In this independent review, we take a look at Co-op pet insurance including what it covers, how much it costs and how it compares to other pet insurance providers, ManyPets* and Animal Friends. We recommend that you read the review in full, but if you wish to jump to sections of the review you can do so using the following links.
- What is Co-op pet insurance?
- Co-op pet insurance features
- What does Co-op pet insurance cover?
- Co-op pet insurance policies
- Co-op pet insurance exclusions
- How much does Co-op pet insurance cost?
- Co-op pet insurance policy excess
- How to make a claim on Co-op pet insurance
- Co-op pet insurance customer reviews
- Alternatives to Co-op pet insurance
- Co-op pet insurance pros and cons
- Summary
Find the right Pet Insurance for you
Our partner Quotezone will compare quotes from over 15 UK pet insurance providers
- You could pay from £3.35 per month**
What is Co-op pet insurance?
Co-op Insurance Services offers pet insurance as well as a range of other insurance policies for your home, life, travel, vehicle and business. Co-op pet insurance is arranged and administered by Insurance Factory Limited and underwritten by HDI Global Specialty SE UK (policies that were taken out or renewed up to and including 14th November 2023 are underwritten by West Bay Insurance PLC). In January 2024 Which? awarded Co-op's Lifetime £7,500, £10,000 and £16,000 dog insurance their Best Buy rating. The £5,000, £7,500, £10,000 and £16,000 Lifetime pet insurance was awarded a defaqto rating of 5 stars for 2024.
We compare Co-op's pet insurance policies to other pet insurance providers later on in this article but to read more about the different pet insurance providers read our article 'The best pet insurance in the UK - 2024'.
Co-op pet insurance features
- Lifetime and time-limited pet insurance policies
- Up to £16,000 of vet fee cover per year (policy dependent)
- Cover for dental treatment
- Vet can be paid directly for claims
- Pet insurance discount for Co-op members
- 24/7 online vet access with FirstVet
- 2.5% adoption discount if your pet has been adopted from a recognised animal charity or rescue centre (first year only and subject to minimum premiums)
- Vet-recommended treatment such as acupuncture or physiotherapy is included, up to the policy limit.
- 20% co-payment applies once your pet is 6 years old
- No upper age limit
- Can pay your premium monthly at no extra cost
What does Co-op pet insurance cover?
Co-op pet insurance offers Lifetime and Time-limited pet insurance policies and we explain what the different policy types mean below. For a more in-depth comparison of the Co-op pet insurance policies, take a look at our comparison table.
Co-op annual limit lifetime pet insurance
Co-op's lifetime pet insurance policies are annual limit lifetime pet insurance policies which means your vet fee cover renews annually. An annual limit lifetime policy will insure your pet for a set amount each year, meaning you can claim for more than one condition in the policy year up to the vet fee limit. Once the vet fee limit has been reached in the policy year any further treatment will need to be self-funded. The vet fee cover then renews the following policy year, should you choose to renew your pet insurance policy. For more information on lifetime pet insurance policies and how they work, read our article 'Lifetime pet insurance explained'.
It is worth considering that any condition you have previously claimed for will be classed as pre-existing with another insurer and may therefore not be covered under a new policy should you choose to switch provider.
Co-op time-limited pet insurance
Co-op also has a time-limited pet insurance policy which means that your pet is insured for a set amount for up to 12 months from when the condition is first treated. This means that you can claim up to the vet fee limit for up to 12 months from when the condition was first treated or until the annual limit is reached, whichever comes first. With Co-op's time-limited pet insurance, your pet is covered for a set amount per period of insurance or 12 months from when the condition is first treated. This means that if you meet the annual limit, but it has only been a few months since the condition started you will have to wait until the insurance renews before claiming again. However, this does mean that you may be able to claim more for a certain condition.
For more information on time-limited pet insurance, read our article 'Time-limited pet insurance explained'.
Co-op pet insurance policies
In the below comparison tables we compare the levels of cover you can expect with a Co-op lifetime and time-limited pet insurance policy. To find out how much it costs to insure your pet with Co-op, jump to 'How much does Co-op pet insurance cost?'
Co-op lifetime pet insurance policy comparison
| Lifetime £1,000 | Lifetime £2,500 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £16,000 | |
| Policy type | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime |
| Excess | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 |
| Maximum vet fee cover per policy year | £1,000 | £2,500 | £5,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | £16,000 |
| Complementary treatment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dental cover (accident and illness)^ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Death from illness^^/accident cover | £500 | £500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| Farewell cover (includes euthanasia and cremation)^^ | £150 | £150 | £150 | £150 | £150 | £250 |
| Advertising & Reward | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £2,500 |
| Loss or Theft | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| Emergency boarding | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £2,000 |
| Emergency expenses abroad | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 |
| Holiday Cancellation | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| 24/7 vet helpline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party liability (dogs only - £250 excess per claim) | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m |
^ Dental treatment is covered if your pet has had yearly dental check-ups leading up to the claim and any vet-recommended treatment was carried out. ^^ Only available for pets less than 7 years of age.
