There are a lot of different costs associated with owning a pet, from the purchase cost or adoption fee to the ongoing cost of buying food and treats. One cost that is sometimes overlooked, though, is that of vet bills. Even a relatively minor wound could set you back more than £500, while something that requires long-term, ongoing care like a ruptured cruciate ligament can cost upwards of £3,000.
While it is impossible to predict when a pet will need vet treatment, it is possible to plan for unexpected expenses with pet insurance. Pet insurance is available for pets of all types and ages, although it is more difficult to find policies for exotic pets and for those pets that are considered to be in their senior years.
Below, you will find reviews of 10 of the best pet insurance plans in the UK, including those for cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, and exotic pets, as well as some that cater to senior pets.
A Quick Glance at Our Winners for 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
ManyPets
Wide range of policy levels
Options for zero excess and 0% co-payment, if required
Offer policies that cover pre-existing conditions
Click to Get Quote
Best Value
HealthyPets Pet Insurance
Cheap pet insurance options
Liability coverage up to £1 million
Direct vet payments available
Click to Get Quote
Petplan Equine
Policy covers everything from health and illness to disposal and the horsebox
Policies for horses, veterans, ponies, and riders
£5 million liability coverage
Click to Get Quote
ExoticDirect Pet Insurance
Covers small mammals, birds, and exotics
Insure multiple exotics on one policy
Get coverage for theft and public liability insurance
Click to Get Quote
John Lewis Pet Insurance
Up to £12,000 annual vet fee coverage
Covers up to 180 days of overseas travel for your pet
Includes dental, behavioural, complementary, and prescription foods
Click to Get Quote
The 10 Best Pet Insurance Plans in the UK
- ManyPets – Best Overall
Compare ManyPets PlansManyPets introduced its own insurance policies in 2017 and has established itself well since then. It offers different policy types, although it does only protect cats or dogs, so there are no exotic, rabbit, or horse policies.
Claims are made online, and policies can cover up to £15,000 of vet treatment each year with the company’s Complete insurance policy, which also includes dental coverage. Dental coverage isn’t included with all other companies.
Compare ManyPets Plans
ManyPets introduced its own insurance policies in 2017 and has established itself well since then. It offers different policy types, although it does only protect cats or dogs, so there are no exotic, rabbit, or horse policies.
Alternatively, the company’s Regular policy provides £7,000 of annual coverage and, if your pet is under 9 years of age, there is a no-excess option. The Value policy is the company’s lowest cost policy that has a £3,000 annual fee.
While a lot of companies exclude pre-existing conditions, ManyPets has a separate policy that offers £7,000 annual cover for new conditions and up to £1,500 for pre-existing conditions and once your pet has been symptom-free for 2 years, it will qualify as a new condition and receive the full annual limit.
In addition to the range of policies, you can also opt for a co-payment between 0% and 20% and excess values between £0 and £160, although only the regular policy comes with a zero-excess option. The range of options and high limits make this the best overall pet insurance plan in the UK.
Pros
Wide range of policy levels
Options for zero excess and 0% co-payment, if required
Offer policies that cover pre-existing conditions
Some policies include dental coverage
Cons
Only have policies for cats and dogs
- HealthyPets Pet Insurance – Best Value
Compare HealthyPets PlansHealthyPets Pet Insurance has proven to offer some of the lowest premium prices for pet insurance and the company, which has been in the pet insurance game for more than 20 years, insure dogs and cats. They also have a specialist puppy insurance policy.
Insuring your dog when it is a puppy means that you should be covered for most incidents in their lifetime and that you won’t face the difficulty of finding insurance for a senior pet, so it is a good idea to start young. The policies are among some of the lowest available, which also means that some of the coverage falls below the levels of other insurers.
