How dog insurance policies compare: cover types, limits and excess
The average UK pet insurance claim was £685 in 2024 and the average premium £389 a year in 2023 (ABI, all pets). Below, 11 UK insurers' dog policies set out A to Z from their own documents, read on 21 October 2026.
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Key facts
- Lifetime cover resets the vet-fee limit every year you renew, so long-term conditions stay covered up to the limit.
- Time-limited and maximum benefit policies cap what they pay for an ongoing condition.
- 7 of the 9 insurers whose documents we read exclude pre-existing conditions with no symptom-free period stated.
- Every one of those 9 makes dental illness cover depend on a recent dental check.
- A fixed 20% co-payment starts between ages 8 and 10 for dogs on the policies that publish an age.
The four types of cover
| Type | How the limit works | Long-term conditions | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime | Resets each year you renew | Keeps paying, up to the yearly limit | Premiums usually rise with age and claims |
| Per-condition (maximum benefit) | A fixed total for each condition | Stops once that condition's total is used up | The size of the per-condition total |
| Time-limited | Per condition, for a set time, often 12 months | Stops when the time runs out, even if treatment continues | You pay ongoing costs after that |
| Accident-only | Accidents and injuries only | Illness is not covered | No cover for illness at all |
The type of cover decides what happens if your pet develops a long-term condition. For the full picture, see lifetime vs annual pet insurance.
Questions to ask any insurer
- What is the vet-fee limit, and is it per year or per condition?
- What is the excess, and is it per condition or per claim? Is there a co-payment, and from what age?
- Are there sub-limits inside the main limit, for example for one condition or for dental treatment?
- How are conditions that affect both sides of the body, such as both knees, treated?
- Are hereditary and breed-related conditions covered?
- What happens to the price and the cover at renewal?
The answers are in the policy wording and the insurance product information document (IPID). If they are not clear, ask the insurer before you buy.
How much is dog insurance in the UK?
No insurer publishes a standard price, because premiums depend on breed, age, postcode, cover level and the excess you choose. Two published figures give a starting point. Battersea estimates dog insurance at £20 to £60 a month (Battersea, updated 13 October 2026). The ABI's most recent published average premium is £389 a year for 2023, across dogs and cats (ABI figures).
Vet prices drive premiums. The Competition and Markets Authority found average prices at UK vet businesses rose 63% between 2016 and 2023, against 32% general inflation (CMA final report, 24 March 2026). Our cost of owning a dog guide puts insurance alongside food and routine vet costs.
What does dog insurance cover?
Dog insurance pays towards vet bills for accidents and illness after the excess, up to the vet-fee limit. Many dog policies also include third-party liability, which pays if your dog injures someone or damages property. Routine care is not covered: vaccinations, neutering, flea and worm treatment and dental cleaning are yours to pay. For the full list, see what pet insurance covers.
For scale, cruciate ligament surgery at referral centres was priced at £3,400–£6,250 in our average vet bill guide (checked 21 October 2026), and an out-of-hours consultation alone at £99–£252.
How do you compare dog insurance policies?
These five things decide how well a policy works for your dog. Use them when comparing quotes.
- Cover type and limit: Whether the vet-fee limit resets each year (lifetime), is a fixed total per condition (maximum benefit) or runs out after 12 months (time-limited). The limits in our table run from £1,000 to £20,000.
- Excess and co-payment: The fixed excess per condition plus any co-payment percentage, and the age it starts. Four of the nine insurers we read publish a co-payment age for dogs, from 8 to 10.
- Exclusions: Pre-existing conditions, dental illness without a recent check, conditions affecting both sides of the body, and any breed exclusions. Read the exclusions section of the wording.
- Waiting periods: Illness is usually not covered for the first 14 days; accidents for the first 2 or 3 days on some policies.
- Claims and complaints: Whether your vet can claim directly. If a claim goes wrong you can complain to the insurer, then to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
The policy type matters as much as the insurer. Lifetime cover keeps paying if your dog develops diabetes, epilepsy, allergies or another condition that needs ongoing treatment. See lifetime vs annual pet insurance, and for a puppy, puppy insurance.
If a claim is turned down and the insurer's final response does not resolve it, the Financial Ombudsman Service can review it. In Q2 2026, 596 pet and livestock insurance complaints were referred to the Ombudsman and 29% were upheld in the customer's favour (Insurance Times, 17 September 2026, reporting Ombudsman data).
What would a claim pay back?
