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Pet Insurance

Compare cheap pet insurance quotes from £4.80*

  • Protect your pet from unexpected vet bills at affordable rates

  • Choose from accident only, time-limited, maximum benefit or lifetime cover

  • Find out exactly how much cover suits you and your pet

*Prices based on Confused.com data taken between June - August 2023. Costs shown are based on the average price paid for cover across all ages, breeds and in all locations.

What types of pet insurance are there?

Here at Confused.com, we compare 4 types of pet insurance. These each work in slightly different ways:

Accident only

These policies cover the cost of any treatment your pet needs if it’s hurt in an accident. They don’t cover illnesses or longer term conditions though. You’ll usually be given a set amount you can claim for each injury your pet suffers. Once you’ve hit this limit, you won’t be able to claim for any further treatment for that injury.

Time limited

These policies cover both accidents and illnesses, but only for a set period of time. During your cover period, which is usually 12 months, you'll be able to claim for any conditions your pet develops. After that, conditions you've already claimed for will be classed as ‘pre-existing’ and you won’t be able to claim for  them again.

Maximum benefit

These policies cover both injuries and illnesses up to a set amount. Unlike time limited policies, they don’t give you a set period in which you can claim. But they do give you a financial claim limit for each injury or illness your pet needs treatment for. Once you’ve hit this limit, you won’t be able to claim for that condition again. 

Lifetime

These policies allow you to claim for the same conditions over and over again, as long as you keep renewing your policy. If your pet develops a chronic illness, a lifetime policy should let you keep claiming for treatment for it. Other policy types will class that condition as ‘pre-existing’ once you’ve claimed, and won’t cover it again.

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What our pet insurance expert says

"Getting the right policy can help protect your pet, as well as your pocket. Want a pricier policy that covers everything? Then lifetime pet insurance might be for you. Looking for cheaper cover that’ll help in an emergency? Then accident only might be your best bet. Think about what you need your insurance to cover and how much you’re willing to pay for it before getting a quote."
Matthew Harwood, Home & lifestyle insurance expert at Confused.com
Home & lifestyle insurance expert Confused.com logo

What does pet insurance cover?

All pet insurance policies cover treatment costs for accidental injury.

Depending on your policy you could get cover for much more too.

Exactly what is covered can differ from insurer to insurer, so check your policy documents to see what you can claim for.

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Your policy could cover:

  • Treatment for accidental injury, although exactly how much you can claim, and for how long, depends on the type of policy you have.
  • Treatment for unexpected illnesses, if you have a policy that covers illnesses as well as accidents. What illness are covered will depend on your policy.
  • Boarding fees for kennels or catteries if your pet has to spend time away from home unexpectedly, if you're hospitalised and unable to care for them, for example.
  • Liability cover if your pet causes damage to a third party and they decide to take action against you.
  • Advertising and reward costs if your cat or dog goes missing or is stolen.
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Your policy may not cover:

  • Preventive treatments like neutering, spaying and vaccination. You’ll be expected to pay for these yourself.
  • Dental treatment, unless specified in your policy documents. You may be offered dental cover as a policy add-on for an additional cost. 
  • Pre-existing conditions that you’ve claimed for previously. Pre-existing conditions policies do exist, but they can be difficult to find. We don’t currently offer these at Confused.com.
  • Routine check-ups with a vet for things like general health checks.
  • Treatment for behavioural problems like if your dog is aggressive towards other dogs, for example

What if my pet has a pre-existing condition?

Common pre-existing conditions:

Diabetes

Airway problems

Joint issues

Most pet insurance policies will not cover pre-existing conditions.

A pre-existing condition is any health condition your pet is diagnosed with before you take out a pet insurance policy.

Any condition you’ve previously claimed for through pet insurance is also classed as a pre-existing condition.

If you have lifetime pet insurance, things are different. Here, a previously claimed-for condition should be covered again when you renew your policy, as long as you remain with the same provider.

Cover for pre-existing conditions will usually still be excluded if you take out a new policy with a new provider.

