Frequently asked questions

What does pet insurance cover?

Pet insurance is designed to help cover vet costs if your pet is ill, gets injured or has an accident. 

Without pet insurance you’ll have to pay all the bills yourself – and that could leave you seriously out of pocket: the average pet insurance claim has topped £750, according to the latest figures from the Association of British Insurers (ABI).  

Pet insurance policies vary and can include the following types of cover:

• Dental treatment
• Compensation if your pet passes away
• Advertising fees and reward money if your pet goes missing
• Boarding fees if you’re temporarily unable to care for your pet
• Third party liability cover if your dog injures someone or causes an accident

What type of pet insurance is right for me?

The best pet insurance for you depends on a number of factors, including the age of your pet, its susceptibility to illness and how much you’re willing to pay.

There are four main types of insurance to look out for when carrying out a comparison of great deals:

• Accident only pet insurance will cover your pet in the event of an accident, but won’t cover long-term illness.
• Time limited pet insurance covers illnesses as well as accidents, but for a limited amount of time only.
• Maximum benefit pet insurance covers illnesses and accidents up to a maximum amount per condition, but there’s no time limit on how long you can claim for.
• Lifetime pet insurance. This is the most complete type of pet insurance available. It covers accidents, injuries or illnesses for the lifetime of your pet, subject to limits set out in the policy.

For all types of pet insurance policy, you’ll have to pay an excess with each claim.

What doesn’t pet insurance cover?

Most types of pet insurance won’t cover:

• Treatment for pre-existing conditions – injuries and illnesses your pet was already suffering from when you took out the policy
• Routine medical treatment – such as check-ups, neutering, spaying and vaccinations.
• Cosmetic treatments – or any other medical treatment not recommended by a vet
• Any condition that could have been prevented by routine vaccinations.
• Any international costs – if you take your pet abroad and they need vet treatment.

How much is pet insurance?

The price of pet insurance depends on the type of cover you want for your pet. The average cost is £71 a year for a cat^[3] and £133 a year for a dog^[4] (across all levels of cover).

When running a price comparison, it’s important to check that the cheapest pet insurance premium gives your cat and dog the cover you want them to have.

^[3] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £70.92 for their cat insurance in June 2023.

^[4] 51% of our customers were quoted less than £132.44 for their dog insurance in June 2023.

What do I need to compare pet insurance?

To compare insurance, you’ll need to know your pet’s age, breed and gender, and how much you paid or donated for them. 

You’ll also need to tell us whether your pet has been neutered or spayed and whether they’re microchipped.

Why compare pet insurance with Compare the Market?

• To make things simple, we offer impartial and independent comparison of pet insurance plans from 29 of the UK’s leading providers^[2]
• If you buy your pet insurance through Compare the Market you can get Meerkat Meals & Meerkat Movies*.

^[2] Correct as of June 2023.