Petplan review

Best Pet Insurance

UK's most trusted pet insurance provider. Lifetime cover for dogs and cats with no upper age limit for renewals. Covers ongoing conditions year after year.

Overview

Petplan is the UK's most established pet insurer, with over 45 years of experience. Their defining feature is lifetime cover — they continue to cover ongoing conditions year after year, unlike most cheaper policies that cap or exclude conditions after the first year.

Who Is Petplan Best For?

• Dog and cat owners who want the best cover available
• Owners of breeds prone to health issues — bulldogs, cavaliers, ragdolls, etc.
• Those who want ongoing condition cover — the most important feature in pet insurance
• People who would pay any vet bill — Petplan ensures you can

Why Lifetime Cover Matters

This is the single most important thing to understand about pet insurance:

Policy Type	Year 1 Cover	Year 2+	What Happens
Lifetime (Petplan)	Full cover	Conditions still covered	Ongoing treatment paid year after year
Annual/Time-limited	Full cover	Condition excluded	You pay for ongoing treatment yourself
Accident only	Accidents only	Accidents only	Illness never covered

Many cheaper policies are annual or time-limited. They cover a condition for 12 months, then exclude it permanently. If your dog develops diabetes, arthritis, or an ongoing condition, you pay every vet bill yourself from year 2 onwards. Lifetime cover keeps paying.

Real Cost Example

A Labrador diagnosed with arthritis at age 6:

Year	Vet Costs	Petplan Pays	Annual Policy Pays
Year 1	£1,200	£1,200	£1,200
Year 2	£1,500	£1,500	£0 (excluded)
Year 3	£1,800	£1,800	£0 (excluded)
Year 4	£2,000	£2,000	£0 (excluded)
Total	£6,500	£6,500	£1,200

Over the dog's lifetime, the difference between lifetime and annual cover can be thousands of pounds.

Cover Details

Feature	Details
Vet fee limit	£4,000 — £15,000/year (depending on plan)
Third-party liability	Up to £2 million (dogs)
Death from illness or injury	Purchase/market value
Lost and found advertising	Included
Holiday cancellation	Up to £2,500
Dental cover	Illness-related dental included

Pet insurance premiums are based on age, breed, and location. The younger you insure, the cheaper the premiums start — and pre-existing conditions are never covered. Insure from 8 weeks old if possible.

What Petplan Lacks

• More expensive than basic cover — lifetime cover costs more
• Premiums increase with age — expect 10-20% annual increases for older pets
• Excess per condition per year — you pay the first £80-150 of each claim
• Pre-existing conditions never covered — nothing that existed before the policy
• Dental is limited — routine dental not covered, only illness-related

The Bottom Line

Petplan is the gold standard for pet insurance in the UK. The lifetime cover is what separates it from cheaper alternatives — and it is the feature that matters most when your pet actually needs expensive ongoing treatment. Yes, it costs more. But when you are facing a £3,000 vet bill for the second year running, you will be glad you chose lifetime cover.

Pros

• Lifetime cover — ongoing conditions covered
• No upper age limit for renewals
• Covers vet fees, liability, and loss
• Trusted brand — 45+ years
• Direct vet payment option

Cons

• More expensive than basic pet cover
• Premiums increase with pet age
• Excess per condition per year
• Pre-existing conditions excluded
• Dental cover limited