Will insurance cover my vet bills?
Will insurance cover my vet bills?
Protecting your pet’s health
as well as your finances
Owning a pet is a long-term journey and we’re aware of the unexpected challenges and vet bills you might face along the way. Our Pet Insurance has been designed to cover you and your pet against any nasty surprises, giving you peace of mind to focus on what really matters – enjoying life’s happy moments with your pet.
There are 23 million UK households owning a pet †
40% of UK pet owners don’t have insurance†
59% of pet owners have called or visited a vet in the last 12 months†
Cover when you need it most
We understand how important it is that your pet gets the treatment they need. The problem is vet bills can get very expensive, very quickly – in the worst cases, leaving you thousands of pounds out of pocket unexpectedly. That is why our Pet Insurance offers Lifetime Cover to be there when you need it most.
For example, the average costs of the most commonly claimed long-term illness are:
| Illness | Average cost |
| Diabetes | £12,863.09 |
| Epilepsy or seizure | £15,346.30 |
| Cataract | £11,611.75 |
Total cost of treatments. Based on our claims data from June 2021 - May 2022
One simple product, flexible where you need it most
Pets deserve the level of care that reflects the joy and vitality they bring to our lives. Our cover has been designed to help you stay on top of your pet’s health with a full range of benefits, from our Annual Online Health Check with vetfone™ to our comprehensive Lifetime Cover.
With us, you have the flexibility to choose your level of Vet Fee cover, while still receiving our full range of benefits.
Plus, we offer excess options to suit your budget, helping you reduce your premium costs without any loss of cover:
- Increasing your excess on claims - you can choose an excess of £60, £80, £100, £140 or £250 (or £500 for Vet Fee levels of £5,000 and above) for the treatment of an accident or illness in each policy year. By electing to pay more when you claim, it enables us to bring your premium down.
- Contributing to your Vet Fees - if your pet is under 9 years-old, there is a voluntary option to pay either 10% or 20% towards the rest of the vet treatment costs, in addition to your chosen excess amount, which can reduce the cost of your premium payments.
Doing right by your pet
Every level of cover comes with our full range of policy benefits, including:
Annual Online Health Checks
Provided through vetfone™, one of the UK’s most trusted pet advice services, who can help you to spot any potential health issues to make sure you and your pets can enjoy life's moments.
Find out more
Lifetime cover
You can rest assured that if your pet develops a long-term, chronic illness, there’s no limit to the length of treatment, as long as there’s no break in your cover. So, you know you'll have cover in place.
Learn about our Lifetime Cover
24/7 vetfone™ helpline
Around the clock access to fully trained veterinary nurses to get the advice and reassurance you need, when you need it.
Read more about vetfone™
Some frequently asked questions
Pet insurance helps to protect you from unexpected vet bills, including:
- Consultations
- Treatments
- Complementary therapies
- Treatment foods
Your policy can cover unforeseen expenses whilst taking care of your pet when ill or injured. However, cover doesn’t include routine treatments, like vaccinations or neutering.
Vet bills are determined by various factors, such as the breed of your pet, the treatment type and medication required, as well as your location.
Modern veterinary medicine can do wonders to heal or rehabilitate your pet but the costs have the potential to run into the thousands. Having insurance in place means you don’t risk being out of pocket if it does.
Here are some estimates of what treatment could cost you:
| Treatment | Costs |
| Surgery | Any value - a common range is £200 - £8,000 |
| MRI | £1,500 - £3,500 plus general anaesthetic fee |
| Chemotherapy | Any value and depends on the length of the course of treatment, and could range from £500 - £5,000 |
| Blood tests | £30 - £500 |
| X-rays per X-ray | £80 - £200 plus general anaesthetic fee |
| Medication course | Anywhere from £10 - £300 or even higher |
| Overnight stay | £50 - £250 |
| Out of hours surcharge | £100 - £200 |
| Standard consultation | £35 - £50 |
Average costs in July 2022, but can vary depending on pet practices and location
We carefully consider a range of factors that affect your premium, including:
- Your pet's breed
- Where you live: vet prices may vary across the country
- The age of your pet: older pets are more likely to need medical treatment and very young animals may not yet have a fully developed immune system
- Claims on your policy
Protecting your dog
Providing cover for kennel stays, dental treatments and third-party liability cover up to £2m.
Protecting your cat
Providing cover for cattery stays, dental treatments and funds to help find them if they're lost.
†Data source from Finder.com. Published on 15.09.20. Analysis conducted by finder.com.
*For dental care up to your chosen Vet Fee limit. If your pet has a dental check every 12 months: once it has had its first check and your vet has done any necessary work, should your pet suffer from tooth decay or gum disease before the next 12 month check, or if tooth decay or gum disease are seen at the time of the next check, we pay. If your pet doesn’t have a check every 12 months, or if the work required is not done, we will only pay;
1) For teeth or gums if they are damaged in an accident,
2) If an underlying illness causes tooth decay or gum disease, or
3) To remove teeth as treatment of an illness which is not gum disease or tooth decay.
John Lewis Finance and John Lewis Insurance are trading names of John Lewis plc. The John Lewis Registered office address is: 171 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 5NN. Registered in England and Wales no. 233462. John Lewis plc is an appointed representative (Financial Conduct Authority number 416011) of Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd. John Lewis Pet Insurance is underwritten by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd (No. 93792). Registered in England and Wales at St. Mark's Court, Chart Way, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1XL. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No. 202323).
Copyright © John Lewis Partnership
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