Compare pet insurance deals & get cashback

How does pet insurance work?

Paying for vet bills can get expensive, especially when your pet gets ill suddenly or breaks a bone. Pet insurance helps you cover vet fees through monthly or annual payments.

This means that if you have pet insurance and there are medical treatments you need for your companion, you won’t be suddenly scrambling to get the money together for it. Instead of paying for unexpected costs that can run into the thousands, you can claim it through your insurance and only pay an excess. You’ll usually agree upon the excess amount when you sign up for your policy.

Pet insurance policies don’t just cover medical bills, but also any accidents or injuries your pet may cause. Depending on the policy, it can also include theft or loss of your pet.

Types of pet insurance

There are a few different types of policies and the one you choose depends on your pet and the coverage they need.

Accident-only insures against injuries your pet may incur if they are involved in an accident. Under this coverage, your pet won’t be covered for illnesses or any other conditions.

Time-limited covers illnesses and accidents, but only up to 12 months or a price limit per condition, whichever is reached first.

Maximum benefit covers illnesses and accidents with a price cap but no time limit. You’ll be given a cost limit per condition and once you’ve reached it, you won’t have any more cover.

Lifetime offers flexible and comprehensive coverage with no time limit on conditions. Your pet will be covered even for long-term conditions, as long as they began within the cover period and you’ll have continuous cover as long as you keep renewing your policy.

What does pet insurance cover?

Each policy is different, and your coverage will depend on your pet, your insurer, and the policy you choose. This is what you can expect to be insured for under each type, but check the details of your chosen policy and insurer carefully before you purchase.

An example of what you can expect to be covered with each policy, although specific insurers may vary, and you may be able to request additional benefits.

Why compare pet insurance with TopCashback?

How do you take out pet insurance?

Use our pet insurance comparison tool to get a quote for your pet. You’ll need a few details to hand to make sure your quote is as accurate as possible.

• Details about your pet like their age, sex, and breed.
• Information on whether they’ve been spayed or neutered.
• Whether your pet has been microchipped.
• How much you paid or donated for your pet.
• If they are up to date with vaccinations.
• Any recent vet treatment aside from vaccinations or neutering.

You’ll also need to give us some basic information about yourself like name, date of birth, address, and contact details.

Once you’ve provided these details, we’ll run it through our list of insurers and give you a list of your options with each cashback amount.

Tips for bagging cheaper pet insurance

Pet insurance often comes down to factors revolving around your pet’s health. While there is no fixed cost for a policy, there are things you can do to ensure you get the lowest price.

You won’t get covered for neutering or spaying your pet under a policy, but doing this before taking one out can lower your premiums. Your pet will be at a lesser risk of developing certain health problems or having unwanted litters.

Keep your furry friend up to date with their vaccinations so they are protected from common conditions that could affect your insurance cost.

Weight-related conditions like diabetes can be expensive and therefore affect your insurance cost. Keeping your pet at a recommended weight means they are less at risk for a number of other conditions, therefore keeping your pet insurance costs lower.

An excess is the amount you’ll need to pay upfront if you make a claim on your policy. If you choose a higher excess, your overall insurance costs will be lower. Bear in mind the excess shouldn’t be so high you can’t pay it if you need to.

Using our comparison tool means once you’ve added in all your pet’s details, you’ll get an overview of results that match your needs. You’ll then be able to choose the best and cheapest pet insurance and get cashback on top.

This can work out cheaper – and simpler – than individual policies for more than one pet.

Pet insurance FAQs

• How much is pet insurance?

  Pet insurance has no set price, as each policy depends on several factors. The monthly or annual price will be determined by your pet’s age, breed, current health, and any pre-existing conditions. Sometimes an annual fee will work out cheaper than monthly payments, which is a higher upfront cost but you won’t have interest added on.

• What sort of coverage do I need for my pet?

  Check each type of coverage carefully to decide which policy provides the benefits that your pet needs. Factor in the type of pet, their age, breed, medical history, and any issues known to be common for the breed.

  Of course, some things can’t be predicted, no matter how healthy your animal is. So if you want to err on the side of caution, lifetime policies are the most comprehensive.

• What’s the cheapest pet insurance?

  Accident-only pet insurance will only provide coverage if your pet is injured accidentally. So any other illnesses, conditions, or vet bills won’t be covered. If you’re happy to pay out of pocket for the occasional vet bill for illnesses, accident-only may suit your needs.

• Does my pet’s age affect pet insurance costs?

  Insurers have to consider lots of factors in a pet insurance policy in order to determine the likelihood of a pet getting ill or requiring extensive medical care. The older a pet is, the more likely they are to have health issues that are related to their age.

