In this independent review, we look at ManyPets* (formerly Bought by Many) pet insurance policies including the types of policy available, the level of cover on offer and how much it costs. We recommend that you read the review in full but you can jump to specific sections of the review using the following links:
- What is ManyPets?
- ManyPets pet insurance features
- What does ManyPets pet insurance cover?
- ManyPets policies
- ManyPets policy exclusions
- How much does ManyPets pet insurance cost?
- ManyPets policy excess
- How to make a claim with ManyPets pet insurance
- ManyPets customer reviews
- ManyPets pros and cons
- Alternatives to ManyPets pet insurance
- Summary
What is ManyPets?
ManyPets* launched its own pet insurance policies for dogs and cats in 2017. Formerly known as Bought by Many, ManyPets says that its range of pet insurance policies provides better pet insurance for everyone, made possible by listening to thousands of cat and dog owners to understand what was important to them. ManyPets’ pet insurance policies purchased or renewed prior to 1st January 2023 are underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE and policies bought or renewed after 1st January 2023 are underwritten by Wakam SA. ManyPets won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award in 2023 and was voted Pet Insurance Provider of the Year in the 2021 and 2022 at the Moneyfacts Consumer Awards. Its Complete policy was also rated Which? Best Buy for dog insurance in December 2021 and 2022.
ManyPets pet insurance key features
Below is an overview of some of ManyPets' pet insurance features:
- Lifetime pet insurance with multiple levels of cover
- Online claims process
- Pay pet insurance monthly at no extra cost
- Unlimited and free online video calls with a vet 24/7
- 15% multi-pet discount (for pets on the same policy)
- Pre-existing condition policy
- Pet bereavement support line
- Free Trusted Housesitters membership worth £99
- 2 months free flea, tick and worm plan for ManyPets customers
- Opportunity to get 20% of your annual premium back with the MoneyBack add-on
- Cover for your pet's first pregnancy
- Get an Amazon gift card for referring a friend
What does ManyPets pet insurance cover?
ManyPets offers 4 pet insurance policies* for cats and dogs, although it may be possible to get access to additional policy cover amounts by speaking to an adviser over the phone. ManyPets pet insurance policies are lifetime limit pet insurance policies which means that you can claim up to your policy limit each year before the limit resets again the following year. ManyPets offers a 15% multi-pet discount for pets insured on the same policy.
We briefly summarise the different ManyPets policies below:
ManyPets Complete policy
The most comprehensive of the ManyPets pet insurance policies. It offers up to £15,000 of vet fee cover that renews annually. ManyPets' Complete policy also offers dental cover as a result of an illness or injury.
ManyPets Regular policy
The ManyPets Regular policy offers up to £7,000 of vet fee cover that renews annually. You can also adjust your policy with optional add-ons such as loss and theft cover, death of pet cover and vet fee cover for travel abroad. Renewing customers have the option to select 'no excess' if the pet is aged below 9.
ManyPets Value policy
This is ManyPets' cheapest lifetime cover policy which offers £3,000 of veterinary fee cover which renews annually. This policy is the most basic and optional extras are limited to advertising and reward costs if your pet goes missing.
ManyPets Pre-existing condition policy
ManyPets has a pre-existing condition policy that is specifically designed to cover any pre-existing conditions that your pet has. ManyPets classes a pre-existing condition as ‘anything that your pet has received treatment, medication or advice for in the last 24 months’. If your pet has not suffered from the condition in the last 24 months then it is no longer considered a pre-existing condition and is treated as a new condition. Most pet insurance providers that offer pre-existing condition insurance will insist that a pet has been treatment, medication and advice free for 24 months before they will even offer cover, whereas ManyPets will cover a pet so long as it has been treatment, medication and advice free for 3 months.
ManyPets' pre-existing condition policy provides up to £1,500 of cover for pre-existing conditions each year as long as your pet has not received treatment, medication or advice for the condition within 3 months prior to taking out the policy. ManyPets will cover pre-existing conditions up to £1,500 each year but if you do not claim, or receive treatment, medication or advice for the pre-existing condition for 2 years the condition will be covered up to £7,000. New conditions are covered up to £7,000 each year with this policy.
ManyPets pet insurance policies
ManyPets has 4 policies* to choose from on their website. Below is a comparison table that summarises the key differences between the policies. There is an option of a policy with vet fee cover of £5,000 or £4,000 which are available over the phone. If you take out a ManyPets pet insurance policy and then wish to cancel the policy you can do so within the 14-day cooling-off period to get a full refund. After this, if you decide to cancel, ManyPets will refund the unused portion of the pet insurance policy, unless you have made a claim.
You have the ability to cater your Regular and Pre-existing ManyPets pet insurance policies with additional extras such as death from illness/injury cover, loss and theft cover and cover for vet fees when travelling abroad. The ManyPets Complete policy includes these cover options as standard. There is also the opportunity to get 20% of your annual premium back each year if you do not make a claim on your policy. To benefit from this you need to add the MoneyBack add-on when getting a quote. This applies to all policies, excluding the Pre-existing condition policy.
