Question 1

What is the excess?

Accepted Answer

The excess is the amount that you will need to contribute towards the cost of your claim, whether it’s for Vet Bills, Pet Therapies or Legal Liability. We’ll simply take the amount off your claim settlement. This amount varies depending on which plan you’re on, the age of your pet and what benefit you’re claiming under.

The excess you need to pay will be deducted from your claim will always be shown on your Certificate of Insurance which you will receive once you’ve activated your policy. If you are an existing customer you can log in to My Petplan and check the My Policies page for details of how your excess works including how much excess you will pay.

Question 2

What does a Vet Bills claim excess mean?

Accepted Answer

The excess is the amount you need to contribute to the cost of a claim.

If you have our Essential plan your policy covers treatment costs for 12 months up to £3,000 per illness or injury. You would need to pay an excess for each illness/injury.

If you have a Covered For Life® plan you can claim up to the Vet Bills amount you chose - £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 per year. You would need to pay an excess for each condition each policy year.

To help keep premiums affordable, as your pet gets older you will need to contribute more towards the cost of your claim. You'll pay 20% of all pet treatments on top of your fixed excess. We’ll remind you of this a year before it happens.

You can check your Vet Bills excess at any time on your Certificate of Insurance.

**You can make a claim online here. **

Question 3

What should I do if my pet passes away?

Accepted Answer

It’s never easy to say goodbye to your pet, but if the worst should happen, Petplan will be here to support you. Whilst insurance may be the last thing on your mind when your pet dies, there are a few things you need to think about.

Cancelling your policy:

Make sure you notify us of your pet’s death by filling in our online cancellation form.

We will then cancel your policy from the day after your pet’s passing.

Depending on your current payment date, once you cancel you may be due a refund. Alternatively, you may be charged for any additional days’ cover since your last payment date. If you owe any outstanding premium, we will request this from your bank on the next working day. Refunds will be paid back onto your usual payment card.

If you pay by Direct Debit and have less than 5 working days left before your next payment is due to be collected we will be unable to stop this collection. We will take this payment as normal and then refund this directly to the bank account for which we hold details.

Claims:

The team will be able to help you complete any open claims or submit claims for any treatment your pet was undergoing.

You may also be eligible to receive a death benefit within your policy. If this is the case, the benefit will automatically be transferred to you upon notification of your pet’s passing.

Support:

Losing a pet can be a painful and traumatic time. If you need any extra support, our partners at Blue Cross run a pet bereavement helpline on 0800 138 6515.

Question 4

How does your refer a friend offer work?

Accepted Answer

Recommend a friend to Petplan and you'll receive £20 worth of M&S vouchers for yourself and 2 months free pet insurance for your friend, when they take out a full year policy.

For more information on how to qualify for the offer, please visit the Recommend a friend offer page.

Question 5

Does Petplan only insure dogs, cats and rabbits?

Accepted Answer

As well as dogs, cats and rabbits, we can also insure many different animals. Visit our Other Insurance page for details on the small, large, furry and even scaly pets we can help provide cover for. Or, to insure horses and riders, go to our Petplan Equine website. To insure all other mammals as well as reptiles and birds, please visit our partner Exotic Direct (or call 0345 982 5505).

Question 6

Does Petplan have any testimonials I can read?

Accepted Answer

Yes we do. You can read our Customer Stories from existing dog, cat and rabbit policyholders. We also have Customer Reviews which are collected by Trustpilot.

Question 7

Does Petplan work with any charities?

Accepted Answer

Our caring for pets goes beyond providing dog insurance, cat insurance and rabbit insurance. As 'the pet people' we are passionate about animal welfare and the principle of responsible pet ownership. We support many charities and have set up Petplan Charitable Trust, which has so far raised over £8 million towards a better, healthier world for animals.

Question 8

Where did the concept of pet insurance originate?

Accepted Answer

Pet insurance started in the 1970s when just a small handful of providers existed. Then pet insurance became recognised and sought after which resulted in an increase in the number of players within the pet insurance market. Petplan, the market leader, was founded by Patsy Bloom who saw an opportunity in the market after facing mounting vet bills for her own dog´s illness. It wasn't long before pet insurance became recognised and sought after which resulted in an increase in the number of players within the pet insurance market.

Question 9

Why do I need pet insurance?

Accepted Answer

Having Petplan insurance allows you to budget monthly rather than having to cover the cost of unexpected veterinary bills. Did you know that more people claim against their pet insurance policy than on their household or car insurance? (Allianz Insurance plc) This just goes to show how important it is to ensure that your best friend has the best possible pet insurance on the market.