Pet Insurance Benefits

1. Vets fee cover protects from big unexpected bills
2. It ensures your pet gets the best treatment
3. Cover your pet for ongoing illnesses like arthritis
4. Covers you for claims made against you
5. Advertising and Reward cover helps find a lost pet
6. Cover for your pet on holiday
7. And much more to give you peace of mind!

Why do I need Pet Insurance?

Should the worst happen and your pet becomes ill or suffers an accident, veterinary bills can run into thousands of pounds. We have a range of pet insurance products that ensure you’re able to choose the right pet plan to suit your needs. With our Gold Super plan for example your dog would receive up to £4,000 for each and every condition he develops, every year. read more...

Quick Quote

pet_insurance_quote.gif

Talk to us NOW via our Live Chat
Home arrow Pet Insurance arrow AFI FAQ's
AFI FAQ's
Are you regulated by the Financial Services Authority?

Yes, we are fully regulated by the FSA and our FSA Registration Number is 307858

Are the AFI policies available directly from your underwriters?

No. Our policies have been specially crafted exclusively for AFI, in particular Animal Friends’ range of Lifetime Pet Insurance policies.

Who are your underwriters?

Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited

For the full protection of UK insurance customers RSL are members of the ABI, The Financial Ombudsman Scheme and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, so consumers are protected on all fronts.  RSL were Licensed by the Gibraltar Financial Service Commission in January 2004.

If I make a claim, will you pay the vet or do I have to pay first?

We offer either option. We can pay directly into your bank account by BACS or directly to your vet. We have our own dedicated claims service which we operate from our Wiltshire offices. Many claims will be settled immediatly as we aim to offer the very best claims service. Full details of the Claims Line number will be found in your policy documents.

What is the typical spend on vet bills (a) in normal conditions and (b) if the pet is seriously ill?

There is no such thing as a ‘typical vet bill’ but treating a kidney infection may cost some £400 and a serious injury such as a fracture or hip replacement, for example, could be £1,500 or more. We do find that vet’s bills for the same kind of operation can vary widely across the country.

Will you cover pets with pre-existing conditions?

Yes we will insure the pet but we will exclude the pre-existing condition from the cover. Most insurers will do the same.

Are your policies for older pets very expensive and what is the excess?

Older pet premiums aren’t much greater than for younger animals as you will see by following the links on this site to our pages for older animals’ pet insurance. With our senior plans you will pay the first £49 of any claim as you would with our younger pet policies but you will also pay the first 35% of a claim. In this way we can keep our premiums at low levels to benefit those clients who do not have to make a claim whilst offering valuable cover for the larger contingencies that may occur once a pet gets into old age.

What other payment options are available?

If you like you can pay the premium all at once by a credit or debit card or by a personal cheque.

Can I pay for my policy in installments?

Yes and at no extra cost! We offer an interest free Direct Debit option.

Will you put up my premium if I make a claim?

No! Some of our well-known competitors do.

Do you put your prices up each year and, if so, by how much?

We have only applied very small increases in recent years. In 2003 prices went up just 5%; in 2004 prices rose by only 4.5%. Some customers have told us that other companies have put up prices much more steeply once they have got their business.

What does "Lifetime Cover" mean?

Some illnesses can require treatment for many years, for example diabetes needs annual treatment for the rest of a pet's life, as does arthritis and many other conditions. We call these “Ongoing Conditions”. Our Lifetime Policy Options (Gold & Platinum options) will cover that treatment for as long as it takes, even if it takes several years. This is because the vets fee limit on the Gold and Platinum policies renews every year even for a condition which you have claimed for in the previous 12 months.

Many policies you will be offered will only pay out for the first 12 months for an ongoing condition – or even less if the claim is made towards the end of the policy year. Do check this when you are ringing around to compare pet insurances.

Will I have to pay a higher premium if I live in a certain postcode or if I have a pedigree pet?

In order to try and be fair to all we try to give eveyone the best rates. To do so our rates have to be higher in London as vets fees are so much more expensive there but we then reduce our rates for areas where vets fees are cheaper. In the same way our rates  will be lower for cross breeds than for pedigees or large dogs to reflect the difference in risk.

To further help with your premiums we offer excess options to give you some choice as to how much premium you pay. 

What pet insurance does Animal Friends offer?

Dog and Cat insurance; but watch our website for the launch of Animal Friends’ price-beating range of Horse Insurance policies.

Will you only insure pets up to a certain age, say 8 years or 10 years?

No, we will take on a new pet at any age. We have insured both dogs and cats for the first time when they have been 18 years old!

So you have the comfort to know that, if you take out pet insurance with Animal Friends, then we will continue to insure your pet for his or her life as long as you continue to pay the premiums.

Answer not here? Submit a question.