In this review, we explore Petsure's* pet insurance policies, including the types of policies you can choose from, the level of cover you can expect, estimated premium costs and other key features. We also compare Petsure to other alternatives including ManyPets*.
We recommend that you read the review in full, but if you wish to jump to specific sections of the article you can do so with the following links:
- What is Petsure
- Petsure key features
- Petsure policy types
- Petsure's pre-existing conditions policy
- What does Petsure insurance cover?
- Petsure insurance add-ons
- Petsure policy exclusions
- How much does Petsure pet insurance cost?
- Petsure policy excess
- How to make a claim with Petsure pet insurance
- Petsure customer reviews
- Alternatives to Petsure
- Petsure pros and cons
- Summary
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What is Petsure pet insurance?
Petsure launched in 2021 with a very specific goal in mind - create inclusive pet insurance for cats and dogs regardless of their age or pre-existing medical conditions. They offer special policies that cover pre-existing conditions with no upper age limit.
All Petsure policies come with free, unlimited access to FirstVet which includes 24/7 video consultations with a UK-based vet. Owners also get access to BlueCross to help with emotional support in the event of a pet's death. Its lifetime pet insurance policy is 5-star Defaqto rated if you select vet fees over £4,000.
Key features
Here's a quick overview of Petsure's pet insurance policies and what it offers:
- Lifetime cover for your cat or dog
- Possible cover for pre-existing conditions (assessed on a case-by-case basis)
- No upper age limit for pet insurance policies
- No compulsory excess regardless of the pet's age
- Vet fees cover up to £15,000
- Optional add-ons like dental illness and farewell cover
- Insure up to 8 pets with its customisable multi-pet policies
- Continuous cover when switching from another provider as long as you had lifetime insurance previously and there is no break
Policy types
Petsure's core offering is a lifetime policy for cats and dogs with no upper age limit. Lifetime pet insurance policies are considered the most comprehensive on the market. As long as you renew your policy every year, your pet will be insured for its whole life and for any new conditions that occur.
As part of the lifetime policy, Petsure may also insure your pet for certain pre-existing conditions that they have, even if they're still experiencing symptoms and taking medications. We look at this in more detail below.
Other types of cover that are not offered by Petsure are time-limited, maximum benefit or accident-only pet insurance policies. More information on these can be found in our article 'What are the different types of pet insurance?'
What is Petsure's pre-existing conditions policy?
Petsure* is committed to considering cover for any pre-existing condition that your pet might have. They define a pre-existing condition as "anything your pet has had in the last two years before your cover start date or waiting period and a condition diagnosed over two years ago needing ongoing treatment, check- ups or monitoring".
You'll be considered for cover for a pre-existing policy as part of getting a quote. When you fill out the form on Petsure's website, you'll need to declare any medical conditions your pet has had in the last two years. If it can cover your pet for the condition you've listed, it'll offer you a transparent quote. You can then decide whether you wish to purchase a policy which includes that pre-existing condition, or whether you wish to exclude it.
If Petsure agrees to cover the pre-existing condition, your pet can get lifetime pet insurance with up to £15,000 vet fee coverage. The full vet fee limit can typically be used for most pre-existing conditions that you've declared and that Petsure has agreed to cover, however there are some instances when there may be an inner limit set per condition. The pre-existing conditions policy will also pay out if the condition worsens or if your pet develops new symptoms as a result of the condition.
This pre-existing conditions policy applies to older pets as well. You won't be required to make any compulsory co-payments even if your pet is on the older end and has specific pre-existing conditions.
There are, however, some exclusions to the pre-existing conditions policy that you'll need to be aware of. These include:
- Maintenance treatment for pre-existing conditions - this means you typically won't be able to claim for things like repeat prescriptions or planned consultations that you knew about when you took out cover with Petsure.
- Undiagnosed conditions - if your pet's symptoms still haven't been diagnosed when you take out cover, then Petsure typically won't cover the condition.
- Pending surgery - if your pet is about to have surgery for a pre-existing condition when you take out a Petsure policy, this typically won't be covered under the policy.
The good news is that if your pet is prescribed new medication or therapies for a pre-existing condition that Petsure has agreed to insure, then this should be covered under your policy.
What does Petsure pet insurance cover?
Petsure's standard lifetime pet insurance policies cover the following:
- Vet fees ranging between £2,000 to £15,000 depending on the level of cover you require
- Third-Party liability for dogs up to £2,000,000
- Emergency care up to £1,500
- Up to 12 sessions per year of behavioural treatment or complementary therapy
- Dental cover for accidents and injury
Petsure pet insurance add-ons
You can also include a range of add-ons to your policy when you request a quote or further down the line if you choose to do so. Some of the add-ons include:
- Dental illness add-on - This provides up to £5,000 dental cover for your pet as a result of an illness.
