Accident and illness

Our accident and illness insurance explained

Specialist insurance cover for accidents and illnesses

Does my insurance cover my pet against an accident or illness?

When you take out a policy with us, you will have the option of three different levels of vet fee cover. With our Accident and Illness cover, we can provide up to £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000 a year to help pay for the cost of treatment if your cat or dog falls ill.

Can older cats and dogs be insured?

Yes. As your pet approaches their senior years, you’ll want to know that they’re in safe hands as they grow older. That’s why our insurance includes protection for older cats and dogs. Sadly, as a cat or dog ages, much like us, the risk of falling ill increases. So, if your pet falls ill and needs medical attention, then under our Accident and Illness cover, we can contribute towards their vet fees.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide cover for pre-existing conditions that your pet has previously suffered from or currently suffers from. You can find out more information about our approach to pre-existing conditions here.

Can I extend my Accident and Illness cover?

Yes. You can extend your Accident and Illness cover with our optional extras. Options include, extending your cover, for your pet, to countries in the EU with our Overseas Travel. In addition, you can choose to include our Dog Liability Insurance which will cover up to £2million to cover liability costs if your dog gets into bother with a third party (liability cover only applies in the UK).

Accident Only insurance explained

What is Accident Only pet insurance? Accident Only pet insurance is our most basic level of cover for cats and dogs, aimed at protecting you from potentially expensive trips to the vet should your pet suffer an accident. If your pet has hurt themselves while they’re out playing or suffered an injury around the house, then this cover may pay towards the cost of their treatment. It's important to understand that accident only cover will not protect you from any vet fees that relate to an illness or condition. You cannot extend this cover to include Dog Liability Insurance.

What's included in Accident Only pet insurance? With Accident Only insurance, you will receive a basic level of cover which will count towards the vet fees incurred should your pet suffer an accident. There are no extended covers for your pet when you take out Accident Only insurance. Of course, if you’d like your cover to include the cost of treating your cat or dog when they fall ill, then we can do just that. Our standard Accident and Illness cover can provide up to £12,000 a year to pay for the cost of vet fees brought about due to an accident or illness suffered by your pet.

For the sake of clarity, the following conditions are not considered accidents: luxating patella/s; a rupture or strain of one or both cruciate ligaments; degenerative joint disease; hip dysplasia; elbow dysplasia and hyperextending hocks; Juvenile Pubis Symphysiodesis (JPS).

Frequently asked questions about our pet insurance

Want to find out more about our pet cover?

Got a question about our cover for your pet? Or want to know more about cats and dogs in general? We’ve answered a few questions for you here!

Pet insurance
Cover
Travel

When can I get pet insurance?

Insurance for your cat or dog can start as soon as possible! Our cover starts for cats and dogs aged eight weeks and over. We cannot cover claims arising within the first 14 days of your insurance starting and pre-existing illnesses and conditions are not covered.
Can I get insurance for working dogs?

Yes, we are able to cover working dogs. This would include a dog that is being used for shooting, hunting, or working with livestock. Also a dog that performs tasks to assist a human companion, including therapy dogs.
Are there any breeds of dog that you are unable to insure?

Unfortunately, for all of our policies, we cannot provide any vet fees or liability cover for any animal registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dogs (Muzzling) regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 or any amendments; or (whether pedigree, cross breed, mixed breed or known or classed as the names listed) an Abruzzese Mastiff, African Crested Dog, African Wild Dog, Alangu Mastiff, American Bulldog, American Bully, American Bully XL, American Indian Dog, American Mancon, American Mastiff, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Rottweiler, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Argentine Dogo, Argentinian Mastiff, Australian Dingo, Bandogge, Bandogge Mastiff, Blue Bull Terrier, Boerboel, Bole, Brazilian Mastiff, Bully, Bully Kutta, Canadian Inuit Dog, Canary Dog, Canary Mastiff, Cane Corso, Cão de Fila de São Miguel, Cão Fila, Chinese Shar Pei, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dingo, Dogo Argentino, Dogue Brasileiro, East Siberian Laika, Fila Brasileiro, Gull Dong, Husky Wolf Hybrid, Inuit Dog American, Irish Staffordshire, Irish Staffordshire Blue Bull Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Mastiff, Japanese Mastiff, Japanese Tosa, Johnson American Bulldog, Korean Jindo, Korean Mastiff, Laika, Libyan Desert Dog, Neapolitan Mastiff, Northern Inuit Dog, Pakistani Bull Dog, Perro de Presa Canario, Pit Bull Mastiff, Pit Bull Terrier, Pocket Bully, Presa Canario, Racing Greyhound, Sarloos Wolfhound, Shar Pei, South African Boerboel, South African Mastiff, Tamaskan Dog, Tibetan Mastiff, Tosa, Tosa Inu, Utonagan Dog, Wolf Hybrid and Wolfdog.
Can I get insurance for guard dogs?

No, we cannot cover pets that are used for guarding.
Can I get insurance for crossbreed dogs?

Yes, we are able to cover a crossbreed dog.

Do you only cover UK residents?

Yes. You must be a UK resident and domiciled in the UK.
How can I pay for my policy?

You can choose to pay in full by credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can take advantage of our interest free monthly payment option and simply spread the payments out, without any additional cost.
How long can I claim for each condition?

