How To Claim On Pet Insurance (2024)

It can be stressful if your pet has an accident or illness that means they need treatment at the vet. But at least with pet insurance in place you can rest assured it won’t break the bank as well.

But how do you go about making a claim on your pet insurance policy? Our guide walks you through the process so you know what to expect.

How to make a pet insurance claim

If your pet is unwell or injured and you’re planning a trip to the vet, or if your pet has already had treatment, contact your pet insurance provider as soon as possible to explain the situation and start the claims process.

Your insurer’s contact details and claims phone line should be in your policy documents, or you can search for them online.

The insurer will ask a number of questions to get the information it needs for your claim. To prepare for this:

• have your policy documents to hand, including your policy number
• give as much detail as possible about your pet’s condition and treatment and the costs involved, and
  keep all invoices and receipts for the cost of treatment. If the treatment hasn’t happened yet, the vet should be able to give an accurate estimate of the total costs involved
• complete the relevant claims form provided by your insurer and send in supporting evidence and documents in the required format. You may be asked to scan these if possible and send them by email.

What documents will I need to provide with my claim?

In addition to the claims form, which is likely to have a section that needs to be completed by the vet, there will usually be supporting evidence that you’ll need to send to your insurer.

For the following types of claim, here are the documents you’re likely to need to supply:

• Vet fees

An invoice from your vet and any receipts to show payment for the vet bill. Your vet may also need to provide details of your pet’s medical history including their vaccination status.

• Death of your pet from illness or injury

A death certificate from your vet, a receipt for the price you paid for your pet if you still have it, and a pedigree certificate if you have one.

• Theft of your pet or straying

Your pet needs to have been reported missing to local rescue centres and vets before you can make a claim. You’ll also need to provide receipts for any advertising you’ve paid for to help find your pet, a receipt for the price you paid for your pet and a pedigree certificate if you have one.

• Third party accidental damage

If your pet has injured or caused damage to another person they can claim against your policy. In this instance you’ll need to notify your insurer as soon as possible and send any documents you receive from the third party to your insurer.

Can my insurer pay the vet directly?

Yes, usually, although this may depend on the vet and their policies for payment.

For large vet bills, you may prefer not to have to stump up for the full cost and then wait for the insurer to reimburse you, if possible.

Stuart Floyd at Admiral Pet Insurance says: “Insurance providers can pay vets directly, but this is at the vet’s discretion so customers may still have to settle the bill and then submit a claim for their costs to their insurer.”

How soon can I make a claim on my pet insurance?

The sooner you can inform your insurer about your claim, the better. Some insurers have a 30-day time limit on making a claim so always check your insurer’s policy so you are aware of the rules and deadlines.

Is there a time limit on pet insurance claims?

As mentioned above, some insurers impose a strict time limit on claims, this could be just 30 days. Don’t leave your claim too long as you could leave yourself out of pocket if the insurer says you’re out of time.

Will my pet insurance cover the entire bill?

Pet insurance is a valuable safety net to help towards the costs of vet bills. But it is rare that it will cover the whole cost in full each time. This is because you will usually have an excess to pay on your claim. The excess is the first part of any insurance claim which is deducted by the insurer.

The excess is often made up of a compulsory excess (which is always deducted from a claims payout) plus a voluntary excess, an amount the policyholder can agree to pay in addition, usually as a way of reducing the premium they pay.

A typical compulsory excess on pet insurance is likely to range from £50 to £250, for example, with a similar level for the voluntary element.

You should be comfortable with the level of excess on your cover before you sign up, as a high excess can leave you with a large bill to pay in the event of a claim.

You might also see policies offered with a requirement for a co-payment, usually expressed as a percentage of what’s left of the claim once the excesses have been deducted.

For example, if there is a 20% co-payment requirement on your policy alongside a total excess of £100 and you make a successful claim for £1,000, you will actually receive £720.

That’s £1,000 minus the £100 excess leaving £900, then £900 minus 20% (£180) leaving £720.

The idea of the co-payment is to reduce the premiums but, once again, you need to be comfortable with the amount you will have to contribute to any claim you make.

Your pet insurance may also have a maximum claim limit, either per year or per condition. That means the policy will only pay up to a certain amount – say, £2,000 – even if your pet requires more treatment beyond this figure.

For more on the different types of pet cover and how annual or per condition claims limits work, read our guide to our pick of the best pet insurers.