Petplan Pet Insurance Review: Worth the Premium Price?
Petplan is the name most UK owners think of first, with more than 40 years in the business and a claims record most rivals would envy. It ranks 3rd in our guide to the best pet insurance providers in the UK. The only real question is whether the premium price earns its keep.
Our verdict
Petplan is the safe pair of hands. Its Covered For Life plans carry no per-condition cap and no lifetime cap, roughly 90 percent of claims get paid within five days, and many vets bill Petplan directly so you never front the money. Uniquely reassuring: premiums do not go up because you claimed. You pay for all this reliability, typically £40 to £60 or more a month for a dog, and older pets pick up a 20 percent co-payment. If your nightmare is a fight over a big claim, this is the insurer built to avoid it.
What you get
Covered For Life lifetime cover up to £12,000 in vet fees a year on the top plan, with £4,000 and £7,000 tiers below it, and the limit reinstates in full every renewal. Hereditary and congenital conditions are covered as standard. Dental illness is covered too, provided your pet has annual dental check-ups, which is rarer than it should be. Petplan insures dogs, cats, rabbits and even exotic pets, is underwritten by Allianz, and its direct billing arrangements with many practices mean the vet claims for you.
What it costs
This is the premium end of the market. Comprehensive lifetime cover for a dog commonly runs £40 to £60 or more a month, and we have seen a real quote of £54 a month for Petplan’s £12,000 cover against £32 elsewhere for £15,000. Lower tiers and higher excesses trim the bill. Premiums rise with your pet’s age and with vet fee inflation, but not because you made claims.
The catches
Price is the obvious one, and it compounds as your dog ages. Senior pets carry a 20 percent co-payment on every claim on top of the excess, which is common across the industry but stings more at Petplan’s premiums. The dental illness cover is conditional on annual dental check-ups, so book them or lose it. And as with nearly every insurer, routine costs like vaccinations and neutering are not covered.
Should you buy it?
If you want claims settled fast, your vet paid directly, and a 40-year track record behind the promise, Petplan justifies its price better than most premium products in any market. If cost is the deciding factor, our full guide to the best pet insurance providers in the UK compares nine alternatives, including budget lifetime options that cost half as much.
