Frequently asked questions

Currently we only offer cover for domestic dogs and cats. Please also review our excluded breeds list for dog and cat breeds we do not cover here:

Excluded Dog Breeds (including any breed crossed with these dogs): Akita; Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog; American Bandogge (Bandog); American Bulldog; American Bully; American Foxhound; American Pit Bull Terriers; American Staffordshire Bull Terriers; Anatolian Shepherd Dog (Karabash); Australian Dingo; Bakharwal; Boerboel; Bucovina Shepherd Dog; Bully Kutta; Cane Corsos; Caucasian Ovcharka; Chinese Chongqing; Chow Chow; Dogo Argentino; Drever; Fila Brasileiro; Greek Harehound; Greek Shepherd / Greek sheepdog / Hellenikos Poimenikos; Gull Dong; Indian Pariah Dog; Irish Bull Terrier; Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier; Japanese Tosa; Kangal Shepherd Dog (Kangal); Karelian Bear Hound; Korean Jindo; Laizhou Hong; Northern Inuit Dog; Perro de Presa Canario (Canary Dog); Pit Bull Terriers; Pit Bull; Racoon Dog; Romanian Raven Shepherd Dog; Sabueso Español (Spanish Scenthound); Saint Miguel Cattle Dog; Shar Pei; Thai Ridgeback; Tibetan Mastiff; Wolf Hybrids; Wolves; any dog banned in Great Britain and/or Northern Ireland (this includes any 'type' defined in the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, considered to match the description of a prohibited 'type'; any breed crossed with these dogs; and any other breed or type added at a later date); any dogs used for business, commercial, trade, racing, guarding, showing or working purposes; any dogs used for breeding; any dogs used as gundogs, or used for or in connection with shooting, pointing, field work or for the purposes of hunting of any kind; any dogs under 4 weeks old.

Excluded Cat Breeds (including any breed crossed with these cats): Asian Leopard Cat; Chausie; Keetso; any cats used for breeding; any cats under 4 weeks old.

Treatments covered include: Physiotherapy; Hydrotherapy; Chiropractic manipulation; Osteopathy; Acupuncture; Homeopathic or herbal medicines; Laser Therapy

The complementary treatment must be recommended by a vet and administered by a suitably qualified practitioner. Please see our current list of suitably qualified practitioners here: Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy/ National Association of Vet Physiotherapists; The Institute of Registered Veterinary and Animal Physiotherapists (IRVAP); The International Association of Animal Therapists; Canine Hydrotherapy Association International Vet Acupuncture Society (IVAS); The Association of British Vet Acupuncturists (ABVA); National Association of Registered Canine Hydrotherapists (NARCH)

Subject to terms and conditions in your policy documents.

This includes corrective treatment for Behavioural Conditions for your Pet. Your pet's Behavioural Condition must be treated by a vet or a suitably qualified pet behaviourist/counsellor. Please see our current list of suitably qualified pet behaviourists/counsellors here: Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC); Canine and Feline Behaviour Association (CFBA); Certified Animal Behaviourist (CCAB); A qualified member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)

Subject to terms and conditions in your policy documents.

If you miss a payment for your policy, we will email you to let you know. We will ask that you pay all missed payments to keep your policy going. If you make a claim, we will need you to pay the missed payments before we can pay the claim. If we have been unable to take payment after 24 days from the start date or any subsequent premium payment due date, your policy will be cancelled. We also reserve the right to cancel your policy at any time after 3 missed premium attempts (including recollection attempts).

If you cancel your direct debit mandate for your policy, we will email you to let you know once we have received the notification. We will ask that you update your banking details on the customer portal to enable us to collect future premiums and keep your policy active. If we have not received updated banking details within 3 days of you cancelling your direct debit mandate, we reserve the right to cancel your policy.

Pedigree: parents are of the same breed.

Cross: parents are of two different breeds.

Mixed: parents are of 3 or more different breeds.

We currently offer £1000; £2000; £3000; £4000 and £5000 per condition per year. There is no limit on the number of conditions you can claim for.

The Emergency Booster inlcudes:

Dog Walking Cover: We will cover the cost of a professional dog walker to walk your dog daily if you are hospitalized for more than 4 consecutive days.

Emergency Kennel/Cattery Cover: We will cover the cost of boarding your pet for the duration that you are hospitalized for more than 4 consecutive days.

