FirstVet

1. Download the app and register your pet

Download the FirstVet app in the App Store or Google Play. Create an account with your email address and mobile phone number. Add your pet's details into your account. If you currently have a policy with petGuard, your video calls with FirstVet will be free.

2. Answer questions about your pet’s symptoms

Answer questions about your pet's symptoms, describe their symptoms and choose a time for your appointment that suits you. You can upload pictures of your pet, prior to the call if it will make it easier for the vet to assess your pet's condition.

3. Arrange a video call with your vet

FirstVet will send you a text message just before your call with the vet is scheduled to start. Log in to the FirstVet app on your phone or tablet. FirstVet vets are UK registered, with a minimum of three years post-qualification clinical experience.

4. Get treatment, recommendations, or a referral to a local vet clinic

FirstVet vets can try and solve your pet's health issues through simple at-home treatment or recommendations. If your pet needs further treatment, FirstVet can refer you to a physical veterinary clinic in your area, and provide detailed clinical notes as part of the referral.

www.firstvet.com/uk/how-to-use-firstvet

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.

Yes! Our dog insurance includes mixed breed dogs, as well as pedigree and cross breed dogs. If you’ve got a mixed breed pooch, then we can include them on your policy.

Unfortunately, we cannot cover (whether pedigree, cross breed or mixed breed) any of the following: Dogo Argentino, Fila Brazillero, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull, Shar-Pei, Wolf or Wolf Hybrid dog and any animal registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dogs (Muzzling) regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 or any amendments.

There are additional breeds that we cannot cover for our optional Third Party Liability cover, see “Are there any breeds of dog that you are unable to insure?”

BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) is a condition which is a progressive disorder that can impair the ability of certain breeds of short nose dog to exercise, play, eat and sleep.

We are able to consider claims provided that there are no pre-existing signs, symptoms or advice provided by a vet. In practice this usually means that the dog has to be insured with us from a very young age.

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.

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.

No, we cannot cover pets that are used for guarding.

Yes, we are able to cover a crossbreed dog.

Yes. You must be a UK resident and domiciled in the UK.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

This is something we are able to do provided that your vet is happy with this arrangement.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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