Pet Insurance Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

We hope you can find the answer you are looking for, but if not, please contact us and we'll see if we can help.

Cover options:
What animals do you insure?
Do you have an age limit?
Will you cover pre-existing conditions?
Do you cover the cost of neutering?
Do you cover dental work i.e. teeth cleaning, extraction?
Are hereditary and/or congenital conditions covered?
Can you cover my pet abroad, if so how long for?

Claims:
What is the policy excess?
How long does it take for claims to be paid out?
Does claiming affect my premium the following year?
Do I have to pay the vet and you reimburse me?
What do I do if my dog/cat is missing?
What do I do if my dog/cat is involved in an accident?
What is the claims number?

Payment options:
How can I pay for my policy?
Is there any advantage to paying my premiums monthly by Direct Debit?
How do I know if my cover has been accepted?
I have completed an online pet insurance quote but would prefer to pay over the phone, can I still get my online discount?

Other questions:
How do I cancel my policy?
What should I do if I don't want you to send me any marketing material?

What animals do you insure?

Cats and dogs.

Do you have an age limit?

You can purchase pet insurance for your dog or cat as long as they are 8 weeks old or older.  There is no upper age limit, apart from under the death from illness cover.

Cover for death from illness ceases once your dog reaches 9 years of age or your cat reaches 11 years of age.

Will you cover pre-existing conditions?

No.  Your pet insurance policy will not cover any medical condition or symptoms that your pet had before the start date of your policy or any that occur during the first 14 days of your insurance cover.

Do you cover the cost of neutering?

No.  There is no cover under the policy for any preventative and elective treatments or for any routine examinations or treatment.

Do you cover dental work i.e. teeth cleaning, extraction?

Your pet will be covered for dental treatment as a direct result of an accident but any other dentistry, however caused, is excluded.

Are hereditary and/or congenital conditions covered?

Yes, most hereditary and congenital conditions will be covered by the policy provided you were not aware that your pet had the condition, or symptoms of the condition, prior to taking out the cover or within the first 14 days of the policy.  Umbilical hernias and retained testicles are two specific exclusions on the policy, so for these congenital conditions there is no cover.  

Can you cover my pet abroad, if so how long for?

Yes, provided you are travelling to Eire or a member country of the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS), excluding NON-EU countries, and comply with the requirements of this scheme while you are abroad. You can find out further information about the Pet Travel Scheme by visiting the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website. There is no limit to the length of your cover abroad.  

What is the policy excess?

This is the amount you must pay towards the cost of a claim.
For veterinary fees the excess is £60 for each claim for a new illness or injury. 
For third party liability claims and accidental damage claims the excess is £250 for each property damage claim. 

How long does it take for claims to be paid out?

We aim to settle claims within five days of receipt; however this does depend on the complexity of the claim and any investigations that may be necessary.

Does claiming affect my premium the following year?

We want to make sure that all pets insured by us receive the care and treatment they need as quickly as possible and do not want to discourage any customers from claiming out of fear of affecting their premium. Therefore, we do not apply any additional discounts or premium increases on policies based on the claims history of individual pets.

Do I have to pay the vet and you reimburse me?

To make it easier for you we usually pay the vet directly if they are set up for this. If the vet is unable to offer this facility or you have already paid the vet, we will send you a cheque.

In the event of an emergency call out, the vet may request payment to be made immediately.

What do I do if my dog/cat is missing?

Contact our claims department on 0845 600 4828 and they will take the details from you and issue a claim form. If it is a dog which is missing you will need to report this to the police within two days of your dog's disappearance, if it is a cat you need to report your cat missing to your vet and local rescue centres within 10 days of your cat's disappearance.  Our claims department may require evidence of this.

What do I do if my dog/cat is involved in an accident?

Contact our claims department on 0845 600 4828 and they will take the details from you and issue a claim form.

What is the claims number?

Our claims number is 0845 600 4828 and the opening hours are:
8am - 6pm Monday to Friday
9am - 2pm Saturday

How can I pay for my policy?

We offer our customers a choice of easy payment methods. You can choose to pay your premium by monthly Direct Debit or, if you prefer, you can pay in a lump sum by credit or debit card. Online payments are made via a secure server, which uses advanced encryption technology to ensure your details are safe during transmission. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Delta and Maestro. If you are unable to pay by any of these payment methods, cheques can be accepted.

Is there any advantage to paying my premiums monthly by Direct Debit?

Yes. It breaks your premium down into very affordable monthly payments and you can relax in the knowledge that at renewal your cover will continue unless you tell us otherwise. We don't charge any interest for paying your premiums monthly.

How do I know if my cover has been accepted?

Once you have entered your payment details, the "payment confirmation" page will be displayed. This page is confirmation of your cover, and will display your reference number and cover start date. Your policy documents will be posted to you by second class post.

I have completed an online pet insurance quote but would prefer to pay over the phone, can I still get my online discount?

Yes, you can call our call centre to continue with the quotation and you will still get the online discount.

How do I cancel my policy?

If you are not satisfied with the cover provided by your policy, you have 14 days to cancel from the date you receive your documents. As long as no incidents have arisen which could result in a claim under your policy we will refund the premium you have paid.

If you do not exercise your right to cancel during the 14 day period, your policy will continue as normal. If you decide to cancel after this 14 day period, you must give us seven days' notice in writing. As long as no incidents have arisen which could result in a claim under your policy, we will refund the part of the premium you have not yet used. If the amount due when you cancel your policy is more than the amount you have paid, you must pay us the difference.

If a claim has been made, or any incidents have arisen which could result in a claim under your policy, we will cancel your cover but not refund any premium. If you are paying by instalments, you must still pay us the balance of the full annual premium.

We also have a right to cancel your policy at any time by giving you seven days' notice in writing. We will send our letter to the latest address we have for you. If we do cancel your policy, we will refund the part of your premium you haven't yet used.

What should I do if I don't want you to send me any marketing material?

We give you an option to tell us during the quote process if you don't want to receive any marketing material.