Pet insurance explained: a plain-English guide from a rescue-dog owner
When we brought Ted home from Cyprus, pet insurance was one of the first things on our list, and one of the most confusing. Every insurer uses different words for similar things. This guide explains what the cover types mean, what to check before you buy, and what’s different when your dog is a rescue.
This is general information, not advice. We don’t sell insurance. Always read a policy’s full terms before you buy.
The four types of cover
| Type | What it covers | When cover for a condition stops |
|---|---|---|
| Lifetime | Accidents and illnesses | Never, as long as you renew. The vet fee limit resets each policy year. |
| Maximum benefit | Accidents and illnesses | When the money set aside for that condition runs out. It doesn’t reset. |
| Time-limited | Accidents and illnesses | After a set period, usually 12 months from first treatment, or when the money runs out. |
| Accident only | Accidents and injuries, not illness | When the limit is reached. Some policies also have a time limit. |
Lifetime is the most comprehensive. It’s the one to look at if you want cover for long-term conditions such as arthritis, allergies or diabetes, because the vet fee limit renews every year as long as you keep the policy.
Maximum benefit gives you a fixed pot of money for each illness or injury. One thing catches people out: you only get that money once per condition, even if the condition comes back later or appears in another part of the body.
Time-limited is usually cheaper than lifetime or maximum benefit, but it only pays for each illness or injury for a set time, normally a year. After that, you pay for any ongoing treatment yourself.
Accident only is the most basic and usually the cheapest. It won’t pay anything if your pet gets ill.
What to check before you buy
- The vet fee limit. How much will it pay per year, or per condition? Bills for surgery or scans can run into thousands.
- The excess. This is the amount you pay towards each claim. Some policies also ask you to pay a percentage of every claim once your pet reaches a certain age.
- The waiting period. Most policies won’t cover illnesses that start in the first few days or weeks of the policy.
- Pre-existing conditions. Anything your pet has had before the policy starts is usually excluded. Some insurers offer cover for these, at a price.
- Exclusions. Look at dental treatment, behavioural therapy and complementary therapies, which some policies leave out.
- Third-party liability. For dogs, this pays out if your dog injures someone or damages property. It can be very valuable.
- Paying the vet. Some insurers pay your vet directly, so you don’t have to cover a big bill up front.
- Renewal prices. Premiums usually rise as pets get older. Check your renewal every year rather than letting it roll over.
Insuring a rescue dog, including one from abroad
Insuring a rescue dog works in much the same way as insuring any other dog. Many insurers don’t even ask whether a dog is a rescue, or which country it came from.
- Start cover on the day they come home. Arrange the policy before collection day, so there’s no gap.
- Answer honestly using the rescue’s information. If you don’t know an exact age or breed, use what the rescue told you. That way you’ve answered honestly, which matters if you ever need to claim.
- Known health problems will probably be excluded. Anything the rescue told you about, or that a vet finds early on, is likely to count as pre-existing.
- Book a vet check soon after arrival. This matters most for dogs from abroad, who can carry conditions that are rare in the UK. The British Veterinary Association advises owners of rescue dogs from abroad to ask their vet about testing and treatment for any underlying conditions.
Ted’s story
Ted is insured with Asda Pet Insurance on a lifetime policy with an £8,000 vet fee limit, which renews every year. It costs us £30.81 a month.
We chose lifetime cover because with a rescue, you don’t know his full history or whether something might need ongoing treatment one day. We want to give Ted the best care for all his years.
Touch wood, we haven’t needed to claim yet. Your price will be different from ours, because it depends on your pet’s breed, age and where you live.
Asda doesn’t pay us anything. We’re simply telling you what we chose for Ted.
If something goes wrong
If you’re unhappy with how an insurer handles a claim, complain to the insurer first. If that doesn’t sort it out, you can take it to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use.
Questions owners ask us
What is the difference between lifetime and maximum benefit pet insurance?
Lifetime cover gives you a vet fee limit that resets every policy year, as long as you renew. Maximum benefit gives you a fixed amount for each condition, and once it is used up it does not reset.
Can you insure a rescue dog from abroad?
Yes. Insuring a rescue dog works much like insuring any other dog. Use the details the rescue gave you, start cover on the day they come home, and expect anything already known about their health to be treated as pre-existing.
Does pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?
Usually not. Anything your pet has had before the policy starts is normally excluded, although a few insurers offer cover for some pre-existing conditions at a higher price.
What can I do if my pet insurance claim is refused?
Complain to the insurer first. If you are still unhappy, you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which is free to use.