An illustration of how excess, co-payment and limits add up. Your policy wording decides what is actually paid. Some policies apply the excess per condition, others per claim.
Insurer pays
£1,120.80
You pay
£379.20
How it adds up
- Bill £1,500 minus excess £99 leaves £1,401.
- Co-payment of 20% on £1,401 is £280.20.
- The insurer's share is £1,401 minus £280.20 = £1,120.80. That is within the limit left of £4,000, so the insurer pays £1,120.80.
- Your share: excess £99 + co-payment £280.20 = £379.20.
This uses no real insurer's terms. Policies can also have sub-limits, for example for one condition or for dental treatment, and claims for a condition can be declined under the policy's exclusions.
Open it on its own page: pet insurance claim calculator.
Policy features, A to Z
Listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.
Each insurer's cover types, vet-fee limits, excess and dog co-payment, as written in its current policy wording or IPID. Limits and excess often depend on the level you choose.
Agria
- Cover sold
- Lifetime only, four levels
- Vet-fee limit
- £3,000, £6,500, £12,500 or £20,000 a year
- Excess
- Fixed excess plus a percentage excess, both shown on your schedule
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Percentage excess shown on your schedule; no starting age in the documents
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
Animal Friends
- Cover sold
- Lifetime, per-condition lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited and accident-only ranges
- Vet-fee limit
- Lifetime £1,000 to £18,000 a year; other ranges per condition
- Excess
- Shown on your schedule; one vet-fee excess per condition per policy year on Lifetime
- Co-payment (dogs)
- 20% or 35% from age 8
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
John Lewis
- Cover sold
- Lifetime, maximum benefit or time-limited
- Vet-fee limit
- Shown on your certificate; not published in the policy documents
- Excess
- A fixed amount and/or a percentage, shown on your certificate
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Percentage becomes fixed from an age shown on your certificate
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
LV=
- Cover sold
- Lifetime or time-limited
- Vet-fee limit
- Lifetime £1,000 to £12,000 a year; time-limited up to £3,000 per condition for 12 months
- Excess
- Shown on your certificate
- Co-payment (dogs)
- 20% from the renewal after the 8th birthday (not on the £1,000 level)
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
ManyPets
- Cover sold
- Lifetime plans (Essential, Standard, Standard Pre-existing, Complete Care)
- Vet-fee limit
- £1,000 to £20,000 a year, by plan
- Excess
- Shown on your certificate; once per plan year
- Co-payment (dogs)
- 20% from the first renewal after the 7th birthday
- Checked
- Awaiting re-check
MORE THAN
- Cover sold
- Basic (time-limited), Classic (maximum benefit) or Premier (lifetime)
- Vet-fee limit
- Premier £1,000 to £6,000 per condition each year; Classic £4,000 or £8,000 per condition; Basic £1,500 or £3,000 per condition for 12 months
- Excess
- £100
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Optional 0%, 10% or 20% before age 9; 20% from age 9
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
Petplan
- Cover sold
- Lifetime (Covered For Life) or time-limited (Essential)
- Vet-fee limit
- Lifetime £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 a year; Essential £3,000 per condition for 12 months
- Excess
- Shown on your certificate
- Co-payment (dogs)
- 20% from the renewal after the 10th birthday (7th for select breeds) on Covered For Life
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
Purely Pets
- Cover sold
- Lifetime only, 15 levels
- Vet-fee limit
- £1,000 to £15,000 a year
- Excess
- Chosen at quote
- Co-payment (dogs)
- 20% from age 6
- Checked
- Awaiting re-check
RSPCA Pet Insurance
- Cover sold
- Lifetime, four levels
- Vet-fee limit
- £1,000, £4,000, £7,000 or £10,000 a year
- Excess
- A fixed amount and/or a percentage, shown on your certificate
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Percentage may become fixed from an age shown on your certificate
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
Tesco Pet Insurance
- Cover sold
- Lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited, or accident and injury
- Vet-fee limit
- Shown on your certificate; not published in the IPIDs
- Excess
- Shown on your certificate
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Not stated in the IPIDs
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
Waggel
- Cover sold
- Lifetime only
- Vet-fee limit
- Chosen at quote; Waggel says up to £15,000
- Excess
- Chosen at quote; per condition per policy year
- Co-payment (dogs)
- Optional; no age-related co-payment stated