Subject to terms and conditions in your policy documents.

The Travel Booster inlcudes:

-Holiday Cover - We will cover the cost of emergency vet treatment during a holiday to certain European Economic Area (EEA) qualifying countries.

-Holiday Cancellation Cover - We will cover the travel and accommodation expenses incurred by you if you have to cancel or cut your holiday short because your pet needs immediate life-saving surgery.

Subject to terms and conditions in your policy documents.

We only accept pets older than 4 weeks and don't discriminate against older pets.

We don't provide cover for claims occuring outside the UK (unless the Travel Booster optional cover is selected).

You need to select the Travel Booster optional cover for your pet to be covered against emergency vet treatment that first shows signs or symptoms during a holiday in the policy year, we will pay up to the Annual Benefit Limit less the applicable excess specified on your Certificate of Insurance while you are on holiday with your pet to a European Economic Area (EEA) qualifying listed country which is included in the E.U. Pet Travel Scheme (“PETS”) that starts and ends in the UK.

If you are a new customer click 'Get a quote', enter details for the first pet and say 'Yes' when prompted to 'Add another pet' in the journey. If you are an existing customer and would like to add a new pet, simply complete the same sales journey. We will automatically add the new pet to your existing profile by using your email as a reference.

Any diagnosed or undiagnosed condition, related condition, bilateral condition or chronic condition which has happened or has shown signs or symptoms in any form in the last 24 months before the policy start date or within the waiting period will not be covered. We can start covering some conditions again if they haven't needed – or been recommended to have – treatment from you or the vet in the last 24 months. If a vet says a condition does need treatment during this time, and you delay getting it, we won't cover that condition. We do not cover any pre-existing chronic conditions; for example, diabetes, arthritis and epilepsy.

Whether you have a cat or dog insurance policy, you must take reasonable steps to maintain your pet's health throughout the policy year and to prevent injury, illness and loss. Therefore you must arrange and pay for your pet to have an annual dental examination by a vet in order to prevent illness or injury.

Your cover will start on your selected start date and time and will be shown in your Certificate of Insurance.

Currently we only offer monthly Direct Debit payment functionality. There are no fees or extra costs to pay monthly.

If your selected start date is within 14 days of the date you took out the policy your first collection will occur 14 days later and will resume on the original selected start date day thereafter. If your policy start date is more than 14 days after you took out the policy your first collection date will be on the start date day you have selected. A payment schedule will be provided on your Certificate of Insurance and in your Customer Portal.

You can visit the 'Billing' section on your Customer Portal to see your next payment date. Your full payment schedule will also be illustrated in your Certificate of Insurance document, which is also available in your Customer Portal.

You can change your bank details by visiting your Customer Portal. Simply click 'More details', 'Billing' and then 'UPDATE BANK ACCOUNT'. Should you have multiple policies, you will need to update the bank details on each of them by selecting the option to update across all policies.

Yes, you can change your direct debit date by emailing our Customer Success team. We will then send you a new Certificate of Insurance indicating your updated payment schedule. This can also be viewed in the 'Billing' section of your Customer Portal.

Changes can be made by simply logging into your Customer Portal and requesting the necessary change. Some changes will result in a premium change in your policy, but we will notify you of this before making the change.

Yes, upgrades and downgrades are allowed during the term of the policy. Simply log into the Customer Portal and request the change. The change will be effective from the next possible cover month.

Please note that any condition, related condition, or bilateral condition which has happened or has shown signs or symptoms of existing in any form prior to the increase in cover will not benefit from the increase in cover.

Yes, Boosters can be added or removed during the term of the policy. Simply log into the Customer Portal and request the change. The change will be effective from the next possible cover month.

Please note that any condition, related condition, or bilateral condition which has happened or has shown signs or symptoms of existing in any form prior to the increase in cover will not benefit from the increase in cover.

We hope to encourage a long and healthy relationship with your pet. This is why we introduced a Body Condition Score, rewarding responsible pet ownership.

The Body Condition Score is determined using a known method of evaluating body composition using the appearance and feel of your pet to assess body condition. If the Body Condition Score indicates that the body condition of your Pet is in an ideal range you will qualify for a discount.

Simply log into the Customer Portal, select 'Change pet details' under the 'Pet Details' tab and select 'Submit Body Condition Score'. This will send you a digital body condition link that should be shared and completed by your vet. The vet can now assess your pet and complete the form digitally. Once completed we will automatically review the body condition score of your pet and apply the necessary discount to your policy effective from the next possible billing month.

