Why do I need pet insurance?
As a pet owner, you’ll know that your furry friend can be, let’s say, one of the more adventurous members of the family. Because of this, it’s not unusual for our pets to need a trip or two to the vets from time to time. The stress of your pet being ill or injured is bad enough, but adding a hefty vet bill on top just makes a worrying situation worse.
Having the right pet insurance in place means you can rest easy, knowing you can cover the vet bills for your dog or cat, and give them the care they need if they fall ill. A pet insurance comparison with us offers a quick way to find a great deal and peace of mind in minutes.
Find out about the different types of pet insurance for your dog or cat, what it includes and how much it costs, by reading on.
John Lewis pet insurance that comes with a treat^^
When you buy a new Plus or Premier John Lewis Pet Insurance policy through Compare the Market, you’ll get an e-gift card to spend at Waitrose and John Lewis (£20 for Premier level, £15 for Plus level).
Your e-gift card will be sent within 60 days of your policy start date. Essential policies won’t receive an e-gift card. Offer limited to one e-gift card per pet and available until 30 September 2026.
Types of pet insurance policy
The best pet insurance for you depends on a number of things, including the age of your pet, how prone it is to illness and how much you’re willing to pay.
There are four main types of pet insurance to look out for when comparing deals:
- Accident only pet insurance will cover your pet’s vet bills if they’re hurt in an accident, but it won’t cover illness.
- Time limited pet insurance covers illnesses as well as accidents, for up to 12 months from when the condition was diagnosed or up to the limit of the policy, whichever happens first. Once either limit is reached, the condition is no longer covered even if you renew.
- Maximum benefit pet insurance covers accidents and illnesses up to a maximum amount per condition. Once you’ve reached the limit, you’re no longer covered for that particular condition even if you renew.
- Lifetime pet insurance is the most complete type of pet insurance available. It covers accidents, injuries and illnesses for the life of your policy. Policies have limits on claims per year or per condition – or sometimes both. Once the limit is reached, you can no longer claim for that condition until you renew. The limits are reset once the policy is renewed.
What does pet insurance cover?
Pet insurance policies vary, but they could include the following types of cover:
- Vet fees and treatment if your pet is ill or injured.
- Emergency dental treatment if your pet needs dental care because of an accident.
- Holiday cancellation if you need to cancel or cut your holiday short due to your pet suffering an unexpected illness, getting injured or going missing.
- Compensation if your pet dies or goes missing.
- Advertising fees and reward money if your pet goes missing.
- Kennel and cattery fees if you’re temporarily unable to care for your pet.
- Third party liability cover if your dog injures someone, causes an accident or damages someone’s property.
- Overseas cover in case your pet gets injured or falls ill while you’re abroad.
- Alternative treatments like physio, acupuncture or homeopathy, if they’re recommended by your vet.
It’s important to check any policy carefully before you buy, to make sure it includes the cover you need for your pet. Some policies won’t include things like overseas cover and holiday cancellation as standard, for example, but you may be able to add them to your policy at an extra cost.
How much does pet insurance cost?
Protect your cat from
£81
per year^^
Protect your dog from
£167
per year^^^
Lifetime dog insurance^^^^ from
£170
^^50% of people could achieve a quote of £80.76 per year for their cat insurance based on Compare the Market data in November 2026 for all cover types.
^^^50% of people could achieve a quote of £166.08 per year for their dog insurance based on Compare the Market data in November 2026 for all cover types.
^^^^50% of people could achieve a quote of £169.68 per year for their lifetime dog insurance based on Compare the Market data in November 2026.
When running a price comparison, it’s important to check that the cheapest pet insurance premium gives your cat or dog the cover you want them to have.