Wide range of policy levels
Options for zero excess and 0% co-payment, if required
Offer policies that cover pre-existing conditions
Some policies include dental coverage
- Wide range of policy levels
- Options for zero excess and 0% co-payment, if required
- Offer policies that cover pre-existing conditions
- Some policies include dental coverage
Only have policies for cats and dogs
- Only have policies for cats and dogs
Compare HealthyPets Plans
HealthyPets Pet Insurance has proven to offer some of the lowest premium prices for pet insurance and the company, which has been in the pet insurance game for more than 20 years, insure dogs and cats. They also have a specialist puppy insurance policy.
You can get up to £7,500 per incident, with smaller amounts attracting lower premiums. You also get liability cover worth up to £1 million in coverage. The insurer also offers direct payments, which means you pay the vet your excess and co-payment, and the insurer pays the rest of the money directly without leaving you out of pocket.
Pros
Cheap pet insurance options
Liability coverage up to £1 million
Direct vet payments available
Cons
No death payments for older pets
Co-payment level increases with the age of your pet
- Petplan Equine
Compare Petplan Equine PlansWhile getting insurance for a cat or dog is easy, getting a decent policy for horses can be more challenging. Their vet bills tend to be higher and even relatively minor injuries can require a lot of aftercare and ongoing treatment. But it is these facts that make equine insurance even more important for owners.
Petplan is one of the biggest and most respected names in pet insurance in the UK, and they offer specialist equine insurance too. They offer horse insurance policies as well as specialist policies for veteran horses aged 17 or over, and policies for ponies. They also offer separate rider insurance plans.
Cheap pet insurance options
Liability coverage up to £1 million
Direct vet payments available
- Cheap pet insurance options
- Liability coverage up to £1 million
- Direct vet payments available
No death payments for older pets
Co-payment level increases with the age of your pet
- No death payments for older pets
- Co-payment level increases with the age of your pet
Compare Petplan Equine Plans
While getting insurance for a cat or dog is easy, getting a decent policy for horses can be more challenging. Their vet bills tend to be higher and even relatively minor injuries can require a lot of aftercare and ongoing treatment. But it is these facts that make equine insurance even more important for owners.
Options include coverage up to £5,000 per condition, £5 million in liability coverage, £20,000 in personal accident, and even a loss of use benefit. A loss of use benefit means that you can receive the value of your horse if it becomes injured or ill and is unable to participate in specific events. This is only available for horses up to 16 years old.
It is a comprehensive policy and one of the best we have seen for horse owners. However, the per-condition limit could be higher and some of the benefits only apply to horses until they reach 16 or 17 years of age.
Pros
Policy covers everything from health and illness to disposal and the horsebox
Policies for horses, veterans, ponies, and riders
£5 million liability coverage
Cons
£5,000 condition limit could be higher
Some of the benefits lapse when your horse reaches 16 or 17 years
- ExoticDirect Pet Insurance
Compare ExoticDirect PlansIf getting horse insurance is tricky, getting coverage for exotic pets can seem impossible. But this is what ExoticDirect specialises in. They offer insurance for a huge range of animals. Some animals covered are not especially exotic, but they are difficult to find insurance for.
For example, you can insure your rabbit, guinea pig, or even your hamster. You can also get coverage for exotics like lizards, snakes, and parrots. If you have struggled to get insurance for your pet because other insurers simply don’t cover the type of animal you have, ExoticDirect is worth a look.
Policy covers everything from health and illness to disposal and the horsebox
Policies for horses, veterans, ponies, and riders
£5 million liability coverage
- Policy covers everything from health and illness to disposal and the horsebox
- Policies for horses, veterans, ponies, and riders
- £5 million liability coverage
£5,000 condition limit could be higher
Some of the benefits lapse when your horse reaches 16 or 17 years
- £5,000 condition limit could be higher
- Some of the benefits lapse when your horse reaches 16 or 17 years
Compare ExoticDirect Plans
If getting horse insurance is tricky, getting coverage for exotic pets can seem impossible. But this is what ExoticDirect specialises in. They offer insurance for a huge range of animals. Some animals covered are not especially exotic, but they are difficult to find insurance for.
