Compare multi-pet insurance

Pet insurance can help you pay for your pet’s medical bills and other expenses having to do with owning a pet. Multi-pet insurance allows you to cover more than one pet under one policy. Not only does this save you the hassle of dealing with the paperwork for each pet, most insurers offer discounts when you insure more than one pet.

• What's in this guide?

  What's in this guide?

  1. How does multi-pet insurance work?
  2. How many pets can I insure?
  3. What types of pet can I insure?
  4. What does multi-pet insurance cover?
  5. What affects the cost of multi-pet insurance cost?

How does multi-pet insurance work?

Multi-pet insurance works just like single pet insurance, except that it allows you to cover more than one pet on the same policy. If you get an additional pet in the future, you can easily add the new pet to your existing policy.

Most insurance providers offer discounts that can go a long way in saving you money. While the discount may vary from provider to provider, it can be in the form of a percentage discount — usually 5 to 10 percent or a set amount for each pet you add to the policy.

How many pets can I insure?

The number of pets you can insure differs with each insurer. While there is normally no maximum limit, some insurers don’t offer a discount, requiring each pet to be on its own policy; and some only offer a flat, one-off discount for more than one pet. Some insurers tend to limit the number to between 6 and 10 pets. Ideally, you should look for an insurer that offers a discount per additional pet, which can add up to real savings on your premiums.

What types of pet can I insure?

You can get pet insurance for dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and exotic pets, like reptiles, tortoises or parrots. Most insurers will only cover dogs and cats, but some insurers offer exotic pets insurances for rare birds or reptiles, which you’ll have to get separately.

What does multi-pet insurance cover?

Vet fees
Pet insurance allows you to claim the cost of veterinary treatment during the term of your policy. Most policies cover treatment resulting from the following:

• Accidental injury
• Illness, including behavioural illnesses if referred by your vet
• Physiotherapy if referred by your vet

Some policies may even offer coverage for extra treatment your pet may need following an accident or injury. This could include the following:

• Acupuncture
• Homeopathy
• Osteopathy
• Hydrotherapy
• Dental

Death of your pet
Some insurers can cover you if your pet dies or needs to be euthanized due to illness or injury.

It’s always a good idea to check the terms of your policy as some insurers may not cover your pet after it passes a certain age. For example, in the case of cats or dogs, eight years old is the age at which most insurers don’t cover pets.

Lost and found cover
Lifetime pet insurance can cover the purchase price of your pet if they go missing as a result of theft or straying. This can even cover the cost of advertising if your pet is lost as well as any reward offered to the person who finds it.

However, you must report your pet missing to the police, and most insurers then pay out if they are not found within 30 days of being reported.

Third party liability
This coverage only applies to dogs and will cover you in the event that your dog causes damage to someone else’s property or causes someone to be killed or injured.

If someone is seriously injured or killed by your dog and you are taken to court, it could cost you hundreds of thousands of pounds, so look for policies with a high level of cover.

What affects the cost of multi-pet insurance cost?

The cost of your lifetime pet insurance policy depends on a number of factors:

• The number of pets. The more pets you insure, the higher your premium is likely to be. However, multi-pet insurance will always be cheaper than taking out separate insurance policies for each pet.
• The age of your pet. The older your pet, the more it will cost to insure it as older animals are more likely to have medical issues.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. If your pet has any medical ailments at the time of buying insurance, it’s likely that it will cost more to insure it.
• Cost of your pet. Pedigree pets cost more to cover than crossbreeds because they are more expensive to buy and can suffer from hereditary conditions.
• Type of pet. Smaller pets such as rabbits or guinea pigs are cheaper to cover as veterinary bills are also lower than those for dogs or cats.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I insure different animals on the same policy?

  Yes. Most multi-pet insurance policies cover dogs and cats under the same policy. However, some insurers also allow pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs to be covered under the same policy.

• Does multi-pet insurance offer lifetime or time-limited cover?

  Multi-pet insurance works just like single pet insurance and offers both annual limit per condition and overall lifetime limit policies.

  • Annual limit per condition.
    In this version of coverage, the insurer sets a limit to the amount that you can claim for each condition. For example, the insurer sets the annual condition limit to £5,000. This means that if your dog develops arthritis, the maximum you could claim for medical treatment for the disease in any single year would be £5,000.
  • Overall lifetime limit
    This version of coverage sets a lifetime limit on the amount you can claim for each condition. For example, if the lifetime limit is £30,000, the maximum you can claim for treatment of your arthritic dog during its lifespan is £30,000. Any extra costs incurred for its treatment would have to be covered by you.

• Can I cover my older pet?

  Yes, but many insurers set a maximum age limit on their policies, for example eight years old for dogs and cats.

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.