Browse pet insurance providers: A to Z listing

Top pet insurance providers

M&S Bank

Direct Line

Petplan Equine

Animal Friends

Sainsbury's

Argos

More Than

LV=

Tesco Bank

A list of pet insurance companies in the UK

Most popular pet insurance companies

There are many companies out there that specialize in pet insurance. Some of the main ones include:

• M&S Bank
• Direct Line
• Petplan
• Animal Friends
• Sainsbury’s Bank
• Argos
• More Than
• LV=
• Tesco Bank

M&S Bank

M&S Bank has been offering pet insurance for cats and dogs since 2002. You’ll get a 5% discount if you insure more than one pet on your policy. There’s currently a 15% online discount and a £50 M&S voucher on offer for new pet insurance customers. You’ll also have 24-hour telephone access to medical advice from a vet.
Perhaps these incentives might be enough to make it the best-value policy available to you.

Direct Line

Direct Line was exclusively a car insurance provider when it launched in 1985, but has since branched out into other forms of insurance.
Its pet insurance policies have plenty of eye-catching features to help reduce the cost of your premiums.
At the time of writing, you’ll receive 12 months for the price of nine when booking pet insurance online. You’ll also receive a 12.5% discount when insuring multiple pets.
Its policies also give you access to discounted medication, general health products, pet food and toys. Prescription fees are covered up to £15.
What’s more, you’ll have access to the PawSquad live chat service with UK vets who can answer more questions about the health of your dog.
All in all, Direct Line is a reputable insurer which offers well-rounded pet insurance policies.

Petplan

Petplan has been providing pet insurance in the UK for over 40 years, and claims to be the country’s no.1 pet insurance provider. Indeed, there are a number of compelling reasons why it can lay claim to this title.
It paid 97% claims of 2018, yet doesn’t punish claimants with higher premiums. That’s a big reason why 90% of customers renew.
PetPlan insures a huge range of animals and has won several awards for its level of cover. Indeed, its policies cover congenital, hereditary and behavioural conditions, as well as more common problems.
If you like the idea of in-depth cover, which doesn’t grow in price after you claim, check out Petplan.

Animal Friends

Animal Friends launched in 1998. It provides pet insurance to owners of cats, dogs and horses, while using its profits to support animal charities.
If offers four levels of cover – accident-only, time-limited, max benefit or lifetime. All tend to provide good value compared to the cost.
If you like the idea of supporting animal charities with your pet insurance payments, you’re likely to find a suitable policy from Animal Friends.

Sainsbury’s Bank

Sainsburý’s began providing financial services to UK consumers in 1997.
Its pet insurance – available for cats and dogs only – tends to be at the cheaper end of the spectrum although the cover isn’t full as many of its competitors’. Loss cover and safe return protection aren’t offered as standard, for example. Nevertheless, if you’re only after basic cover, you’re likely to get a cheap quote.
At the same time, its premium policy has been rated highly by third-party experts. If Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance does stand out on price comparison websites, take a close look to make sure the cover provides everything you were hoping for.

Argos

Argos was bought by Sainsbury’s in 2016, and so Argos’ financial arm is now a part of Sainsbury’s Bank. As with Sainsbury’s Bank pet insurance, it’s only dogs and cats that are covered.
Once again, if you’re looking for cheaper insurance that isn’t quite as comprehensive as others, Argos could be a good shout.

More Than

More Than has been offering a range of insurance products to UK consumers since 2001, although its pet insurance only covers cats and dogs.
Still, if you have loads of cats and dogs, it’s worth checking this company out. You can cover up to three pets on one policy if you book your insurance online, and more if you call. You’ll get a 10% discount on your premiums for each pet that is insured. On top of that, More Than is offering a 25% discount for online customers.
There are four levels of cover available, so it’s simple enough to find something affordable that is most suited to your needs.
However, you should bear in mind that claims can only be made online.

LV=

Liverpool Victoria (LV=) has been offering UK consumers many different types of insurance since launching in 2007. Its pet insurance is only available for cats and dogs.
Its time-limited policy would appear to be on the light side, only covering up to £2,500 of vets fees. However, its lifetime policy covers up to £10,000 worth of vet fees and is highly-rated by third-party experts.
Other highlights of its lifetime policy include £1,500 towards finding lost pets and up to £2 million of third-party liability cover.
If you’re looking for a decent level of lifetime cover from an established insurer, LV= should be on your radar.

Tesco Bank

Tesco branched out to start providing financial services to UK consumers in 1997. Its pet insurance covers cats and dogs.
It offers a decent range of cover, including up to £10,000 in vets’ fees. There’s also an eye-catching range of extra bonuses, including 24-hour telephone access to medical advice from a vet, pet bereavement counselling and legal advice.
Clubcard holders are able to receive a discount on Tesco pet insurance, while a 20% discount for online applications is currently being offered.

Pet insurance companies by customer satisfaction score

We asked policy holders to rate their satisfaction with their insurance company, and whether they’d recommend it to a friend. We’ve shown both for each brand in the table below. Our independent survey of 750 insurance customers was carried out in December 2019.

Written by

Esther Wolffowitz

Esther Wolffowitz was a publisher at finder.com specialising in insurance. Esther holds an MSc in Media and Communication Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). See full profile