How cheaper dog insurance compares: accident-only, time-limited and entry-level lifetime cover

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.

1. 1What is the vet-fee limit, and is it per year or per condition?
2. 2What is the excess, and is it per condition or per claim? Is there a co-payment, and from what age?
3. 3Are there sub-limits inside the main limit, for example for one condition or for dental treatment?
4. 4How are conditions that affect both sides of the body, such as both knees, treated?
5. 5Are hereditary and breed-related conditions covered?
6. 6What 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.

Accident-only cover pays vet fees after an injury, such as a road accident, a broken leg or a swallowed object, up to its limit. It pays nothing for illness, so cancer, diabetes, allergies and skin or ear problems are all yours to pay. It is the cheapest type, and the narrowest: on the day we checked, Petplan said it does not sell accident-only cover and MORE THAN had stopped offering it. Check the limit against what treatment costs: cruciate surgery was £3,400–£6,250 at referral centres in our average vet bill guide.

Three scenarios, using published figures rather than quotes, show when the cheaper policy works and when it does not.

Scenario 1: your dog stays healthy

At the ABI's 2023 average premium of £389 a year, five years of cover costs about £1,945. With no claims, a cheaper policy would have cost less, but nobody knows in advance that their dog will stay healthy.

Scenario 2: a one-off injury

A broken leg or cruciate rupture is what accident-only and time-limited policies are designed for, as long as the limit is high enough. A time-limited limit of £3,000 would not cover referral cruciate surgery at the top of the £3,400–£6,250 range.

Scenario 3: a long-term condition

Premiums follow vet prices. The Competition and Markets Authority found average prices at UK vet businesses rose 63% between January 2016 and December 2023, against 32% general inflation, and that around 20% of treatments with an insurance claim cost £500 or more (CMA final report, 24 March 2026). The ABI reported the average claim rose 3% to £685 in 2024, with £1.23 billion paid out (ABI).

Your own price also depends on your dog. The PDSA lists age, breed, postcode and claims history as the main factors (PDSA guide to pet insurance). For an older dog, see pet insurance for older dogs.

• Choose a higher voluntary excess: A higher excess usually lowers the premium, but you pay it on every condition you claim for. See what it means for a claim in our excess guide.
• Pay annually rather than monthly: Some insurers charge more in total if you pay monthly. Compare the annual and monthly totals before choosing.
• Ask about multi-pet discounts: If you have two or more pets, ask whether the insurer offers a multi-pet discount.
• Compare at every renewal: Premiums usually rise at renewal, and the FCA's renewal pricing rule does not cover pet insurance. A new insurer will exclude any condition already treated.
• Know what a health plan covers instead: Routine care such as vaccinations and flea treatment is not insurance; a practice health plan spreads those costs.

More detail: pet insurance excess explained and pet health plan vs insurance.

• Co-payments: A £3,000 bill on a policy with a £200 excess and a 20% co-payment costs you £760. Several policies add a 20% co-payment from age 8 to 10 for dogs.
• Low limits: A £1,000 or £1,500 limit may not cover one operation, so you can still face a large bill after claiming.
• Exclusions that are not obvious: Dental illness is excluded on some lower levels and depends on a recent dental check on the policies we read; some policies treat a problem in the second knee as pre-existing if the first was treated.
• Switching later: If you start on a cheap policy and later want more cover, conditions already treated become exclusions at the new insurer.

Listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking.

The lower-cost cover each insurer sells, from its current policy documents. Premiums vary with breed, age, postcode and excess, so get a quote for your own dog.

• Agria

  Cover sold

  Lifetime only, four levels

  Lower-cost option

  Lifetime Lite: £3,000 a year

  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

  Lower-cost option

  Time-limited, maximum benefit and accident-only ranges

  Co-payment (dogs)

  20% or 35% from age 8

  Checked

  2026-10-21

• John Lewis

  Cover sold

  Lifetime, maximum benefit or time-limited

  Lower-cost option

  Maximum benefit and time-limited cover

  Co-payment (dogs)

  Percentage becomes fixed from an age shown on your certificate

  Checked

  2026-10-21

• LV=

  Cover sold

  Lifetime or time-limited

  Lower-cost option

  Time-limited: up to £3,000 per condition for 12 months

  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)

  Lower-cost option

  Essential Care: £1,000 to £5,000 a 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)

  Lower-cost option

  Basic: £1,500 or £3,000 per condition for 12 months

  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)

  Lower-cost option

  Essential: £3,000 per condition for 12 months

  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

  Lower-cost option

  Lifetime Bronze: £1,000 to £5,000 a year

  Co-payment (dogs)

  20% from age 6

  Checked

  Awaiting re-check

• RSPCA Pet Insurance

  Cover sold

  Lifetime, four levels

  Lower-cost option

  Lifetime £1,000 a year

  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

  Lower-cost option

  Accident and injury, maximum benefit and time-limited cover

  Co-payment (dogs)

  Not stated in the IPIDs

  Checked

  2026-10-21

• Waggel

  Cover sold

  Lifetime only

  Lower-cost option

  Lifetime only; limit chosen at quote

  Co-payment (dogs)

  Optional; no age-related co-payment stated

  Checked

  2026-10-21

Premiums and 'from' prices are not shown: they are not published in policy documents and depend on your 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.