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, Scratch & Patch and Tesco Pet Insurance. 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
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. The £5,000, £7,500, £10,000 and £16,000 Lifetime pet insurance was awarded a defaqto rating of 5 stars for 2025.
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 - 2026'.
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
- Discount for Co-op members & 10% off pet products in-store
- 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.
- Compulsory 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. Other types of cover that are not offered by Co-op are maximum benefit and accident-only pet insurance policies. More information on these can be found in our article 'What are the different types of pet insurance?'
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 is slightly different to a standard time-limited policy. With Co-op insurance you have a set vet fee limit per period of insurance. This limit then renews when your policy renews until your pet has received treatment for the condition for 12 months. For example, if you have a time-limited policy with £5,000 vet fee cover and your policy runs from 1st January 2025 and your pet receives treatment for a condition on 1st May 2025. The claim is for £2,000 which leaves you £3,000 you can claim for this condition up to 31st December 2025. If you then renew your insurance, your vet fee cover will reinstate to £5,000 and you will have until 30th April 2026 to claim for that same condition. After this date you will no longer be covered for this condition and you will need to self-fund any further treatment that may be needed. For more information on how a standard time-limited insurance policy works, 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 £3,500 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £16,000 | |
| Policy type | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime |
| Excess | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 | £75/ £100/ £125, £150/ £175/ £200/ £250 |
| Co-payment | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 |
| Maximum vet fee cover per policy year | £1,000 | £2,500 | £3,000 | £5,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | £16,000 |
| Complementary treatment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dental cover (accident and illness)¹ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Death from illness/accident cover² | £500 | £500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| Farewell cover (includes euthanasia and cremation)³ | £150 | £150 | £150 | £150 | £150 | £150 | £250 |
| Advertising & Reward | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £2,500 |
| Loss or Theft | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 |
| Emergency boarding | £500 | £500 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,500 | £2,000 |
| Emergency expenses abroad | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 |
| Holiday Cancellation | £1,000 | £1,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 | £2,000 | £3,000 | £5,000 |
| 24/7 vet helpline | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party liability (dogs only - £250 excess per claim) | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m | £1m |
¹Dental 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. ²Death from illness only available for pets less than 7 years of age. ³Only 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 |
| Co-payment | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 | optional 20% becomes compulsory when you pet turns 6 |
| Maximum vet fee cover per policy year | £2,000 per condition | £5,000 per condition |
| Complementary treatment | Yes | Yes |
| Dental cover (accident and illness)¹ | Yes | Yes |
| Death from illness/accident cover² | £1,500 |
£1,500
|
| Farewell cover (includes euthanasia and cremation)³ | £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
|
¹Dental 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. ² Death from illness only available for pets less than 7 years of age. ³Only 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
- 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
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 £3,000 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £16,000 | Time-limited £2,000 | Time-limited £5,000 | |
| Policy type | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Annual Limit Lifetime | Time-limited | Time-limited |
| Vet fee cover | £1,000 | £2,500 | £3,500 | £5,000 | £7,500 | £10,000 | £16,000 | £2,000 | £5,000 |
| Excess | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 | £100 |
| Compulsory 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 |
20% for pets over 6 |
| 1-year-old dog (monthly cost) | £17.87 | £26.56 | £31.26 | £37.10 | £42.64 | £45.60 | £54.40 | £19.86 | £25.75 |
| 1-year-old cat (monthly cost) | £12.32 | £18.82 | £21.12 | £24.02 | £27.37 | £31.20 | £42.73 | £16.49 | £24.22 |
(Quotes correct as of 20/03/26)
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 - £250. Some pet breeds do have a minimum of £250 excess.
When your pet reaches 6 years old you can expect to pay a 20% co-payment as on top of your excess when you make a claim for veterinary fees. This means that if you claim £1,000 for vet fees, and you have a £100 excess, you will pay the £100 excess plus 20% of the remaining claim so an additional £180, and £280 in total. 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 and you will only need to pay your excess up front. If they are not signed up to VetEnvoy they can submit a claim on your behalf via the Co-op pet insurance website.
Alternatively you can submit a claim via your policy portal, and upload any supporting documents to your portal. There is also the option to email the documents to [email protected] or send them in the post to: Co-op Pet Insurance, 2nd Floor, 5000 Lakeside, North Harbour, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN. You can also call 0333 009 2439 to submit a claim. You must claim for any treatment within 12 months or your claim will be denied.
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 4.4 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 4,000 reviews on all the insurance products the Co-op offers.
The most recent of reviews that rated Co-op pet insurance as bad had problems with claims not being paid and a rise in premiums upon renewal. There are also several reviews that mention claims not being accepted for older pets. Those that rated the insurance as good mostly cited the insurance was easy to set up and a good price, there are a few that mention their claims were handled efficiently.
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 Scratch & Patch and Tesco Pet Insurance. You can also compare pet insurance providers via comparison sites such as 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.
Scratch & Patch
Scratch & Patch offers a wide range of pet insurance policies and like Co-op pet insurance they do not have an upper age limit when taking out a new insurance policy. As your pet ages rather than impose a compulsory co-payment, they increase the excess that is payable when making a claim. This comes into effect when your dog turns 8 and your cat 10. Although there is no compulsory co-payment, you can choose to have a 20% co-payment to help reduce your premium. Scratch & Patch also offer an attractive 20% multi-pet discount, so may be worth considering if you are looking to insure more than one pet, but like Co-op pet insurance they do not offer cover for pre-existing conditions. Find out more in our Scratch & Patch insurance review.
Tesco pet insurance
Tesco pet insurance offers a good choice of policy types and a multi-pet discount. However they do have an upper age limit for starting new policies which is 10 years for cats and 8 years for dogs although for some breeds of dog it is as young as 5 years old. They also impose a compulsory 20% co-payment when your pet reaches these ages if you already hold a policy with them. Like Co-op and Scratch & Patch there is no cover for pre-existing conditions but they do offer continuous cover when switching from another provider. More information can be found in our independent Tesco Pet Insurance review.
Co-op vs Scratch & Patch vs Tesco Pet Insurance
| Co-op | Scratch & Patch | Tesco Pet Insurance | |
| Policies available | Lifetime and time-limited | Accident-only, time-limited, maximum benefit and annual limit lifetime | Lifetime, time-limited and maximum benefit |
| Upper Age Limit when taking out a policy | No | No | Yes |
| Option to pay no excess | No | No | No |
| Covers pre-existing conditions | No | No | No |
| Compulsory co-payment | 20% for pets over 6 |
No | 20% co-payment when your dog reaches 8 years old (for some breeds it is 5 years old) and your cat reaches 10 years old |
| Multi-pet discount | No | Yes | Yes |
| Vet video calls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot score | 4.2/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| More information | Scratch & Patch pet insurance review | Tesco Pet Insurance review |
If your pet has a pre-existing condition that you would like cover for then you may find our article, 'Best pet insurance for pre-existing conditions' useful.
Co-op pet insurance pros and cons
Co-op pet insurance pros
- Introductory & in-store 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
- Compulsory 20% co-payment, in addition to the policy excess, for pets over 6
- No multi-pet discount
- 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 as well as 10% off pet products in-store and if you are not a member the discounts are worth the £1 joining fee. There is a great choice of veterinary fee cover and excess options and the option to pay a 20% co-payment which will help reduce your premiums. They also charge you the same premium whether you pay monthly or annually. Co-op doesn't have an upper age limit for pets they'll insure, although they will not cover death due to illness for pets who are 7 or older and they do impose a compulsory 20% co-payment once your pet turns 6 years old which is a little younger than other insurance providers.
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 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 - 2026'
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