7 Best Dog Insurance in the UK for 2023 - Ally Paws (2023)

FAQs

What is the best type of dog insurance UK? ›

If you've ever wondered 'is pet insurance worth it? ' it could be worth checking typical treatment costs. Prices vary depending on your pet's condition and where you live, but according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the average pet insurance claim in 2021 was £848.

Over the last 40 years, Petplan has helped millions of pets through illness and injury. Today, we're still the UK's favourite pet insurer, insuring over 1.3 million pets.

As a general rule, cover less than £5000 is likely to leave you with problems if your dog gets in a serious accident, and £7000 is the minimum most vets would consider to be fairly comprehensive.

If you ensure that your pet always gets their yearly boosters, is regularly treated for fleas and worms, and sees your vet often, then you will likely make a massive saving with a health plan! All of this will now be cheaper or free, and you may save in other aspects of veterinary care too.

Medical advances drive pet insurance increases

Insurers see vet fees rising year on year and so most have to pass some of these increases onto their customers. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) research into claims in 2020 shows that despite the pandemic vets continued to provide vital care for pets.

According to the ABI, 4.3m pets in the UK are insured. That's an increase over the previous year's 4.2 million. But according to the PDSA's 2022 PAW report, that still leaves 39% of dogs and 41% of cats uninsured in 2021.

Trends About Pet Insurance in the UK

55% of new pet owners from the time of the pandemic have pet insurance, and 54% of additional pets are also covered.

Petplan remains the UK's biggest pet insurer, helping more animals than anyone else.

What are the biggest pet supply companies in the UK? ›

Petsathome.com is the online shop with the highest eCommerce net sales that is selling products in the Pet supplies e-commerce market in the UK, with a revenue of US$215 million in 2021 generated in the UK, followed by zooplus.co.uk with US$155 million. Third place is taken by viovet.co.uk with US$68 million.

Some vets offer payment plans through a credit company if you need help spreading the cost. Not every vet can offer this, but it's worth asking if this is an option. To decide if signing up for a payment plan is right for you, please contact: The Money Advice Service.

4 billion in 2021.

Those with a higher income were three times more likely to get a dog – and they are also more likely to take out pet insurance. Amongst all dog owners, a respectable 61% have valid pet insurance, rising to 72% for those with a household income of £60k per year.

As one of the only developed countries without a universal healthcare system, the cost of medical care in the USA is notoriously expensive.

The average price of a private healthcare policy in the UK is £1,032.84 per year (February 2022); however, you could pay considerably less or more depending on your age and the level of cover you require. For example, a 30 year old would pay on average £581.64 per year, and a 60 year old £1,354.80.

Lots of new diagnostic and imaging equipment is being used, and new treatments introduced, says Sean Wensley, president of the British Veterinary Association. "These advances are expensive and there is no NHS for animals. And most veterinary surgeries are small to medium-sized businesses that can't absorb these costs."

The Costs of Running a Veterinary Practice

The truth is that most vets are perfectly honest and do have the best interests of your pets at heart. Their fees are high because they must cover not just their own time but also the cost of the veterinary nurses, receptionists and other support staff.

How much is a pet health check appointment? The cost of our pet health check is £42 (prices at Oct 2019). Any additional treatments or procedures arising are charged in addition to this.

How many dogs in the UK are insured? ›

The number of pet insurance customers in the United Kingdom increased in 2021 and almost reached four million. In that year, approximately 3.7 million individuals had pet insurance, up from 3.4 million in 2019.

A vet appointment usually costs between £40-£60. This will include a consultation and diagnosis. If your pet requires further treatment or referral to a specialist, this will be an add on to the cost of an appointment.

Insurance for senior pets works the same way as it does for younger pets. The main difference is price. Since older dogs and cats are more likely to need medical care, it generally costs more to buy pet insurance for them.

52% of UK adults own a pet. 27% of UK adults have a dog with an estimated population of 10.2 million pet dogs.

The RSPCA has said the number of abandoned pets in England and Wales is up 25% compared to the previous year. Data provided by the charity shows as of July, it responded to 22,908 animals being left by their owners.

You cannot bring more than 5 pets to Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) unless you're attending or training for a competition, show, sporting event.