- Farewell add-on - This provides compensation if your pet dies. Cremation or burial costs up to £250 are also included
- Missing pet add-on - This provides compensation if your pet goes missing or is stolen. It also provides cover for a reward and advertising costs.
- Travel and holiday add-on - This provides cover if you take your pet abroad and it also provides cover of up to £5,000 per person if you need to cancel your trip or cut it short due to your pet being ill or having an accident.
When you request a quote, you'll be able to see the price of each add-on per month and decide whether to add it to your policy. The exact price of the add-on will vary depending on several factors such as the level of vet fee cover you've selected, the voluntary excess, and the optional bill share percentage.
Petsure pet insurance policy exclusions
Petsure's pet insurance policies come with certain exclusions that you may need to consider. These include:
- Pre-existing conditions that weren't declared or that Petsure hasn't explicitly agreed to cover
- Any accidental injuries within 2 days of taking out the policy
- Vet fees for treatment for symptoms that develop within 14 days of taking out the policy
- Claims for loss, theft, or straying if your pet goes missing within 14 days of taking out the policy
It's worth keeping in mind that the latter three exclusions only apply if your pet wasn't insured prior to taking out the policy. If this is a renewal, or if your pet was insured and you're simply switching providers with no gap in cover, then your pet will still be covered.
Partner SpotlightFind 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 Petsure pet insurance cost?
The cost to cover a pet with Petsure* will be based on several factors including their breed, age, and any pre-existing conditions they may have. For more information on what affects the cost of pet insurance read our article '7 factors that affect the cost of pet insurance'.
Petsure provides an easy online form that can be filled out in minutes to give you an indication of the costs you might face depending on your pet's circumstances. Below, we've looked at the costs you might expect to pay in a few different scenarios.
While Petsure doesn't require owners to pay a compulsory excess or co-payment towards the vet's bills, opting for a voluntary excess or bill share can lower your premium.
Cost to cover a 6-year-old dog
We obtained a quote for a 6-year old mixed breed dog living in the South East who has been neutered and micro-chipped with no pre-existing conditions and another where they had arthritis.
For the quote for the pre-existing condition of arthritis, we filled in a standard form and then we completed a medical form where we indicated that our pet has had a flare-up and has had medication for their condition in the last 12 months. However, we also indicated that they hadn't had surgery and has since lost weight on the vet's recommendation. Based on this information, Petsure was able to offer us a quote which included cover for our pet's arthritis condition.
The table below illustrates what your premiums could look like.
| Vet fee cover per year | Voluntary excess | Bill share | Monthly premium for a healthy dog | Monthly premium for a dog with arthritis |
| £3,000 | £0 | 0% | £53.01 | £163.48 |
| £3,000 | £100 | 10% | £27.40 | £84.49 |
| £3,000 | £200 | 20% | £17.73 | £54.66 |
| £3,000 | £300 | 30% | £14.08 | £43.41 |
| £8,000 | £0 | 0% | £88.67 | £273.45 |
| £8,000 | £100 | 10% | £45.83 | £141.33 |
| £8,000 | £200 | 20% | £29.65 | £91.44 |
| £8,000 | £300 | 30% | £23.55 | £72.62 |
| £15,000 | £0 | 0% | £103.21 | £318.28 |
| £15,000 | £100 | 10% | £53.34 | £164.50 |
| £15,000 | £200 | 20% | £34.51 | £106.43 |
| £15,000 | £300 | 30% | £27.41 | £84.52 |
These quotes are correct as of November 2024.
Cost to cover a 4-year-old cat
We requested a quote for a 4-year-old Moggie with no pre-existing conditions living in the South East who had been neutered and microchipped and another where they had arthritis.
For the quote for the pre-existing condition of arthritis, we filled in a standard form and then we completed a medical form where we indicated that our pet has had a flare-up and has had medication for her condition in the last 12 months. We also declared that she hasn't had surgery and has since lost weight on her vet's recommendation. Based on this information, Petsure was able to offer us a quote which included cover for our cat's arthritis.
The table below illustrates what your premiums could look like.
| Vet fee cover per year | Voluntary excess | Bill share | Monthly premium for a healthy cat | Monthly premium for a cat with arthritis |
| £3,000 | £0 | 0% | £51.88 | £171.32 |
| £3,000 | £100 | 10% | £25.51 | £84.23 |
| £3,000 | £200 | 20% | £20.37 | £67.28 |
| £3,000 | £300 | 30% | £16.20 | £53.48 |
| £8,000 | £0 | 0% | £83.85 | £276.91 |
| £8,000 | £100 | 10% | £41.23 | £136.14 |
| £8,000 | £200 | 20% | £32.93 | £108.74 |
| £8,000 | £300 | 30% | £26.18 | £86.45 |
| £15,000 | £0 | 0% | £106.08 | £350.34 |
| £15,000 | £100 | 10% | £52.16 | £172.24 |
| £15,000 | £200 | 20% | £41.66 | £137.57 |
| £15,000 | £300 | 30% | £33.12 | £109.37 |
These quotes are correct as of November 2024.