ManyPets pet insurance policy comparison
| Complete | Regular | Pre-existing | Value | |
| Amount of vet fee cover | £15,000 | £7,000 | £1,500 for pre-existing conditions £7,000 for new conditions^ | £3,000 |
| Policy Excess^^ | £69/ £99/ £130/ £160 | £69/ £99/ £130/ £160 | £69/ £99/ £130/ £160 | £69/ £99/ £130/ £160 |
| Percentage copayment | 0% or 20% | 0% or 20% | 0% or 20% | 0% or 20% |
| Complementary treatment cover (e.g. hydrotherapy, physiotherapy etc) | £2,500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 |
| Cover for dental problems | Accident and Illness | Accident only | Accident only | Accident only |
| Public liability (dogs only) | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million | £1 million |
| Travelling abroad | Vet fee cover + £2,500 for non-recoverable costs related to your pet - worldwide | Vet fee cover + £1,000 (optional extra) in EU | Vet fee cover + £1,000 (optional extra) in EU |  |
| Lost or stolen | £6,000 | £1,500 (optional extra) | £1,500 (optional extra) | £200 for advertising and reward (optional extra) |
| Farewell cover | £300 | £300 | £300 | £300 |
| Death from illness or injury | £6,000 | £1,500 (optional extra) | £1,500 (optional extra) | |
| Emergency boarding cover (per year) | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £100 |
^and pre-existing conditions that have been treatment, medication and advice free for 2 years
^^Pets over the age of 9 have to pay a minimum of £99 excess and a compulsory 20% co-payment
ManyPets pet insurance policy exclusions
In this section of the review, we detail some of the exclusions for a ManyPets pet insurance policy. This list is not extensive so it is important that you thoroughly check your policy documents for any exclusion, as not doing so could prevent a claim from being paid. ManyPets' policy documents also state that you must have your pet seen regularly by a vet for annual vaccination, health and dental check-ups to ensure your pet remains healthy. Below is a list of the exclusions in a ManyPets pet insurance policy.
A ManyPets pet insurance policy excludes cover for the following:
- American Blue, American Bull Terrier, American Bulldogs, American Bully XL, American Bully XXL, American Bully, American Staffordshire Terrier, Amstaff, Bully XL, Czech Wolfdog, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, Pitbull Terrier, Pocket Bully, Saarloos Wolfhound or other Wolf hybrid, XL Bully dogs are not covered
- Pets used for guarding, racing, fighting or coursing
- Pets under 4 weeks old
- Pets used to earn money or in connection with any business
- Claims submitted more than 12 months after the accident or illness occurred
- Preventative treatments or treatments not prescribed by a vet
- Pre-existing conditions unless you have a pre-existing policy (ManyPets' definition of a pre-existing condition)
- If your pet dies from illness and is over the age of 9
- Pet minding due to a pre-planned hospital visit (cover only includes unplanned medical visits)
Waiting period
If you are opening a new policy with ManyPets then there are some restrictions for the first 14 days of the policy. If you are renewing your policy or you were previously insured with another provider these restrictions do not apply:
- No claim will be paid for an accident treated within 48 hours of opening the policy
- If your pet passes away due to illness within 14 days of opening the policy
- If your pet requires any treatment within 14 days of opening the policy
If you add a pet to an existing policy with ManyPets then these waiting periods apply to the pet that is being added.
How much does ManyPets pet insurance cost?
How much pet insurance costs largely depends on the type, age and breed of the pet you wish to insure. Below I have compared the cost of ManyPets pet insurance for a 1-year-old and 5-year-old mixed-breed cat and dog.
The below monthly quotes are generated based on a South East postcode. For the purpose of the quotes, the excess was £99 but there are also other excess options which are explained in more detail below the table.
ManyPets pet insurance costs for cats and dogs
| Complete | Regular | Pre-existing | Value | |
| Excess | £99 | £99 | £99 | £99 |
| Vet fees | £15,000 | £7,000 | £7,000 (£1,500 for pre-existing conditions) | £3,000 |
| 1-year-old mixed breed cat | £30.32 | £24.49 | £39.96 | £15.51 |
| 1-year-old mixed breed dog | £42.46 | £33.40 | £49.60 | £20.77 |
| 5-year-old mixed breed cat | £23.32 | £18.84 | £32.18 | £11.93 |
| 5-year-old mixed breed dog | £45.09 | £35.46 | £54.70 | £22.05 |
(Quotes correct as of 02/02/24)
ManyPets policy excess
ManyPets* allows you to adjust your policy excess on your pet insurance policy. This allows you to have the opportunity to reduce your monthly pet insurance premium by selecting a higher policy excess. The policy excess is the amount you are expected to pay in the event of a claim so you should consider something that is affordable for you.
You can choose between the following policy excesses: £69, £99, £130 and £160. If you make a liability claim there is a £250 policy excess. Pets over the age of 9 will have a compulsory minimum excess payment of £99 with a minimum 20% co-payment. A co-payment is a percentage contribution towards the cost of a pet insurance claim once the compulsory excess has been deducted and this is voluntary before your pet turns 9 with ManyPets.
A ManyPets policy excess is only paid once a policy year if you claim and you will not be charged for any subsequent claims later in the policy year.