Simply log into the Customer Portal and click on the 'Documents' tab for each of your pets to find the associated Certificate of Insurance, Policy Wording, IPID and TOBA.

Your policy is in force for 12 months providing you continue to pay your monthly premium. Every 12 months your policy will renew automatically unless you instruct us to cancel your policy. We will contact you by email at least 27 days before your renewal date with the full details of your premium, excess, policy coverage and terms and conditions for the next policy year.

We might adjust your premium at renewal to accommodate for any change in risk at renewal. Our premiums are carefully calculated to ensure what you pay is fair and accurately reflects the likelihood of claiming and ever-increasing veterinary costs. The age, breed, size and location of your pet are also some of the factors we'll take into consideration when calculating your premium. Please note that we always strive to keep our prices the same as what you would pay in the market for the same cover. We DO NOT penalise loyal customers.

The Customer Portal allows all policyholders to: view their policies, make any changes, submit and track claims.

The Customer Portal can be accessed from our website. Simply click on 'Login'.

No, there's no need to set and remember a password. Simply use your registered email when logging in and we will send you a unique link to your registered email address. Open the email and click on the link (you can also copy the generated link into your browser). Please note for security reasons this link is only valid for a certain period of time. Always remember to use the latest link to access the portal as previous links won't work.

Depending on your email provider settings the email might end up in your Junk/Spam email folder. If you still don't receive an email after 5 minutes please inform us by sending an email to info@onlypawspetinsurance.co.uk.

The quickest way to make a claim is through your Customer Portal, which can be accessed on our website. Once you have you logged into the Customer Portal simply navigate to the 'Claims' tab and select 'Submit Claim'. Choose the type of claim you are submitting and attach the requested information that follows.

Yes, all claims can be tracked by logging into your Customer Portal and navigating to the 'Claims' tab. The status of each claim is displayed for each of your submitted claims.

Yes, we offer two payment options: 1. We can pay you and you pay the vet or; 2. We pay the vet directly. Choose what's best for you, and we'll handle the rest.

We make the claiming process simpler and faster by sending you a unique digital claim form to share with your vet via email. No more paper claim forms to print, complete by hand, scan and send. In this way the process is simpler for you and better for the environment.

This is the amount you contribute to certain claims under this policy as specified in the policy wording and/or your Certificate of Insurance. Please note that the maximum amount that can be claimed under each section of cover in your policy in any given policy period (Annual Benefit Limit) as detailed on your Certificate of Insurance and are inclusive of excess payments made by you. See examples below:

Example 1
In this case, a claim for £2100 has been submitted, from which we deduct any items that are not covered by the policy. You then contribute the first £99 (the applicable excess in this case) and the remaining amount is paid out to you.

 AmountDetail
Claim amount£2100Vet Invoice
Deductions£-100Items not covered (E.g. Food)
Caps£-0Amount above the £2000 Annual Benefit Limit
Excess£-99You then contribute the first £99
Claim payout£1901We contribute

Example 2
In the second example, after deducting the non-covered items, the claimable amount is £800 greater than the policy's Annual Benefit Limit (caps) of £2000, so £800 is deducted as well. You then contribute the first £99 (the applicable excess in this case) and the remaining amount is paid out to you.
 AmountDetail
Claim amount£2900Vet Invoice
Deductions£-100Items not covered (E.g. Food)
Caps£-800Amount above the £2000 Annual Benefit Limit
Excess£-99You then contribute the first £99
Claim payout£1901We contribute

No, we aim to provide more out of pocket certainty and so have a fixed excess structure that only changes from £99 to £200 when your pet reaches 8 years of age.

Bilateral condition is any condition that can affect body parts of which your pet has more than one, such as ears, eyes, front and back legs and feet, cruciate ligaments, hips, shoulders and elbows and which can occur at different times. When applying the terms of this policy, any treatment for bilateral conditions will be considered as one condition, regardless of when the treatment occurred.

Related/associated condition means a condition that is either a recurring illness and/or injury or lump; or related to a previous illness and/or injury or lump; or caused by a previous illness and/or injury or lump. When applying the excess and the terms of this policy, any treatment for an related condition will be considered as one condition, regardless of when the treatment occurred.

