The vetfone™ telephone service allows you to speak to UK qualified veterinary nurses 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
If you aren't sure if you need to see a vet, vetfone™ is a convenient first port of call, providing advice you can trust for peace of mind and reassurance.
As part of the largest veterinary advice service in the UK, vetfone™ has safely managed more than 250,000 calls to date.
A call to vetfone™ won't affect your premium or policy excess, no matter how many times you phone.
If it's the weekend or out of hours they'll be able to tell you if you need to urgently go to the vet or if you can wait for surgery opening times, potentially saving you money on unnecessary out of hours trips. If you do need an out of hours surgery, vetfone™ will be able to direct you to the nearest one.
You can also take advantage of an annual online health check provided by vetfone™ , and included as part of your John Lewis Pet Insurance. You can schedule a one-to-one online consultation with their experienced veterinary team to discuss aspects of your pet’s care and wellbeing, including diet, nutrition and oral care. It’s also an opportunity to ask about behaviour and their general health or any other concerns from the comfort of your home, as well as joint care and mobility. This is a service to complement your normal annual physical check up with your vet who can listen to their heart, check their teeth and give them any vaccinations required.
Call the vetfone™ helpline on 0800 316 7119(24 hours a day).
Table of cover
Vet fees - treatment limit per year*
Vet fees are covered in the UK. There is no length of treatment limit as long as you renew the insurance policy and there is no break in cover.
Up to chosen vet fee limit
Lifetime cover*
The cost of looking after your pet’s health doubles every four to five years. That’s why your renewal price increases each year and your excess may increase when your pet turns nine. If a claim is paid, the price you pay next year can double. It’s important that you budget for renewal prices to increase as your pet gets older. There is no limit to how much your renewal price can increase over time.
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vetfoneTM helpline - 24 hour advice from vetinary nurses
If your vet practice isn’t open or can’t offer an appointment for treatment, you can call the helpline for advice any time, any day whether you’re at home or away.
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Behavioural treatment**
We cover the cost of behavioural treatment, provided that this treatment is recommended by a vet and carried out by a specialist.
up to £300
Treatment food**
We cover the cost of specialist food for treating a condition as long as it is recommended by your vet and covered within the policy terms.
up to £300
Complementary treatment - such as physiotherapy**
We cover the cost of physiotherapy if your pet needs it. Physiotherapy has to be performed or recommended by a vet.
up to £1,500
Third party liability (dogs only)
Provides cover if your dog injures someone or causes damages to their property and as a result you become liable.
up to £2m
Boarding kennel and cattery fees
up to £1,500
Dental cover
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
Up to chosen vet fee limit
Lost or stolen
If your pet is stolen or permanently lost, we’ll cover the costs for the loss.
up to £1,500
Multi-pet discount
10%
*As long as you renew your policy with us and there is no break in cover.
"The Pet Insurance from John Lewis gives exceptional value for the quote I received. It was the best cover for Pet Insurance in comparison with other Pet Insurance quotes. I would definitely recommend John Lewis Pet Insurance."
We provide cover for dogs and cats from eight weeks old, and there is no upper age limit. However, benefits do change for pets over nine years old.*
We don't offer cover for the ‘types’ of dogs that should be registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 or any subsequent amendments (whether pedigree, cross-breed or mixed breed):
Pit Bull Terrier
Japanese Tosa
Dogo Argentino
Fila Braziliero
Additionally, we don't offer cover for:
Wolf or wolf hybrid
Fighting dogs
Guard or security dogs
Dogs used for racing
Dogs used in connection with any profession, occupation or business
Dogs used for breeding
Any breeds not on our breed list unless you have spoken to us and we have agreed to provide cover
*You will not be able to claim for vet fees as a result of an accident in the first 48 hours of cover, or for any changes in your pet's health or behaviour in the first 14 days of cover. Death from illness cover is not available for any pets aged 9 years and above. Excess may increase when your pet turns 9.
There are a range of factors that could affect your Pet Insurance premium and cover, including:
The age of your pet: older pets are more likely to need medical treatment and very young animals may not have a fully developed immune system
Your pet's breed
Where you live: vet prices may vary across the country
Claims on your policy
You can reduce your premium by:
Increasing your excess
For Pet Insurance with vet fee cover of £2,000 and £3,000 you can choose a standard excess of £60, £80, £100, £140 or £250 for each accident or illness in each period of insurance.
For Pet Insurance with vet fee cover of £5,000, £7,500, £9,000 and £12,000 you can choose a standard excess of £60, £80, £100, £140, £250 or £500 for each accident or illness in each period of insurance.
For pets aged under 9, you can choose to pay a voluntary co-payment of 10% or 20% towards the rest of the vet treatment costs, in addition to your chosen standard excess, to reduce the price you pay.
Lowering your vet fee limit to another vet fee limit which meets your needs, to reduce the price you pay.
Pet Insurance from John Lewis Finance only offers Lifetime cover. This means your pet is covered for ongoing conditions as well as one-off mishaps. There is no limit to the length of treatment, as long as the policy is renewed and there is no break in cover.
As pets get older, sadly they’re more likely to get ill. In fact, our claims data shows that the cost of looking after your pet’s health doubles every four to five years. That’s why your renewal price increases each year, and your co-payment may increase when your pet turns nine, even if you haven’t had to make a claim.
Unfortunately, once a pet has been taken ill, they’re more likely to get ill again. Which is why, if a claim is paid, the price you will pay next year can double.
It’s important you budget for renewal prices to increase as your pet gets older. How much they go up is different for everyone and depends on things like your pet’s breed, their age and health. And there’s no limit to how much your renewal price can increase over time.
As pets get older, sadly they’re more likely to get ill. In fact, our claims data shows that the cost of looking after your pet’s health doubles every four to five years. That’s why your renewal price increases each year, and your co-payment may increase when your pet turns nine, even if you haven’t had to make a claim.
Unfortunately, once a pet has been taken ill, they’re more likely to get ill again. Which is why, if a claim is paid, the price you will pay next year can double.
It’s important you budget for renewal prices to increase as your pet gets older. How much they go up is different for everyone and depends on things like your pet’s breed, their age and health. And there’s no limit to how much your renewal price can increase over time.
For pets aged 9 years or over, you will pay an Age 9 co-payment of 20% of the rest of the vet’s treatment costs, in addition to your chosen standard excess. Rest assured, as long as you renew your policy with us and there’s no break in cover, we reinstate your vet fees limits. So, if while insured with us, your pet starts to develop an ongoing illness, like diabetes or arthritis, or a reoccurring illness like an ear infection, you can continue to claim up to your chosen vet fee limit each year.
If you shop around and try to switch providers, you’ll probably find that they won’t cover pre-existing illnesses or injuries (known as pre-existing conditions) and cover for ongoing conditions will be lost.
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).
