Do I need pet insurance?

There's no law that says you have to have pet insurance, so the short answer to "do I need pet insurance?" is that it's up to you. But if you couldn't comfortably cover a vet bill of a few thousand pounds without warning, insurance could make sense.

You can't know your pet has something wrong until it becomes obvious, and by then treatment can be complicated and costly. Pet insurance means you can say yes to the vet's recommended treatment without worrying about how you'll pay for it.

It's a question most new pet owners ask themselves not long after bringing their cat or dog home. Getting a pet is exciting, but it comes with responsibilities too, and working out how you'll pay for their healthcare is one of the most important things to do.

Pet insurance works just like other insurance policies. You pay a monthly or annual premium, and in return your insurer helps cover the cost of vet treatment if your pet is injured or falls ill, up to the limits set out in your policy.

If your pet needs treatment, you'll usually complete part of a claim form and your vet will fill in the rest, along with your pet's treatment history. Many insurers, including us, can pay the vet directly so you don't need to find the money upfront.

Curious about the most common claims? Check out our guide - Top 10 pet insurance claims for cats and dogs.

The biggest advantage is financial protection. Vet treatment has become more advanced, and things that were once impossible are now routine. But that level of care comes at a cost. Pet insurers paid out a record £1.2 billion in 2023 to cover unexpected pet costs, with nearly 4.4 million pets covered across the UK, according to the Association of British Insurers*.

Beyond the money, there's peace of mind. Knowing you're covered means you can focus on your pet's recovery rather than the bill. Cover can also include things like advertising and reward costs if your pet goes missing, cancelled holidays if your pet is ill, and cremation or burial costs. For more on this, see our guide – Why is pet insurance important?

It also means you're less likely to face a situation where you can’t afford treatment for a condition that would be covered by insurance. No one wants to be in a position where cost decides the outcome for their pet, and insurance is one of the simplest ways to avoid it.

What's included in pet insurance depends on the policy you choose, but most plans help with:

Monetary limits, exclusions and excesses vary between insurers, so it's worth checking the policy details before you buy. On our policies, an excess applies to every claim, and this rises once your pet reaches a certain age, so it's worth understanding how this affects the amount you'd pay towards treatment.

Most policies won't pay out for:

There's usually a waiting period too. Accidents in the first few days of cover, or illnesses that develop within the first couple of weeks, often aren't covered unless you can prove you had continuous cover with a previous insurer.

There are several types of pet insurance on the market, and the right one for you depends on your budget and how much long-term cover you want. Accident-only cover tends to be the cheapest, but it won't help if your pet falls sick from something unrelated to an accident, such as a skin allergy or hip dysplasia.

Our Pet Insurance offers three levels of cover:

Covers a condition for 12 months from the first treatment date, or until you reach your vet fee limit.

Pays out up to your vet fee limit for each accident or illness, with no 12-month cut-off.

Resets your vet fee limit each year, for ongoing protection as long as you renew with no break in cover.

All three levels include accident, illness and injury cover, plus extras like dental cover, help finding a lost pet, and cremation or burial costs. For help choosing between them, take a look at our guide – Which pet insurance should I choose?

How much cover you need comes down to your pet's breed, age and any known health risks, as well as how much you could realistically afford to pay out of your own pocket in an emergency.

Some breeds are more prone to certain conditions. For example, Labrador Retrievers can be prone to cancer and exercise-induced collapse, while Ragdoll cats can be prone to kidney problems and hyperthyroidism. It's worth researching your pet's breed to understand their risk. If your pet's breed carries a higher risk of a costly, long-term condition, a lifetime policy with a higher claim limit may be worth the extra premium.

It's also worth thinking about ongoing conditions rather than just one-off accidents. Treatment for something like arthritis or diabetes can continue for the rest of your pet's life. So a policy that renews your cover each year, rather than capping out after 12 months, may be better value in the long run even if the monthly premium is a little higher.

The best time to get pet insurance is as soon as you bring your pet home, while they're young and healthy. Insurers won't cover conditions your pet already has, so taking out a policy early means fewer exclusions and a better chance of full cover if something goes wrong later on.

Pet insurance isn't compulsory, but weighing up the cost of a policy against the cost of treatment is a useful way to decide. A monthly premium is a predictable expense; an emergency vet bill isn't. If an unexpected cost of a few hundred or a few thousand pounds would cause real financial strain, an insurance policy is likely to be worth it.

Buying pet insurance is straightforward. You'll usually need some basic details about your pet, including their breed, age and any existing health conditions, to get a quote. It's worth comparing the level of cover, any exclusions, and the excess you'd need to pay on a claim, rather than choosing on price alone.

Most insurers - including us - can give you a quote online in a few minutes. You'll be asked a handful of questions about your pet and your address, and you'll be shown the different levels of cover available so you can pick the one that fits your budget.

If you're ready to compare cover, get a quote from us.

Our policies include vetfone, a 24/7 helpline where you can speak to vets and nurses registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, at no extra cost.

*The ABI - Record numbers take out pet insurance for their four-legged fur-ends.

Tesco Pet Insurance is arranged, administered and underwritten by Pinnacle Insurance Ltd.

vetfone is provided by Vetsdirect Ltd.

You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.