In this independent review, we take a look at Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance, including the pet insurance policies it offers, how much it costs and how it compares to other pet insurance providers including Petgevity* and Scratch & Patch. We recommend that you read the review in full, however, you can navigate to certain sections of the article via the following links.
- What is Sainsbury's bank pet insurance?
- Sainsbury's bank pet insurance key features
- What does Sainsbury's bank pet insurance cover?
- Sainsbury's bank pet insurance policy exclusions
- Sainsbury's bank pet insurance policies
- How much does Sainsbury's bank pet insurance cost?
- Sainsbury's Bank policy excess
- How to make a claim with Sainsbury's bank pet insurance
- Sainsbury's bank customer reviews
- Alternatives to Sainsbury's bank pet insurance
- Sainsbury's bank pros and cons
- Summary
What is Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance?
Sainsbury's moved into the finance sector in 1997, they offer a range of insurance products such as life, travel as well as pet insurance. Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance is underwritten by Pinnacle Insurance plc which also underwrites a number of other pet insurance policies including Tesco Pet Insurance and M&S pet insurance. Sainsbury's have been awarded "Pet insurer of the year" for 2025/26 by Defaqto.
Sainsbury's Bank offers pet insurance for cats, dogs and rabbits and also offers a discount if you choose to insure more than one pet. Sainsbury's Bank has three types of pet insurance and we explain the level of cover you get with each policy later in this article. Additionally, Nectar cardholders can earn discounts and rewards by being Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policyholders.
Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance key features
- Pet insurance policies for dogs, cats and rabbits
- Lifetime, maximum benefit and time-limited insurance policies
- £1 a month multi-pet discount per pet (minimum of £24 per year)
- Discounted pet insurance for Nectar card holders
- 24/7 access to a vet helpline
- 99% of claims paid within 5 days according to claims data from January 2025 to January 2026
- Dental cover for accident and illness included with all policies
- No upper age limit when taking out a new policy
- Choice of rewards when you take out a new policy
- Continuous cover when switching from another insurance provider
What does Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance cover?
Sainsbury's Bank offers a total of seven pet insurance policies across Lifetime, Maximum benefit and Time-limited pet insurance. It doesn't offer accident-only pet insurance, if you are interested in this type of insurance then you may find our article 'Compare the best accident-only pet insurance' helpful. Sainsbury's Bank offers a maximum amount of £10,000 of vet fee cover per year, depending on the policy you choose. We explain the different policy types in more detail below:
Lifetime pet insurance
Sainsbury's Bank has four annual limit lifetime pet insurance policies to choose from for cats and dogs with up to a maximum of £10,000 of vet fee cover per year, depending on the policy you choose. They also offer a policy for rabbits with up to £2,000 vet fee cover. An annual limit lifetime pet insurance policy means that you can claim veterinary fees up until the limit each policy year, once the limit has been reached any further treatment will need to be self-funded. If the policy is renewed the following year the limit will then reset.
For more information on how lifetime pet insurance works read our article 'Lifetime pet insurance explained'.
Maximum benefit pet insurance
Sainsbury's Bank has two maximum benefit pet insurance policies with vet fee cover of up to a maximum of £3,000 or £6,000 per year, depending on which policy you choose. A maximum benefit policy will cover you for a set amount per condition as long as the policy is still in force. For example, you may be covered up to £6,000 per condition which means that you can claim multiple times for the same condition up until the limit is reached. Once the limit has been reached then any remaining treatment for that particular condition must be self-funded.
For more information on how maximum benefit pet insurance works read our article 'Maximum benefit pet insurance explained'.
Time-limited pet insurance
Sainsbury's Bank offers a time-limited policy with up to £3,000 total vet fee cover. Sainsbury's Bank time-limited pet insurance policy will cover you for veterinary fees for a condition for up to a period of 12 months after the first date of treatment or until the limit has been reached, whichever is first. After this, any further treatment for the condition must be self-funded.
