What is pet insurance and do I need it?

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What is pet insurance

Pet insurance was invented in 1890 in Sweden by Claes Virgin. Virgin was the founder of Länsförsäkrings Alliance. Today that company is known as Agria in the UK.

These are policies that help you cover the cost of veterinary treatment and medical expenses when a pet gets injured or becomes ill and were created to help smooth out the cost of pet ownership, and help to avoid surprise large costs. Some policies will also include 3rd party liability if your dog injures or causes harm unintentionally. The policies available can vary significantly in cost, what they cover and what they don't include.

Myth 1: All pet insurance is the same

It's very important to check what's included in your policy as all policies are certainly not created equal. Take this survey by Which Best Buy comparing the leading brands for value for money, inclusions and other factors.

One of they key things to be careful of is Lifetime vs non-lifetime policies. In short Lifetime cover is the most comprehensive pet insurance. It pays out for ongoing issues your pet might have throughout its life usually with a yearly limit which renews each year regardless of ongoing conditions. Non-lifetime cover excludes certain conditions after you hit your claims limit.

For example, Agria are Which? 2024 Best Buy

Myth 2: You can just pay the vet

Of course this is technically not a myth, you can always just pay for the vet fees. However, a good rule of thumb is to ask yourself 'would I be ok to pay £5,000 - £10,000 of vet fees for a major cost, or would I rather protect myself by paying monthly? This can be a very reasonable sum from a vet for some of the major problems.

Myth 3: I am not responsible if my dog injures someone

In UK law your dog and it's actions are legally your responsibility. As a fun fact, this is not true for cats who are considered 'free spirits'.

If your dog injures someone, you could be liable for Millions of £s in damages and legal fees.

Although your dog is the apple of your eye, imagine if it is put in danger (or stepped on) and reacts by biting the person? Or even your dog entering the road and causing an accident. You'd want peace of mind you are protected.

Our recommendation is to ensure you research a policy with sufficient 3rd party liability.

Myth 4: I would never claim

In fact according to the ABI (Association of British Insurers) a record £1bn was paid out by insurers to treat sick and injured pets in 2022, as the cost of visiting the vet soared.

Myth 5: They don't pay out anyway

This may be true for some providers, and that's why research of your provider is paramount.
Agria, for example, pay out 98% of claims.*

puppies.co.uk have partnered with...

At puppies.co.uk we support responsible breeders and responsible owners, that's why when we were choosing an insurance partner to give our users a great deal on, they had to meet our high expectations and standards.

Agria offer: