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The benefits of switching pet insurance companies
One reason people may switch dog insurance and cat insurance is the price. If your renewal price has increased, you can consider shopping around and switching to a cheaper plan elsewhere.
Price isn’t the only benefit of switching pet insurance, though. You might also want to move to a company with:
A different type of cover, like lifetime pet insurance
Added benefits, like ManyPets Perks
Additional cover
Better customer service
Cover for pre-existing conditions (all of our plans cover conditions with no signs, symptoms, medication or advice for two years before the policy start date)
But switching does come with some potential downsides, too. We recommend that you always check the policy terms of the insurer you're switching to, as you may not get the cover you're getting now. Plus, things like cancellation fees can apply, so there are some financial repercussions too.
The two biggest risks with switching are not getting the level of cover your pet needs and not getting cover for your pet's pre-existing conditions.
If your pet doesn't have pre-existing conditions, you shouldn't have a problem shopping around and switching for a better price, although there are a few things to be aware of, which we'll cover later.
Be aware that switching pet insurance does become harder when your pet has a pre-existing condition.
But it isn't impossible; you can still change, and our Standard Care Pre-existing plan can cover up to £1,500 for more recent conditions without signs, symptoms, treatment, medication or advice for three months (terms apply).
Why you should compare pet insurance providers (even if you're happy)
You should always see if your pet is getting the protection they need. Things change, and the cover you had at one point may not cut it anymore.
But even if you're happy with your insurer, it's worth shopping around. And you should look beyond price; not all pet insurance is the same, and you may be able to get better quality for your money.
Can I switch pet insurance? Things to check before switching
Pre-existing conditions
If your pet’s been ill in the past and you then switch providers, they'll usually consider it a pre-existing condition. This generally means it won’t be covered.
Your pet's medical records will have details on any advice, treatment or signs and symptoms of any condition on them, even if you haven't claimed. An insurer may not cover these conditions, so you may need to consider if your pet's pre-existing condition is worth paying for yourself.
That doesn’t mean you can’t switch. But you do need to be aware that if you do and your pet suffers from any illness that is pre-existing in the future, you may have to foot the bill.
At ManyPets, we do things a bit differently. If your pet’s had a pre-existing condition in the past that hasn't had signs, symptoms, medication or advice for two or more years before your policy start date, we’ll cover it as a new condition if it crops up again (subject to your handbook's policy terms and exclusions).
There's also our Standard Care Pre-existing plan, which can cover up to £1,500 for your pet's condition if it hasn't had signs, symptoms, treatment, medication or advice for three months.
Waiting periods
You need to know the ‘waiting period’ when you switch. It’s an initial period where you can't claim. It happens when you start a new pet insurance plan.
Even if your new plan starts the day after your old one ended, you generally wouldn't be able to claim for accidents in the first 48 hours or illness in the first 14 days.
Insurers add this to prevent fraud from people who know their pet is about to need treatment, so they get a plan to cover the costs. But it does mean you may not be covered for a short period if you switch plans.
At ManyPets, we waive the 14-day waiting period if you’ve switched from a previous provider you’ve been with for at least 12 consecutive months (excluding bi-lateral conditions and pregnancy).
Review your co-payment and excess options
Remember: if you're switching, especially due to price, check your new insurer has the excess and co-payment options you need.
You should also look for how they charge the excess. For example, at ManyPets, we only charge one excess per policy year, while other insurers can charge per-condition.
Seemingly small areas like this can make a big impact, so look into it carefully.
Unsure of what co-payment and excess is? Read our in-depth excess and co-payment explainer.
Annual cover vs. lifetime cover
If your current plan is lifetime cover, switching could mean starting fresh—so it’s worth weighing the pros and cons.
Older pets
Some insurers won't cover older pets, so you're limiting on who you can switch to (we don't have upper age limits on our plans, and we welcome senior cats and dogs with open arms).
Breed exclusions
Some insurers won't cover certain breeds, so it's worth checking before cancelling your plan.
How to find a level of cover that works for you
Assess your current pet insurance plan
Assess your current pet insurance plan
First, evaluate your current pet insurance plan. Does it cover all the needs of your pet? Are you satisfied with the customer service?
If you’re generally happy, it might be best to see if there’s anything you can change. For example, see if adding or removing optional extras would make it more suitable.
Research pet insurance and cover types
Research pet insurance and cover types
Whether your pet has a condition or not, you'll still need to be aware of the kind of policy you have when switching pet insurance.
Per-condition and time-limited policies have limits that mean you'll have to pay for treatment once you've reached them.
Lifetime cover has a limit that resets each year you renew the policy. So, if you switched from a Lifetime policy to per-condition cover, your premium may be cheaper because you're not getting the same level of cover.
If you switch to an accident-only policy, it might be cheap, but it won’t cover illnesses, which could leave you without the cover you need. Research the cover type properly.
All ManyPets vet fee policies are Lifetime cover.
Make sure you get what you need
Make sure you get what you need
Make sure you’re comparing plans with cover, vet fee limits and features you need. This is especially important when you're comparing by price: really assess what cover an insurer includes, and remember that the cheapest option might not be the best.
