In this independent review, we look at Pet Plan’s pet insurance policies for cats and dogs including the types of policy available, the level of cover on offer and how much it costs. For more information on Petplan's pet insurance for horses visit Petplan's website.
What is Petplan pet insurance?
Petplan has been insuring pets for over 40 years and is one of the most popular pet insurance providers in the UK, with over 1.3 million pets insured to date. Petplan claims it can offer extensive cover for pets with over 97% of claims being paid and over 90% of customers renewing their policies each year.
Petplan was voted ‘Most Trusted Pet insurance provider’ at the Moneywise customer service awards in 2017 and has a 2020 defaqto rating of 5 stars. Petplan is underwritten by Allianz Insurance plc and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Petplan pet insurance features
Below is an overview of Petplan's policy features:
Multiple pet insurance policies
Can pay your vet directly
Multi-pet discount
No penalty for making a claim
Online portal
What does Petplan pet insurance cover?
Petplan has two pet insurance policies, 12-month cover and Covered for Life and offers cover for dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. For more information on what each policy covers click here.
Petplan's Lifetime cover
Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive cover for your pet. Petplan offers three different lifetime policies; Classic, Classic+ and Ultimate with cover for your pet for up to £12,000 per policy year. This limit then renews annually and any conditions you have claimed for will be covered for your pet’s lifetime as long as you renew your policy each year.
Petplan's Time-Limited cover
Time-limited pet insurance covers your pet for a set amount or a set period of time, whichever comes first. Petplan's time-limited policy offers cover for up to £3,000 of veterinary fees per condition for 12 months from when the condition was first noticed. After the 12 month period, the condition is no longer covered but any new conditions can still be claimed for.
Petplan only offers two types of pet insurance but these are not the only types of pet insurance available. For more information on the different types of pet insurance read our article "What is pet insurance?"
Petplan pet insurance exclusions
Petplan does not offer cover for the following:
Pre-existing conditions
Any illness that starts within 14 days of opening the policy
Cremation and euthanasia
Pregnancy
Pets used for breeding purposes
Routine care such as vaccinations and worming etc
It is important that you read each policy carefully to ensure you fully understand the terms and conditions before opening the policy and making a claim.
Petplan policy types
Petplan offers a choice between Lifetime policies or a Time-limited policy. Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive pet insurance policy available as your pet is covered for illnesses and injuries it sustains for the duration of its life. Time-limited pet insurance will cover vet fees up to a certain amount or for a certain period of time. Petplan only offers these types of pet insurance however there are alternatives and you can find out more information in our article "What is pet insurance?"
The below comparison table compares the key differences between the Petplan policies.
Petplan policies
| Ultimate | Classic+ | Classic | Essential | |
| Cover Type | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Time-limited |
| Excess | £110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£85 for dogs £75 for cats |
| Veterinary fee cover | £12,000 per year | £7,000 per year | £4,000 per year | £3,000 per condition for 12 months |
| Complementary treatment cover | £2,000 | £1,000 | £1,000 | £500 |
| Third-Party liability (dogs only) | £3million | £2million | £2million | £1million |
| Death from illness/injury | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Missing pet | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Legal helpline |  |
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How much does Petplan pet insurance cost?
In the table below we have included examples of the cost of pet insurance for each of the Petplan pet insurance policies for both cats and dogs. The quotes are based on a 6-month-old mixed breed dog and 6-month-old moggy cat that live in the South East and have no underlying health conditions. The actual cost of your pet insurance will vary depending on the type, age and breed of your pet as well as where you live. Petplan also adds a 20% co-payment on top of the excess amount when your pet turns 10 years old (7 years for certain breeds) on a lifetime policy and 8 years old (5 years old for some breeds) on an essential policy.
| Ultimate | Classic+ | Classic | Essential | |
| Excess for veterinary fee | £110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£110 for dogs £95 for cats |
£85 for dogs £75 for cats |
| Excess for complementary fee | £75 for dogs £65 for cats |
£75 for dogs £65 for cats |
£75 for dogs £65 for cats |
£75 for dogs £65 for cats |
| Monthly cost for a Cat | £27.87 | £18.87 | £16.51 | £11.94 |
| Monthly cost for a Dog | £59.23 | £41.49 | £36.56 | £22.43 |
(Quotes correct as of 03/02/21)
How to make a claim with Petplan pet insurance
Making a claim with Petplan is quick and easy. The easiest way to claim for any veterinary treatment is via your vet. Your veterinary practice can submit a claim online and Petplan will pay your vet directly if your vet is happy to receive payment this way. If you are unable to claim for treatment through your vet you can fill out the online claims form on the Petplan website.
Petplan says it will pay 90% of claims within 5 working days once your claim has been received by Petplan from the vet. You have 12 months after the date your pet has started to receive treatment to submit a claim.
Pet Plan customer reviews
Petplan has a rating of 'Excellent' on Trustpilot with a score of 4.6 out of 5.0 stars from over 6,000 reviews. 82% of customers rated it as 'Excellent' citing a friendly and professional service and no problems when it comes to paying out claims. 13% rated it as 'Bad' with problems with automatic renewals and insurance premium increases.
Petplan pet insurance pros and cons
Pros of Petplan insurance
- Comprehensive cover
- Pays out claims quickly
- No penalty for claiming
- Multi-pet discount
Cons of Petplan insurance
- Only offers lifetime and time-limited policies
- 20% co-payment when pet reaches a certain age
- No cover for pre-existing conditions
Alternatives to Petplan pet insurance
When it comes to pet insurance it is best to shop around for the best deal and see the different levels of cover available to find the best cover for your pet. In the comparison table below we have compared the most comprehensive Petplan policy to the most comprehensive Agria and Bought by Many policy. The policies are based on a 6-month-old dog (medium-sized mongrel) that lives in the South East with no underlying health conditions.
Petplan vs Agria vs Bought by Many
| PetPlan | Agria |
Bought by Many
|
|
| Excess | £110 for dogs | £170 + 10% of each claim |
£99 per policy year
|
| Cost | £59.23 | £36.12 | £31.01 |
| Vet fee cover | £12,000 per year | £12,500 per year |
£15,000 per year
|
| Public liability | £3million | £3million | £3million |
| Loss & theft | £2,000 | £1,500 | £6,000 |
| Death of pet cover (if pet dies through illness or injury) | £2,000 | Additional extra | £6,000 |
| Trustpilot score | 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 | 3.4/5 |
*(The quotes are correct as of 03/02/21 and are based on the highest excess amount)
Summary
Overall Petplan provides good insurance cover for your pet at an affordable price. There is a relatively high excess amount in comparison to other pet insurance providers and this is payable each time you claim rather than once each policy year. Petplan does state that it has a 90% claim payout which is encouraging if you are worried about a claim being accepted. Petplan is a well-known pet insurance provider that pays your vet directly so you may not even have to pay out for any veterinary treatment at all.
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