Co-op time-limited pet insurance policy comparison
| Time-limited £2,000 | Time-limited £5,000 | |
| Policy type | Time-limited | Time-limited |
| Excess | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 | £75, £100, £125, £150, £175 or £200 |
| Maximum vet fee cover per policy year | £2,000 | £5,000 |
| Complementary treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Dental cover (accident and illness)^ | Yes | Yes |
| Death from illness^^/accident cover | £1,500 |
£1,500
|
| Farewell cover (includes euthanasia and cremation)^^ | £100 | £100 |
| Advertising & Reward | £1,000 | £1,000 |
| Loss or Theft | £1,000 | £1,000 |
| Emergency boarding | £1,000 | £1,000 |
| Emergency expenses abroad | £500 |
£500
|
| Holiday Cancellation | £2,000 |
£2,000
|
| 24/7 vet helpline | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party liability (dogs only - £250 excess per claim) | £1m |
£1m
|
^ Dental treatment is covered if your pet has had yearly dental check-ups leading up to the claim and any vet-recommended treatment was carried out. ^^ Only available for pets less than 7 years of age.
Co-op pet insurance exclusions
Pet insurance policies usually include a number of exclusions, detailing the conditions in which a claim will not be paid. Below we list some of the key policy exclusions with a Co-op pet insurance policy. This is not an exhaustive list and so it is wise to check your policy documents carefully so that you know exactly what is covered.
A Co-op pet insurance policy will not cover:
- Pets under 8 weeks of age
- Illnesses within 14 days of the policy start date
- Policy excess
- Pre-existing conditions that come back within the first 14 days from the policy start date and are not an injury
- Pre-existing conditions that come back within the first 48 hours from the policy start date and are an injury
- Vet fee claims submitted after 12 months from the treatment date
- Death due to illness once your pet reaches 7 years old
- Dogs listed on the Dangerous Dogs Act (or crossed with dogs on the list) or on their list of breeds not covered
- Pets used for a trade or profession
- Dogs used for guarding and security, track racing or coursing
Find the right Pet Insurance for you
Our partner Quotezone will compare quotes from over 15 UK pet insurance providers
- You could pay from £3.35 per month**
How much does Co-op pet insurance cost?
In the below comparison tables, we compare the cost of Co-op's pet insurance policies for a mixed breed 1-year-old cat and dog. The quotes are based on a pet living in a South East postcode and with no underlying health conditions. The cost of your pet insurance may vary depending on the age, type and breed of your pet. Where you live may also affect the cost of your pet insurance premium due to the cost of veterinary care in your local area. For more information on what affects the cost of pet insurance read our article '7 factors that affect the cost of pet insurance'.
Co-op pet insurance policy cost comparison
(scroll for full table)
| Lifetime £1,000 | Lifetime £2,500 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £16,000 | Time-limited £2,000 | Time-limited £5,000 | |
| Policy type | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Time-limited | Time-limited |
| Vet fee cover | £1,000 | £2,500 | £5,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | £16,000 | £2,000 | £5,000 |
| Excess | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 |
| Co-payment | 20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
20% for pets over 6 |
| 1-year-old dog (monthly cost) | £12.59 | £18.15 | £25.62 | £27.54 | £31.85 | £40.67 | £13.53 | £21.16 |
| 1-year-old cat (monthly cost) | £16.73 | £17.82 | £25.67 | £27.75 | £32.90 | £35.43 | £13.85 | £21.17 |
(Quotes correct as of 24/09/24)
Co-op pet insurance policy excess
You have the option to select your preferred policy excess with Co-op pet insurance and this ranges from £75 - £200 in £25 increments. Some pet breeds do have a minimum of £200 excess.
When your pet reaches 6 years old you can expect to pay an additional 20% on top of your excess when you make a claim for veterinary fees. The co-payment can also be added to policies for pets of any age but this is optional. Adding an optional co-payment to your insurance can help to reduce the cost of your policy as you pay more when you make a claim.
