
Cheap Pet Insurance
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There's no NHS for pets, so if Tiddles or Rover suffers illness or injury it can cost £100s or £1,000s in vets' bills – leaving pet owners with some horrid choices. And with the average pet insurance claim hitting £822 according to the Association of British Insurers, we've put together this guide on how to find cheap pet insurance. We've also help if you're struggling to pay premiums due to coronavirus income shocks.
Nine pet insurance need-to-knows
It's estimated that the UK pet population, in 2019, exceeded 20 million. Many of their owners risk hefty bills by not having insurance. Even if you've got plenty of cash stashed away for emergencies, in many cases insurance can work out cheaper (in the event you need to claim), so before you buy, here are nine things you should know...
Firstly decide what you want a policy to cover
Pet cover can be broken down into three different types depending on the amount of cover you want. They have hideously complex names which vary by insurer, but there are generally three main levels of cover:
- Basic policies usually have a time limit for treatment per condition of a year, and a maximum payout. Once you reach either, whichever comes first, you will no longer be able to claim for the same condition in future.
- A mid-level policy covers treatment up to a maximum amount per condition (usually about £3,000) during the term of the policy, with no time limit on how long your pet can have treatment for.
- The most comprehensive policies have the highest payout limit. It is usually called lifetime cover and though payout limits apply per year, per condition, these are usually reinstated each year at renewal, so it's best if your pet has a reoccurring or chronic condition.
Compare and find the cheapest pet insurance policy
What you'll pay as a premium will differ hugely, depending on variables including your pet's age, its pedigree and where you live (vet bills are higher in London and the south east of England). Once you've decided which cover suits you and your pet, you're ready to compare prices.
Start by visiting the comparison sites, which zip your details off to a number of insurers' and brokers' websites to find the cheapest quotes. As no single site captures the entire market and prices vary, combining a number of comparisons is the best way to make a meaningful saving.

To benchmark a quote, try Compare The Market* – it has the largest panel of insurers, but doesn't offer multi-pet policies.

Then try Confused.com*, which also has a large list of insurers, and gives quotes for up to seven pets.

Also check MoneySupermarket*, which allows you to get quotes for a combined policy for up to seven cats and/or dogs.

Then add Gocompare* to the list to try, which gives quotes for up to six pets.
Boost chances of finding a cheap quote even further

Quotezone* may not have the biggest list of insurers, but it's easy to tweak elements of your quote such as the excess.
Always double-check quotes
After doing the comparisons and finding the cheapest quote that suits your requirements, it's crucial you double-check the quotes directly on the insurer's own website. To speed up searches some comparison sites can make assumptions, which may not fit your profile.

There are no comparison sites for all of these pets, so it's a question of elbow grease and getting the quotes yourself. We've listed a number of insurers below. Please tell us about your experiences with them or other insurers.
While it's not a pleasant thought, given the type and cost of animals in this category, it's worth considering in the cold light of day what your attitude would be if it became ill, no insurance was in place and you had to make a decision about putting the animal down. An alternative here is self-insurance.
This is why you need to consider carefully the costs involved in ensuring a pet's welfare before taking one on.

Exotic Direct* gives quotes for a wide range of exotic, and not-so-exotic pets, including rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, gerbils, ferrets, birds and more.

Big name pet insurer Petplan*, which provides cover for cats and dogs, also insures rabbits – the next most popular pet. It's worth a look, plus buy online and you get a 10% discount.
Always double-check quotes
After doing the comparisons and finding the cheapest quote that suits your requirements, it's crucial you double-check the quotes directly on the insurer's own website. To speed up searches some comparison sites can make assumptions, which may not fit your profile.

If it's more than public liability you want, SEIB is an option as it offers quotations for horses, ponies, trailers, horseboxes, riding harnesses and riding clubs.

Petplan Equine* is a branch of pet insurer Petplan. It offers different policies for younger or 'veteran' animals.

After we published the first incarnation of this guide, we asked for your feedback on insurers. Many MoneySavers reported good stories of NFU Mutual – it covers horses (including veterans) and is worth a check.

Animal Friends* offers cover that can be tailored to different circumstances. It also has a good comparison table of its products.

By becoming a 'gold member' of The British Horse Society, you will automatically be covered for up to £30 million of public liability cover and various levels of personal accident cover.
The following insurers have also been suggested by users. We haven't checked them out too deeply – though they are FCA regulated. If you try them, let us know how you get on: KBIS, Shearwater Insurance.
Always double-check quotes
After doing the comparisons and finding the cheapest quote that suits your requirements, it's crucial you double-check the quotes directly on the insurer's own website. To speed up searches some comparison sites can make assumptions, which may not fit your profile.

