Animal Friends is one of those names that comes up a lot when people start looking into pet insurance, and for good reason. They've been around since 1998, they cover more than a million pets in the UK, and they've donated over £9 million to more than 830 animal welfare charities around the world since they started. For a lot of pet owners, that last bit matters.
But what are they actually like to be insured with, and how does the whole thing work in practice?
Who are Animal Friends?
Animal Friends was founded by Elaine Fairfax with the idea that a pet insurance company could do more than just sell policies, it could actively give something back to animals at the same time. That model has stayed consistent. A portion of profits goes to animal charities every year, and the recipients and amounts are published publicly so it's not just a marketing line.
Policies are now underwritten by Pinnacle Insurance Plc, which also underwrites Tesco Pet Insurance. Policies taken out before February 2025 were underwritten by Red Sands Insurance Company. Animal Friends themselves handle the quoting, claims and renewals as the UK administrator.
They've also picked up industry recognition, including Best Pet Insurance at the Personal Finance Awards 2024/25 and Defaqto Pet Insurer of the Year for the same period. Public review scores change over time, but Animal Friends has a large volume of customer reviews compared with many UK pet insurers.
What types of policy do they offer?
Animal Friends offer a broader range of policy types than a lot of insurers, which can be helpful if you want something specific, but does mean there's a bit more to get your head around.
Accident Only covers injuries from accidents but not illness. It's the most basic option and is usually cheaper than illness cover.
Time Limited policies cover conditions for a set period, typically 12 months from when treatment begins. Once that period is up, the condition is excluded.
Maximum Benefit policies cover each condition up to a set financial limit. Once you've claimed up to that limit for a particular condition, it won't be covered again, but there's no time restriction on reaching it.
Lifetime policies are the most comprehensive option, with a vet fee limit that refreshes every year at renewal as long as you keep the policy active. This is the type that can cover ongoing conditions year after year. Animal Friends' higher lifetime tiers can reach up to £18,000 per year in vet fees, depending on the product selected and current policy terms.
How the claims process works
This is where Animal Friends have put some real effort in. They use an online claims portal called Pawtal, which is designed for vets to submit claims directly on your behalf. If your vet uses Pawtal, they can handle the submission process, which means you're not dealing with paperwork when you're already stressed about your pet being unwell.
When claims go through Pawtal, confirmation can often come back quickly. Claims submitted directly by the owner usually take longer, and more complex cases can take additional time if the insurer needs supporting information from your vet.
Many claims can be settled directly with the vet, meaning the insurer pays the practice and you only need to cover your excess and anything not covered by the policy. In cases where that isn't possible, you pay the vet and claim the money back.
Animal Friends also deployed an AI-driven automated claims processing system in 2024, designed to speed up straightforward claims and reduce manual handling on simpler cases.
Claims need to be submitted within the timeframe set out in the policy wording, so it's worth checking this before you need to use it.
A few things worth knowing
On lifetime and accident only policies, you normally pay the excess for each condition in each policy year. So if your pet has an ongoing condition that runs over a renewal date, you may pay the excess again in the new policy year. On time limited and maximum benefit policies, the way excess is applied can differ, so this is one of the details to check before buying.
Animal Friends has accident only cover options that may be available for older pets, which can be useful where a fuller lifetime policy is not available or affordable. Age limits and available cover can vary by policy type and pet, so older pets should be checked carefully at quote stage.
Renewal prices do increase over time, as they do with almost all pet insurers, and some customers have noted this in reviews. It's worth factoring in from the start rather than being caught out at year two or three.
If you're a pedigree owner or have a breed with known hereditary health risks, compare the vet fee limits, excess terms and co-payment rules carefully against other providers before deciding. A higher or lower monthly premium only tells part of the story.
As with any pet insurance policy, reading the policy wording before you buy rather than after you need to claim is always the right approach.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute a recommendation, endorsement or financial advice. Always read the current policy wording before purchasing cover.