Typically, the insurance does not have a maximum age for pets, and the amount that the policy covers depends on the animal. Snake insurance, for example, has a £1,000 vet fee coverage and you can cover multiple snakes on the same policy, too.
Most policies can include theft coverage, so if your home is targeted by thieves and they take your exotic pet in the hopes of reselling it, you receive a payout. You can also get public liability insurance. However, you can’t insure non-exotics like cats and dogs, which means there is no multi-pet discount to be had in this way and the company’s 93% successful claim rate isn’t that great.
Pros
Covers small mammals, birds, and exotics
Insure multiple exotics on one policy
Get coverage for theft and public liability insurance
Cons
No policies for dogs and cats
93% successful claims
- John Lewis Pet Insurance
Compare John Lewis PlansJohn Lewis may not be the first name you think of when shopping for pet insurance, but if you travel a lot and take your dog or cat with you, they are worth a look. Their policies, which do include some generous limits as well, provide up to 180 days of coverage for your pet when travelling overseas. You can even get up to £3,000 of the cost of a cancelled holiday back if the cancellation was because your pet is ill.
Beyond the travel benefits, John Lewis insurance offers coverage of up to £12,000 a year in vet fees and lets you set your excess between £60 and £500. The policy also includes some types of treatment that a lot of other insurers don’t include, such as behaviour training, dental costs, prescription foods, and complementary therapies. The policies are extensive, but this does mean that you have to pay a premium for your premium.
Covers small mammals, birds, and exotics
Insure multiple exotics on one policy
Get coverage for theft and public liability insurance
- Covers small mammals, birds, and exotics
- Insure multiple exotics on one policy
- Get coverage for theft and public liability insurance
No policies for dogs and cats
93% successful claims
- No policies for dogs and cats
- 93% successful claims
Compare John Lewis Plans
John Lewis may not be the first name you think of when shopping for pet insurance, but if you travel a lot and take your dog or cat with you, they are worth a look. Their policies, which do include some generous limits as well, provide up to 180 days of coverage for your pet when travelling overseas. You can even get up to £3,000 of the cost of a cancelled holiday back if the cancellation was because your pet is ill.
Pros
Up to £12,000 annual vet fee coverage
Covers up to 180 days of overseas travel for your pet
Includes dental, behavioural, complementary, and prescription foods
Cons
Expensive
- Tesco Bank Pet Insurance Compare Tesco Bank PlansTesco is another name that has branched out into finance and now offers pet insurance policies, and the retail giant’s policies do have some good benefits. Like John Lewis, Tesco Bank policies will pay out an amount of money if you have to cancel a holiday because your pet is ill. In Tesco’s case, the maximum payment is a generous £5,000.
When it comes to the main features of the policy, you can get coverage of up to £10,000 in vet bills and a low compulsory excess of £60. The policy also has co-payment options of 0%, 10%, or 20%. However, once your pet reaches 8 years old, you will have to pay what Tesco calls the “age 8 excess” which is 20% of the remaining bill after you’ve paid your fixed excess.
Up to £12,000 annual vet fee coverage
Covers up to 180 days of overseas travel for your pet
Includes dental, behavioural, complementary, and prescription foods
- Up to £12,000 annual vet fee coverage
- Covers up to 180 days of overseas travel for your pet
- Includes dental, behavioural, complementary, and prescription foods
Expensive
- Expensive
There is no waiting period with Tesco Bank Pet Insurance, which means that if your pet suffers an injury immediately after taking out the policy, you can claim it. Most insurers have a waiting period of at least two days, sometimes up to two weeks.
Pros
No waiting period to make a claim
Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
0%–20% co-payment options and £60–£200 excess
Cons
Age 8 excess policy means 20% co-payment when your pet reaches 8 years
- Everypaw Pet Insurance
Compare Everypaw PlansEverypaw Pet Insurance offers insurance for cats, dogs, and rabbits. Not only is it unusual to find rabbit insurance, but Everypaw also offers a multi-pet discount, which makes them a good choice for families with all three types of pets at home.
