UK pet insurance
PDSA dog insurance: what it covers
Thinking about PDSA dog insurance? Here’s what PDSA’s policy really covers, explained in plain English and taken straight from PDSA’s own documents. We’ve focused on the parts that decide whether a claim gets paid, such as waiting periods, pre-existing conditions and how much you pay yourself. Nothing here is a recommendation.
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PDSA at a glance
- Most it pays for vet fees
- Not found yet
- Excess you pay on each claim
- A vet fees excess, amount on your certificate
- Wait before illness is covered
- 14 days
Common questions about PDSA dog insurance
How long is the PDSA waiting period?
14 days. Waived if you switch from another insurer after at least 14 days of continuous cover
Does PDSA cover pre-existing conditions?
Not covered: anything you knew about, or a vet noted, before cover started.
Does PDSA pet insurance cover dental?
Dental illness covered only if your dog has a history of yearly check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months.
How old does my puppy need to be for PDSA?
8 weeks
Does PDSA pet insurance include third party liability?
Included for dogs, with legal costs; you pay the first £250 of a property damage claim. Not at your workplace.
How does PDSA compare with other UK insurers?
The same five points for every UK insurer we compare, so you can see how PDSA stacks up. Click any insurer to read its full page.
| Insurer | Most it pays for vet fees | What changes as your dog gets older | Wait before illness is covered | Behavioural treatment | Dental cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petplan | Shown on the Certificate of Insurance, not in the booklet | A 20% excess is added at the renewal after the 10th birthday, or the 7th birthday for "select breeds" (named on the Certificate) | 14 days | Covered under Vet Bills for a "behavioural illness" (caused by a mental or emotional disorder), by a vet or a behaviourist with named qualifications (CCAB, APBC, CFBA, ABTC) | Dental injury and illness covered if teeth were checked by a vet in the 12 months before symptoms, and recommended treatment was done within 6 months |
| Admiral | Lifetime: £2,000, £3,000, £4,000, £5,000 or £10,000 a year (Platinum) | No percentage co-payment found. From the renewal after the pet turns 6, the higher £199 excess always applies | 14 days | Only on Lifetime Platinum (£10,000): up to £2,000, and only for behaviour changes caused by a previous injury or illness | Accidental dental damage on all levels, within the vet fee limit |
| Animal Friends | £1,000, £2,000, £3,000, £4,000 or £5,000 a year (separate booklet for £10,000 and £18,000) | A co-payment (a set percentage of each vet fee claim, on top of the excess) is added from the first renewal after a dog turns 8 (cats 10) and can't be removed. The percentage is on Your Schedule, not in the booklet. Younger pets can choose a voluntary co-payment | 14 days | Not covered on Lifetime £1,000 to £5,000 (training, treatment or therapy for behavioural issues) | None on £1,000; dental accidents up to £750 on £2,000 and £3,000; dental illness and accidents up to £1,000 on £4,000 and £5,000, if the pet had a dental exam in the year before and recommended treatment was done within 7 months |
| Direct Line | Essential £4,000 per condition (12 months); Advanced £8,000 per condition, including dental illness up to £1,000 | Not found yet | 14 days | Not covered on Essential or Advanced (treatment, training or therapy for behaviour problems) | Dental illness not covered on Essential; up to £1,000 on Advanced (within the vet fee limit), if your dog has a dental check every year and recommended treatment is done within three months |
| Waggel | Annual limit shown in each customer's policy; within it, up to £1,000 each for dental, complementary and behavioural treatment | Optional co-payment chosen by the owner, which can be dropped in the first 7 days or before renewal. No age-based co-payment found | 14 days | Up to £1,000 if diagnosed by a vet and treated by a qualified practitioner; not if caused by not neutering or training | Up to £1,000, if not pre-existing and the pet had a dental exam in the last 12 months |
| More Than | £1,000, £2,000, £4,000 or £6,000 per condition (Premier Lifetime) | Pets under 9: choice of 0%, 10% or 20% co-insurance. Pets over 9: 20% | 14 days | Behavioural problems are excluded except on Premier, up to the limit on your schedule (up to £1,000 on the top level); covered for behaviour changes caused by a medical, mental or emotional condition | Teeth and gums damaged in an accident on every level; dental illness on Premier, up to £1,000 or £2,000 within the vet fee limit |
| ManyPets | Not found yet | Co-payment is shown on the Membership Certificate; the handbook doesn't tie it to an age | Not found yet | Behaviour treatment covered for a change in behaviour; not if general training or neutering could have prevented it | Dental illness and accident cover, limits by plan (for example £1,000 on Standard Care) |