For more information on how time-limited pet insurance works read our article 'Time-limited pet insurance explained'.
Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance policies
In this section of the review, we compare the different pet insurance policies offered by Sainsbury's Bank. Information on the cost of these policies can be found here.
Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policies for cats and dogs
(Scroll right for full table)
| Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £2,500 | Maximum Benefit £6,000 | Maximum benefit £3,000 |
Time-limited £3,000
|
|
| Policy type | Annual limit lifetime | Annual limit lifetime | Annual limit lifetime | Annual limit lifetime | Maximum Benefit | Maximum Benefit |
Time-limited
|
| Excess | £95 | £95 | £95 | £95 | £95 | £95 | £95 |
| Maximum vet fee cover | £10,000 per year¹ | £7,500 per year | £5,000 per year | £2,500 per year | £6,000 per condition | £3,000 per condition | £3,000 per condition |
|
24/7 vet helpline
|
Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Complementary cover (e.g hydrotherapy and massage) | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £500 |
| Dental cover² | £10,000 | £7,500 | £5,000 | £2,500 | £6,000 | £3,000 | £3,000 |
| Physiotherapy cover | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £750 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £500 |
| Overseas vet cover | £10,000 | £7,500 | £5,000 | £2,500 | £6,000 | £3,000 | £3,000 |
| Death cover (from accident or illness)³ | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Cremation | £200 | £200 | £200 | £200 | £200 | £200 | £200 |
| Theft or straying | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Advertising and reward | £2,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Emergency boarding | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Holiday cancellation | £3,000 | £3,000 | £3,000 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,500 | £1,000 |
| Third-party liability (dogs only) | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million | £2 million |
¹some breeds are not covered by the £10,000 Lifetime Cover
²Your pet will need to have regular dental check-ups as advised by your vet and this does not include routine treatment
³No death cover due to illness for dogs 8 years old and over (certain breeds 5 years old and over) and cats 10 years old and over
Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policy for rabbits
| Lifetime £2,000 | |
| Policy type |
Annual limit lifetime policy
|
| Excess | £50 per condition per year |
| Maximum vet fee cover | £2,000 per year |
|
24/7 vet helpline
|
Yes |
| Complementary cover (e.g hydrotherapy, osteopathy) | £750 |
| Dental cover (for accident and illness only)¹ | £2,000 |
| Physiotherapy cover | £750 |
| Overseas vet cover | No |
| Death cover (from accident or illness) | No |
| Cremation | No |
| Theft or straying | No |
| Advertising and reward | £250 |
| Emergency boarding | £250 |
| Holiday cancellation | No |
¹Your rabbit will need to have regular dental check-ups as advised by your vet and it does not cover trimming, burring or rasping teeth
Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance policy exclusions
In this section of the review, we detail some of the exclusions in a Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policy. This is not an extensive list of exclusions and it is important to read your policy documents carefully so you are aware of what your pet is covered for. Sainsbury's Bank does not pay out claims for the following:
- the policy excess
- pre-existing conditions
- routine care such as vaccinations and worming
- pets under 8 weeks old
- any illness that your pet develops within the first 14 days of the pet insurance policy unless you had a policy with another insurer for 14 days before your policy start date
- any accident or poisoning that occurs within 3 days of the policy start date unless you had a policy with another insurer for 14 days before your policy start date
- out-of-hours treatment (unless confirmed by your vet that if treatment was not sought your pet's life would have been at risk or the condition would have significantly worsened)
- dental treatment if your pet has not had regular dental check-ups as advised by your vet (unless treatment is required due to illness to relieve suffering)
- any treatment that is required as a result of your pet not being regularly vaccinated
- treatment and complications for pregnancy and birth
- euthanasia unless your vet confirms it is not humane to keep the animal alive
- Any dog registered under the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 and American Bulldog, American Indian dog, American Pitbull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, XL Bully, Bandog, Boerboel, Bully Kutta, Canary dog, Cane Corso, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dingo, Dogo Argentino, Dogue Brasileiro, Fila Brasileiro, Gull Dong, Husky Wolf Hybrid, Irish Staffordshire Blue Bull Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull Terrier, Saarlooswoldhound, Tosa, Tosa Inu, Wolf Hybrid, Wolfdog or any crossbred with any of these listed breeds
How much does Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance cost?