Vet fee limits up to £10,000 are available and excess values start as low as £60. All policies include dental treatment as well as complementary treatment, physiotherapy, and boarding fees if you have to go to the hospital and are unable to look after your pet during that time. Cats and dogs also get loss coverage and death by illness or accident cover while dogs get up to £2 million in public liability coverage. Everypaw has a 98% payout rate, which is on the high end of insurance policies.
No waiting period to make a claim
Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
0%–20% co-payment options and £60–£200 excess
- No waiting period to make a claim
- Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
- 0%–20% co-payment options and £60–£200 excess
Age 8 excess policy means 20% co-payment when your pet reaches 8 years
- Age 8 excess policy means 20% co-payment when your pet reaches 8 years
Compare Everypaw Plans
Everypaw Pet Insurance offers insurance for cats, dogs, and rabbits. Not only is it unusual to find rabbit insurance, but Everypaw also offers a multi-pet discount, which makes them a good choice for families with all three types of pets at home.
There are restrictions regarding the pets they will cover. Specifically, they won’t offer policies to certain breeds once they reach five years and won’t offer coverage at all for other breeds. Also, if your pet is covered, the co-payment rate goes up to 25% once your pet reaches 7 years old. It isn’t unusual for co-payments to increase as your pet gets older, 25% is higher than most.
Pros
Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
Policies for dogs, cats, and rabbits, with multi-pet discount
Coverage includes dental and complementary therapies
98% payout rate
Cons
Restrictions on some dog breeds and ages of some breeds
Co-payment increases to 25% when your pet reaches 7 years
- Napo Pet Insurance
Compare Napo PlansNapo Pet Insurance is very new to the market, having only launched in October 2021, but they offer pet insurance policies with a lot of coverage and include a lot of different elements of coverage.
They offer up to £16,000 vet fee coverage, which is one of the highest levels we’ve seen. They also offer coverage for pets as young as four weeks and they provide a 15% multi-pet discount. They cover your pet while abroad and the cost of emergency boarding if you’re unable to care for your pet. Dental, complimentary, and behavioural treatments are included as part of your coverage, within limits, and the policy excess is £75. There are policies with lower excess values, but £75 isn’t high.
Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
Policies for dogs, cats, and rabbits, with multi-pet discount
Coverage includes dental and complementary therapies
98% payout rate
- Up to £10,000 vet fee coverage
- Policies for dogs, cats, and rabbits, with multi-pet discount
- Coverage includes dental and complementary therapies
- 98% payout rate
Restrictions on some dog breeds and ages of some breeds
Co-payment increases to 25% when your pet reaches 7 years
- Restrictions on some dog breeds and ages of some breeds
- Co-payment increases to 25% when your pet reaches 7 years
Compare Napo Plans
Napo Pet Insurance is very new to the market, having only launched in October 2021, but they offer pet insurance policies with a lot of coverage and include a lot of different elements of coverage.
The policies do look good and provide broad coverage but because Napo is still new, they do not have verified claim payment rates, which means we can’t be certain how reliable an insurance company they are yet.
Pros
£16,000 maximum vet fee coverage
Dental, behavioural, and complementary therapy included
15% multi-pet discount
Cons
No verified claim payment rates available yet
- Waggel Pet Insurance
Compare Waggel PlansWaggel claims to improve pet insurance and uses technology to help it do that, so if you are looking for pet insurance that lets you track claims online and access features like 24/7 video vet calls, they are a good option. You can enjoy vet fee coverage of up to £10,000 with a relatively low £50 excess. Once your pet reaches the age of five, you will have to pay a 15% co-payment. 15% is lower than a lot of companies, with many having a 20% co-payment level for older pets, but 5 is a young age to start from.
The policy offers direct vet payments and includes dental coverage. You can also get online behavioural training advice along with coverage for loss, theft, and death. There are also bonuses for multi-pet policies. However, there are no emergency boarding fees covered and there is a 14-day waiting period from taking out the policy to being able to make a claim.