How to make a claim with ManyPets pet insurance
With ManyPets pet insurance you can make claims online via the online portal. However, you can still claim over the phone if you prefer. To increase your chances of a claim being paid you must ensure that your pet has an annual check-up, an annual dental check-up and regular vaccinations. If you do not follow this then ManyPets may refuse to pay out your claim. Claims must be submitted within one year of each treatment date and claims submitted out of this timeframe may not be paid.
If you need to make a claim you can do so by following these steps:
- Log in to your online account
- Within the ‘My quotes and policies’ section click on ‘Make a claim’ and select the policy you wish to claim on
- Complete the questions to explain what you are claiming for, the vet you received treatment at and the amount you would like to claim for
- Follow the claim as it proceeds and receive updates via text and email
ManyPets says that your claim may go through quicker if you can provide an itemised breakdown (such as a receipt) of the treatment your pet has received along with an up-to-date account of your pet’s health for the past 2 years. If you do not have this information to hand, ManyPets will contact your vet on your behalf.
ManyPets is happy to pay you or your vet directly but it is best to check with your vet that they accept payments from insurers first.
ManyPets customer reviews
ManyPets* is rated as 'Great' on Trustpilot with a score of 3.9 stars out of 5.0 from over 16,000 reviews. 65% rate the provider as 'Excellent' citing a quick claims process, with some payments being received within 24 hours and the usefulness of having access to a 27/4 vet service. 23% of users rate ManyPets as 'Bad' with most users complaining of increases in their premium when it comes to renewal and customers are complaining of delays of up to 3 months when it comes to claiming.
Some customers who have rated the company as 'Bad' have also complained about claims not being paid out due to exclusions on the policy. It is important to check your policy documents carefully to ensure you know exactly what is covered as well as how much you are expected to pay should you need to claim. One thing to consider is that ManyPets is also a lifetime pet insurance policy and is therefore one of the more expensive pet insurance policy types, if you were looking to reduce the cost of your premium read our article, 'How much does pet insurance cost?'.
ManyPets pros and cons
ManyPets Pros
- Multiple policies to suit your needs
- Online claims process
- Free virtual video calls
- 15% multi-pet discount
- Cover for pre-existing conditions
ManyPets Cons
- Have to pay 20% towards each claim for pets over the age of 9
- Exclusions to the policy that aren't obvious unless you read the policy wording
- Does not pay out for your pet's death if your pet is over the age of 9 and dies from an illness
Alternatives to ManyPets pet insurance
In this part of the review, we have compared ManyPets* to other pet insurance providers. In the below comparison table, we have compared the most comprehensive ManyPets pet insurance policy with the most comprehensive Petplan and Waggel* policy. The quotes are based on a 1-year-old mixed breed dog with no underlying health conditions and based in a South East postcode. For more information on Waggel and Petplan read our reviews:
Another way to compare pet insurance is via a comparison site such as Quotezone* or MoneySuperMarket*. Comparison sites allow you to compare more than one pet insurance policy at once to get the best deal. One thing to consider, however, is that not all comparison sites are whole of market so you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere.
ManyPets vs Waggel vs Petplan
| ManyPets* | Waggel* | Petplan | |
| Excess | £99 per policy year | £100 per condition |
£110 per condition
|
| Monthly Cost | £42.46 | £53.93 | £64.39 |
| Vet fee cover | £15,000 per year | £15,000 per year |
£12,000 per year
|
| Public liability | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million |
| Loss & theft | £6,000 | £1,000 | £3,000 |
| Death of pet cover (if pet dies through illness or injury) | £6,000 | £1,000 | £3,000 (optional extra) |
| Vet video calls |  |
|
|
| Trustpilot score | 3.9/5 | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
(Quotes correct as of 02/02/24)
Summary
ManyPets* offers a good choice of cover with a policy that should meet every pet owner's needs. The online claims process removes the laborious task of filling out claims forms and chasing vets and having an online account means you have easy access to your policy documents at all times, and there are many reviews from happy customers saying there claims were paid promptly although a number of customer reviews are complaining of long waits for claims to go through. However, the virtual vet video calls - free for ManyPets customers - is an exciting addition to a pet insurance policy that could save you money on vet bills in the long term.
It is however worth bearing in mind that ManyPets will not pay out for the death of any pets over the age of 9 that die from an illness. It does however say that any costs incurred for an illness prior to the pet's death will be covered as normal.
Overall, I think that ManyPets is good value for money as it offers extensive cover at a lower cost in comparison to other providers, particularly as all policies offer lifetime cover for your pet. In addition, the opportunity to reclaim 20% of your money back on the policies (excluding pre-existing condition policies) if you do not make a claim, could make the lifetime pet insurance policies more appealing. However, as with all insurance policies, it is important to shop around and compare a number of providers to find the best policy and price for your pet.
If a link has an * beside it this means that it is an affiliated link. If you go via the link Money to the Masses may receive a small fee which helps keep Money to the Masses free to use. But as you can clearly see this has in no way influenced this independent and balanced review of the product. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses - ManyPets, MoneySuperMarket, Quotezone, Waggel
