What vet fees does my pet insurance cover?

What vet bills does my pet insurance cover?

When you take out a pet insurance policy, you’ll get some level of cover for vet fees and medical treatment as standard. But while you’ll be able to claim for emergencies and unexpected illnesses, routine pet healthcare usually won’t be covered.

Vet fees that are typically covered include the cost of diagnosing and treating illnesses and injuries to your cat or dog. This normally includes:

• Vet consultations

• Examinations and tests

• X-rays

• MRI and CT scans

• Medication and bandages

• Surgery and hospitalisation.

Pet insurance also often includes the cost of being referred to a specialist vet, and possibly some complementary therapies such as acupuncture, hydrotherapy, massage and herbal remedies.

Although we may want to believe our furry family members are invincible, accidents and health issues do happen. Having the right pet insurance in place could help you avoid a hefty bill from the vet should the unthinkable happen.

Pet insurance doesn’t have to break the bank either. More than half of our customers were quoted less than £8.80 a month^[1] for pet insurance that covers vets’ fees and treatments for new illnesses and injuries.

^[1]51% of our customers were quoted less than £8.80 per month in June 2025 for their pet insurance based on the monthly cost when paying for the policy in one annual payment, excluding any interest charged on instalment payments.

How much do vet appointments cost?

Vet fees aren’t regulated, which means that each veterinary practice can set its own prices. Costs can depend on where you live, the treatment your pet needs, and the type as well as size of pet you have. Vet bills can easily skyrocket, which is why many people choose to take out pet insurance.

A vet appointment alone could cost £40-£60, which typically covers a consultation and diagnosis. However, if your pet needs a specific treatment or surgical operation, the costs are likely to be considerably higher, as the table below shows.

Meanwhile, if your pet needs out-of-hours emergency treatment you could end up facing much higher fees, of up to £300 or more for an appointment, before you even start discussing treatment costs.

Here are the prices quoted by not-for-profit organisation Animal Trust^[2] for some typical vet treatments. Bear in mind that prices for vets who operate to make a profit are likely to be considerably higher.

^[2] _{Prices correct as of January 2025.}

What vet fees are not usually covered by pet insurance?

This might come as a surprise to some people, but most routine treatments aren’t covered by pet insurance, and you may not be fully protected if your pet has an ongoing condition like diabetes or arthritis.

It’s unlikely that your pet insurance policy will cover the costs of:

• Pre-existing medical conditions

• Vaccinations for cats or dogs

• Routine check-ups and treatments eg: flea, worm and tick treatments and claw clipping

• Neutering dogs or cats

• Microchipping

• Alternative therapies (unless recommended by a vet)

• Breeding complications

• Pregnancy complications.

Dental treatment for cats or dogsmay or may not be covered, depending on how comprehensive the policy is. Many pet insurance policies only cover treatment after an accident or injury. A few may cover treatment for dental illnesses, but they almost certainly won’t cover routine or preventive care. Always check the details of your policy so you know exactly what your pet is insured for.

Can I get cover for routine vet appointments?

Pet wellness plans could help cover the costs of routine, preventive healthcare, such as annual check-ups, vaccinations and flea and worming treatments.

As you pay an amount each month instead of a one-off fee each time you visit the vet, this spreads the cost of looking after your pet’s regular healthcare. But wellness plans are totally different to pet insurance plans, and it’s important not to confuse the two.

Most veterinary practices offer pet wellness plans, whereas pet insurance is usually bought from an insurance provider. Pet wellness plans won’t cover treatment costs if your pet gets sick or injured.

What can I do if I can’t afford to pay my vet fees?

If your pet needs medical treatment but you can’t afford to pay, UK charities PDSA and Blue Cross offer free or low-cost treatment for pet owners who live within the catchment areas of one of their hospitals and receive a means-tested benefit such as universal credit, income support or pension credit.

The Dogs Trust provides help for homeless dog owners, and Cats Protection offers financial assistance to cat owners who can’t afford to have their cat spayed or neutered.

What should I think about before getting pet insurance?

Pet insurance could help protect your pet against unexpected vet fees if they fall ill or get injured. But before you take out a policy, it’s important to consider:

• The cost of insuring your pet: the more comprehensive your cover, the more it’s likely to cost. But the less your policy covers, the more you might have to pay in vet bills if something happens to your pet.

• Getting the right policy: what’s covered depends on the type of policy you choose. For example, it’s important to consider how different types of policy would cover your pet if they developed a long-term or chronic condition.

• The level of excess: this is the amount of any claim you need to settle out of your own pocket. Sometimes, especially for older pets, you may also be asked to ‘co-pay’ a percentage of treatment costs as well. It’s likely that the higher your excess or co-pay, the lower your premium will be. Just be sure you can afford to pay them should you make a claim.

• Maximum amount of cover: make sure you know the maximum amount of cover your policy provides towards vets’ fees, and how making a claim will affect how much cover you have in the future.

• Risks with your pet: older dogs and older cats can cost more to insure because they have a higher chance of needing medical attention. Some pedigree dogs and pedigree cats could be more susceptible to hereditary conditions and ongoing illnesses that may not be included in your cover.

What types of pet insurance policy are available?

There are four main types of pet insurance policy to choose from depending on your budget and the level of cover you want for your furry friends:

Lifetime

Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive cover available for your pet. It will cover vet fees and medical treatment for emergencies and unexpected illnesses for your pet’s whole life.

Lifetime policies do include a maximum cover limit for vet treatment but each year, when you renew your policy, the cap resets.

With lifetime pet insurance policies, you also get the peace of mind that if your cat or dog develops a long-term or chronic condition, they’ll likely be covered for their treatment in the future – so long as you keep up the premiums and pay any excess.

Max benefit

With maximum-benefit pet insurance, you can claim up to a specified pre-set limit for each injury or condition. There’s no time limit, so long as you keep up with your premiums, but once you’ve used up your cover for a particular condition, you’ll have to fund any further treatment out of your own pocket.

Max benefit is usually more affordable than lifetime pet insurance but if your pet develops a long-term condition or develops a chronic injury the risk is that you could end up at your cover limit and be left footing the bill.

Time limited

Sometimes called 12-month policies, a time-limited pet insurance policy can cover non-routine vet treatment for your pet up to a set amount for one year from when the condition or injury first appeared.

Time limited policies are generally more affordable than lifetime or max benefit pet insurance. However, if your pet suffers an illness or injury that requires continuing treatment after the policy ends, you’ll be responsible for any future vet bills. And it’s likely to be classed as a pre-existing condition when you take out a new policy.

Accident only

Accident-only pet insurance only covers emergency treatment, including X-rays and surgeries, for any injuries your pet sustains in an accident. You won’t be able to claim for any vet fees if your pet suffers an illness.

Like time-limited pet insurance, accident-only policies typically last a year and they include a maximum cover limit. Once you go over these thresholds, you’ll be left responsible for any further treatment. Accident-only policies are typically the cheapest option because they offer the least comprehensive cover.

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