£16,000 maximum vet fee coverage
Dental, behavioural, and complementary therapy included
15% multi-pet discount
- £16,000 maximum vet fee coverage
- Dental, behavioural, and complementary therapy included
- 15% multi-pet discount
No verified claim payment rates available yet
- No verified claim payment rates available yet
Compare Waggel Plans
Waggel claims to improve pet insurance and uses technology to help it do that, so if you are looking for pet insurance that lets you track claims online and access features like 24/7 video vet calls, they are a good option. You can enjoy vet fee coverage of up to £10,000 with a relatively low £50 excess. Once your pet reaches the age of five, you will have to pay a 15% co-payment. 15% is lower than a lot of companies, with many having a 20% co-payment level for older pets, but 5 is a young age to start from.
Pros
24/7 vet video calls available
Dental cover included in policies
£50 excess is low
Cons
Co-payments go up when your pet reaches 5 years old
14-day waiting period before you can make a claim
- Petsure Pet Insurance
Compare Petsure PlansPetsure Pet Insurance does have some unique features that make it especially suitable for owners of older pets or those that have pre-existing conditions, but they also lack in some other areas. You can get coverage of up to £15,000 in vet fees and there are options for no excess and no co-payments, which means you won’t have to pay a penny if your pet ends up at the vet. There is also no upper age limit, and your co-payments and excesses don’t increase as your pet ages.
However, you have to pay extra for loss coverage and emergency boarding fees are not included. Unless you’re switching your insurance from another provider, you have to wait 14 days before you can make a claim for illness, which is longer than a lot of policies. The 2-day waiting period for injuries is competitive, though.
24/7 vet video calls available
Dental cover included in policies
£50 excess is low
- 24/7 vet video calls available
- Dental cover included in policies
- £50 excess is low
Co-payments go up when your pet reaches 5 years old
14-day waiting period before you can make a claim
- Co-payments go up when your pet reaches 5 years old
- 14-day waiting period before you can make a claim
Compare Petsure Plans
Petsure Pet Insurance does have some unique features that make it especially suitable for owners of older pets or those that have pre-existing conditions, but they also lack in some other areas. You can get coverage of up to £15,000 in vet fees and there are options for no excess and no co-payments, which means you won’t have to pay a penny if your pet ends up at the vet. There is also no upper age limit, and your co-payments and excesses don’t increase as your pet ages.
Pros
No upper age limit
No increase as your pet ages
£15,000 vet fees
Options for no excess and no co-payment
Cons
Emergency boarding kennels not included
You have to pay extra for loss coverage
14-day waiting period for illnesses
No upper age limit
No increase as your pet ages
£15,000 vet fees
Options for no excess and no co-payment
- No upper age limit
- No increase as your pet ages
- £15,000 vet fees
- Options for no excess and no co-payment
Emergency boarding kennels not included
You have to pay extra for loss coverage
14-day waiting period for illnesses
- Emergency boarding kennels not included
- You have to pay extra for loss coverage
- 14-day waiting period for illnesses
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Pet Insurance Plan in the UK
What to Look for in Pet Insurance
There are a lot of different pet insurance policies available, from a range of insurers. When reviewing and choosing insurance companies, we considered a variety of factors. And when you’re shopping around for your next policy, these are some of the most important ones to consider.
Policy Coverage
Primarily, you will need to find an insurer that offers policies for the type of pet you have. It is easy to find insurance for dogs and cats but less so for horses, exotic pets, and even rabbits.
Check the level of coverage you will receive. Most policies have a vet fee limit, which means that they will cover you up to that value over the lifetime of a particular condition, and the amount renews every year for new conditions.
Most companies offer different policy levels that range from accident-only policies, that don’t cover any illnesses, to comprehensive policies that cover illness and injury and can also include public liability, loss, and bereavement coverage. If you don’t need a particular type of coverage, you may be able to save some money by excluding it from your policy or by choosing a policy that only covers what you need.
