Premium
Your premium is the amount you pay for your pet insurance, usually monthly or annually.
See full explanation →Jargon Buster
Pet insurance words, explained simply.
Short, plain-English explanations of the terms you'll come across when reading a policy or comparing cover.
These explanations are for general information only and don't constitute advice of any kind.
Excess
The excess is the amount you pay towards each claim before your insurer covers the rest.
See full explanation →How to use this section
If you come across a word in a policy document or on a comparison site that you don't recognise, this is the place to look it up. Each page gives you a plain-English explanation, an example of how the term works in practice, and links to related terms and articles.
Vet fee limit
The vet fee limit is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out for veterinary treatment under your policy.
See full explanation →Renewal
Renewal is when your annual pet insurance policy comes to an end and you decide whether to continue it for another year.
See full explanation →Lifetime cover
Lifetime cover is a type of pet insurance policy where the cover limit resets each year, so ongoing conditions continue to be covered for the life of your pet.
See full explanation →Waiting period
A waiting period is the time at the start of a new pet insurance policy during which you're not yet covered for certain things, usually illness.
See full explanation →Pre-existing condition
A pre-existing condition in pet insurance is any illness, injury or health problem your pet had before the policy started.
See full explanation →Co-insurance
Co-insurance means you pay a percentage of every vet bill yourself, on top of your excess, as part of how your pet insurance policy works.
See full explanation →Bilateral condition
A bilateral condition is one that can affect both sides of the body, like both hips, both elbows or both eyes, and how your policy treats it can make a big difference to what you actually get back on a claim.
See full explanation →Hip and elbow scoring
Hip and elbow scoring is a veterinary screening process that assesses the health of a dog's joints, and the results can affect pet insurance cover.
See full explanation →Vet health plan
A vet health plan is a monthly subscription you pay directly to your vet practice that covers routine preventative care like vaccinations and flea treatment — it is not pet insurance.
See full explanation →Wellness add-on
A wellness add-on is an optional extra you can add to some pet insurance policies that covers routine care like vaccinations and flea treatment, on top of the standard illness and injury cover.
See full explanation →Per condition excess
A per condition excess means you pay your excess amount every time you claim for a new condition, rather than just once per year.
See full explanation →Per year excess
A per year excess means you pay your excess once per policy year, regardless of how many conditions or claims you have during that time.
See full explanation →Ombudsman
The ombudsman is an independent service that can review disputes between you and your pet insurer if you're not happy with how a complaint has been handled.
See full explanation →IPID
The IPID, or Insurance Product Information Document, is a short standardised summary of what a pet insurance policy covers and what it doesn't, which insurers are required to provide before you buy.
See full explanation →Policy booklet
The policy booklet is the full document that sets out everything your pet insurance policy covers, excludes and requires, and it's the one that actually counts if there's ever a dispute.
See full explanation →Statement of fact
A statement of fact is a document the insurer sends you setting out the information your policy is based on, and you need to check it carefully because errors can affect your cover.
See full explanation →Certificate of insurance
A certificate of insurance is the document that confirms your pet insurance policy is in place, including the key details of your cover in a brief summary format.
See full explanation →Schedule
The schedule is the personalised part of your policy documents that sets out the specific details of your individual cover, including your pet's details, your cover level and your excess.
See full explanation →Terms and conditions
The terms and conditions of a pet insurance policy set out the rules that govern your cover, including what's required of you as a policyholder and what happens if those requirements aren't met.
See full explanation →Key facts document
A key facts document is a brief summary of the most important features of a pet insurance policy, designed to help you understand the basics before you buy.
See full explanation →Endorsement
An endorsement is an addition or amendment to a standard pet insurance policy that changes the terms for your specific policy, either adding something or more commonly excluding something.
See full explanation →Declaration
A declaration in pet insurance is the section where you confirm that the information you've provided is accurate and complete, and it's legally significant.
See full explanation →Cooling off period
The cooling off period is a window of time after you take out a pet insurance policy during which you can cancel and receive a full or partial refund without penalty.
See full explanation →Material information
Material information is anything that could reasonably affect an insurer's decision to offer you cover or the price they charge for it, and you're required to disclose it.
See full explanation →Duty of disclosure
Your duty of disclosure is your legal obligation to tell your insurer everything that's relevant to your policy, both when you take it out and when anything changes.
See full explanation →Not sure where to start?
The basic guides are a good first step. The jargon buster is there whenever a policy word doesn't make sense.