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill 2021-22 was introduced in the House of Commons on 8 June 2021 as a Bill to make provision about the welfare of certain kept animals that are in, imported into, or exported from Great Britain. Second Reading took place on Monday 25 October 2021.

If you're happy to rely on the NHS for treatment or if you have a long-standing chronic condition, then health insurance may not be for you. If you're looking for quick access to treatment and the choice of hospitals or specialists, then private health insurance could be better suited to your needs.

The Total Dog Population as Pets in the UK Is 13 Million

An article reported that there are over 13 million dogs kept as pets across the UK. Dogs are the number one pet owners choose to bring into their homes. Cats are second on the list, while indoor birds are the third most popular pet.

Who is the best animal welfare in the UK? ›

The Largest Animal Welfare Charity in the UK. RSPCA.

1. Labrador Retriever. Once again, the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog in the UK with 61,559 registrations in 2021. Whether they are golden, black, red or chocolate, us Brits love a loyal Lab.

Despite being the third most popular pet in the UK, rabbits are among the most abused and neglected. Too many spend miserable lives confined to a hutch, alone and with little or no space to exercise. And around 67,000 rabbits a year end up in rescue centres.

Petco. The largest pet supply companies in the United States are without a doubt PetSmart and Petco Animal Supplies. PetSmart, which is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, brings revenue in from brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S., as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico.

The best type of dog insurance is lifetime cover, because these types of policies have limits that renew each year. Renewing limits protect against long-term or recurring conditions over the course of your dog's life. The next best type of cover is usually considered to be max benefit.

There are four main types of pet insurance – Lifetime, Annual (or time limited), Accident only and Maximum benefit.

Lifetime pet insurance is typically the most comprehensive cover available for your pet, but for that reason it also tends to be more expensive. Unlike max benefit pet insurance, which will cover conditions up to a one-time maximum limit, with lifetime pet insurance the cap per condition resets each year.

What makes Petplan different? ›

Unlike many other insurers, our only focus is on cats, dogs and horses. Without the other distractions we can spend more time settling your claims from an injury or illness, help you decide which cover suits your needs, and apply ourselves to serving you in a friendly, helpful and understanding manner.

It might be the most expensive, but a lifetime policy could offer the best protection for your older dog. That's because it'll always cover them, so long as you keep paying the premiums. If you take it out when they're younger, it should cover any conditions your dog may develop as they get older.

A higher percentage means you can get more cash back on your claims. A lower percentage gives you a lower monthly premium. Many of our customers prefer the 90% option, since it means they can get reimbursed a greater percentage of their covered costs.

Lifetime pet insurance cover

Lifetime covers your pet year after year, for your pet's lifetime, as long as you don't cancel your policy or let it lapse at renewal. As many insurers don't cover pre-existing conditions for new policies, many people choose to keep their Lifetime cover rolling.

Pet insurance companies typically divide their products into 3 main categories: accident-only, accident and illness, and wellness coverages. Each level offers specific services that are covered and excluded and will vary by price.

Your policy may not include the Death from Injury and/or Death from Illness sections of cover. These are only included if they're shown on your Certificate of Insurance. Third Party Liability applies to all dogs, unless it has been specifically excluded from your dog's cover.

The older your pet, the more difficult it may be to find insurance. Pet insurers with maximum age limits for new policies often set them at 10 years old, so if your pet is older than 10, you'll want to look for a company with a higher age limit or no limit.

Pets Best insurance plan premiums increase over time as a pet ages, even though there is no age limit for getting covered.

You can contact the RSPCA or Blue Cross to see if they can offer help, or your local vet may be able to offer you an affordable payment plan. We would recommend getting insurance, as this can be a big help with unexpected veterinary bills.

Spread your payments, with no extra charge. Insuring your dog allows you to budget monthly for unexpected veterinary bills. Petplan allows you to pay monthly or yearly instalments via direct debit at no additional cost, helping you budget for your pet's care in a way that works for you.

What is Petplan called now? ›

Petplan is now Fetch by The Dodo. Please see our Fetch by The Dodo pet insurance review.

In 2019, Petplan was acquired by Warburg Pincus. In 2020, The Dodo acquired a minority stake in Petplan, rebranding it as Fetch by The Dodo. Its insurance policies are administered by Fetch Insurance Services, LLC and underwritten by XL Specialty Insurance Company and AXIS Insurance Company.