Customer Service & Reputation
Customer service and reputation are hard to judge without having first-hand experience with the company. Use online review sites, speak to friends and family, and call or email the company with any questions you have about the policy. This will help you determine their responsiveness, at least.
Claim Repayment
In an ideal world, insurance companies would pay out on every claim, but exceptions and fraudulent claims mean that this isn’t always the case. Generally, insurance companies will publish their claim repayment rate with anything over 95%, and ideally more like 98%, being considered a good repayment rate. Brand-new companies do not have enough claim data to be able to have this figure verified so don’t expect to see them.
You should also consider how the company will repay claims. Will you have to pay the full bill and then wait for the claim to go back into your account, or will they pay the vet directly?
Price Of Policy
Price matters, but a cheaper policy is not always better. Ensure that you’re comparing policies on a like-for-like basis. Those policies with a lower vet fee limit, higher co-payment and excess, and that don’t cover things like dental treatment or public liability, should be cheaper than comprehensive policies that cover everything. But they will also leave you with higher vet bills to pay if and when you need to visit the vet.
You may be able to reduce the price of your premiums by increasing your excess or co-payment rates, or by taking out a slightly lower vet fee coverage level.
Plan Customisation
Plan customisation enables you to change limits and payments, or even add and remove certain elements of the plan. This means that you end up with a policy that accurately represents what you need, and it also allows you to decrease your premium or the amount you will have to pay if your pet gets ill or is involved in an accident.
Is pet insurance mandatory?
Although it is a legal requirement to have dogs microchipped, there is no law stating that owners have to have pet insurance for any type of pet.
Do insurers pay vets directly?
It really depends on the insurer and the type of policy, as well as the vet. Some insurers are willing to pay vets directly, which means that you don’t have to foot the bill initially, but vets don’t have to accept this. If your insurer offers direct payments, speak to your vet to see if they are willing to take payments this way.
Can I claim straight away?
In most cases, there is a waiting period from the day your coverage starts to when you can legitimately make a claim against the insurance. This period can range from a couple of days to 2 weeks or more. However, a small number of insurers do not have a waiting time, and most will waive the waiting period if you are moving your insurance policy from a different insurer.
What things does pet insurance not cover?
Generally, pet insurance does not cover preventive care, so you won’t be able to claim for jabs, annual check-ups, or other non-emergency visits to the vet. Many insurers will not cover pre-existing conditions and you will need to look for policies that offer dental, behavioural, and alternative therapies. Some policies do not cover things like vet exam fees, so always check policy details before signing.
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
A lot of pet insurance companies will not cover pre-existing conditions, but some will cover a pre-existing condition as long as your pet has been symptom-free for a specified amount of time. There are also some policies that will cover pre-existing conditions, but these policies tend to cost more and you will need to specifically look for one.
Which Pet Insurance Provider Is Best for You?
There is no single best option when it comes to choosing a pet insurance provider. What is best for one owner and one pet may not be best for everybody. First, consider the number and types of pets you have. You may be able to benefit from multi-pet discounts, but you will struggle to find insurers that offer policies for exotics as well as dogs and cats.
Determine how much you could reasonably afford to pay if your pet got ill or was involved in an accident and then look for policies that meet this value with their excess and co-payment options. If you travel and take your pet with you, ensure that this is covered, and also ask yourself whether you want dental and complementary treatments included in your policy because these are not included in all policies.
There are a lot of options and features, and the best policy is the one that meets your requirements while offering the best customer service and value.
Conclusion
While there is no single best pet insurance policy, while compiling our reviews, we did find that ManyPets offers a good range of options and coverage levels to suit most pet owners, while HealthyPets offers some of the best value policies. If you are insuring a horse, check out PetPlan Equine, and if you have one or more exotic pets or want to insure small mammals like ferrets or hamsters, ExoticDirect is one of the few insurers that cover these animals so you should definitely check them out.
Featured Image Credit: Sam Lion, Pexels