Learn more about pet insurance for pre-existing conditions

Compare cheap pet insurance quotes

How much is pet insurance?

To give you an idea of what you're likely to pay, here's the average monthly price pet owners pay for their insurance:

Policy type Dog Cat
Accident only
£7
£5
Time limited
£13
£8
Maximum benefit
£12
£9
Lifetime
£19
£12

Prices based on Confused.com data taken between 01/06/23 - 31/08/23. Costs shown are based on the average price paid for cover across all ages, breeds and in all locations.

How much you'll pay for your pet insurance is based on:

The type of policy you choose, as policies that cover more tend to cost more.

The amount of cover you want, as the higher the amount of treatment you can claim for, the more you'll typically pay for your policy.

Your pet’s age, breed and species, as older pets, certain breeds, and certain types of pet are more prone to health issues than others.

Whether your pet is neutered or spayed, as this can help prevent things like testicular cancer.

Whether your pet is vaccinated, as this can protect them from certain illnesses, and lower the risk to insure them.

The excess on your policy, as the more you're willing to pay towards the cost of a claim, the cheaper your policy will tend to be.

How can I get cheaper pet insurance?

Anything that lowers your pet's risk in the eyes of insurers could lead to cheaper insurance. So protecting them against certain conditions could be good for your wallet, as well as for them.

Here are a few ways that might help reduce the price you pay:

Neutering or spaying not only helps prevent unwanted litters, it can lower the risk of your pet developing certain health problems too.

Vaccinating your pet can help cut the cost of your cover as pet vaccinations protect them against certain illnesses.

Keeping your pet at a healthy weight and making sure they're fit can reduce their risk of obesity-related conditions.

Choosing a higher excess as the more you pay, the cheaper your policy is likely to be. Just make sure your excess isn't so high you can't afford to make a claim if you need to.

Trying multi-pet insurance if you have more than one pet, as these often work out cheaper than the cost of several individual policies.

Comparing quotes for pet insurance is quick and easy, and can help you find the best deal in minutes.

Compare cheap pet insurance quotes

How much cover should I take out?

According to the Association of British Insurers, the average pet insurance claim is £848*.

But this is only an average, and more complicated issues could cost thousands.

Spinal surgery, which is the most common high value claim, costs between £8,000 and £10,000**, for example. 

Here at Confused.com, you can select between a cover level of at least £1,000, £2,000, £3,000 or £4,000 - giving you real flexibility over your pet's cover.

*Association of British Insurers study, looking at 1,029,000 pet insurance claims filed in 2021.
**ABI study 2022

Taking out enough cover is important. 

But taking out too much cover can be a problem too, as this can leave you with a policy that you can't afford.

To ensure you get the right amount of cover, think about:

  • What you want your policy to cover, whether that’s just minor accidents and illness, or extensive treatment for serious conditions.
  • How much you can afford to pay, as the higher your claim amount, the more you’ll pay in premiums. 

This should help you get the right cover amount when the time comes.

Does pet insurance cover neutering and spaying?

Pet insurance won't usually cover any preventative treatment. This includes things like neutering and spaying, so you’ll likely have to pay for this yourself.

But procedures like this can help cut your insurance costs as they reduce the risk of your pet developing certain conditions like testicular or ovarian cancer.

Plus, it'll prevent any unwanted litters. So the cost is worth it in the long run.

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Page last reviewed: 12 October 2023

Reviewed by: Matthew Harwood

Confused.com’s Pet Insurance solution is provided by theIdol.com. theidol.com is a trading style of Investment Discounts On-Line Ltd and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered office; Investment Discounts On-Line Ltd, One Coleman Street, London, EC2R 5AA. Registered in England no: 04231834. theidol.com is part of the Legal & General group.

Our service is free to use and compares a wide range of trusted household names. Confused.com is an intermediary and receives a commission from theidol.com if you decide to buy through our website. Our commission is based on a percentage of a fixed price per pet insured, but will not increase your premium. We pride ourselves on impartiality and independence – therefore we don't promote any one insurance provider over another.