Provided that you have chosen our Accident and Illness cover we will refresh your veterinary fees benefit each year allowing you to claim for ongoing conditions on your pet insurance for as long as we are able to offer a renewal and you renew without a gap in cover.
Is dental treatment covered?

Yes. Depending on the type of cover you select we are able to cover treatment provided that it is related to an injury or illness.
Is there an excess on this policy?
Yes there is an excess you will need to pay in respect of each illness or injury for which you wish to claim each year. These are as follows:

Veterinary Fees

For each illness or injury arising during each period of insurance your excess will be:

For pets under eight years of age at time of treatment: The first £150.

For pets older than eight years of age at time of treatment: The first £150 plus 20% of the remaining cost of treatment.

Holiday Cancellation - The first £75 of the claim

Accidental Damage to Third Party Property - The first £75 of the claim

Accidental Damage to Pet Accessories - The first £50 of the claim

Emergency Expenses - The first £50 of the claim

Third Party Liability - The first £250 of property damage claim
Do you insure pets used for breeding?

No, sorry - we cannot provide cover for pets that are used for breeding. There are special policies for their specific risks, and we suggest you speak to your vet or local insurance broker for help finding suitable cover.
Do you provide cover for chronic and ongoing veterinary conditions?

We offer a choice of three annual benefit levels. You can insure up to the chosen limit each year and provided that we are able to offer renewal and you renew without a gap in cover the benefit will be reinstated for the next period of insurance. This means that you can claim for chronic or ongoing conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart or skin conditions whilst the policy remains in force.
What information do you need to start my cover?

We need some details about you and the pet you wish to insure together with either bank account or debit/credit card details for payment of the premium.
Can you pay my vet directly?

This is something we are able to do provided that your vet is happy with this arrangement.
How do you calculate premiums?

We look at a number of factors including the age and breed of the pet, the risk of chronic or recurring conditions associated with certain breeds, the area the pet lives in and any claims history.
How do I make a claim?

If you need to make a claim, then feel free to contact our UK-based claims team on: 01423 447 365

Alternatively you can email: petguardclaims@ncionline.co.uk

Find out how to make a claim on Third Party Liability cover, or if your policy started before 1^st May 2024 here.
Setting up a policy

As the insurance policy is a legal agreement between us and the policyholder, we can only set up a policy with the person who will be named as the policyholder.
Can I downgrade my policy to a cheaper level of cover either mid-term or at renewal and benefit from continuous cover?

If you later find that your chosen cover no longer suits your needs, we cannot downgrade your policy to a different level during the policy term or at renewal. Cancelling your policy and starting a new one means your pet won't have continuous cover. Any past symptoms or conditions will be seen as pre-existing and won't be covered. Additionally, you can't claim for illnesses in the first 14 days of the new policy.

Can I travel with my cat or dog on a plane?

Most airlines will allow you to take a cat or dog on the plane, either in the cabin or down below in cargo. Before booking your flight, check with the airline that they can in fact, fly your pet. You may have to book in advance, with some airlines charging additional fees for traveling pets.

Your pet will need pet travel documents before they can fly, as this will need to be presented to the airline when checking in your pet. Depending on where your pet is flying from and where they are flying to, they will need to have certain vaccinations and treatments for illnesses such as rabies or tapeworm. You will most likely need to proof of the vaccinations and treatment from your vet.
How should I prepare my cat or dog for traveling abroad?
If you're traveling abroad, or simply going away for a few days in the UK, it’s still a good idea to prep your pet for the journey. Such preparation measures could help reduce the stress levels in your pet, help you understand how best your pet travels, and help make the journey that little bit easier for both you and your pet.

Before taking your pet on any long car journey, take them on short drives close to home, while slowly increasing the amount of time spent in the car. This will not only help them get used to being confined in a car, but it could help them overcome travel sickness if they suffer from it.

Avoid feeding your cat or dog right before traveling, as the motion of the car, train or plane could upset their stomach. Make sure they have plenty of water, so they are well hydrated.

Before any long journey, consider the health of your pet. Are they fit and healthy enough to travel? Make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations and treatments and be sure to check if they need any additional ones, as this could be a requirement of certain countries or airlines.

To help ensure your pet is comfortable while traveling, make sure they have plenty of water, (food but depending how well they travel on a full stomach), toys to keep them occupied, and a comfortable place to sleep and rest. Most importantly, they need to be secured while traveling, whether it be in a crate that is large enough for them to sit in, stand and move around in, or strapped in using a proper pet seat belt for the car.
What are the other alternatives to taking your pet on holiday?
If you don't want to take your cat or dog on holiday with you, then why not consider the following instead:

Leave your pet with a friend or family member

Have a qualified pet-sitter come around to your home, to feed, walk and check-up on your pet

Take your pet to a reputable kennel or cattery

Your policy document explorer

Your policy documents

The documents below apply to all pet insurance policies purchased from 1^st May 2024 onwards.

Existing customers: If you purchased your policy before the date shown above, you can log into your account where you can view, amend, and renew your documents here. If you have not already signed up for an account, then you can register here.

For all policies with renewal dates after 13^th May 2024, please find your policy documents below:

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