Dog and Cat Insurance
Help protect your beloved dog or cat.
We’ve got years of experience looking after pets and treat claims fairly, with minimum fuss and hassle.
Talk to us about quality cover for your pet, and peace of mind for you.
This cover is only available if you already have a home contents insurance policy with us or are taking a new one out.
Insurance overview
Pets aren’t just animals, they’re an important part of the family. So if something should happen to your cat or dog, the last thing you’d want to be worrying about is vet’s bills.
Quality you can rely on when it matters most
If you're one of our existing home contents insurance policyholders, our Dog and Cat Insurance allows you to include cover for vet’s fees after an accident, illness or disease, as well as protect you against their loss.
Our standard policy provides reassurance for new illnesses, injuries or losses that occur during the policy year. Each unrelated condition can be claimed for once, up to the vet’s fees standard cover limit of £2k, and if you’re eligible, vet’s fees cover can be increased to £3k or £4k for an additional premium. What’s more, unlike many other pet policies, NFU Mutual's cover limits apply for each covered incident, illness or condition for 12 months, with no limit on the total number of claims during that period, subject to policy terms. And if you need to make a claim, we’re clear upfront on your contribution, providing you with clarity and reassurance about how your claim will be settled.
If eligible for our cover extension, Permanent Health, fees for accidents and illnesses for the lifetime of your pet are covered. For pets that develop ongoing or chronic conditions, where treatment and costs can continue for many years, this cover allows the same condition to remain covered year after year at renewal, up to your chosen vet’s fees limit, providing you with peace of mind that you’ll be covered if your pet develops ongoing or chronic conditions.
Our Permanent Health Cover extension is rated 5 Star by Defaqto, demonstrating the quality of this cover.
You choose what's covered:
- Vet’s fees for each incident following an accident, illness or disease. Our standard limit is £2,000, with options to increase to £3,000 or £4,000. Cover also includes: Alternative treatment such as physiotherapy and acupuncture, Emergency transport costs up to £100 and up to 60 days cover per year in any country which is part of the UK Government’s Pet Travel Scheme.
- Loss of animal due to death by accident, illness, disease, theft or straying up to the amount you have chosen. For working dogs cover will be restricted to the amount you have chosen or the market value, whichever is less. Cover also includes: Rescue costs up to £750, advertising and reward costs up to £750 and holiday cancellation fees up to £1,000 if your pet needs emergency life-saving surgery.
- Loss of use for working dogs if they become permanently unable to carry out their working duties. Cover is based on the insured amount you have chosen, or market value of the dog, whichever is less.
- Permanent Health Cover extension where cover limits reset and allow you to claim for the same condition each year, providing you continue to renew with us.
- Legal liability - in addition to your chosen cover option(s) we provide legal liability cover as a dog owner for injuries to other or damage to their property. The limit will be in line with the legal liability cover you have on your home insurance policy with us.
What isn't covered:
- Any excess, which is the amount you’ll need to pay towards a claim. Your policy documents will outline where these apply.
- Any existing health conditions which you are aware of, that are awaiting diagnosis, have been diagnosed or treated before: Your cover starts; or your policy is due for renewal, unless the Permanent Health Cover extension is in force.
- Any new illness, disease, or condition which first appears during the first 14 days of this cover, unless you can prove you have held previous continuous equivalent insurance up to the start of this cover.
- The value of your working dog above the amount you’ve insured it for.
- Dogs listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
- Legal liability relating to any dog used for a business or profession, unless they are guide dogs (and other assistance dogs for those with disabilities) or working dogs.
The features and exclusions listed are not exhaustive. Your cover will depend on your circumstances.
Things you should know
Standard Cover
- Cover availability and the premium you will pay for your pet can vary depending on the age of the animal at policy commencement and renewal.
- If any treatment is still in progress and you reach your renewal date, costs will continue to be paid for 12 months from the date of the accident or when the illness or disease first appeared. Any new instances of the health condition will be excluded from your renewal date.
- After your dog or cat's 10th birthday, cover may be reduced depending on the health of your animal. This means they'll only be protected after an accident, not against illness or disease.
- All cover will stop after their 15th birthday unless you have taken out Permanent Health Cover extension, which provides full cover throughout the time your dog or cat is insured with us.
Permanent Health Cover extension
- Permanent Health Cover extension is only available on policies with both loss of animal and vet’s fees cover.
- To be eligible for the Permanent Health Cover extension your animal must fulfil a number of acceptance criteria, one of which is being less than seven years old at the start of your policy.
- The Permanent Health Cover extension is not available for working dogs.
