Accident-only pet insurance

As the owner of a young and healthy pet, you may wish to avoid high pet insurance premiums, especially if there is very little risk of your companion developing an illness any time soon. But what about accidents that nobody can plan for? Read our guide to find out how accident-only pet insurance works and the pros and cons of getting it.

• What's in this guide?

  What's in this guide?

  1. What does accident-only pet insurance cover?
  2. What is not covered by accident-only pet insurance?
  3. Looking for different cover?

What does accident-only pet insurance cover?

As the name indicates, accident-only pet insurance typically only covers pet injuries caused by an accident that has occurred during the policy term. As it’s one of the cheapest policies available, this policy type tends to also have a limit on the amount that goes towards treatment carried out after an accident.

Some policies may include cover if emergency treatment is required when your pet is ill, but not all insurers will offer this. Some may also include cover if your pet is responsible for injuring someone else, but this can vary with insurers.

What is not covered by accident-only pet insurance?

Exclusions will vary between pet insurers, but an accident-only pet insurance policy generally won’t cover the following:

• Illnesses or conditions that your pet may develop not relating to any accident
• Pre-existing conditions diagnosed before your accident-only pet insurance policy started
• Any injuries or conditions due to an accident that happened before the pet insurance policy started
• Cosmetic treatment
• Routine dental or gum treatment
• Treatment for behavioural issues
• Regular checkups or vaccinations

Looking for different cover?

Accident-only pet insurance is only one type of pet insurance. If you’d like a little more cover for your pet, there are three other types of pet insurance available. These include the following:

Lifetime pet insurance. This offers the most comprehensive cover for your pet throughout its lifetime, but usually comes at a high price. You will usually need to renew your policy each year.

Time-limited pet insurance. This offers basic cover for eligible short-term health conditions or accidents within a certain period of time. After the period has ended, the policy will need to be renewed. But if you made a claim for a particular condition during the previous policy period, that same condition would then be excluded from the new policy.

Maximum-benefit pet insurance. This offers cover for conditions and accidents up to a certain amount. Once that limit has been reached, the insurer won’t pay out any more and it’s the pet owner’s responsibility to cover any bills.

Pros and cons of accident-only pet insurance

Pros

• It is basic in nature but fairly cheap in premiums
• It is most suited to young and healthy pets

Cons

• It will typically only cover your pet if they are involved in an accident
• A policy term is usually 12 months, so if treatment for an accident continues into the next year, chances are, you might not be covered
• It is unlikely to suit older pets with growing health concerns

Frequently asked questions

• What factors impact what I pay?

  Your pet insurance premiums will generally be affected by how likely you are to make a claim as well as how much a claim is likely to cost. As a result, there are several factors that pet insurers consider in order to calculate your pet’s insurance premium. Some of these factors include the following:

  • Species and breed
  • Age and gender
  • Health and previous medical history
  • Weight
  • Whether your pet has been spayed or neutered
  • Level of training and agility
  • Location, (plus if your pet is house-bound or not)

• When is the best time to take out accident-only pet insurance?

  There is no ideal time to take out insurance as it really depends on your pet and its species, age and health etc. That being said, young and healthy pets are less likely to develop illnesses or conditions but an accident-only policy may offer you the peace of mind if your pet is involved in an accident. Just keep in mind that if you do decide to take out an accident-only policy when your pet is young and healthy, your pet won’t stay that way and neither will your premium.

  As your pet gets older, their risk of developing illnesses also increases, which means pet insurance premiums are also likely to rise. If your pet has an illness, you may find it difficult to get a policy that covers that particular pre-existing medical condition, but you can still guard against other future illnesses with other policies such as lifetime pet insurance. Shop around and compare deals to find the most suitable cover for your pet.

Esther Wolffowitz

Esther Wolffowitz is a publisher at finder.com. She is a specialist in insurance and wants to help UK consumers make better decisions. In her spare time, Esther enjoys discovering new restaurants and food markets in London.