In this section of the review, I have compared the cost of Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policies. The cost of your pet insurance will vary depending on the type, age and breed of your pet, as well as where you live. For more information on what affects the cost of pet insurance read our article '7 factors that affect the cost of pet insurance'.
The following quotes are based on a 1-year-old mixed breed medium-sized dog and mixed breed cat with no underlying health conditions and living in a South East postcode.
How much does Sainsbury's Bank dog and cat insurance cost?
(Scroll right for full table)
| Lifetime £10,000 | Lifetime £7,500 | Lifetime £5,000 | Lifetime £2,500 | Maximum Benefit £6,000 | Maximum Benefit £3,000 |
Time-limited £3,000
|
|
| Policy excess | £95 per condition per year | £95 per condition per year | £95 per condition per year | £95 per condition per year | £99 per condition | £99 per condition | £99 per condition |
| Maximum vet fee cover | £10,000 per year | £7,500 per year | £5,000 per year | £2,500 per year | £6,000 per condition | £3,000 per condition | £3,000 per condition |
| 1-year-old dog (monthly cost) | £46.59 | £36.93 | £30.08 | £20.46 | £30.41 | £21.40 | £19.60 |
| 1-year-old cat (monthly cost) | £41.15 | £35.14 | £30.70 | £17.72 | £29.59 | £19.46 | £19.36 |
(Quotes correct as of 12/05/26)
How much does Sainsbury's Bank rabbit insurance cost?
The following pet insurance quote is based on a 1-year-old non-pedigree rabbit with no underlying health conditions and living in a South East postcode. The cost of your rabbit insurance may vary depending on the age and breed of your rabbit, as well as where you live.
|
Lifetime £2,000
|
|
| Policy excess |
£50 per condition per year
|
| Maximum vet fee cover | £2,000 per year |
| 1-year-old rabbit (monthly cost) | £19.59 |
(Quotes correct as of 12/05/26)
How much is the excess on Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance?
Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance has a fixed policy excess amount of £95 for cats and dogs and £50 for rabbits. For any third-party liability claim, the excess you are required to pay is £100. The Sainsbury's Bank policy documents suggest you have the option to also choose a voluntary excess but this wasn't the case when we ran a quote.
Once your pet reaches a certain age you will be required to pay a compulsory 20% co-payment towards your claim. For cats this applies when they reach 10 years old, for dogs it is 8 years old and rabbits it is 5 years old. For some dog breeds and crossbreeds the co-payment is payable from when they are 5 years old. This means if you were to claim for £1,000 vet fees, you would be required to pay your £95 excess plus 20% of the remaining claim, so a further £181, meaning the total cost to you would be £276.00.
For rabbits, you will have to pay your fixed excess and a 15% co-payment once they reach 5 years old.
How to make a claim with Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance
If you want to make a claim on your Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance policy the easiest way is via the online 'Pet Portal'. Once you have logged in you can click on 'Make a claim' on the homepage where you will be directed to complete a claims form. You will be asked to provide details of your veterinary practice, your pet's condition and who needs to be reimbursed for treatment (either yourself or the vet). Once you have completed the claim form your vet will be contacted and asked to provide invoices and the medical history of your pet.
If you are not claiming for veterinary fees you can also download separate forms for other claims such as loss & theft, third-party liability and holiday cancellation. Alternatively, if you do not want to complete a claims form online you can contact Sainsbury's Bank on 0344 543 1032. You must submit your claim within 12 months of treatment taking place. According to data based on Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance claims from February 2024 to March 2025, 98% of claims were paid in 5 working days.
Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance customer reviews
Sainsbury's Bank has a Trustpilot rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from over 17,000 reviews, however, it is worth bearing in mind that this includes reviews for Sainsbury's Bank as a whole and not just its pet insurance policies. The most recent reviews of the pet insurance are largely positive, those who rated it as 'Excellent' cited that they were happy with the customer service, easy claims process and claims being paid. Those that rated it as 'Bad' identified problems with claims paying out, pre-existing conditions and an increase in renewal prices.
Alternatives to Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance
In this section of the review, I compare Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance to alternative pet insurance providers Petgevity* and Scratch & Patch.
You may also wish to compare pet insurance providers via a comparison site such as MoneySuperMarket*. Comparison sites allow you to easily compare the cost of pet insurance providers to find the best policy for your pet. 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 with your pet elsewhere. You can also compare pet insurance in our article, 'The best pet insurance providers in the UK'.
Petgevity
Petgevity* is a particularly good choice if you're looking for a policy which covers pre-existing conditions. Unlike Sainsbury's pet insurance they only offer lifetime insurance policies with cover ranging from £2,000 to £15,000 per year. You have a choice of excess options including no excess and voluntary co-payments to help you tailor your premium to your budget. There is no upper age limit and no compulsory co-payment as your pet ages, so if you are looking to insure an older pet this may be a better option. You can find out more about Petgevity in our independent review.
Scratch & Patch
Scratch & Patch is a provider that offers a wide range of pet insurance policies. Like Sainbury's and Petgevity they don't impose an upper age limit when taking out a new insurance policy. However when your pet ages, the amount of excess you will be required to pay towards a claim increases. This is a fixed excess and comes into effect when your dog turns 8 and your cat 10. There is no compulsory co-payment but you can choose to have a 20% co-payment to help reduce your premium. Scratch & Patch offer an attractive 20% multi-pet discount, so may be worth considering if you are looking to insure more than one pet, but like Sainbury's they do not offer cover for pre-existing conditions. Find out more in our Scratch & Patch insurance review.
Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance vs Petgevity vs Scratch & Patch
| Sainsbury's Bank | Petgevity* | Scratch & Patch | |
|
Policy types available
|
Time-limited, maximum benefit & lifetime (annual limit) | Lifetime (annual limit) | Accident only, time-limited, maximum benefit & lifetime (annual limit) |
| Option to pay no excess | No | Yes | No |
| Covers pre-existing conditions | No | Yes | No |
| Upper age limit for taking out new policy | No | No | No |
| Compulsory co-payment | 20% when your dog reaches 8 years old (some breeds 5 years old) and your cat reaches 10 years old | No | No |
| Multi-pet discount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot score | 4.2/5 | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 |
|
More information
|
Petgevity pet insurance review | Scratch & Patch pet insurance review |
Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance pros and cons
Sainsbury's Bank pros
- Nectar card discounts and incentives
- Minimum £24 multi-pet discount
- Continuous cover when switching from another pet insurance provider
Sainsbury's Bank cons
- Compulsory 20% co-payment when your dog reaches the age of 8 and your cat reaches the age of 10. For some dog breeds, the co-payment is applied from the age of 5
- Fixed excess
- Relatively small amount of customer reviews
Summary
Overall, Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance offers a good range of pet insurance policies with a relatively low fixed excess, however you can get higher veterinary fee cover if you shop around. There is no cover for pre-existing conditions and there is a compulsory co-payment when you claim as your pet ages. Sainsbury's pet insurance has a generous multi-pet discount if you are looking to insure more than one pet and attractive welcome offers for new customers as well as discounts for Nectar cardholders. A 99% pay out rate within 5 days of claims being made is very impressive but there are limited reviews on Trustpilot for the Sainsbury's Bank pet insurance product.
If you want to take a look at other pet insurance options make sure to check out the best pet insurance policies in the UK in 2026.
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 - MoneySuperMarket, Petgevity
