Waggel Pet InsuranceNew cover starts for pets aged from8 weeksMaximum vet fees£10,000 a yearDiscountsIntroductory discount1st month free for money.co.uk customers. Waggel offer a comprehensive Lifetime policy that covers reoccurring conditions and includes dental. It allows you to adjust the coverage and excess so that you can find a price to suit your budget.
Bought By Many Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from4 weeks Maximum vet fees£15,000 a yearDiscounts15% multi-pet discount Over 300,000 pets covered. 14,000+ 5* reviews on Feefo. FREE unlimited video calls with a vet, 24/7 so you can get expert advice from the comfort of your home. Lifetime policies. No cancellation fee.
The Insurance Emporium Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from5 weeks Maximum vet fees£8,000 per condition a yearDiscounts10% multi-pet discount & 20% introductory discount Voted Pet Insurance Provider of the Year at the Money facts Consumer Awards 2026. Tailor your policy with Optional Benefits to suit your needs and budget. 20% Introductory Discount available for the first year of cover, T&Cs apply.
Direct Line Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from8 weeks to 10 yearsMaximum vet fees£8,000 per conditionDiscountsA multi-pet discountGet 12 months pet insurance for the price of 9 when you buy online. Introductory online discount applied over first 12 months.
Some policies from this insurer may not let you claim on the same condition again once your policy has been renewed. Underwritten by U K Insurance Limited.
Pet-insurance.co.uk Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from5 weeks Maximum vet fees£4,000 a yearDiscounts10% multi-pet discount & 20% introductory discountPet-Insurance.co.uk offer both standard and lifetime pet insurance for dogs and cats, designed to suit your individual needs. Their policies can help protect against unforeseen Vet’s Fees costs, and much more.
Healthy Pets Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from5 weeks to 12 years Maximum vet fees£7,500 per conditionDiscounts20% online discount20% online discount, and as specialists, can pay the vet direct, offer free direct debiting, have 3rd party liability for dogs as standard, offer a range of cover to suit all budgets and love pets.
Some policies from this insurer may not let you claim on the same condition again once your policy has been renewed.
LV= Pet Insurance; New cover starts for pets aged from8 weeks Maximum vet fees£10,000 a yearDiscounts10% online discount & a multi-pet discount LV= is here when your cats and dogs need more than a little TLC – LV= can pay your vet fees directly. LV= offer pet insurance with 5 levels of cover to choose from, plus a 10% online discount.
What is pet insurance?
Pet insurance will cover the cost of treatment for your pet if they get sick or have an accident. Along with vet bills, it can also cover the cost of third party damage if you have a dog, or losing your pet through theft or straying.
If you can get the best pet insurance in place, you should be able to avoid some of these stresses. Knowing you have the cover in place to meet the cost of vet bills for your pet, means you can focus on making sure they get the care they need.
Types of pet insurance
Before you get pet insurance quotes and compare pet insurance, you’ll need to work out what level of cover you want.
If you want cheap pet insurance, you’ll probably need to go for a low level of cover. But make sure your policy covers you for what you need. There’s no point in a pet insurance policy that doesn’t give you the right level of cover.
Here’s a summary of the various levels of pet insurance, UK wide, that you can choose from.
| Insurance type | Level of cover |
|---|---|
| Accident only pet insurance | This type of pet insurance covers your pet’s injuries if they have an accident. It’s the most basic, cheapest pet insurance. Some policies give a low level of cover for vet fees if your pet gets ill as a result of their accident. But not all pet insurance companies include this, so check carefully. |
| Time limited pet insurance | This type of pet plan lets you claim for a specific condition for a set time period (usually a year). Once the time period’s over, you’ll have to pay to treat that condition yourself. |
| Maximum benefit pet insurance | This type of pet insurance policy lets you claim up to a set limit, such as £8,000. Your insurer won’t pay out once you reach that limit. |
| Lifetime pet insurance | If you want pet insurance, lifetime cover is the best pet insurance, UK wide. It’s the most comprehensive and therefore the most expensive kind of pet plan. It lets you claim up to a set amount such as £12,000, for each year of your pet’s life, for any condition. |
If you have a pedigree pet, you should think about getting one of the higher levels of cover. Lifetime insurance can be the perfect pet insurance for pure breeds. That’s because they often suffer from hereditary diseases as they get older.
