Best UK pet insurance for older dogs
Last updated
Once your dog passes 7 or 8, most UK insurers stop writing new lifetime policies. Two specialists keep the door open at any age: Petplan and Agria. A third 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 three 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.
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 | Animal Friends |
|---|---|---|---|
| PetCoverPro score | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| Cover style | Lifetime | Lifetime | Multiple tiers |
| Plan tiers | Essential, Classic, Ultimate | Lifetime | 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 £8,000 per year on Lifetime Superior |
| Excess from | From £99 | From £99 | From £69 |
| Dental cover | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Behavioural cover | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | No |
| Direct vet payment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-pet discount | 10% off each additional pet | Up to 10% multi-pet discount | Multi-pet discount applied at quote |
| Max new-policy age | 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) | Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Ltd |
| Get a quote | Visit Petplan → | Visit Agria → | Visit Animal Friends → |
Limits and prices change. Confirm current figures on each brand\u2019s 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 every UK insurer, on every new policy, at any age. If your dog already has a diagnosed condition, that condition is permanently outside the cover. The new policy will pay for new things \u2014 not for what your old policy was already covering.
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 breaks that protection. Petplan and Agria are the two brands that keep your options open if you do reach the senior years without a policy in place.