How much does it cost to insure a pet?

The price of pet insurance depends on the type of animal you’re insuring, their age and their breed and on any specific characteristics your pet may have.

The best way to get an accurate idea of how much it costs to insure your pet is to get a quote tailored to your dog or cat – that way you know it’s an accurate price for you. Some breeds cost more to insure than others because of certain conditions or illnesses which they’re more prone to getting, so it’s worth bearing this in mind when looking at picking up a new pet - of course, dogs and cats have different costs involved. If you're looking for more information about what pet insurance includes, find out more with our FAQ guide.

The earlier you can get your pet covered the better, and you’ll probably find that your premiums are cheaper too as younger pets are likely to have fewer pre-existing conditions.

What is the average cost of pet insurance?

Generally, it’s difficult to provide an average pet insurance cost. This is because the price you’ll pay for your insurance is dependant on a variety of different things, from the kind of animal your pet is, to its breed, its age and your postcode and the level of cover you're looking for. As such the cost of pet insurance can vary greatly, which is why its always worth doing your research before you make any decisions, and not just going for the first cheap pet insurance policy you see.

Is it worth getting pet insurance?

There’s a lot of different things that pet insurance can be used for, so it’s worth checking policy documents for what a pet insurance policy can contribute to so you get a full picture of how useful it can be. It’s tough to put a price on the love for your pet, but pet insurance helps you to meet your responsibilities as a pet owner for providing care and support to your cat or dog.

What are the best pet insurance plans?

The best pet insurance plan for you depends a lot on the type of pet you have and how much cover you think it’ll need. By filling out a few questions, you can get quotes for a number of different policy types so you can see how much each pet insurance policy costs and what would be covered. That way, you can find the one which suits your budget and give your pet the right level of cover.

Does lifetime pet insurance go up every year?

When it comes around to renewing your pet insurance policy, you will probably find that the price of your policy goes up. This can come down to a number of different reasons:

• Insurance costs increasing year on year across the market
• Your pet is a year older, meaning that the risk of them developing a condition or illness goes up
• Making a claim on your policy, as claims history can suggest your pet might need more treatment in the future
• The introductory discount period for your policy may have finished

While your renewal price might go up, you might find that if you shop around it’s still competitive against the rest of the market. But don't forget, your lifetime cover will cover on-going conditions, while a new insurer might refuse coverage.

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.