Pet insurance calculators
Understand what drives the cost of cover, compare lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited and accident-only policies in plain English, and work out how excess and co-payments affect your vet bills.
Pet Insurance Cost Estimator
Get an illustrative monthly cost band based on your pet, age, cover type, and region.
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Lifetime vs Annual Cover Calculator
Compare how different cover types perform in various claim scenarios over time.
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Excess and Co-payment Calculator
See exactly how a vet bill would be split between you and the insurer.
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Understanding pet insurance cover types
Accident only
Covers vet fees for accidents only — not illness. Lowest premium, but limited cover.
Time-limited
Covers accidents and illness, but each condition only for 12 months from first treatment.
Maximum benefit
Covers accidents and illness up to a financial limit per condition. No time limit, but cover ends when the limit is reached.
Lifetime cover
The most comprehensive type. Vet-fee limit renews each year, providing ongoing cover for chronic conditions.
Pet insurance guides
Frequently asked questions
The main factors are: pet type (dog, cat, rabbit); age band (younger pets are cheaper to insure); dog breed size (larger dogs tend to cost more); cover type (accident-only to lifetime); vet-fee limit; voluntary excess; and region. Our cost estimator lets you adjust these factors to see how they affect the illustrative cost band.
Generally no. Pre-existing conditions — those your pet had before the policy started — are typically excluded. This is why taking out cover when your pet is young and healthy is generally advantageous. Always read the exclusions carefully before buying.
Lifetime cover is the most comprehensive type and is the only type that provides ongoing cover for chronic conditions year after year. Whether it is worth the higher premium depends on your pet's breed, age, and your budget. For breeds with known predispositions to expensive conditions, it often represents good value in the long run.