What animals do you insure?

John Lewis Pet Insurance provides cover for cats and dogs.

Do you have an age limit?

You can buy Pet Insurance for your cat or dog as soon as the’re over eight weeks old and there’s no upper age limit. The only benefit that stops is Death from Illness Cover. When your pet is over nine years old, we won't give you back the purchase price if they die or have to be put to sleep through illness or natural causes. All other benefits continue.

Are pre-existing medical conditions covered?

Your pet won’t be covered for any illness, disease, injury or any change in it’s normal healthy state, its bodily functions or behaviour which they had before this policy started.

Are the costs of neutering/spaying my pet covered?

No, any preventative and elective treatments or routine examinations aren’t covered.

Is dental work covered (ie teeth cleaning, extraction)?

If your pet has an accident, they'll be covered for dental treatment they need as a result, but any regular dentistry isn't covered.

Are hereditary and/or congenital conditions covered?

Yes, your policy will cover hereditary and congenital conditions as long as the condition hadn't been discovered and your pet didn't have any symptoms before the start date, or within the first 14 days of your Pet Insurance policy.

What is the policy excess?

This is the part of a claim that you have to pay.

Whatever cover level you select, you can choose an excess of £60, £80 or £140. This will apply to the Vets Fees Cover and is the amount you pay for each condition in each period of insurance.

Once your pet reaches the age of nine or over, the excess alters and you pay the Vets Fees Cover excess chosen, or 20% of the treatment costs, whichever is greater, for each condition, in each period of insurance.

How do I know what vet fees excess applies if my pet turns nine during a course of treatment?

If your pet reaches the age of nine during a claim, the excess you pay will stay at the amount you paid when the treatment first started and this won’t change for an ongoing claim.

Are there other policy excesses?

Yes, under all our cover levels, for Third Party Liability property damage you pay the first £250 of each claim. If you’ve chosen our Plus or Premier level of cover, you pay the first £75 of each trip for cancellation or cutting a trip short under Travel Cover. 

How can I pay for my policy?

We offer our customers a choice of easy payment methods:

• Monthly Direct Debit (interest free)                                                                
• Credit or debit card for the full amount.

We don't charge you for paying for your Pet Insurance monthly. Online payments are made over a secure server, which uses advanced encryption technology to keep your details safe during transmission.

Is there any advantage to paying my premiums monthly by Direct Debit?

Yes, because it breaks your premium down into affordable monthly payments and we don't charge any interest for paying monthly. You can also relax in the knowledge that at renewal your cover will continue unless your circumstances have changed or you decide to end your pet's cover. 

How do I know if my cover has been accepted?

If you’ve bought your Pet Insurance online, once you've entered your payment details, the "payment confirmation" page will be displayed. This page confirms your cover and will display your policy number and cover start date. Your policy documents will be  held in your online account. Simply login to view, download or print your documents.

How do I cancel my policy?

From the date you receive your documents, you have 14 days to cancel and get a full refund, as long as you haven’t made any claims.

If you cancel your policy after 14 days, you’ll receive a proportional refund, as long as you haven’t made a claim. If you want to cancel your policy please call 0845 078 7550.

Can you cover my pet abroad? If so, how long for?

Yes, our Plus and Premier Cover levels can cover your pet abroad. You need to make sure that you’re travelling to a member country of the PETS Travel Scheme and comply with the requirements of this scheme while you’re abroad.

You’ll be covered for three trips in any period of insurance and each trip can last up to 60 days. More information is available on the Pet Travel Scheme website.

What is Long Term Cover?

John Lewis Pet Insurance offers Long Term Cover for your pet, which means if your pet develops an illness that this policy covers you’ll be able to claim for ongoing treatment for that condition. There is no time limit on how long treatment can last and we'll pay up to your chosen vet fee limit each year as long as we can continue to offer cover, your premiums are paid and the policy is renewed each year.

For example, if your dog gets arthritis, and you’re covered under this policy, you'll be able to claim each time they need treatment up to your chosen vet fee limit each year, as long as you’re insured with us and your premiums are up to date. 

Can I rely on this cover year after year?

Yes. As long as your Pet Insurance policy is renewed with us and your payments are up to date we'll keep providing cover.

Do I have to pay the vet and you reimburse me?

To make it easier for you we usually pay the vet directly if they are set up for this. If the vet doesn't offer this facility, or you've already paid the vet, we'll send you payment. If the vet has to make an emergency visit to you, they might ask for payment to be made immediately.

What’s the claims number?

Our claims number is 0845 078 7585 and the opening hours are:

Monday to Friday: 8am - 8pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm 

Find out more about making a Pet Insurance claim

What do I do if my dog/cat is missing or has been involved in an accident?

Contact our claims department on 0845 078 7585 and they’ll take the details from you and issue a claim form.

You must also report the loss of your pet to your local rescue centres and veterinary practices. If your dog is missing, you’ll need to report this to the police and local dog warden (if you have one). Our claims department will need evidence that you've done this.

What help can vetfone provide?

Vetfone is a 24 hour service offering expert advice and support about anything to do with your pets. The experienced and fully trained vet nurses can answer questions about cats, dogs and all other household pets.