Pet insurance abroad: cover for UK pets travelling overseas

If you take your dog or cat abroad, your UK pet insurance probably includes some overseas vet fee cover, but it’s almost always more limited than owners assume. This guide explains what UK policies actually cover overseas, the country and time limits, and what to do for longer trips or permanent moves.

What’s typically covered

Most UK lifetime pet insurance policies include the following overseas cover:

• Vet fees for new illnesses and injuries that arise during the trip
• Up to 30, 60, or 90 days per trip depending on the insurer
• Within EU/EEA countries plus a list of approved third countries
• Subject to the standard vet fee limit and excess of the underlying policy

Some policies also include:

• Emergency boarding if the owner is hospitalised abroad and can’t care for the pet
• Cost of returning the pet home if the owner is hospitalised or evacuated
• Replacement of lost or stolen pet passport / Animal Health Certificate
• Emergency repatriation if the pet is ill and a vet recommends bringing them home for further care

The last one is the most useful and the least common. Check the schedule.

The post-Brexit Animal Health Certificate

Since 2021, UK pets travelling to the EU need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an Official Veterinarian within 10 days of travel, in addition to a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old and a microchip.

For pet insurance purposes:

• The AHC must be valid at the time of any overseas claim
• Some insurers require you to notify them before travel; most don’t
• The AHC remains valid for entry to the EU for 4 months and for return to the UK for the same period

If you travel without a valid AHC, an overseas claim is likely to be refused.

Common overseas cover limits

Approximate cover by major insurer (April 2026):

Insurer	Days per trip	Geographic coverage	Inner limits
Petplan Covered For Life	90 days	EU/EEA + approved third countries	Subject to policy vet fee limit
ManyPets Complete	60 days	EU/EEA	Subject to policy vet fee limit
Napo	60 days	EU/EEA	£2,000 inner limit on some tiers
Agria Lifetime	60 days	Most of Europe + select others	Subject to policy vet fee limit
Animal Friends	30 to 90 days (varies)	EU + approved	Inner limits on some tiers
Tesco Bank	30 days	EU only	£2,000 inner limit
Direct Line	30 to 90 days	EU + approved	Subject to vet fee limit

The headline figure isn’t the whole story. Always check:

• Whether the cover applies on every trip in the policy year or has an annual cap
• Whether the country you’re travelling to is on the approved list
• Whether emergency repatriation is included or excluded
• Whether there’s an inner limit lower than your overall vet fee limit

What’s typically excluded

Across the UK market:

• Routine vet care abroad (vaccinations, parasite treatment, AHC issuance fees)
• Treatment for conditions excluded under the standard policy (pre-existing, behavioural, etc.)
• Trips beyond the policy’s per-trip day limit
• Travel to countries outside the approved list
• Treatment that could have waited until you returned to the UK (judged at claim time)
• Treatment for elective procedures planned for during the trip

When overseas cover gets complicated

Three scenarios where standard UK cover breaks down.

Long-term stays (over 90 days)

If you’re planning a 6-month stay in France, most UK insurers will only cover the first 60 or 90 days. After that, you’re effectively uninsured for vet fees abroad.

Options:

• Take out a specialist long-term travel pet insurance with a UK insurer that offers it (rare)
• Take out cover with a destination-country insurer for the period of the stay
• Self-fund and rely on UK cover only for emergency repatriation if available

Permanent emigration

If you’re moving abroad permanently with your pet, your UK insurance will usually only cover until the next renewal at the latest. After that, you need a destination-country pet insurance policy.

Pet insurance is well-developed in most EU countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden particularly), Australia, the US, and Canada. Premiums vary significantly. Worth getting quotes before you commit to the move.

Travel outside Europe

The standard UK pet insurance approved-country list is mostly Europe-focused. Travel to the USA, Australia, or anywhere in Asia, Africa, or South America usually requires specialist travel pet insurance bought separately. Check before you book.

Working dogs and competition pets

Pets travelling for breeding, competition, or working purposes are sometimes excluded by standard cover even within Europe. Specialist insurers (Pet Plan Equine for working dogs, some breed-club affiliated schemes) handle this better.

How to claim for treatment abroad

Three steps:

1. Get the bill itemised in English (or have it translated)

UK insurers will accept invoices in major European languages, but processing is faster if you can supply an English translation. Many EU vets will provide one on request.

2. Get the clinical notes

Same principle. The insurer will want the vet’s notes confirming the condition, treatment, and outcome. In English ideally.

3. Convert currency at the date of the bill

Use the exchange rate on the date the bill was paid. Most insurers will reimburse in GBP based on this conversion. Keep the bank statement or card statement showing the actual GBP cost in case there’s a dispute.

For more on the general claims process, see how to claim on pet insurance UK.

What about emergency repatriation?

A small number of UK lifetime policies include cover for vet-recommended emergency repatriation. The classic case: your dog has a serious accident on holiday in Spain, the local vet stabilises them but recommends ongoing treatment in the UK, and the policy pays for the cost of bringing the pet home (usually with a courier service like PBS).

This is rare. Petplan Covered For Life is one of the more generous policies on this front. Most insurers exclude it entirely or limit it to a small inner cap.

If you’re a frequent traveller, this is worth specifically asking about at quote time.

Summary

UK pet insurance includes some overseas cover by default, but it’s time-limited (30 to 90 days per trip), country-limited (mostly EU/EEA plus a few approved others), and often has inner limits below the headline vet fee figure. For short EU holidays it’s usually adequate. For long stays, permanent moves, or travel outside Europe, you’ll need specialist or destination-country cover.

For our picks of UK insurers with the strongest overseas cover, see the 2026 best UK pet insurance list and the Petplan review.