For example, it is important to consider that if you are looking for the best dog insurance, UK vet bills over the life a pedigree breed can be thousands of pounds. Therefore, lifetime or maximum benefit insurance can save you a lot of money in the long run.
You might also want to check what cover you’ve got for your pedigree pet being stolen or getting lost. For pet insurance, UK providers will usually offer a range of add-ons and extras.
Find out what’s covered by different pet insurance policies to choose which pet insurance you need.
What are the main types of pet insurance?
There are lots of different types of pet insurance available. The best pet insurance for you will depend on your situation.
Pets plan insurance typically covers accidents, illnesses and injuries.
- Accident cover means you’re covered if your pet gets injured or happens to injure someone else.
- Illness cover is for if your pet becomes ill while your pet insurance policy’s valid.
- Emergencies cover is for if you fall ill and have to go into hospital. Some policies cover the cost of your pet’s temporary care.
What doesn’t pet insurance cover?
Here are the treatments and conditions most pet insurance policies will cover, and what most plans will exclude.
| What is covered | What is not covered |
|---|---|
| Alternative therapies (e.g. hydrotherapy or acupuncture) or any treatments that your vet has referred your pet for | Routine and preventative procedures such as vaccination or flea treatment |
| Diagnostic costs for working out what is wrong with your pet (e.g. blood tests) | Dental treatment, unless it is an emergency |
| Third party costs for if your dog damages someone else’s property | Treatments or medication for pre-existing conditions |
| Putting your pet to sleep | Paying for your pet to be buried or cremated |
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions and older pets?
Even the best pet insurance, UK wide, will have exclusions. That means you could be rejected for certain claims you try to make.
When you’re looking at health plans for pets, make sure you check the list of exclusions.
Some policies exclude older pets. Other policies just give healthy pets insurance and don’t cover pets who have a pre-existing medical condition. And many pet insurance companies won’t cover working pets that are used for business or breeding.
If your pet falls under one of these categories, you could look into specialist pet plans. For example, if you want pet insurance, pre-existing conditions shouldn’t stop you getting it. You just might need a special policy for your pet.
Here’s how to claim on your pet insurance policy, including all the exclusions to look out for.
Maximum vet fee cover
Pet insurance providers will cover the vet bills for treatment your pet needs up to a specified amount. You will need to pay for treatment yourself once your pet’s vet bills exceed that amount, so it is crucial to know how much cover your chosen provider offers. Here is an example of the level of cover offered by pet insurance providers:
| Provider | Maximum vet fees cover |
|---|---|
| Bought By Many | £15,000 a year |
| Waggel | £10,000 a year |
| Tesco Bank | £10,000(per condition) |
| The Insurance Emporium | £8,000 a year(per condition) |
| Direct Line | £8,000(per condition) |
| Healthy Pets | £7,500(per condition) |
| Pet-insurance.co.uk | £4,000 a year |
How to compare pet insurance
When you compare pet insurance quotes, you’ll see different insurers offering quotes. These are based on several factors.
Your pet insurance comparison will take the following factors into consideration:
- Your pet’s age: Older pets are more likely to get sick, so their insurance costs more. Here’s some information on finding cover for your older pet.
- Pre-existing medical conditions: If your pet’s got any medical issues, then most insurers won’t cover them. Those that do will charge you much more, because it’s more risky for them to insure you.
- Cost of your pet: Insurance for pedigree pets costs more than insurance for crossbreeds. That’s because pedigree pets are more expensive to buy and can suffer from inherited health issues.
- Type of pet: Small pets like rabbits are cheaper to cover than bigger pets like dogs and cats. That’s because smaller pets cost much less to buy, and their vet fees are lower.
You can use our pet insurance comparison table at the top of this page to compare pet insurance, UK wide.
Does pet insurance cost depend on what kind of animal you have?
Yes, your pet insurance cost varies depending on the type of animal you have.
Every pet’s different so you need to make sure you get insurance that will cover them throughout their life.