You have 90 days from the date of treatment or from the date your pet passes away.

We understand losing a pet can be a very difficult time. In the sad event of your pet passing away we hope to make the claims process as straightforward as possible. In the process of submitting your claim on the Customer Portal, we will require you to upload the purchase receipt or rehoming document to confirm the amount you paid for your pet. We will get confirmation from the vet that the pet passed away if we haven't already received a vet fees claim that confirms his/her loss.

You can monitor the progress of your claim with our claims tracking service in your Customer Portal. We are constantly making improvements but currently we aim to assess claims within 10 working days of receiving all the needed information.

Once you receive your full policy documents and you are not satisfied with the offering you have 14 days within which you can cancel the policy and receive a refund of any premium you have paid unless you claim. You can also cancel at any time after the 14-days and premium collections will cease immediately from that point onwards. If you wish to cancel your policy this can be done by contacting us by using the email: info@onlypawspetinsurance.co.uk

Should you wish to alter this policy or cancel it please contact us using the email address: info@onlypawspetinsurance.co.uk

The quickest way to get matters resolved is to follow our complaints procedure which can be found on our website (https://www.onlypawspetinsurance.co.uk/complaints). Failing that you can always contact us at: complaints@onlypawspetinsurance.co.uk

We only offer the most comprehensive type of policies typically referred to as 'Reinstatement' or 'Lifetime' policies. If your pet develops a long-term illness like diabetes, you can claim year after year for his treatment, provided you accept renewal terms and renew your policy annually without a break in cover.

Yes, we will offer cover for pre-existing conditions as long as the condition, any related condition, or bilateral condition does not show any signs or symptoms in any form in the last 24 months before the policy start date or within the waiting period. We can start covering some conditions again if they haven't needed – or been recommended to have – treatment from you or the vet in the last 24 months. If a vet says a condition does need treatment during this time, and you delay getting it, we won't cover that condition. We do not cover any pre-existing chronic conditions; for example, diabetes, arthritis and epilepsy.

  • Any accident, illness or condition which has happened or has signs or symptoms in the last 24 months before taking the policy out.
  • Unless your pet was insured by another insurer up to the start date of your policy, any claims for illness displaying signs or symptoms within 14 days or any accident or injury occurring within 5 days of the start date. Any cost exceeding the associated annual benefit limit.
  • Any out-of-hours costs unless waiting until normal surgery hours would either endanger your pet's life or make the condition life endangering. We will not cover any out-of-hours costs if you delay taking your pet to the vet during normal surgery hours as a result of your personal circumstances.
  • Cosmetic, elective, routine or preventative treatments, examinations, vaccinations, spaying, castration, breeding and other claims as a result of any of these procedures.
  • Any costs relating to pregnancy or giving birth.
  • Cost of any food or supplements.
  • Cost of any take-home medication, complementary treatments and corrective behavioural treatments unless this optional coverage is added.
  • Dental or gum treatment not caused by accident but by illness unless the optional coverage is added.
  • Any costs relating to root canal treatments.
  • Any public liability claim if the claimant is you, a person who lives with you, is a member of your family, is employed by you or given permission to handle your dog.
  • Any claim resulting from your pet passing on any disease, infection or virus to another animal or human including, but not limited to, Zoonotic Diseases.

For more information please refer to our Policy Wording and IPID.

Boosters are optional covers which you can select at an additional premium to enhance your cover.

Health Booster: Take-Home Medication Cover (pills and other medications to be administered outside the vet clinic), Complementary Treatment Cover and Corrective Behavioural Cover.

Dental Booster: Dental Cover related to illness.

Emergency Booster: Dog Walking Cover and Emergency Kennel/Cattery Cover.

Travel Booster: Holiday Cover and Holiday Cancellation Cover.

For more information please refer to our Policy Wording and IPID.

Yes. Unless your pet was insured by another insurer up to the start date of your policy, a period of 5 days from the start date for an injury that occurs or shows signs or symptoms; or 14 days from the policy start date for all other sections of covers will apply.

Health Booster which specifically covers Take-Home Medication is often added by clients.

Take-Home Medication Cover covers the cost of medication administered outside the vet (medication taken home from the vet or ordered online).

Dental cover related to accidents is already included in your policy. The Dental Booster provides enhanced dental cover which covers dental claims related to illness. Subject to terms and conditions in your policy documents.