How much does it cost to insure a dog?

The amount it costs to insure a dog depends on a few different factors – mainly their age and breed. This comes down to older dogs and certain dog breeds being potentially higher risk for developing some illnesses, meaning that insurers will set premiums a bit higher to ensure they can cover all the possible risks associated with your dog.

In order to get an accurate idea of how much it costs to insure your dog, you can get quotes for dog insurance and decide which cover suits you best. It’s worth remembering that cheaper doesn’t mean better as well, as different policies will include different things and cover you for different amounts. You’ll pay more for a lifetime policy than for an accident only policy, but your four-legged friend will be insured against a lot more things.

The amount of any fixed excess and/or percentage-based excess will also have an impact on the premium charged, typically the greater the fixed excess or percentage based excess the lower the premium for your pet.

What is the average cost of pet insurance for a dog?

It’s hard to pinpoint an average cost of pet insurance for dogs – this is because there is such a variety of different breeds, ages and postcodes that can affect the price you’ll pay for your dog’s insurance.

It’s certainly worth researching how much the amount your pet insurance will cover you for though, especially when you take into consideration things like emergency vet trips and surgery. When you weigh up the cost of insuring a dog against how much you may have to pay in vet's fees without dog insurance, pet insurance for dogs really does come in handy.

Is it worth getting pet insurance for my dog?

We’ve pulled together a guide on whether it’s Worth getting insurance for your dog, but it's worth considering the value of peace of mind... Not only can it help you to pay vet bills, which can quickly get expensive, and depending on the policy, there’s a range of other things that pet insurance can help with, such as third party accidental damage caused by your dog and even compensation if you have to cancel a holiday because your pet needs a life-saving operation.

On top of this, part of your responsibility as a pet owner is to protect your dog against pain, suffering and disease. Dog insurance helps you to meet this responsibility to the fullest of your ability, getting your dog the treatment it might need without you needing to worry about paying for it all yourself.

How much is pet insurance for an older dog?

Dog insurance costs for older dogs can become more expensive due to older dogs presenting more of a risk in general, whether that’s from being diagnosed with an illness, or with a new condition. This risk is factored into your premiums as your pooch grows older to ensure your dog’s coverage is calculated in line with how likely you will be to claim.

Some policies can include coverage against new, long-term illnesses or conditions your dog develops as it gets older, provided they’re diagnosed while your dog is insured with your provider. This can be a huge help in meeting the cost of vet bills, and quickly outweighs the relatively higher cost of insurance for older dogs.

A quick ‘paws’ for thought…

With pet insurance, as part of the cost, your premium will increase each year at renewal as your pet gets older. We’ll limit the amount it goes up by, but your renewal price will also be impacted by:

• Any claims you make – this could significantly increase your premium
• Rising vet fees
• Insurance Premium Tax increasing
• Changes you make to your policy
• Changes we make to our pricing

You can, of course, shop around at renewal. Just bear in mind that any existing conditions your pet’s developed, whether diagnosed or not, may not be covered elsewhere.