How to make a pet insurance claim

At Asda Money, we make it simple to submit a pet insurance claim. Everything can be done online - you’ll just need to follow the onscreen instructions. You’ll also need your policy number and claims information to hand.

What can I claim for on pet insurance?

All pet insurance policies differ, but you can usually claim for the following:

Unexpected vet bills

The purpose of pet insurance is to cover you for unexpected illnesses and injuries. You’ll be covered for things like consultations, examinations, tests, X-rays, MRI/CT scans, medication, surgery and hospitalisation. You’ll also be covered if your pet needs to see a specialist for physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic and hydrotherapy, as well as some alternative therapies.

Third party liability

If your dog injures someone or damages someone else’s property and you’re legally responsible for the damage or injury, pet insurance can help cover the cost.

Loss of pet

If your pet is lost, stolen, or dies of an injury or illness before a certain age, you may be able to claim for the purchase price or market value. You may also be able to claim for advertising costs to help get your pet back.

Boarding costs

If you have to go into hospital for emergency medical treatment, your insurance may cover the cost of boarding your pet.

Overseas vet fees

Cover for the cost of emergency vet treatment when you’re abroad with your pet.

Discover more about which surgeries are covered by pet insurance and what pet insurance covers here.

What can’t I claim for on pet insurance?

Pet insurance usually won’t cover:

Routine treatments or preventative care costs

As a vet owner, you are expected to cover certain vet costs yourself to prevent your pet getting ill or for routine treatments. Examples include:

• Vaccinations
• Spaying
• Castration
• Flea, worm and tick treatments
• Grooming
• Claw clipping
• Dental and teeth maintenance
  
  

When it comes to vaccinations, it’s your responsibility to keep them up to date. If you don’t, and your pet gets a condition that could have been prevented by the vaccination, you may not be able to claim on your insurance for their treatment.

Pre-existing conditions

Insurers usually don’t cover illness or injury that your pet had or showed signs of having before the start of the policy. This is termed a pre-existing condition and can include any illness or injury.

Insurers may also consider a condition to be pre-existing if it results from or is closely related to a condition your pet already has.

Discover more about pet insurance exclusions and the reasons why your claim may be rejected here.

How soon can you claim on pet insurance?

Most pet insurance policies have waiting periods before you can submit a claim. These vary between insurer, but in most cases, you will have to wait between 10 and 15 days before you can make a claim for illness. Claims for injuries or accidents usually have a waiting period of 24 hours before you can claim.

If you make a claim during this waiting period, it’s likely to be rejected.

How long do pet insurance claims take?

Often it depends on the complexity of the claim. You can always call your insurer once you’ve submitted your claim to get an idea of the potential timescales.

Is the money from a pet insurance claim paid directly to the vet?

It depends on the vet practice and the nature of your pet’s injuries. Most vet practices or vet hospitals will be happy for your insurance provider to pay them directly. This is usually the case if they have carried out the treatment whilst the claim is ongoing and haven’t asked you for payment. In this case, the vet will receive the money direct from the insurer.

In some cases, the vets may insist on you paying upfront before the treatment or surgery is carried out. For example, if it involves dental work which you may or may not be able to claim for, the vets might ask you to pay first and subsequently claim the money back from the insurer – if the insurer is willing to pay.

Will my pet insurance premium increase after making a claim?

Unfortunately, it’s often the case that your premium will increase once you’ve made a claim. Insurers focus on a couple of things here: the owner and the pet.

With the owner, insurers view you as more likely to make another claim if you’ve already made one. This might not necessarily be true, but it’s something insurers consider.

They also look at the pet. Insurers analyse your pet’s health history when looking at your insurance application. Now they’ve had an accident or illness, you’ll likely be quoted a higher price than before. Any pre-existing conditions also won’t be covered by any new pet insurance.

Pet Insurance through Asda Money

At Asda Money, we work with a trusted insurance administrator and provide a selection of pet insurance products to suit you and your pet’s needs.

Explore Pet Insurance at Asda Money and compare our different cover types to get the right cover in place for your pet. It’s also important to check what is and isn’t covered with our various cover types, as this may impact the success of any pet insurance claims further down the line.

Use our helpful jargon buster to help understand any pet insurance terms and check out our FAQs to answer any questions you may have.