Best rated pet insurance: the smart money is on the specialist pet insurers

In the UK, 53%* of adults own a pet in 2023. If you're a pet parent, it’s important to have comprehensive pet insurance to protect yourself financially against unexpected costs such as vet bills. However, it’s just as important to select the right provider. Our review data* has revealed the best types of insurers for UK pet owners.

The best pet insurance companies

The pet insurers that receive the best customer reviews are those that operate solely in the specialist pet insurance niche. Specialist pet insurers are providers that don’t offer other types of insurance or any additional financial products.

These insurers scored an average rating of 4.88 (out of 5) from their customers over the past five years. As well as scoring the highest, specialist providers have also been the most consistent year-on-year. This shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Specialist insurers know their sector and customers inside out. And because it’s the only thing they do, it gets their undivided attention.

Closely following specialist insurers were providers who offer multiple types of insurance, receiving an average rating of 4.74 during the same timeframe.

General financial providers, such as banks, scored lower

General financial providers are companies that offer non-insurance products and may offer other banking and financial services. Our review data revealed that these providers scored lower, receiving an average rating of 3.24.

The gap between the different types of providers is even more prominent when looking at the last full calendar year. In 2022, specialist providers and multiple insurers both scored more than two times higher than general financial providers on average:

• Specialist pet insurers: 4.9
• Multiple insurance providers: 4.84
• General financial providers: 1.93

Despite the rising cost of living, the average ‘value for money’ score across all providers has remained fairly consistent year-on-year.

10 best pet insurance providers

Out of our current top ten pet insurance providers, eight are specialist providers, one offers multiple insurance and one is a bank.

Reviews for specialist pet insurers often reference exceptional customer service that is both reassuring and supportive. Others compliment simple claims processes with prompt payments.

Common complaints over pet insurance from general financial providers highlight where these companies are going wrong for pet owners. Many reviewers cited high premium increases after a claim. Others expressed difficulty in getting claims accepted and receiving the agreed payout, especially for pets with pre-existing conditions.

While premiums will, of course, be key to many households, it’s important to consider more than just price. It’s clear from our reviews that other aspects of the policy hold higher importance for customer satisfaction.

The power of customer reviews

Checking customer reviews for your prospective insurer is advisable as it's vital to know that you're buying from a reputable company. Whilst specialist pet insurance providers as a whole get good reviews, these are averages. This means that some will still be better than others.

If you have a pet insurance policy, leave a review for the provider here. Together, we can help people like you make better financial decisions.

* Source: Paw PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report 2023

Review data: Reviews collected on Smart Money People between 01.01.2018 - 17.03.2023. Over 26,000 reviews left across a five year period for 57 providers were analysed. Reviews can be left by any genuine customer over the age of 18 who has taken out a policy with that provider.