Pet insurance terms explained

Accident Only policy

An Accident Only policy covers your pet if they have an accident. It doesn’t cover your pet for any illnesses or diseases they might have. If your pet has an accident, you can claim up to £2,500 per policy year towards the cost of treating all injuries resulting from that accident.

The £2,500 annual limit applies to each accident your pet might have, and there’s no limit to the number of accidents you can claim for. So even if your pet is particularly accident prone, your policy should still protect them. Each accident also has a lifetime limit of £15,000 – as long as you renew your policy each year.

So, you can keep making claims over multiple years of continuous cover if your pet needs long-term treatment for their injuries – as long as you don’t go over the £2,500 annual limit.

Find out more about our Accident Only policies for Dogs and Accident Only policies for Cats. 

Accidental Damage

Sometimes accidents involving your pet can happen that result in property getting damaged. If you have a Prestige policy we’ll cover you if your pet causes damage while you’re visiting someone else’s home.

Advertising & Reward

This benefit will provide cover towards advertising costs if your pet is lost or stolen, and provides a reward for the return of your pet.

AFI

Short for Animal Friends Insurance.

Annual condition limit

An annual condition limit is the amount you can claim for vet fees for each condition your pet suffers from each year.

Annual policy limit

An annual policy limit is the amount you can claim for vet fees each year.

Authorisation

This is to have permission for something to happen or the action of giving someone official permission for something. For example, you may give permission to a family member to discuss your policy on your behalf.

Behavioural condition

A Behavioural condition means there is a change in your pet’s normal behaviour and there are signs that they are experiencing a negative emotional state.

Behavioural therapies

Behavioural therapies are included on our Prestige, Lifetime £10,000 and Lifetime £18,000 policies. For further information, see https://www.animalfriends.co.uk/behavioural-therapies/ 

Bilateral condition

Boarding Kennel/Cattery Fees

There may be times when you unexpectedly won’t be able to look after your pet because you need to stay in hospital for emergency care. If this happens, we’ll pay towards putting your pet in a cattery or kennel, or for the cost of a licensed pet minder. For dogs, we’ll also help towards the cost of using a professional dog walker. See your Policy Booklet for more information. 

Breeding

You may decide that you want to use your pet for breeding purposes. 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. If you are considering breeding your pet or your pet becomes pregnant, please contact us at your earliest convenience as this may affect your policy.

Chronic condition

A condition which lasts for a long time or keeps coming back.

Claim

A claim is when you ask us to pay you or the vet directly for vet fees or other costs covered by your policy.

See our FAQs for more info on claims: https://www.animalfriends.co.uk/contact/frequently-asked-questions/claims/

Claim form

The forms that the policyholder completes when they need to make a claim.

Clinical signs

Changes in a pet’s normal and healthy behaviour or bodily function.

Co-payment

Condition

When we say ‘condition’, we mean any injury or illness with a single cause or diagnosis. For example, if your pet has an accident, we’ll class any injuries they suffer as one condition – even if they’re in different parts of the body. Likewise, if your pet has symptoms of a condition that later appears in a different side of the body, we’ll class it as one condition.

Condition limit

If you need to make a claim for vet fees, a condition limit is the amount that you can claim up to towards vet fees in each policy year.

Congenital condition

An illness that exists since birth but doesn’t necessarily show symptoms right away. Congenital conditions are covered by our policies as long as the pet hasn’t shown any symptoms or been diagnosed prior to the start of your policy with this condition, or within the policy waiting period.

Continuation claim

This is where a policyholder may claim for further vet fees or repeat medication for illnesses, injuries or conditions requiring follow-up treatment, such as repeat Insulin for a diabetic patient.

Cover

Protection that is given by an insurance company when it agrees to pay money if a particular thing happens, for example a pet is injured.

Cover start date

This is the start date of your insurance policy. You are able to select a date up to 30 days in advance for your policy to start. You will not be covered for any accident within the first 2 days, or illnesses within the first 14 days of your policy start date (if your policy covers illness as well as accidents).

