UK pet insurance
Petplan pet insurance review: what it covers
Thinking about Petplan pet insurance? Here’s what Petplan’s policy really covers, explained in plain English and taken straight from Petplan’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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Petplan at a glance
- Most it pays for vet fees
- Shown on the Certificate of Insurance, not in the booklet
- Excess you pay on each claim
- Fixed excess for Vet Bills and Pet Therapies, amount on the Certificate of Insurance; can change at renewal
- Wait before illness is covered
- 14 days
- What changes as your dog gets older
- A 20% excess is added at the renewal after the 10th birthday, or the 7th birthday for "select breeds" (named on the Certificate)
Common questions about Petplan pet insurance
How long is the Petplan waiting period?
14 days. Symptoms of an illness in the first 14 days of the first policy year are never covered, nor any illness with the same symptoms or diagnosis anywhere in the body, even years later
Does Petplan cover pre-existing conditions?
Petplan decides when you join: a permanent exclusion for lifelong conditions such as arthritis, or a temporary one it can lift once your dog has been free of symptoms for a set time.
Does Petplan cover behavioural training or a behaviourist?
Covered for a behavioural illness, treated by a vet or a qualified behaviourist. Not if training or neutering could have prevented it.
Does Petplan pet insurance cover dental?
Injury and illness covered if a vet checked the teeth in the 12 months before symptoms and recommended treatment was done within 6 months.
Does Petplan cover cruciate ligament surgery?
The standard 14-day illness rule, but signs in one leg in those 14 days rule out the other leg too.
How does Petplan treat a condition on both sides, like both knees?
Yes, through the 14-day rule: the booklet's example is hip dysplasia found in the right hind leg in the first 14 days, after which hip dysplasia in the left hind is not covered either
Does Petplan cost more to claim on as my dog gets older?
A 20% excess is added at the renewal after the 10th birthday, or the 7th birthday for "select breeds" (named on the Certificate)
Is there an age limit to join Petplan?
No published cut-off. Petplan's online quote stops for dogs aged 16 or over and asks you to phone
How old does my puppy need to be for Petplan?
6 weeks (8 weeks if sold by a licensed breeder)
Does Petplan pet insurance include third party liability?
Included unless removed from your dog's cover at the start. Not while a paid sitter, walker or groomer is caring for your dog.
Does Petplan offer a multi-pet discount?
£12 off per pet every year, if you insure more than one pet.
Working on reactivity or another behaviour problem? Read how to choose a reactive dog trainer, or find a trainer near you.
How does Petplan compare with other UK insurers?
The same five points for every UK insurer we compare, so you can see how Petplan 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 Petplan’s policy
Each point shows where we found it in Petplan’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 ("Covered For Life"): a yearly vet-fee limit that refreshes at each renewal, so the same condition can be claimed year after yearWhere: Cover page; "Our Covered For Life promise and your maximum benefit"
- Most it pays for vet feesThe most the policy pays for vet treatment, per year or per condition depending on the policy.
- Shown on the Certificate of Insurance, not in the booklet. (Search results quote £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 a year; not confirmed from a Petplan document)Where:
- Excess you pay on each claimThe fixed amount you pay towards each claim; the insurer pays the rest, up to your limit.
- Fixed excess for Vet Bills and Pet Therapies, amount on the Certificate of Insurance; can change at renewalWhere: "What you pay - your excess"
- What changes as your dog gets olderA co-payment is a percentage of every claim you pay yourself, on top of your excess. Many policies add one when your dog reaches a certain age.
- A 20% excess is added at the renewal after the 10th birthday, or the 7th birthday for "select breeds" (named on the Certificate)Where: "How your excess can change"
- Wait before illness is coveredThe time after you buy a policy before you can claim for an illness.
- 14 days. Symptoms of an illness in the first 14 days of the first policy year are never covered, nor any illness with the same symptoms or diagnosis anywhere in the body, even years laterWhere: General conditions 7
- Wait before injuries are covered
- Not in the documents we read.Where: No injury waiting period found in the booklet
- Problems on both sides of the body, like both kneesIf your dog has problems on both sides (both knees, both hips), many policies treat them as one condition.
- Yes, through the 14-day rule: the booklet's example is hip dysplasia found in the right hind leg in the first 14 days, after which hip dysplasia in the left hind is not covered eitherWhere: "What we won't pay under Vet Bills and Pet Therapies" 5
- Cover for pre-existing conditionsAnything your dog had, or showed signs of, before the policy started.
- Any injury or illness that happened or showed symptoms before cover started. Three possible outcomes: a permanent exclusion (lifelong conditions such as arthritis), a temporary exclusion that can be removed once the pet has been symptom-free for a set time, or no exclusion if the condition is resolvedWhere: "Pre-existing Conditions and Exclusions"
- Cover for behavioural treatment
- 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). Not covered if it could have been prevented by training or neutering. Pheromone products for up to 6 months within a behaviourist's programmeWhere: Vet Bills 16–17; "Who's covered to carry out your pet's treatment"
- Dental cover
- 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 monthsWhere: General conditions 2; Vet Bills 6
- Complementary therapies, like hydrotherapy
- Separate Pet Therapies limit (the example uses £2,000 a year), within which hydrotherapy is capped at £500 per condition. Covers acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, physiotherapy, herbal medicine, homeopathyWhere: Pet Therapies; "How your hydrotherapy limit works"
- If your dog dies from an illness
- Optional on some plans; removed at the renewal after a dog's 8th birthday (5th for select breeds)Where: Death from Illness 2
- Oldest age your dog can join
- No published cut-off. Petplan's online quote stops for dogs aged 16 or over and asks you to phoneWhere: Petplan online quote form, tried by the owner on 2026-10-05 (not a policy document)
- Third party liability (if your dog injures someone)Pays compensation and legal costs if your dog injures someone or damages their property.
- Covered for dogs in the UK unless removed from your dog's cover at the start; excess on your certificate. Not while a paid business or professional is caring for your dog. If several insured dogs cause one incident, one maximum applies (the booklet's example: £2 million)Where: Legal Liability; Conditions for Legal Liability 8
- Youngest age your dog can join
- 6 weeks (8 weeks if sold by a licensed breeder)Where: General exclusions 1a
- Discount for insuring more than one pet
- £12 discount per pet every year, if you insure more than one petWhere: Multi-pet insurance page (Petplan’s website, read 5 October 2026)
Source: Covered For Life Plan, Pet Insurance Policy Booklet, Effective from 17 June 2024. Read on 3 October 2026. Underwriter: Allianz Insurance plc (Petplan is a trading name). Policies change, so always read the current policy wording before you buy or claim. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.