- Checked
- 2026-10-21
| Insurer | Cover sold | Vet-fee limit | Excess | Co-payment (dogs) | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agria | Lifetime only, four levels | £3,000, £6,500, £12,500 or £20,000 a year | Fixed excess plus a percentage excess, both shown on your schedule | Percentage excess shown on your schedule; no starting age in the documents | 2026-10-21 |
| Animal Friends | Lifetime, per-condition lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited and accident-only ranges | Lifetime £1,000 to £18,000 a year; other ranges per condition | Shown on your schedule; one vet-fee excess per condition per policy year on Lifetime | 20% or 35% from age 8 | 2026-10-21 |
| John Lewis | Lifetime, maximum benefit or time-limited | Shown on your certificate; not published in the policy documents | A fixed amount and/or a percentage, shown on your certificate | Percentage becomes fixed from an age shown on your certificate | 2026-10-21 |
| LV= | Lifetime or time-limited | Lifetime £1,000 to £12,000 a year; time-limited up to £3,000 per condition for 12 months | Shown on your certificate | 20% from the renewal after the 8th birthday (not on the £1,000 level) | 2026-10-21 |
| ManyPets | Lifetime plans (Essential, Standard, Standard Pre-existing, Complete Care) | £1,000 to £20,000 a year, by plan | Shown on your certificate; once per plan year | 20% from the first renewal after the 7th birthday | Awaiting re-check |
| MORE THAN | Basic (time-limited), Classic (maximum benefit) or Premier (lifetime) | Premier £1,000 to £6,000 per condition each year; Classic £4,000 or £8,000 per condition; Basic £1,500 or £3,000 per condition for 12 months | £100 | Optional 0%, 10% or 20% before age 9; 20% from age 9 | 2026-10-21 |
| Petplan | Lifetime (Covered For Life) or time-limited (Essential) | Lifetime £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 a year; Essential £3,000 per condition for 12 months | Shown on your certificate | 20% from the renewal after the 10th birthday (7th for select breeds) on Covered For Life | 2026-10-21 |
| Purely Pets | Lifetime only, 15 levels | £1,000 to £15,000 a year | Chosen at quote | 20% from age 6 | Awaiting re-check |
| RSPCA Pet Insurance | Lifetime, four levels | £1,000, £4,000, £7,000 or £10,000 a year | A fixed amount and/or a percentage, shown on your certificate | Percentage may become fixed from an age shown on your certificate | 2026-10-21 |
| Tesco Pet Insurance | Lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited, or accident and injury | Shown on your certificate; not published in the IPIDs | Shown on your certificate | Not stated in the IPIDs | 2026-10-21 |
| Waggel | Lifetime only | Chosen at quote; Waggel says up to £15,000 | Chosen at quote; per condition per policy year | Optional; no age-related co-payment stated | 2026-10-21 |
Premiums are not shown: they depend on your dog, postcode and cover level, so get a quote for your own dog. Policy facts come from each insurer's own policy wording or IPID on the date shown in the row. Rows marked 'Awaiting re-check' could not be confirmed against current documents. Limits and excess often depend on the level you choose and are confirmed in your own schedule or certificate. Always read the policy wording and get your own quote.
What do the policy documents show?
What the policy documents show (9 insurers, read on 21 October 2026)
- 7 of the 9 exclude pre-existing conditions with no symptom-free period stated. LV= and Petplan say some exclusions can be lifted if criteria are met, without a fixed period.
- All 9 make dental illness cover depend on a recent dental check, usually within the 12 months before the problem.
- 4 publish an age when a fixed co-payment starts for dogs: Animal Friends 8, LV= 8, MORE THAN 9, Petplan 10. The rest set it on your schedule or certificate, or make it optional.
- 8 of the 9 do not cover illness in the first 14 days; one uses 10 days.
Not on sale on the day we checked: Petpals (petpalsdirect.co.uk now redirects to Pet Protect, whose documents page lists no Petpals products.) Saga (Not on sale to new customers: saga.co.uk/pet-insurance shows 'Coming soon'.)
For dental cover in more detail see does pet insurance cover dental, and for co-payment ages see pet insurance for older dogs.
What changed in this update
- 21 October 2026: Re-checked every insurer against its current policy wording or IPID: limits, excess, co-payment ages and dental cover corrected (for example Agria's top limit is now £20,000 and Petplan's £12,000 tier is one of three). Added LV=, MORE THAN, Purely Pets, RSPCA and Tesco rows; removed Saga (not on sale) and the unsourced monthly price ranges and the unsourced breed premium bands. Added ABI, Battersea, FCA, CMA and Ombudsman figures and new question sections.
