Pet insurance excess & co-payment
Our easy excess and co-payment explainer
Learn what excess and co-payment are, why pet insurance providers use them and our excess options.
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Understanding pet insurance excess and co-payment
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Excess
What is excess?
This is a set amount you agree to pay towards any claim at the beginning of your policy. It won’t change, no matter how big a claim you make.
What excesses do you offer?
You can choose one of these options on most of our cover levels.
But please note that Third-Party Liability claims have a fixed excess of £250 for each claim.
Why we've chosen our excess options
We offer our excesses so you can have more control over your insurance and what you pay.
We’ve tried to offer excesses and co-payments that balance affordability and choice.
We don't charge an excess per condition. Instead, we offer one excess per policy year.
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Co-payment
What is co-payment?
Co-payments are a fixed percentage you will pay for your pet's treatment. We calculate this percentage from your vet bill minus the excess.
With us, you can choose to pay a 10% or 20% co-payment when your pet is under 9 years old to lower your insurance price.
But you must agree to a 20% co-payment when your pet is nine or over at renewal.
Like fixed excesses, co-payments help to make the insurance price more affordable. That’s why we also let you choose to pay a 10% or 20% co-payment if your pet is under 9 years old.
How does it work?
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How does pet insurance excess work?
We deduct the excess from the amount we pay for a claim.
That means you then need to pay your vet the excess.
For example, let's say your claim is £1,000 and your excess is £99. We'd pay £901.
You would then need to pay the remaining £99 excess to your vet.
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How does co-payment work?
We have two co-payment options: 10% and 20%.
The co-payment percentage comes from your vet bill minus the excess.
So, let's use the table example: your vet bill is £1,000, your excess is £99 and your co-payment is 20%.
First, we would deduct the excess which would take the total down to £901. It's £1000 minus £99.
We would then charge a 20% co-payment on the £901. This brings the total to £720.80.
To summarise, for a £1,000 claim at 20% co-payment and a £99 excess, you would have paid £279.20. We'd pay £720.80.
This may sound like a lot, but it's significantly less than the overall vet fee costs, and this helps keep your insurance price more affordable.
Remember that co-payment is paid for every claim.
Your excess and co-payment questions, answered
What you may want to know about our excess and co-payment.
Should I choose low or no-excess insurance?
It depends. Low-excess pet insurance won’t always save you money. For example, higher excess is likely to cost you more when you need to claim. But it could make your insurance cheaper over the long term.
Our no-excess pet insurance doesn't exist anymore. But we still offer one of the lowest around at £69.
Generally, you should think about how much you can afford if you need to make a claim. Excesses and co-payments are there to offer flexibility for you.
Does excess change as my pet gets older?
Your excess does not change automatically, but you'll need to make a 20% co-payment in the event of any claim after your pet turns nine.
Do excess and co-payment apply to all sections of cover?
We don't charge excess or co-payment in the following situations:
Farewell cover
Death cover
Emergency boarding cover
See the policy handbook for details.
What is my current excess?
Details of your excess are in your policy documents, which you can find in My Account.
Can I change my excess at any time?
You can change your excess when your policy renews. Our customer service team can talk you through the options.
When do I need to pay my excess?
If you make a successful claim, we will deduct the excess amount from the amount that we pay out to you or your vet.
Why do I have an excess?
Excesses are one of the ways we help you keep your premium as low as possible. By having a range of excesses we allow you to balance your monthly premium cost with the amount you'll get back for any claim.
Do you have a zero excess option?
Our zero excess option is no longer available to new customers. If you’re an existing customer with a zero excess this will remain as it is until the first renewal after your pet turns nine. At this point, it’ll be increased to £69.