How to make a claim with Co-op pet insurance
If you need to make a claim with Co-op pet insurance, in most instances, Co-op pet insurance can deal directly with your vet via the claims portal 'VetEnvoy'. If your veterinary practice is signed up to VetEnvoy it is able to notify Co-op pet insurance via the portal that you wish to claim at the point of treatment. Your vet practice will need to complete an authorisation form which is accessed via either VetEnvoy or on the Co-op pet insurance website. If your vet practice is not able to use the VetEnvoy portal you can log your claim online via your policy portal. Alternatively you can download a claim form online and email your form and supporting documents to claims@pets.coop.co.uk or post them to: Co-op Pet Insurance, 2nd Floor, 5000 Lakeside, North Harbour, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN.
Co-op pet insurance customer reviews
Co-op pet insurance has a limited amount of reviews on comparison sites and Co-op Insurance is rated 4.1 out of 5 stars on the review site Trustpilot. This score is, however, across all of Co-op's insurance policies and is therefore not specific to pet insurance. There are also just over 2,000 reviews on all the insurance products the Co-op offers.
Upon looking through the reviews there are over 3 times more 1 star reviews than 5 star reviews for Co-op pet insurance. The most recent of reviews that rated Co-op pet insurance as bad had problems with the amount of time it was taking for claims to be processed and a rise in premiums upon renewal. Those that rated the insurance as good mostly cited the insurance was easy to set up and a good price but none of the 5 star reviews are by people who have had to claim.
It is important to check your policy documents carefully to avoid being caught out, particularly with time-limited policies as you have a limited time in order to claim for conditions and illnesses. Co-op's time-limited pet insurance insures your pet for 12 months from the first treatment of the condition and not from when you first decide to make a claim.
Alternatives to Co-op pet insurance
In this section of the review, we compare Co-op pet insurance to alternative pet insurance providers. You can also compare pet insurance providers via comparison sites such as Quotezone* and MoneySuperMarket*. Using a comparison site to compare pet insurance allows you to compare multiple pet insurance providers at once to find the best insurance policy for your pet. One thing to consider, however, is not all comparison sites are whole of market which means you may get a better deal elsewhere.
Co-op vs Animal Friends vs ManyPets
We have compared Co-op's most comprehensive lifetime pet insurance to other leading lifetime pet insurance providers such as Animal Friends and ManyPets*. The following quotes are based on a 1-year-old mixed breed dog and cat with no underlying health conditions and living in a South East postcode.
A comparison between Co-op, Animal Friends and ManyPets pet insurance
| Co-op | Animal Friends | ManyPets* | |
| Lifetime pet insurance type | Annual limit | Annual limit | Annual limit |
| Policy name | Lifetime £16,000 | Lifetime £18,000 | Complete £15k |
| Excess | £100 | £99 | £99 |
| 1-year-old dog (monthly cost) | £40.67 | £58.55 | £42.78 |
| 1-year-old cat (monthly cost) | £35.43 | £55.34 | £33.68 |
| Maximum vet fee cover (per year) | £16,000 per year | £18,000 per year |
£15,000 per year
|
| Public liability | £1 million | £2 million | £2 million |
| Loss & theft | £3,000 | £3,000 |
£6,000
|
| Death of pet cover (if pet dies through illness or injury) | £3,000 | £3,000 |
£6,000
|
| Emergency boarding | £2,000 | £1,500 | £2,000 |
| Pet travel cover | £2,000 | £2,500 |
£2,500
|
| Vet video calls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| More information | Animal Friends pet insurance review | ManyPets pet insurance review |
(Quotes correct as of 24/09/24)
Co-op pet insurance pros and cons
Co-op pet insurance pros
- Introductory discounts for Co-op members
- Good choice of level of veterinary fee cover with a high maximum of £16,000
- Don't pay extra if paying your premium monthly
Co-op pet insurance cons
- 20% co-payment, in addition to the policy excess, for pets over 6
- No death from illness cover once your pet reaches 7 years old
- Limited reviews
Summary
Co-op's pet insurance policies may suit those that are Co-op members as there are introductory discounts that can reduce your pet insurance premium for the first year. There is a great choice of veterinary fee cover with the lifetime pet insurance policies and the time-limited policies vet fee cover renews annually meaning you can claim again if you have exceeded the veterinary fee limit if the 12-month limit has not yet been met.
When looking for a pet insurance policy it is best to shop around to ensure you are getting the best deal. Comparison sites such as Quotezone* and MoneySuperMarket* can help you to easily compare a range of pet insurance policies but they may not compare every provider on the market. For more information on the best pet insurance for your pet, read our article 'The best pet insurance in the UK - 2024'
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. The following link can be used if you do not wish to help Money to the Masses or take advantage of any exclusive offers - ManyPets, MoneySuperMarket, Quotezone