Lifetime cover
20% discount off specialist pet insurance*
What does lifetime pet insurance mean?
What is lifetime pet insurance?
This is an annual policy that can be renewed each year as long as the insurer offers to cover the pet at renewal and the pet owner agrees to pay the premiums.
If the policy is renewed it allows the pet owner to claim up to the full vet fee limit or condition limit every year and will continue to cover conditions that the pet owner previously claimed for, as well as conditions that the pet might develop over the course of their life.
This type of pet insurance is the most expensive pet insurance and at renewal the premiums will reflect the increase in the age of the pet, the claims history, as well as potential increases in costs to continue to provide treatment through medical enhancements.
If you are considering this type of pet insurance, you will need to be able to pay the premiums throughout the lifetime of your pet. For example: the premiums could increase at 4% per annum, so in year 2 this could be 4% of £240 but by year 10 this could be 4% of £342 and by year 15, 4% of £415.
In addition, lifetime pet insurance can include an excess – an amount that you need to pay towards the claim as well as a co-payment. This is a percentage of the cost of treatment received by your pet that you will be required to pay towards any claim.
How does lifetime pet insurance work?
There are different types of cover available. Annual policies where claims are payable up to the full vet fee limit or a set amount is paid per condition, each year. Sometimes lifetime pet insurance can be a mixture of the two, paying both the annual vet fee limit but with conditions restricted as to the amount that will be covered each year.
For example: Annual limit is £6,000 but has a condition limit of £1,500 so you can make up to 4 claims a year for unconnected conditions but you will only receive a maximum of £1,500 per condition treated.
What is the difference between lifetime pet insurance and maximum benefit pet insurance?
Lifetime pet insurance covers recurring conditions for poorly cats and dogs, providing there is no break in the cover. Many pet owners will choose a lifetime policy because if their furry friend were to develop a long-term illness – for example if Fido became diabetic or if Felix developed arthritis - then they could still be covered as long as their policy was renewed with the same insurance provider each year.
Maximum benefit pet insurance differs in the sense that conditions are covered up to a financial limit. This financial limit could be reached over a number of years and the policy will need to be renewed to maintain cover for the condition. Once you reach that limit, that condition then becomes a pre-existing condition and you won’t be able to claim for it in future. Once a condition becomes pre-existing, you will personally have to pay for the cost of any further treatment.
What does petGuard Lifetime insurance provide?
At petGuard, you can choose between £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000 in vet fee cover which will last for each 12-month period and will reset as soon as the policy is renewed. There are no restrictions on the amount payable for each condition that you claim for, only in that the total claims cannot exceed the vet fee limit chosen each policy year.
There are excesses to pay towards a claim and a co-payment is required once your pet reaches 8 years of age. More details can be found in the policy document.
Will petGuard cover pre-existing conditions?
petGuard will not cover pre-existing conditions when you apply for your policy. This is any condition, illness or injury that you’re either aware of, have had investigated or treated prior to the start of your cover.
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 1st 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 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 1st 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 13th May 2024, please find your policy documents below:
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