Best UK pet insurance for older dogs
Last updated
Once your dog passes 7 or 8, most UK insurers stop writing new lifetime policies. A handful of insurers keep the door open at any age, led by Petplan, Agria and Petgevity — the last of which can even take on declared pre-existing conditions on its Lifetime Plus tier. A fourth option, Animal Friends, will still write accident-only cover where lifetime is no longer available. These are the picks that work for senior dogs.
Our top four picks for older dogs
No upper age limit at sign-up, broad cover, Allianz underwriting and direct-pay relationships at most UK practices. The default for any owner taking out a first lifetime policy on a senior dog.
No upper age limit, vet-fee limits to £12,500, and the specialist underwriting most pedigree owners need on senior claims.
No upper age limit, and the Lifetime Plus tier can cover declared and accepted pre-existing conditions with no compulsory bill share at any age — the option the rest of this page says does not exist elsewhere.
Where the lifetime door has closed elsewhere, Animal Friends still writes accident-only on senior pets with no upper age limit.
Side-by-side comparison
| Brand | Petplan | Agria | Petgevity | Animal Friends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PetCoverPro score | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Cover style | Lifetime | Lifetime | Lifetime | Multiple tiers |
| Plan tiers | Essential, Classic, Ultimate | Lifetime | Lifetime, Lifetime Plus | Accident Only, Time Limited, Maximum Benefit, Lifetime |
| Vet-fee limit | Up to £12,000 per year on Ultimate | Up to £12,500 per year | Up to £15,000 per year | Up to £18,000 per year on Lifetime |
| Excess from | From £99 | From £99 | From £0 (you choose £0 to £500) | From £69 |
| Dental cover | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial |
| Behavioural cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Direct vet payment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-pet discount | 10% off each additional pet | Up to 10% multi-pet discount | £1 off per pet, per month (up to 8 pets on one policy) | Multi-pet discount applied at quote |
| Max new-policy age | No upper age limit at sign-up | No upper age limit at sign-up | No upper age limit at sign-up | 7 years for dogs on Lifetime, no upper age limit on Accident Only |
| Underwriter | Allianz Insurance plc | Agria Försäkring (UK branch) | Great Lakes Insurance UK Limited (Munich Re group) | Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Ltd |
| Get a quote | Visit Petplan → | Visit Agria → | Visit Petgevity → | Visit Animal Friends → |
Limits and prices change. Confirm current figures on each brand’s site before buying. We last refreshed this table at the date stamped on the page.
What to know before insuring a senior dog
The hardest truth about insuring an older dog is that pre-existing conditions are excluded by almost every UK insurer, on every new policy, at any age. If your dog already has a diagnosed condition, that condition is normally outside the cover permanently — the new policy pays for new things, not for what your old policy was already covering. The one exception worth knowing: Petgevity’s Lifetime Plus tier can cover conditions you declare and it accepts in writing, priced into the premium.
That is why staying on a lifetime policy from a young age, even if you switch brands occasionally, is so much more valuable than switching to a senior policy late. If you can keep an existing lifetime policy in force without a break, the chronic conditions diagnosed during it remain covered. Switching insurer usually breaks that protection. Petplan, Agria and Petgevity are the brands that keep your options open if you do reach the senior years without a policy in place.