Pet Insurance for older dogs

We grow so close to our dogs, to the point we consider them family. As they grow older, it becomes even more important to get the best care for them. It's important to find an insurer that will help pay for that care.

But getting the right pet insurance for an older dog can be tricky. Some insurers don’t offer insurance for senior dogs. There may also be extra things you need to consider when compared to insuring a puppy.

Here, we'll explain how pet insurance changes as your dog ages. That way, you can take care of them in their twilight years, and focus on making memories together.

Can I get insurance for an older dog?

Yes, you can get pet insurance for senior dogs. At John Lewis, we offer new policies for dogs up until their 8th birthday. Once your dog is insured on a Lifetime policy, cover can continue beyond this upper age limit. For some breeds, however, the upper age limit is the day before their 5th birthday.

When we say senior dogs, we mean dogs that are over 8 years old. Having the right cover in place can be more cost-effective in case your pet will have to undergo treatment for a condition — as long as they are covered by your policy.

However, it’s worth noting that we can only offer new policies for dogs up until their 8th birthday.

For full details, see your policy document.

You’ll also be reassured that your dog will be well looked after if they have an accident or develop health issues.

What sort of health conditions might my senior dog develop?

As your dog ages, their behaviour may start to change. They may no longer bound down the hall when they hear a delivery arriving, or dive into a pond when you’re out for a walk. Their health will change too, and they may develop certain conditions.

It can be difficult to predict how much care they will need. However, these are some of the health issues that older dogs can be prone to:

• Gum disease

• Cataracts

• Deafness

• Blindness

• Dementia

• Arthritis

• Kidney disease

• Heart disease

• Cancer

Older dogs are more likely to experience these conditions. This raises the price of premiums for senior dog owners.

What’s included in pet insurance for senior dogs?

When looking for pet insurance for dogs approaching their senior years, a lifetime policy could be a good option. Flexible lifetime insurance can help you support your dog’s health as they grow older. Keep in mind that with John Lewis, you can only take out new policies for dogs up to 8 years old.

Once you've taken out a policy, you're not able to claim for vet fees as a result of accidents that happen in the first 3 days or illness within the first 14 days. If you switch to John Lewis Pet Insurance and can show your previous policy runs up to the start date, we can waive the initial exclusion periods for you

As long as you renew the policy, they’ll be covered for any new conditions they develop. For full details and exclusions, please see the policy wording.

All our dog insurance policies include:

• 24/7 vet helpline provided by vetfone™

• Dental treatment*

It’s available for most dogs over eight weeks, and with a Lifetime policy you can claim as many times as needed per condition each year, up to your vet fee limit. If you unexpectedly have to go to the hospital for illness or injury for more than 48 hours, we’ll pay up to £1,500 in kennel fees. This way, you can have time to recover without having to worry about your companion.

In addition, if your vet suggests some behavioural treatment, we could pay up to your chosen vet fee limit. There’s also 25% off prescribed food per policy year and this is for a maximum of six months per condition.

If your beloved dog ever goes missing, we provide up to £500 to help cover the costs of finding them. This includes creating flyers or taking out an ad in the local paper. If the worst happens and they can’t be found, we could pay you the price you paid for your dog, up to £1,500 - conditions apply please see policy details.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

John Lewis Pet Insurance does not provide cover for pre-existing health conditions. A pre-existing condition is any injury or illness including anything that was discussed with a vet or professional about your pet's health or behaviour.

That’s why it’s so important that if you take out lifetime insurance, you renew it each year and avoid letting it lapse. That way, you’ll know your dog will continue to be covered for any health conditions they may develop.

If your dog has a pre-existing condition, a specialist insurer may be able to help when others can't. However, this could be expensive.

How much does pet insurance for an older dog cost?

Taking out a new policy for an older dog is likely to cost more than insuring a puppy, but without insurance you would have to cover vet bills, prescriptions and ongoing treatments. Of course, age isn’t the only thing that affects insurance premiums. The breed of the dog, and their health, will also be taken into consideration. The level of vet fee cover will also determine the cost of the policy. A lower level will be cheaper than policies with a higher amount of cover. We have options ranging from £2,000 to £12,000.

How can I reduce the cost of dog insurance?

There are a couple of ways you can reduce the cost of the insurance premiums. One is to select a lower level of vet fee cover and the other is to increase the amount of excess. However, this would mean that in the event of making a claim, you would be paying a higher amount.

John Lewis Pet Insurance has a number of excess options you can choose from to best suit your needs.

By choosing to pay more when you claim, we can bring your premium down. However, be aware this will increase the amount you pay when you need to make a claim.