Cremation or burial

If you have a Lifetime £10,000 or Lifetime £18,000 policy we’ll pay up to £200 for the cost of cremation or burial if your pet dies or is put to sleep by a vet, as a result of illness or accident. We won’t cover the costs of coffins, caskets, urns, keepsakes or any other items designed to contain or scatter ashes.

Death of Pet benefit

Deductions

Every year we use our claims information to review the prices charged by vets for some of the items most commonly claimed for. We use this information to set a maximum amount we’ll pay for these items. You can see the maximum amounts we’ll pay in the ‘Important information on vet fee claims limits’ document in your welcome or renewal pack.

Dental or gum treatment

Direct claim

A direct claim is when a payment is sent to your vet practice on the acceptance of the claim.

​End date

The date on which this policy ends.

Equine Complementary Therapy

We’ll cover complementary treatments, as long as they’re recommended by a vet. Some of the complementary treatments we cover include physiotherapy, osteopathy and hydrotherapy. We’ll only cover complementary treatments that are performed by either your vet, a qualified specialist or a therapist your vet has referred you to. For a full list, see: https://www.animalfriends.co.uk/equine-complementary-therapy/

Excess

An excess in pet insurance is the additional amount you’ll need to pay when you make a claim.

See here for examples: https://www.animalfriends.co.uk/contact/frequently-asked-questions/claims/pet-policies-excess-explained/

Excluded breeds

Unfortunately, there are some breeds that we do not provide cover for. This includes if they are an excluded breed crossed with a breed we do cover.

We do not cover any dog that is:

• Banned in Great Britain, as defined in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1992 or any breed crossed with these dogs. We consider this to include the American Bully, XL Bully and Pocket Bully breeds (including any breeds crossed with these dogs) are excluded from cover. 
• Used for hunting, shooting, trade, or business
• Under four weeks old

Please see here for our list of excluded cat and dog breeds

We may need to cancel your policy if we receive veterinary evidence that your pet has been crossed or mixed with any of these breeds. This is true, even if you didn’t know your pet was crossed or mixed with 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 be able to review your claim, or any future claims, until we receive the results of the DNA test.

If your pet is an excluded breed
If your pet’s DNA test results show they have 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 and give you back any premiums you’ve paid.

If your pet is a banned breed
If your pet is mixed with any dog type listed on the Dangerous Dogs Act, we’ll void your policy and give you back any premiums you’ve paid. We’ll do this no matter what percentage of banned breed your dog’s DNA test results show.

Please see your Policy Booklet for more information. 

Exclusions

This could mean a certain medical condition or part of the body is not covered by your insurance, for example Diabetes may be excluded if your pet suffered from this condition before you started the policy. Alternatively, it could be the removal of a full benefit such as cover for ‘If your pet injures someone or damages their property’, if your pet has injured someone in the past.

Fleas

Fleas are small, wingless bugs about 2.5 mm long. Fleas can be a common cause of skin problems for your pet and can potentially transmit diseases. Flea bites are itchy and can lead to your pet developing allergies. It is important to ensure your pet receives a regular flea treatment to keep your pet healthy. Whilst we would not look to cover the general flea treatments if your pet developed ‘Flea allergic dermatitis’ we could potentially look to cover this confirmed condition.

Get more information about flea treatments in dogs and cats. 

General exclusion

There are some costs that fall under a general exclusion on our policies. For example, we are unable to cover any costs associated with breeding. Another example would be any costs associated with complications following routine castration, including surgery for retained testicles. The general exclusions are a company decision deemed not claimable by our underwriters.

Holiday Cancellation

This will provide cover towards costs for the policyholder up to the amount in your schedule if you have to cancel or cut short a holiday because your pet needs urgent treatment in the UK.

We’ll only pay claims if your holiday was booked more than 28 days before you were due to leave and if you aren’t able to get a refund. If you need to cancel your holiday, you’re covered, as long as you don’t cancel more than 14 days before you were due to leave.

Illness

Illness means sickness, disease, infection or any change in your pet’s normal and healthy state which is not caused by an accident or injury.