From skunks to sugar gliders and possums to pot-bellied pigs, you'll need to try a specialist operator – in particular, to protect against burglars targeting rare or valuable creatures.
If you've a python worth £600, for example, pay extra special attention to what gets paid out on death or theft. If you have a tarantula, and like to show it off, perhaps consider third-party insurance in case it takes a chomp out of one of your guests. Or then again, ensure the tank is very secure (Martin's sister wishes she'd taken this advice!).
The insurer below is the only one we've seen so far offering to insure the more weird and wonderful varieties – please tell us about your experiences in the forum or let us know about other insurers.

Exotic Direct* offers cover for a huge array of out-of-the-ordinary critters, including parrots, cockatoos, snakes, lizards, terrapins, vultures, pot-bellied pigs and loads more.
Always keep an eye out for some of the same policy tricks as for more mainstream pets – different levels of excess, payout limits and pre-existing conditions. Read above in the guide for more details.
Always double-check quotes
After doing the comparisons and finding the cheapest quote that suits your requirements, it's crucial you double-check the quotes directly on the insurer's own website. To speed up searches some comparison sites can make assumptions, which may not fit your profile.
Then check deals that comparison sites miss
Comparison sites let you compare many insurers quickly but they don't capture the entire market. Some large insurers only offer their products directly, while others offer special deals not available via comparison sites.
So benchmark your cheapest comparison quotes against prices and deals offered by the following insurers to see what's right for you.
Buy a new pet insurance policy by 11.59pm on Mon 15 Feb, when you go via this Waggel* link, and you can get an Amazon voucher, depending on the policy you buy. The Amazon voucher amounts are:
- Single Dog policy: £55 Amazon vch
- Single Cat policy: £20 Amazon vch
- Multi Dog policy (in a single household): £110 Amazon vch
- Multi Cat policy (in a single household): £40 Amazon vch
- Combination of at least a dog, and a cat (in a single household): £75 Amazon vch
The voucher will then be emailed around 60 days after the policy start date.
To be eligible, you must be a new customer (not had a Waggel policy in the last month), and it must be a new quote – not a retrieved or saved one.
New customers who buy a Classic or SelectPlus Co-op* pet insurance policy by 11.59pm on Wed 31 Mar will get a free pet hamper for their cat or dog, plus the standard 20% off online discount. The dog hamper includes a lead, balls, chew bone and toy. For a cat, it comes with a comfort mat, feeding bowl, collar and a teaser stick. You should receive details how to claim your hamper within 90 days after the policy start date.
You won't find Direct Line* on comparison sites, so it's worth going direct to compare quotes. New customers who buy online can get 12 months' cover for the price of nine for the first year.
Big name pet insurer Petplan* is giving a 10% online discount if you insure your dog, cat or rabbit with it.
Once you've found the cheapest quote, try haggling with your existing insurer
Finally, before committing to anything, once you've found a cheap quote, it's worth seeing if your existing insurer will match it, or at least get close to it – especially if your pet's had treatment or has a pre-existing condition which wouldn't be covered if you switched. For general haggling tips, read our Car and Home Insurance Haggling guide.
See if you can grab cashback on top of the cheapest quote
Once you know which your cheapest provider is, check you're not missing out on any cashback deals by looking to see if the insurer appears on a cashback site.
Bear in mind though that there is no guarantee that the quote will be the same going through a cashback site as it is via a comparison site. So check the cost carefully.
And it's important to be aware that the cashback comes from the cashback site, not the insurer, so getting the cashback relies on the deal 'tracking' correctly (for more on this and these sites, see Top Cashback Sites).
What you need to know before getting cashback...
Coronavirus: Help with pet insurance costs
If you're struggling to pay monthly premiums for your pet insurance due to financial difficulties caused by coronavirus, there's help available if you ask for it.
In general, when you get in touch, your insurer will need to see if it can make your policy cheaper as a first move. For example, in car insurance it might adjust the mileage on your policy, or drop the 'key cover' add-on. Yet pet insurance is simple with few add-ons, so there are unlikely to be big savings in reviewing your cover. So the main help your insurer could offer is likely to be...
Pet insurance FAQs
How to complain about your insurance provider
The insurance industry doesn't have the best customer-service reputation and while a provider may be good for some, it can be hell for others. Common problems include claims either not being paid out on time or at all, unfair charges, or exclusions being hidden in small print. It's always worth trying to call your provider first, but, if not, then…

Free tool to help you complain
This tool helps you draft and manage your complaint. It's totally free to use, and it's offered by Resolver, a firm we work with to help people get complaints justice.
RESOLVER – FREE COMPLAINTS TOOL*
If the company won't help, Resolver also helps you escalate your complaint to the free Financial Ombudsman Service.

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