Our policies

Puppies and kittens must be at least 4 weeks old.

We do not require a vetting certificate to take out the policy.

What is a pre-existing condition?

• View dog insurance
• View cat insurance
• View horse insurance

You can get a quote online by completing some questions about you and your pet or horse.

Get a quote now.

Dental treatment is included on our Horse Time Limited £3,000, £5,000 and £7,000 policies.

We’ll only cover dental illness or accident claims on these policies if your horse had a dental exam within a year of the injury or illness and you followed the vet’s advice. There is a set amount that can be claimed for dental treatment and this counts towards the overall vet fee cover amount.

If you currently have one of your Standard or Mature horse policies – dental treatment required due to an accident or illness is excluded from cover. 

Please ensure your read the policy terms and conditions in full to understand what is and what is not covered.

We don’t offer discounted multi-pet or horse cover because we do everything we can to make sure you get the best price. By not offering deals or discounts we can keep our prices lower for everyone, no matter how big or small your animal family is.

We have four different policy types for dogs and cats.

Our Accident Only policies provide cover for injuries sustained in an accidents.

Our Time Limited, Max Benefit and Lifetime policies cover injuries, illnesses and conditions, as well as having other benefits available such as cover for if your pet goes missing or is stolen (if you paid for them) or if your pet injures someone or damages their property.

These policies also have different levels of cover.

For dogs find out more about our Accident Only, Time Limited, Max Benefit and Lifetime policies.

For cats find out more about our Accident Only, Time Limited, Max Benefit and Lifetime policies.

We use a number of things to work out your price each year. These include the age of the pet or horse, where you live, and the cost of vet fees. When we look at all these things together, it does mean that your price might go up, even if you haven't made a claim. 

As your pet or horse gets older, it is more likely that they may get ill and the cost of treating them will increase. This means that the price for many policies is likely to increase, whether you have claimed or not. 

Our renewal prices are based on the information we have about your pet or horse, as well as the information we have about pets or horses of a similar age and breed. We use data from claims we receive to estimate how likely it is that you will need to claim, so if we see that there is a rise in claims for a particular condition for your pet’s or horse’s breed, then your premium is likely to increase. 

There are ongoing improvements in the treatments that vets provide which means the fees they charge also increase. The average fees vets charge in your area means that where you live can also affect your renewal price, so if you move house, it could mean that your price is increased or decreased. 

You should consider carefully if this cover is right for you today and in the future based on this information and your ability to afford ongoing insurance for your pet or horse. 

We can continue to cover horses up to the age of 40 years. You can take out cover at any age. Cover is provided for accidents and illness, but there is no cover for pre-existing conditions.

You can insure a horse aged between 12 months and 40 years of age.

We know that new puppies and kittens are always exciting and therefore you may decide that you want to breed from your pet. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide cover for costs related to breeding or provide cover for pets that are used for this purpose, regardless if you are a registered breeder or not.

We also understand that accidents happen and therefore kindly ask that you contact us at your earliest convenience as this may affect your policy.

General insurance products are taxed by the government. The tax is known as Insurance Premium Tax and pet insurance is taxed at the standard rate of 12% as of June 2017.

You don’t have to pay VAT on insurance.

No, our horse insurance does not cover injury to Riders.

The amount and type of any dental cover depends on the policy you have chosen. We’ll cover up to the amount shown in ‘Your Schedule’ and any claims for dental treatment count toward your overall vet fee limit. 

Please select one of the following which apply to you:

A full detailed list of all activities that are covered is available in Appendix A of the Horse Time Limited Policy Booklet. 

Unfortunately, there are some breeds that we do not cover. These include all breeds banned by the Government and any dog or cat crossed with these breeds. There are also certain other breeds we do not cover including dogs and cats crossed with these breeds. Further details can be found below.

Banned and excluded breeds

If we receive information from you or your vet, that your pet is either a banned or excluded breed it will affect your policy as set out below. If you are unsure if your pet is a banned or excluded breed, we’ll ask you to provide us with a DNA test result for your pet. You are responsible for any costs for the DNA test. We won’t review your claim, or any future claims, until we receive the results of the DNA test. 

If you refuse to provide us with a DNA test result after we’ve asked you to provide one, we’ll void your policy straight away. 

Banned breeds

We don’t cover any dog breeds or types – including dogs crossed or mixed with these – that have been banned by the government under the Dangerous Dogs Act. These currently are:

• Pit Bull Terrier
• Japanese Tosa / Tosa Inus
• Dogo Argentino (also referred to as Argentine Dogo and Argentinian Mastiff)
• Fila Brasileiro
• XL Bully

If information we receive from you or your vet confirms your pet is a banned breed or is mixed with a banned breed, we’ll void your policy. We’ll void the policy back to your most recent renewal date. We’ll do this no matter what percentage of banned breed your pet’s DNA test results show. This is true even if you didn’t know your pet was crossed or mixed with a banned breed.

If you haven’t made any claims in your current policy year, when we void your policy we’ll refund any premiums paid for this policy year.

If we’ve paid a claim in your current policy year, when we void your policy we’ll refund any premiums paid, minus the amount we’ve paid for any claims. If the amount we’ve paid for any claims is more than the amount you’ve paid in premiums for this policy year, you won’t be due any refund.

Excluded Breeds

As well as the breeds listed within the Dangerous Dogs Act, there are also some other breeds that we don’t cover. This includes pets crossed or mixed with those breeds. 

The following lists include the other cat and dog breeds that we do not insure:

If your pet’s DNA test results show that your pet is 50% or less of an excluded breed, we’ll continue covering your pet.

If your pet’s DNA test results show they have more than 50% of an excluded breed, we’ll void your policy back to your most recent renewal date.

If you haven’t made any claims in your current policy year, when we void your policy, we’ll refund any premiums paid for this policy year. If we have paid a claim in your current policy year, when we void your policy, we’ll refund any premiums paid, minus the amount we’ve paid for any claims. If the amount we’ve paid for any claims is more than the amount you’ve paid in premiums for this policy year, you won’t be due any refund.

• Vet Fees
• If your horse dies
• If your horse injures someone or damages their property

The policy type and excess you select will affect the price you are given. As an existing Animal Friends customer, we may have more accurate and up-to-date information on you, your pet, or your horse, so it is possible that what you’ve seen is not an identical policy. Please make sure that when making any comparisons you take these details into consideration. 

Pre-existing conditions aren't covered by this policy. We consider a condition to be pre-existing if it was first noticed before your policy start date or within the waiting period, whether they needed treatment previously or not. These conditions will be excluded from cover.

We'll also exclude any conditions or accidents that are claimed for on our Time Limited policies and Max Benefit policies once the benefit limit has been reached. 

Yes - Just like people, as your pet ages the chances of them needing medical treatment increases, meaning you’re more likely to claim on your policy. This means that your premiums may increase as your pet ages. To help us keep premiums as low as possible, when your dog turns 8 years of age, or your cat turns 10 years of age, a co-payment will apply to your policy from your next renewal date.

The co-payment is 20% and is paid by you each time you make a claim in addition to your excess. Full details can be found in Your Schedule and in your online account.

Additionally, for older pets, you may still be able to claim under Section B: If my pet dies or is put to sleep, if they pass away due to an accident.