Inception date

Also known as commencement date or start date, this is the start date of your insurance policy. You are able to select a date up to 30 days in advance for your policy to start. You will not be covered for accidents within the first 2 days, or illnesses within the first 14 days of your policy start date (if your policy covers illness as well as accidents).

Injury

Damage to one or more parts of your pet’s body as a result of an accidental cause.

Insurance Product Information Document

An Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) document is a summary of the benefits included, exclusions, restrictions, areas of cover, how your policy is paid and your rights and obligations.

Kennel and Boarding fees

There may be times when you unexpectedly won’t be able to look after your pet because you need to stay in hospital for emergency care. If this happens, we’ll pay towards putting your pet in a cattery or kennel, or the cost of a licensed pet minder. For dogs, we’ll also help towards the cost of using a professional dog walker. Either way, you’ll be covered up to the amount shown in Your Schedule. 

Please see your Policy Booklet for more information. 

Lifetime condition limit

For Lifetime policies with an Annual condition limit, there is no limit as to how many conditions you can claim for in a year. For Lifetime policies with an Annual policy limit, we’ll pay vet’s fees up to your chosen annual policy limit in one policy year.

For Accident only policies there is a lifetime condition limit of £15,000 for continuing treatment related to each accident as long as the policy remains live.

Lifetime policy

A Lifetime policy in pet insurance means that you get coverage for ongoing and recurring conditions, as long as you keep renewing your policy each year. We have two types of Lifetime policies with different levels of cover. 

Our Super, Superior, Superior Plus and Prestige policies have an ‘annual condition limit’ to cover each illness or injury your pet may suffer.

We’ll pay the vet fees for each condition, up to your chosen cover limit. Once a specific condition has reached the limit chosen, that condition will not be covered until the policy renews and the limits become available again for each condition. This means that some chronic conditions like arthritis, can be covered year after year and does not impact on the amount of cover you have left for any other conditions your pet may suffer from in that policy year. A Lifetime condition limit does not apply.

Our Lifetime £1,000, Lifetime £2,000, Lifetime £3,000, Lifetime £4,000, Lifetime £5,000, Lifetime £10,000 and Lifetime £18,000 policies have an ‘annual policy limit‘ and we’ll pay vet fees up to your chosen annual cover amount in one policy year. This means that you have an annual limit and each payable claim submitted will be deducted from this total.

There is no limit to the number of claims you can submit and you can submit claims until the annual limit has been reached. Once you reach your annual limit in that policy year, you’ll not be able to make any more claims until you renew your policy and the amount becomes available again. This means that some chronic conditions, like epilepsy, can be covered year after year.

The policy needs to be renewed to ensure your pet is covered for new treatment for illnesses and injuries in the following policy period (usually a year). This means a long-term or recurring illness or injury that has needed treatment in one year will be covered again by the policy the next year. There is no limit to how many times the illness or injury can be covered in this way, as long as the insurance policy is active.

Get more information about our lifetime policies for pets here:

Lifetime dog insurance
Lifetime cat insurance

Max Benefit policy

Maximum Benefit policies let you claim up to a set amount for vet fees for each condition your pet might have. For example, if you have our Max Value policy, your limit for each condition will be £1,000. You can claim for as many conditions as you need to, as long as you stay within the limit for each condition. At the renewal after the condition started, we’ll add an exclusion to your policy – but you can carry on claiming for the condition if you haven’t already reached your limit. Once you reach the limit for a condition, you won’t be able to make a claim for it again even if you renew.

Discover more about our maximum benefit policies:

Max Benefit Dog insurance
Max Benefit Cat insurance

Microchip

A small chip that holds the owner’s personal information, which sits under the surface of your dog, cat or horse’s skin. This allows the owner to be contacted in the event of an emergency. All vets, rescue centres and charities have microchip scanners in the event someone loses their pet or horse.

For ease, you can now add your pet or horse's microchip number to your online account. 

Microchipping your dog, cat, or horse, is a legal requirement in parts of the UK. You can learn more about microchipping your pets in our guides: 

Microchips in horses
Microchips in dogs
Microchips in cats

Multi-pet insurance

Multi-pet insurance covers more than one pet under the same policy, often with a discount for each additional furry family member.