| Agria | £3,000 (Lifetime Lite), £6,500 (Lifetime), £12,500 (Lifetime Plus) or £20,000 (Lifetime Premium) | Not found yet | 10 days, when you first buy the policy (not at renewal) | Up to £750 for behavioural disorders | Dental and gum illness only if your dog had a dental check in the 15 months before it was noted, and any treatment the vet recommended was done within 12 months |
| Sainsbury's | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| John Lewis | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months, and the treatment is to relieve suffering due to illness |
| Tesco | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| PDSA | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| Marks and Spencer | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months, and the treatment is to relieve suffering due to illness |
| RSPCA | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| Argos | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| Post Office | Not found yet | Not found yet | 14 days | Not found yet | Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months |
| Churchill | £3,000 per condition (12 months), including up to £1,000 for complementary treatment, £75 a visit towards consultation fees, £200 for out-of-hours visits and £40 a session for hydrotherapy and physiotherapy | From age 7 you pay 20% of every claim, after the excess | 10 days | Not covered: treatment for behavioural problems, training or therapy, and medication or pheromones to manage behaviour | Tooth or gum disease isn't covered, nor scale and polish, root canals or crowns |
| LV= | £1,000 to £12,000 a year (Lifetime plans) | A 20% excess is added at the renewal after your dog's 8th birthday, on top of the fixed excess, except on the £1,000 plan | 14 days | Covered for a change in normal behaviour caused by a mental or emotional disorder, treated by a vet or a behaviourist your vet refers you to (CCAB, APBC, CFBA or ABTC members); not if training or neutering could have prevented it | Dental injury and illness covered if a vet or vet nurse checked your dog's teeth in the 12 months before symptoms, and recommended treatment was done within 6 months |
Everything we checked in PDSA’s policy
Each point shows where we found it in PDSA’s own document, so you can check it yourself. Where an insurance term needs explaining, we’ve added a short note.
- Type of policy
- Lifetime: a maximum amount of vet fees each year, reset every year. Cover levels on your certificateWhere: What is this type of insurance?
- Most it pays for vet feesThe most the policy pays for vet treatment, per year or per condition depending on the policy.
- Not in the documents we read.Where: Not stated in the IPID (shown on your certificate)
- Excess you pay on each claimThe fixed amount you pay towards each claim; the insurer pays the rest, up to your limit.
- A vet fees excess, amount on your certificateWhere: What are my obligations?
- Wait before illness is coveredThe time after you buy a policy before you can claim for an illness.
- 14 days. Waived if you switch from another insurer after at least 14 days of continuous coverWhere: What is not insured? Veterinary Fees
- Wait before injuries are covered
- 3 days for accidental injury or poisoning, waived on the same termsWhere: What is not insured? Veterinary Fees
- Cover for pre-existing conditionsAnything your dog had, or showed signs of, before the policy started.
- Not covered: any condition or symptom, or anything related to it, that you knew about or a vet noted before cover startedWhere: What is not insured? Veterinary Fees
- Dental cover
- Dental illness not covered unless your dog has a history of annual check-ups and any advice was followed within 6 months. No cover for baby teeth if your dog is over 16 weeks old at the startWhere: What is not insured? Veterinary Fees
- Third party liability (if your dog injures someone)Pays compensation and legal costs if your dog injures someone or damages their property.
- Included for dogs, with legal costs. You pay the first £250 of any claim for damaged property. Not for claims at your or your family's workplace, or on licensed premises where your dog lives or is keptWhere: What is insured?; What is not insured? Third Party Liability
- If your dog dies from an illness
- Pays the price you paid for your dog, but not for death from illness at 8 or older (5 or older for some dogs, shown on your certificate)Where: What is insured?; What is not insured? Death from Accident or Illness
- Youngest age your dog can join
- 8 weeksWhere: Are there any restrictions on cover?
- Oldest age your dog can join
- Not in the documents we read.Where: Not stated in the IPID
Source: PDSA Pet Insurance, Insurance Product Information Document (Lifetime Cover), IP3385Bv7. Read on 5 October 2026. Policies change, so always read the current policy wording before you buy or claim. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.