  The older your pet gets, the higher your pet insurance costs will be. You may also have to pay a higher excess or a percentage of certain treatments on top of the excess, which is known as co-payment, co-insurance, or cost sharing. The coverage for older pets may also change, as insurers may want to remove death by illness from a policy.

  Very young animals like puppies and kittens may have higher vet bills and pet insurance, too. While they are less prone to age-related illnesses, animals less than 12 months old can be more prone to accidents and injuries, so you may find your insurance reflects this.

• Do I need to pay an excess with my pet insurance?

  This will depend on your policy, but you will usually agree on the amount of excess with your provider. Excess can make your pet insurance cheaper, so many people will increase this to make their monthly or annual fees lower. Having an excess means that if your pet requires treatment, you’ll pay your excess amount upfront towards the cost and the insurer will pay the rest. Sometimes you’ll also pay a percentage of the treatment cost on top of this, depending on your pet’s age, so check the details before you take out your insurance. Make sure your excess is at a level that you will be able to pay if and when your pet falls ill.

• Are pedigree animals more expensive to insure?

  Pedigree pets can have a higher chance of genetic conditions than crossbreeds, which can make pet insurance more expensive. Some pedigree breeds can be particularly valuable, which makes them more at risk of theft and can affect insurance costs.

• Can I cover costs if my pet damages my property?

  Third-party liability policies usually cover accidental damage to other people’s properties, but not your own. It’s difficult to assess a pet’s behaviour and how likely they are to damage a space they live in, so it’s unlikely you’ll find coverage for this. You can still ask your insurer what they might consider though.

• When should I take out pet insurance?

  Pets of all ages can get into scrapes and accidents, injure themselves or others, or fall ill. Taking out a policy to safeguard against the costs means peace of mind for you. Getting your pet insured as soon as possible is usually a good idea. Bear in mind there’s usually a waiting period after you take out a policy, so you can’t get cover after something happens that you need insurance for.

• Does my address affect pet insurance?

  Your address and location are related to the cost of living in that area. If vets in your area charge more than vets in other areas, this will be reflected in your pet insurance. So, vet fees and pet insurance for those who live in big cities (particularly London) will be higher than for those who don’t.

• Can I get cover that starts immediately?

  No; in order to make sure policies are used only for accidents or illnesses that occur after the policy is taken out, insurance companies will have a waiting period. This is usually around two weeks, to prevent people from trying to claim for incidents that happened before they purchased the insurance. Check your policy to find out the exact details of the waiting period.

• What pets can I get covered?

  Pet insurance at TopCashback covers dogs, cats, and rabbits. For other types of pets, including exotic breeds, you’ll need to look for specialist cover.

  Although you can get dogs insured, there are particular breeds that won’t be covered. Any breeds considered dangerous under the Dangerous Dogs Act won’t be included in your policy. Any crossbreeds that include a wild animal hybrid may also be excluded.

• What should I do if my pet goes missing?

  There are a few things you can do if your pet goes missing. If your pet is microchipped, call the company and quote the microchip number to see if they have been handed in anywhere. You can also contact local animal rescue centres to see if they’ve been handed in; if not, give a detailed description as well as contact information in case they show up.

  Put the word out as much as you can: knock on your neighbours’ doors, post on social media, put up laminated posters, and offer a reward. Your insurance company can help to cover the costs of this, including the reward money, depending on your policy. Contact them as soon as this happens and make sure you take the appropriate steps.

• Can I cover my pet for life-threatening injuries or illnesses?

  All pet insurance policies will cover unexpected accidents and life-threatening injuries. If you have an accident-only policy, you will be covered for accidents but not illnesses. Any other policy, like lifetime, maximum benefit, and time-limited will likely cover life-threatening illnesses. You should check the details of your policy as there may be limits to what you can claim.

• Can my pet still travel after Brexit?

  Yes, although the rules have changed for both EU and non-EU travel.

  Your UK-issued pet passport is no longer accepted if you’re travelling to an EU country or Northern Ireland. You’ll need the replacement animal health certificate as well as a valid rabies vaccination and microchip. Some countries will have additional requirements like tapeworm treatments for dogs, so check carefully for each country’s rules before you travel.

  If you’re travelling to a non-EU country, you’ll need an export health certificate (EHC) and an export application specific to the destination country. Your vet needs to sign off on your certificate, so make sure you allow enough time for the paperwork to be completed.

  Each country may differ slightly in its rules, so be sure to check their requirements in advance so you can travel stress-free with your pet.