Here at Animal Friends, we don’t offer multi-pet discounts, because we don’t need to. You can learn more about what’s typically involved in our guide to Multi-Pet Insurance.

Neutering

When a dog or a cat is neutered, an operation is carried out which prevents the animal from being able to breed. Castration is the term used to describe the neutering of a male animal and spaying is the term used to describe the neutering of a female animal.

We do not cover this as part of your policy.

Learn more about what’s included in neutering procedures:

Guide to neutering cats
Guide to neutering dogs

Onset date

An onset date may be requested in order to proceed with a policyholder’s claim. An onset date is the date that you first noticed the pet’s signs or symptoms prior to making an appointment with your veterinary practice.

Over Policy Limit

Over policy limit is where claimable costs exceed your chosen level of cover, therefore some of the costs may be deducted as ‘over policy limit’.

Pawtal

Pawtal is our online claims system for vets to use. Pawtal allows us to pay the policyholder or vet directly.

Vets will need to register on our Pawtal system and can submit claims the same day. There is no paperwork for the policyholder or the vet to complete so when a vet uses Pawtal, it minimises delays and our claims assessors can review the claim quicker.

Policy documents

Policy documents are the information you need about your policy. This includes a Policy Booklet, Your Schedule and an Insurance Product Information Document.

Policy term

The policy term is how long the policy runs, in other words, the period you are covered for. All our policies are 12-month contracts.

Policyholder

The policyholder is the legal owner of the policy, and the person legally entitled to the benefits from it in the event of a claim. They’re the person named on the policy schedule.

Pre-authorisation

You can check if treatment will be covered, before agreeing to it. The quickest way to do this is to ask your vet to check through the Animal Friends online claims system – Pawtal. If your vet doesn’t use Pawtal, they will need to complete a pre-authorisation form and email it to us at claimform@animalfriends.co.uk

If a pre-authorisation is submitted between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday, we aim to provide an outcome within one working hour. If submitted after 4pm or at the weekend, it will be reviewed the following working day. Your vet should be able to tell you if they’re signed up to the service.

We aim to process pre-authorisations within one working hour. This process may take longer if we have not received all the required information to assess the pre-authorisation.

Pre-existing condition

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.

If you noticed something was wrong with your pet before you took out the policy, it could be a sign of a pre-existing condition. This is true even if you decided not to take them to the vet. For example, if your dog was limping before the policy started, and your vet later confirmed this was due to arthritis, we’d consider this to be a pre-existing condition.

Remember, there is a waiting period at the start of your policy. The waiting period is 14 days for illness and 2 days for accidents. If a condition is first noticed or an accident happens in the waiting period, these will be considered to be pre-existing conditions as well. 

Any injuries caused by accident or illnesses your pet had before you took out this policy will also be considered pre-existing conditions. This includes any complications or conditions that later appear because of the illness or accident.

Premium

A premium is the amount you pay for your policy. You can choose to pay annually or monthly by Direct Debit allowing you to spread your premium over the course of the year at no extra cost.

Public Liability

There may be a time when someone holds you responsible for an incident involving your pet or horse. For example, your or their actions might result in someone being killed, getting injured or having their property damaged. If someone makes a legal claim against you due to an incident involving your pet or horse, we’ll cover your legal costs. If we’re settling a legal claim, we’ll also pay compensation and legal costs for the person making the claim.

Learn more about the importance of public liability cover. 

Quote

You can get a quote to find out how much different types of pet insurance may cost you. You’ll need to provide some personal information about you and some details about your pet.

Renewal

Renewal is when your policy continues following the end of the policy year. If you pay by Direct Debit your policy will renew automatically. If you pay annually and agreed to have payments automatically taken at renewal, then no further action is needed. For other payment methods, please call us on 0344 557 0300.

Reoccurring condition

This means the reappearance of a condition, clinical sign or symptom of an illness after a period of remission.

Repeat medication claim form

A form to claim ongoing medication following a previous claim for a specific condition. This can only be completed by the policyholder and proof of medication purchase will be required.

