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PET INSURANCE

SUPER SAVE UP TO

£214

ON YOUR PET INSURANCE1

Image of a pet carrier

Compare quotes from 35 leading pet insurance brands2

When it comes to protecting your furry friend, it’s important for pet owners to shop around for the right cover that suits what you both need. We work with over 30 leading pet insurance companies, to bring you the best deals.

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151% of consumers could save up to £214.19 on Lifetime Pet Insurance. Consumer Intelligence, Jan 2023. UK Only.

2Accurate as of March 2023

Who would you like to insure?

MoneySuperMarket makes it easy to compare quotes on pet insurance

  • Save time

    MoneySuperMarket makes it easy to compare policies from a huge panel of pet insurance providers saving you the time and hassle of researching each provider individually

  • Save money

    Quotes are sorted from the least expensive, so you can quickly find a pet insurance deal that fits your needs and budget, and save money on your insurance premium.

  • Get tailored quotes

    With a wide range of policy options, you can find pet insurance that meets your unique needs and provides the coverage you need for you and your pet.

Do I need pet insurance?

In the UK, it is not a legal requirement to insure your pets, but that doesn’t mean it’s unnecessary. Pets are part of the family, so when your beloved four-legged friend suffers a mishap like an injury or illness, it can be upsetting and often expensive.

Veterinary treatment can reach into hundreds of pounds for single treatments, and chronic conditions can turn into expensive long-term problems. But pet insurance can help you cover these medical costs and ease the pressure on your finances. So, you can focus on helping your companion get better.

Getting the right level of cover for your pet is important as every policy includes cover limits and exclusions. Make sure you are getting the right policy for you.

dog bowl illustration

What types of pet insurance can I get?

There are four common types of pet insurance pet owners can choose from, each with different levels of cover and cost:

  • Lifetime  policy

    With lifetime cover your pet will be covered for their whole life for most of their medical needs and will include cover for any conditions that your pet may develop while you're insured.

  • Time Limited 

    Time limited offers a fixed sum for each illness or injury your pet gets. Your pet will be covered for a limited term per condition (usually 12 months).

  • Per condition

    Also known as ‘maximum benefit’, you will get a fixed amount that your pet will be covered for and you can claim per condition. There is no time limit on how long you can claim.

  • Accident only 

    This is one of the least comprehensive covers and most affordable. Your pet will only be covered if they have been injured in an accident. This policy will not provide cover for any illnesses.

What’s covered by pet insurance?

A lifetime pet insurance policy, which is the most comprehensive policy type, will cover most of your vet bills during your pet’s lifetime.

  • Tick

    What is covered

    • Vet bills for injury or illness
      Any veterinary fees associated with diagnosing and treating illnesses and/or injuries are usually covered by pet insurance policies.

    • The cost of finding a lost pet
      Advertising costs to help find your lost of stolen pet and the cost of a reward to whoever finds your pet can be provided by your insurer.

    • Therapies and prescriptions
      These bills can rack up very quickly. Most policies will cover the cost for any further therapy treatment and necessary prescriptions.

    • Emergency cattery and kennel fees 
      When emergencies happen, you want to be able to rely on your pet insurance policy to ensure the safety of your pet when you really need it.

    • Third-party liability cover
      This is specific to dogs and will cover you if they injure someone, another pet or damages someone's property.

  • Cross

    What is not covered

    • Pre-existing conditions
      If your pet has any pre-existing conditions, it can mean more expensive premiums or only specifically tailored policies for your pet.

    • Dental treatment
      Any routine check-ups including dental treatment is usually not included in most pet insurance policies.

    • Neutering or spaying
      While spaying or neutering your pet will not be covered by your insurance provider, having this done may allow you to access cheaper premiums

    • Vaccinations
      An veterinary fees associated with preventative treatments such as worming, flea treatments or vaccinations will not be covered

    • Elective or cosmetic treatments
      Most cosmetic treatments that aim to improve a pet's look or function is unlikely to be covered by your insurance.

Save on multi-pet Insurance

With MoneySuperMarket you can cover up to seven cats, dogs or both under one policy.

Click and see if you can save.

How to find the best pet insurance?

Pet insurance isn’t ‘one-size-fits-all’ and the cheapest option won’t always be the best. To find a great value policy for you, here are some steps you can follow:

  • 1

    Decide how much cover you need

    The most comprehensive policy might not be the most cost effective, especially if you have an older pet or one with health problems. 

  • 2

    Decide on your excess

    By agreeing to pay a certain amount of your vet bills you can reduce the cost of your policy. 

  • 3

    Compare pet insurance providers

    You can use our comparison tools to find a great value policy with cover tailored to you and your pet. 