Getting quotes
A comparison site shows quotes from several insurers at once. Comparison sites do not cover the whole market, so you may also want to check insurers directly. Compare the cover type, limit, excess and exclusions before the price.
Not advice. Pawwala earns a fee if you get a quote through this link. Read the policy wording before you buy.
Special cases
Sources
- Association of British Insurers: insurance payouts for pets top £1 billion for third year in a row (2024 data) · May 2025; checked 21 October 2026
- Insurance Business UK: report of the ABI's 2024 pet insurance figures · 27 May 2025; checked 21 October 2026
- Battersea: the cost of owning a dog · updated 13 October 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- FCA Handbook ICOBS 6B.1: the renewal pricing rules apply to home and motor insurance · in force since 1 January 2022; checked 21 October 2026
- Competition and Markets Authority: veterinary services for household pets, summary of the final report · 24 March 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- Insurance Times: Financial Ombudsman complaint volumes in Q2 2026 (Insurance DataLab analysis of FOS data) · 17 September 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- GOV.UK: ban on XL Bully dogs (insurance no longer required for banned breeds from 1 July 2026) · updated 1 October 2026; checked 21 October 2026
- Agria: Agria Lifelong policy pack (dog), published 03/2025, and Lifetime IPIDs · checked 21 October 2026
- Animal Friends: Animal Friends policy booklets and IPIDs, January 2026 (v6) · checked 21 October 2026
- John Lewis: John Lewis Pet Insurance policy wording P3431v2 (Pinnacle), October 2025 · checked 21 October 2026
- LV=: LV= Pet Insurance Lifetime policy booklet, plans bought from 6 August 2026 · checked 21 October 2026
- MORE THAN: MORE THAN pet insurance policy booklet MTPET-PB-02, policies from 15 June 2026 · checked 21 October 2026
- Petplan: Petplan Covered For Life and Essential policy booklets, effective 17 June 2024 · checked 21 October 2026
- RSPCA Pet Insurance: RSPCA Pet Insurance policy wording P3338v5 (Pinnacle), January 2026 · checked 21 October 2026
- Tesco Pet Insurance: Tesco Pet Insurance Lifetime IPID IP3416A (Pinnacle) · checked 21 October 2026
- Waggel: Waggel policy wording version 21, effective 17 February 2026 (latest public version) · checked 21 October 2026
More to read
Frequently asked questions
What is the best dog insurance in the UK for 2026?
There is no single best policy for every dog, and Pawwala does not recommend insurers. What differs most between policies is the cover type (lifetime, maximum benefit, time-limited or accident-only), the vet-fee limit, the excess and the age a co-payment starts. Our table sets these out for 11 insurers from their own documents, in alphabetical order. Compare the wording and get quotes for your own dog.
How much is dog insurance a month in the UK?
Battersea estimates dog insurance at £20 to £60 a month (updated 13 October 2026). The Association of British Insurers' most recent published average premium is £389 a year for 2023, across all pets. Your own price depends on breed, age, postcode, cover level and excess, so get quotes.
Is dog insurance mandatory in the UK?
No. UK law does not require pet insurance for dogs. Since 1 July 2026 owners of banned breeds, including XL Bully dogs, no longer need third party public liability insurance either (GOV.UK, updated 1 October 2026). Without insurance you pay every vet bill yourself.
Does dog insurance go up every year?
Premiums usually rise at renewal as a dog ages. The FCA rule that stops insurers charging renewing customers more than new ones applies to home and motor insurance, not pet insurance, so check the renewal price each year. Several policies also add a 20% co-payment from a set age.
Can I switch dog insurers to get a lower premium?
Yes, but any condition your dog has been treated for will usually be excluded by the new insurer as pre-existing. Seven of the nine insurers whose documents we read exclude pre-existing conditions with no symptom-free period stated. Switching is simplest while your dog is young and healthy.
What does excess mean in pet insurance?
The excess is the amount you pay towards each claim. Policies charge a fixed excess, usually per condition per policy year, and many add a co-payment percentage from a set age. Our claim calculator shows how the two add up.
Does dog insurance cover neutering and vaccinations?
No. Standard UK policies treat neutering, vaccinations, flea and worm treatment as routine care, which you pay for yourself. See what dog neutering costs and what dog vaccinations cost at UK practices.