Petsure policy excess
The excess is the amount that you are expected to pay in the event of a claim on your pet insurance.
There is a choice of £0, £100, £200, £300, £400 or £500 as your policy excess with Petsure. The excess is payable once per condition per year no matter how many times you claim.
There is also the option to add a "bill share" with is often referred to as a co-payment, and is a percentage contribution to the cost of the claim in addition to the policy excess. You can select to pay either a 0%, 10%, 20% or 30% contribution. So for example, if you had a £100 excess and a 10% bill share and you had to claim for a £1,000 vet bill, you would have to pay £190 towards the claim and Petsure would cover the remaining £810.
How do I make a claim with Petsure pet insurance?
Making a claim with Petsure is relatively straightforward. All you need to do is:
- Login to My Petsure and go to the claims section or call the claims team on 0333 009 0998.
- Complete your claim and attach any relevant invoices as well as your vet's details if applicable.
The Petsure team will contact your vet and process the claim with them. It will then either pay the money owed to the vet directly or send you the money minus any agreed-upon voluntary excess and bill share payments.
Petsure customer reviews
Petsure is ranked "Excellent" on Trustpilot with a score of 4.6 out of 5.0 based on more than 4,000 reviews. Approximately 83% of reviewers gave Petsure a 5-star review, citing its quick account setup, great customer service, competitive prices, and smooth claims process. Approximately 5% of reviewers gave it a 1-star ranking citing issues with high premium increases on renewal, slow claims process and individual cases where certain pre-existing conditions were excluded despite Petsure's mission to create an inclusive pet policy.
Alternatives to Petsure
If you aren't certain that Petsure is right for you, you might want to consider alternatives like ManyPets* or the PDSA. One of the easiest ways to save time and money on your pet insurance is to look on a comparison website such as Quotezone* or MoneySuperMarket*. Comparison sites let you compare several providers simultaneously to ensure you're getting the best insurance policy for your pet.
ManyPets
Like Petsure, ManyPets* offers cover for pre-existing conditions and has no upper age limit when it comes to insuring pets. ManyPets' policies come with "pet perks" such as discounted flea, tick and worming treatments, for example. You could also get access to free pet sitters through ManyPets. Manypets' Trustpilot rating is 4.0 out of 5.0 based on more than 22,000 reviews. Find out more in our ManyPets insurance review.
PDSA
Unlike ManyPets and Petsure, the PDSA doesn't offer cover for pre-existing conditions. It also won't insure older pets. However, it does offer time-limited policies which might be of interest to some pet owners. It also claims to pay out 98% of all claims within 5 working days. The PDSA is rated 4.5 out of 5.0 on Trustpilot. This score is based on more than 1100 reviews. Find out more in our PDSA insurance review.
Petsure vs ManyPets vs PDSA
The table below sums up the key features of each policy to help you decide which one might work better for you.
| Petsure* | ManyPets* | PDSA | |
| Offers lifetime policies | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offers time-limited policies | No | No | Yes |
| No compulsory excess | Yes | No | No |
| Covers pre-existing conditions | Yes | Yes | No |
| Covers older pets | Yes | Yes | No |
| Offers vet video calls | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot score | 4.6 out of 5.0 | 4.0 out of 5.0 | 4.5 out of 5.0 |
| More information | ManyPets insurance review | PDSA insurance review |
Petsure pros and cons
There's lots to love about Petsure's pet insurance policies, but there are also some drawbacks you need to think about as well. See below for an overview of the key pros and cons of Petsure's policies.
Petsure pros
- Cover for some pre-existing conditions
- No compulsory excess regardless of your pet's age
- No upper age limit for insuring pets
Petsure cons
- No time-limited policies are available
- Doesn't offer cover for undiagnosed symptoms before taking out a policy
- Doesn't offer cover for prescriptions and therapies before taking out a policy
Summary
Petsure* is a great option for pet owners who are looking for cover for pre-existing conditions for their older pets. There is no upper age limit for insuring pets with Petsure. The company's commitment to inclusivity means that pet owners won't face a compulsory co-payment or excess. They can opt for a voluntary excess to lower their monthly premium if they choose to do so.
But, pet owners need to be aware that Petsure only offers lifetime policies. Those looking for time-limited, maximum benefit or accident-only policies may need to look elsewhere. While Petsure offers cover for pre-existing conditions, this is assessed on a case-by-case basis and exclusions apply.
If you want to take a look at other pet insurance options before deciding whether Petsure's right for you, make sure to check out the best pet insurance policies in the UK in 2024.
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