Routine and preventative treatment

Routine and preventative treatment includes things like vaccinations, spaying, castration, and flea and worming treatment. These, or any conditions that arise from these and other routine and preventative treatments, are not covered by our policies.

Schedule

Your schedule is a document which contains important information about you and your policy which forms part of the policy documents.

Spaying

Spaying is another word for neutering. It refers to the neutering of a female animal, while the neutering procedure for a male animal is called a castration.

We do not cover this procedure as part of your policy.

Learn more about what’s included in spaying procedures for your pets: 

Guide to spaying cats
Guide to spaying dogs

Theft & Straying

We’ll cover some of the cost of finding your pet if they’re stolen or go missing. For example, we’ll cover the cost of advertising and a reward, up to the amount shown in Your Schedule. We’ll only do this if they were under the control of you, a member of your immediate family or someone that you asked to walk your pet.

Third-party liability cover 

Third-party liability insurance is the same as public liability. This cover helps with legal and compensation costs if your pet accidentally injures someone or damages someone else’s property. 

Time Limited policy

Time Limited pet insurance policies cover each new condition up to your vet fee limit, for a maximum of 12 months – as long as you renew your policy. 

The 12-month period starts from the date that you, your vet, or a treating professional first noticed signs or symptoms of the condition. If your vet agreed that you could monitor the condition without treatment, the 12 months starts from the date your vet recommended you start treatment for your pet’s condition.

The vet fee limit in ‘Your Schedule’ is the most we’ll pay for any one condition. Once you reach your vet fee limit, or the 12-month time limit, whichever comes first, we won’t cover that condition anymore.

Find out more about our Time Limited policies: 

Time limited dog insurance
Time limited cat insurance

Transport Costs

On our Prestige policy, we provide cover for some of the cost of transport between vet practices if your vet refers you. For example, to a referral centre or out of hours hospital. If you take your own vehicle, we’ll pay the current mileage rate for your vehicle as shown on the www.gov.uk fuel rate advisory website. We’ll cover your costs up to £200 per policy year.

Treatment

When we say ‘treatment’ we mean any assessments, procedures, medications, ongoing care or management that your vet or treating professional recommends. For example, consultations, examinations, advice, tests, medication, diagnostic procedures or surgery carried out by your vet or treating professional in relation to the condition. Treatment also means any ongoing care needed for that condition, for example, complementary treatments.

Vaccinations

Pet Vaccinations are provided by your veterinary practice to prevent your pet from falling ill. Your pet will be vaccinated against a core group of infectious diseases that can affect pets and humans. If your pet’s vaccinations are not up to date, or you choose not to vaccinate your pet, your policy will still be valid. However, any conditions that your pet may develop that can be prevented by the vaccinations will not be covered.

Vet assistance services – e.g., 24/7 nurse helplines.

Vet

A fully qualified veterinary surgeon who holds a current license with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. You can check your vet’s details here: https://findavet.rcvs.org.uk/find-a-vet-surgeon/

Vet fees

The costs incurred after seeking veterinary treatment for any clinical sign, symptom, accident, injury or illness suffered by your pet.

Find out more about the most common vet fees you’ll encounter with your pet: 

Vet fees for dogs
Vet fees for cats 
Vet fees for horses

Waiting period

Most pet insurance companies will have a waiting period between the policy start date and when your pet is covered for accidents and/or illnesses. This is to ensure coverage is for new injuries or conditions, not for problems that have already developed (pre-existing conditions).

With Animal Friends policies, you will not be covered for accidents within the first 2 days or illnesses starting within the first 14 days of your policy start date.

Worms

Dogs and cats can be victims of several intestinal parasites frequently referred to as worms. The most common are roundworms, hookworms, lungworms, whipworms and tapeworms. A dewormer solution can be used to rid your pet of worms. If untreated, your pet may suffer from sickness, diarrhoea, weakness, weight loss, coughing and wheezing (lungworm). Please note if your pet is not up to date with worming treatment, we may not look to cover claims associated with this.

Read more about worms in dogs and worms in cats.