Pet insurance: how much do vet treatments cost?

No one likes a trip to the vets, particularly our pets. First there's treating the condition, then there's the cost of it.

To help you prepare for your vet trip, we've listed some common conditions and illnesses and found how much it could cost to treat. We'll also look at where pet insurance can come to the rescue.

How much does it cost to see a vet?

You should expect to pay £40 to £60 for a standard vet consultation. However, an emergency, out-of-hours consultation with a vet could cost you £100 to £200, or higher.

If your pet needs any treatment, the cost can vary depending on the complexity of their needs.

Here are some common vet treatments and their prices¹:

¹Data sources:
Animal Friends (AFI) — average cat vet costs by condition, 2024
Tesco Bank — pet insurance claims data (cats and dogs) 2023-24
Pets4Homes — article on real vet costs UK
John Lewis Finance / RSA Insurance data for cats and dogs
AFI— vet fees for dogs, 2024
Asda Money — average vet treatment costs
²Dog costs vary with breed size, severity, and whether surgery or anaesthetic is required.

As you can see, the vet bill can soon mount up if your dog needs expensive care such as an operation or an MRI scan. So getting pet insurance means you could save a lot.

When you get a quote for pet insurance with Confused.com, you can choose between these cover amounts:

• £1,000
• £2,000
• £3,000
• £4,000

As with insurance in general, the higher your cover level, the higher your monthly insurance price tends to be.

What are the average vet costs for cats?

Vet costs for cats are generally lower than for dogs. But cat vet bills aren’t to be sniffed at – average vet costs for cats can still run into several hundreds of pounds. Some cat conditions, like kidney blockages, can cost up to £2,000.

What are the average vet bills for dogs?

Vet bills for dogs can easily top the £1,000 mark. The average vet bill for removing tumours or growths can be over £1,300.

Cherry eye: What it is and its treatment

Cherry eye is a condition that any dog can get, but it's particularly common for breeds such as French Bulldogs, Pugs, Great Danes, and Beagles.

It happens when the dog's third eyelid becomes inflamed and swollen. It's uncomfortable for the dog, and can lead to conditions such as conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers.

According to the PDSA, this can cost hundreds of pounds to treat.

In most cases, your pet insurance should cover treatment for this. But some insurers might see it as a pre-existing condition for your dog. For example, if you paid to treat your dog's cherry eye then decided to get pet insurance, your insurer might not cover treatment if it reoccurred in the other eye.

Do emergency vet bills cost more?

Yes, generally emergency vet bills cost more than standard appointments, that's because the vets are working out of hours.

Your usual vet might have an emergency clinic, or you might have to travel to an out of hours clinic.

You can usually find an out of hours vet by ringing your usual vet's number. They should have a recorded message with the number of an out of hours clinic.

You could also try searching for 'emergency vets in my area'. This should give you a list of out of hours clinics near you.

Try and have the number saved when you're not in an emergency, it's one less thing to think about when you're in a stressful situation.

If you've got a more comprehensive pet insurance policy (like lifetime pet insurance or maximum benefit pet insurance) emergency vet fees should be covered. But check this in your policy documents.

Can I get help with vet bills?

Yes, if you get certain benefits such as Universal Credit, you can get help with vet bills.

For those who depend on state benefits, it’s possible to get free or discounted pet treatment through certain animal charities, including the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) or Blue Cross.

Is it cheaper to treat my pet abroad?

Reports online show that vet treatments abroad are often cheaper than in the UK. For example, some pet vaccinations in the UK cost £95. The same vaccination in France costs £43 to £68.

A basic vet appointment for a cat in France costs £23, in Germany it's £28. In the UK, the same appointment would be £54.

You can take your pet abroad for treatment if you think it's a good option, but they have to have the proper documents for the country you're going to. For example an Animal Health Certificate (AHC), rabies vaccinations, and a microchip.

Does my pet insurance cover vet bills?

Your pet insurance should cover most of your vet fees. This is the main perk of pet insurance.

It helps with those potentially huge vet bills, for example anything your vet charges for diagnosing and treating your pet’s illnesses or injuries. This includes things like consultations, medications, operations, tests and scans.

Here's how it works when it comes to claiming:

• You pay the vet to treat your pet - you'll get a bill (or invoice) for this
• You submit a claim to your insurer - you'll need the bill for this and potentially your vet's clinical notes
• The insurer should reimburse you - this'll be minus the excess for the treatment, and the co-payment (a percentage of the vet bill)

Some vets might send the claim straight to your insurer and you'd only pay the excess and co-payment, but this isn't that common. Make sure you ask your vet beforehand.

What doesn’t my pet insurance cover?

Pet insurance usually doesn't cover the following treatments:

• Behavioural issues
• Vaccinations or neutering
• Dental work for your pet
• Routine check-ups
• Pregnancy complications
• Pre-existing conditions

Most standard pet insurance policies don't cover pre-existing conditions, including the pet insurers we compare at Confused.com.

But some specialist insurers cover pre-existing conditions. So with some research, you might find one that covers your pet’s particular condition.

Some pet insurers might cover your pet if they've been symptom-free for a period of time, but they're likely to ask additional questions. You'll also need to give proof that your pet has been symptom free for a certain time.

Remember, the type of pet insurance you choose could also affect the conditions you can claim for in the future. Some policies don’t let you claim for the same condition more than once.

What are the different types of pet insurance?

When you get a pet insurance quote from Confused.com, you can select from 3 different types of pet insurance:

Time limited cover

With time limited cover, a new condition is covered only for a set period of time, usually up to 12 months from when it was first detected. After that it’s considered a pre-existing condition and excluded from future claims.

Maximum benefit cover

Rather than a set period of time, maximum benefit cover means new conditions are insured until the financial limit on the cover has run out. Once the limit is reached, the condition becomes pre-existing and is excluded from future claims.

Lifetime cover

This is the most comprehensive type of pet insurance offered. As with maximum benefit cover, your pet is insured for all new medical conditions until the financial amount of cover you’ve chosen runs out. The difference is that when you renew the policy, the cover amount renews too.

What should I look out for?

Excess pay out

Treatment costs vary significantly. Depending on the size of any claim, and the level of cover you select, you may have to contribute towards the cost of treatment.

The typical excess on pet insurance policies can range from £90 to £125. It means you probably won’t be using pet insurance for those minor ailments if the vet bill comes to only £70.

Accident-only cover

When you buy pet insurance, you can choose accident-only pet insurance rather than insurance for both illness and accidents. This might seem like a cheaper option, but it’s worth remembering that many of the highest pet treatment costs are for illness.

Our advice is to always check the small print when you get a policy. Make sure you know exactly what’s covered, and if you’re in any doubt speak to your insurer.