Check the excess
Check the excess
It's worth checking your co-payment and excess options with your new insurer, too. Don't just look at the cover.
Remember: you can switch mid-plan (but be careful)
Remember: you can switch mid-plan (but be careful)
There’s nothing to stop you from switching pet insurance at any time, including in the middle of your policy term. Just be careful: you might end up with a gap in your cover or your old provider might charge you a cancellation fee, so check first.
If you switch to us at ManyPets, we’ll waive the 14-day ‘wait period’ (the time at the start of your new plan when you can’t claim for illnesses) if you’ve switched from a previous provider you’ve been with for at least 12 consecutive months (excluding bi-lateral conditions and pregnancy).
Can you have two pet insurance policies for the same pet?
Pet insurance companies don't encourage people to have two plans for the same pet at the same time.
Policy documents often state that if you have two plans, an insurer will refuse to pay a claim. So if both companies discover this, you may not have cover.
Some pet owners choose to overlap plans when they are switching to make sure they have cover during the 14-day exclusion period mentioned above.
This means they'll be paying for two plans at the same time, and there may be a risk the insurer won't pay the claim if they find out the owner has two plans.
If they do claim with their old insurer during the overlap period, their new company may treat the issue as a pre-existing condition and may not cover it for the rest of the plan.
As mentioned, ManyPets removed the 14-day waiting period if you switch straight to us from an insurer you've been with for 12 months or more (excluding bi-lateral conditions and pregnancy).
Does switching pet insurance impact my claims history?
No, switching doesn't impact your claims history. But your history will define what your insurer covers. For example. your new insurer can see your claims history and your pet's medical history, so it'll impact your cover when switching, especially if your pet has a pre-existing condition.
As mentioned, switching to a new pet insurer may mean your pet’s pre-existing condition is no longer covered.
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Let’s say your current insurer is covering your dog for a chronic condition it developed during your cover. A new insurer may see this as a pre-existing condition, which they can exclude from cover. In effect, your dog’s claims history is now being seen as a pre-existing condition.
Sometimes, you may think it’s worth changing to a better or cheaper plan if your pet’s chronic condition has gone away, but the claims history will always be there, so it carries a risk.
Remember: it’s essential to declare all pre-existing conditions before joining an insurer. It’s also why it’s important to read your handbook.
My pet is old and has multiple conditions. Should I just keep my current policy?
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It can be easy to feel down and question if you have any options to switch and leave an expensive plan when your pet is old.
You can switch whenever you want. But there are less options as your pet gets older. For example, you'll want to consider if any pre-existing conditions are covered, and some insurers may not cover at older pets.
Sometimes, people feel that staying with a known plan that covers existing conditions might be a better option. And most insurers don't cover old pets, so your options get narrower.
We do cover older pets, though - at ManyPets, we don't think it's fair that older pets have less options, so we have no upper age limits on any of our plans.
Our older dog and older cat insurance plans are the exact same as younger pets, so if you have a golden oldie that needs cover, we're here to help.
Is there a best time of year or pet's age to switch pet insurance?
There isn't a best time to switch. We recommend switching if you aren't happy and you can get cover you want elsewhere; it's less about finding the right time to switch and more about having the right reasons to switch.
How to switch pet insurance
You can switch in three steps:
1. Get a quote
1. Get a quote
First of all, you'll need to get a quote and see if the cover you want is right for your pet. As mentioned, spend time researching here.
2. Cancel your existing plan
2. Cancel your existing plan
You'll then need to cancel with your existing pet insurer. It'll be different for each insurer. Some may require you to cancel your Direct Debit and pay any remaining premium or fees.
It’s worth double-checking with your bank that the Direct Debit is deactivated. Always let your old insurer know.
3. Start your new plan
3. Start your new plan
Usually, there's a 14-day waiting period. But we won't enforce this if you've been with another insurer for 12 consecutive months (excluding bi-lateral conditions and pregnancy).
How waiting periods work when switching (and why you should avoid overlapping cover)
Your waiting period starts from the first day you switch. It's usually 14 days.
But at ManyPets, we'll scrap the 14-day waiting period if you switch straight to us from an insurer you've been with for 12 months or more (excluding bi-lateral conditions and pregnancy). That means, if you meet this condition, you'll get cover from day one.
To reiterate: you should never overlap cover between one or more insurers. Some people may think this means they'll get cover during the waiting period, but if you need to claim during this time, it'll void both plans and you'll need to pay. It isn't worth it.
How do I transfer my pet's medical records to a new insurer?
You'll need to ask your vet for them and send them to your new insurer. You'll usually do this as part of a claim.
If you've changed vets, you may need to ask them to transfer records between clinics.
Switch to us today
See the benefits of switching to ManyPets and what we do that other insurers don't.
At ManyPets, we offer up to £20,000 vet fee cover on our Complete Care plan, 24/7 access to video vet calls and a host of pet-friendly benefits for customers with ManyPets Perks.
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