CoverMapAverage cost by pet and cover level
| Cover type | Dogs (avg/month) | Cats (avg/month) |
|---|---|---|
| Accident only | £3.96 | £3.71 |
| Time limited | £13.16 | £7.30 |
| Lifetime | £13.42 | £7.39 |
| Maximum benefit | £15.45 | £7.52 |
What each cover level actually means
- Accident only — the cheapest tier, covers injuries from accidents but not illness. Rarely enough cover for the long term.
- Time limited — covers a condition for a set period (commonly 12 months) after which it's excluded as pre-existing, even if not fully resolved.
- Maximum benefit — covers a condition up to a set monetary limit, with no time limit, until that limit is used up.
- Lifetime — the most comprehensive; the condition limit resets each year as long as you keep renewing, making it the best long-term option for chronic or recurring conditions.
Why lifetime cover is usually worth the extra cost
Time-limited and maximum-benefit policies can leave you without cover partway through treating a chronic condition (like ongoing allergies or joint issues), right when you need it most. Lifetime cover costs more monthly but avoids that gap, which is why it's generally the recommended default for anyone planning to keep the same pet insured long-term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will pet insurance cover a pre-existing condition?
Almost never, regardless of provider or cover level — this is standard across the UK pet insurance market, not a specific insurer's policy. This is why insuring a pet while young and healthy, before conditions develop, matters more than for most other insurance types.
Why are dogs so much more expensive to insure than cats?
Dogs tend to have higher average vet treatment costs (larger animals, more breed-specific conditions, higher injury rates) and file claims more often than cats, which is reflected directly in the premium.