  • 4

    Shop for extra benefits

    Some pet insurance providers will have additional cover extras and options for your pet, like dental cover or pet travel insurance.

  • 5

    Pay yearly or monthly

    If you can afford it, it can sometimes be more cost effective to pay for your pet insurance on a yearly basis rather than monthly.

  • 6

    Keep a lookout for better deals

    Even if you already have pet insurance, there’s always the possibility that there is something better out there. 

What is the cheapest pet insurance?

The cheapest pet insurance type is accident only, which will only cover your pet for accidental injury. This means that you will not be covered for illnesses or vet costs outside of accidental injury. This policy is also the least comprehensive cover you can get.

a dog and cat playing together
Saarrah Mussa

Our expert says

"

Sometimes you can save a couple of pounds monthly with a cheaper pet insurance policy, but when things do go wrong and vet bills are piling up, you will be losing more money if your policy doesn't cover those costs. When choosing pet insurance, it’s important to consider what could happen to your pet in its lifetime and ensure you have the right cover to match.

"
- Saarrah Mussa, Author

Compare Pet insurance with MoneySuperMarket

Our comparison tools are quick and easy to use. In just a few steps you can get accurate quotes for policies tailored to you and your pet.

  • Tell us about your pet

    Give us a few details about your pet and the type of cover you’re looking for 

  • We’ll do the work

    We’ll put together a list of providers with appropriate cover for your specific needs

  • You’re on your way

    Pick the policy that is perfect for you and your pet  

The cheapest pet insurance type is accident only, which will only cover your pet for accidental injury. This means that you will not be covered for illnesses or vet costs outside of accidental injury.

Insurers may charge you more to spread the cost of your pet insurance in monthly payments so it can often work out cheaper to pay for a policy upfront for the year. The cost of pet insurance will be determined by the policy type but will also vary depending on the type of and breed of your pet, its age and any existing medical conditions.

Here are some money-saving tips to help bring down the cost of cover:

Keep your pet healthy: whether it’s feeding your pet a nutritional diet or keeping on top of its vaccinations, having a healthy pet will help lower your premiums. 

Opt for a higher excess: your premium is likely to decrease if you’re willing to pay a higher excess on any claim you make. But keep the excess affordable in case you have to pay it.

Take out multi-pet cover: some insurers offer a discount of 5% - 10% if you insure more than one pet on a single policy.

Pay annually: paying for your policy upfront is usually cheaper as some insurers charge interest on monthly instalments.

It always pays to shop around for cover to see what policies and prices are best suited to your pet and your budget.

You’ll need to provide the following information so we can help you find you pet insurance quotes:

  • Your pet’s age

  • The breed or size of your pet

  • The health of your pet (and if it has been neutered)

  • How much you paid for your pet (if you bought it rather than adopting it)

  • Your pet’s behavioural history

  • Your pet’s medical history

If your pet already has a pre-existing condition you’ll still be able to get pet insurance, but it’s likely that the insurer won’t cover vet treatment for that particular medical condition. If you want to be covered for these conditions, you’ll need to look for specialised cover – but bear in mind that you might not be able to claim straight away.

Your pet’s age is one of the things that affects the cost of pet insurance. Generally speaking, if you have an older dog the more expensive your premiums will be. This is because they’re more likely to develop health problems and need vet treatment as they get older. 

It’s important to keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date, because this protects them against the most common illnesses and diseases. The cost of getting vaccinated is not covered by pet insurance, but keeping all your pet’s vaccinations up to date can mean cheaper premiums. If you don’t get your pet vaccinated, and they get ill with a disease that could have been prevented with a vaccine, your insurer will be unlikely to cover the treatment costs. 

The excess is the amount you’ll need to pay when you make a claim on your pet insurance. If you set a higher excess, this can bring your premiums down, but make sure you can afford the excess in the event of a claim. Some insurers will ask you to pay a flat fee for the excess, whereas others will ask for a flat fee plus a percentage of the remaining cost, so check your policy carefully before you buy. 

If you have more than one pet, you’ve got the option to take out separate pet insurance cover for each animal, or to get one policy for all your pets. This is known as multi-pet insurance, and it can make it easier to manage your pet cover. It can also be cheaper, because many insurers offer discounts if you cover more than one animal on the same policy.

You work hard to earn your money, and we don’t think you should waste a penny of it paying over the odds on your household bills. That’s why at MoneySuperMarket, we’re on a mission to save Britain money.

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You might be wondering if we work with all the companies in the market, or if our commercial relationships with our partners might make us feature one company above another. We’ve got nothing to hide, and we want to give you clear answers when it comes to questions like these, so we’ve pulled together everything you need to know on this page.