise as your pet ages or if they have any pre-existing health conditions.
The best way to find the right policy for you at a competitive price is to compare pet insurance.
Pet insurance comes in lots of different shapes and sizes – you just need to choose the right one for your little pal.
Accident-only pet insurance will only cover treatment if your pet is involved in an accident.
Find out more >If you pick a time-limited policy, there will be a capped amount on the treatment you can claim in a 12-month period. If you renew the policy after one year, you won’t be able to claim again for that condition.
Find out more >Maximum benefit insurance gives you an annual sum to claim on throughout the year, either per policy, per condition, or both.
Find out more >Lifetime pet insurance pays for ailment or illness with no time limit on each condition
Find out more >Levels of cover vary depending on the type of policy, but as well as veterinary treatment for accidents and/or illness, policies often include:
Pet insurance is for the unexpected, so there’s a few things that are usually excluded:
180 pet insurance reviews, February 2019 on reviews.co.uk[†]
Your name, address, that kind of thing
Such as their breed, age and gender
Their permanent address, even if they go walkies now and again
Do they have any pre-existing conditions we should know about?
How much you paid to buy or adopt your pet
It may be more expensive to insure older pets as they’re more prone to health issues.
However, you can still find a policy to cover them – if a standard policy won’t do, talk to a specialist insurer who should be able to help.
It can be tricky to find a pet insurance policy that covers pre-existing conditions as standard.
Speak to your insurer to work out what they’ll cover you for. It may be worth finding a specialist who can help.
Pet insurance doesn't cover the cost of vaccinations, but keeping your vaccinations up to date might get you a discount on your premiums with some policies.
If your pet’s not vaccinated and you need to make a related claim, your insurance probably won’t cover the cost of treatment.
Third party liability insurance covers you for your dog causing accidental injury or damage to someone else's person, property or pet.
This can include paying legal bills if someone takes you to court or tries to sue you due to an incident involving your dog.
Third party liability insurance doesn’t apply to cats which are legally regarded as 'free spirits'.
Try our top tips to get those premiums down:
The cheapest option may not work out the best in the long run
Chipping your cat or dog could reduce your bill
Some insurers may give you a better offer
Make sure they get plenty of exercise and have a healthy lifestyle
Put your pets on one policy to see if you can get a better deal
If you haven't got your pet yet, a crossbreed may be cheaper to insure
The charity may be able to help cover the cost of vet fees
Co-insurance could be a possibility if you have an older pet
Always shop around to find a great deal
180 pet insurance reviews, February 2019 on reviews.co.uk[†]
Policies may include a co-insurance element - if you make a claim, you'll be charged a percentage of the remaining vet fees after the excess has been deducted.
Premiums are likely to be higher for older animals, but generally there should be cover available for all ages. Cover for kittens and puppies tends to start at the age of six-to-eight weeks.
As they have a higher value and are more likely to be stolen, pedigree animals generally will be more expensive to insure. Due to their breeding, they also tend to be more vulnerable to genetic complaints.
If you own one of the types of dog specified in the Dangerous Dogs Act you must take out third party liability insurance, but it's not typically possible to take out additional pet insurance cover for banned breeds.