Is Animal Friends The Best Pet Insurance in 2024?
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Discover the methodologyWould you like to insure your beloved pet against accident or illness? Are you here to know whether Animal Friends is the best pet insurer to go for? You are at the right place!
In the below review, we will tell you everything you need to know on Animal Friends pet insurance: cover table, prices, contact, claim and cancel process and our own recommandation.
Our 2024 review on Animal Friends pet insurance
Animal Friends is specialized in providing pet insurance for dogs, cats and horses and gives high donation amount to animal welfare. The company was founded in 1998 and is now one of the leading UK's pet insurer. Animal Friends is a very worthy company with affordable premiums, great cover and reviews.
The company is rated Excellent on Trustpilot which means the claim process must be handled efficiently. Animal Friends is also award-winning insurance provider.
The company is easy to reach with contact form available online. You can also request a call back or chat directly on the homepage.
| SAFE's ratings | Our opinion | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service & satisfaction and claims | 4/5 | Very high customer reviews on Trustpilot Claim process swift and efficient Most policies only rated 3 stars by Defaqto |
| Cover provided for your home | 4/5 | 12 levels of cover: Lifetime, Maximum Benefit, Time Limited and Accident Only From £1000 to £18 000 cover for vet fees No age limit for pets Also provides cover for horses No legal advice cover nor vet advice helpline |
| Value for money | 4/5 | "Refer a friend" campaign to get £10 discount on your premium No multi pet cover discount |
| Financial strength | 5/5 | Animal Friends Insurance is a trading name of Animal Friends Insurance Services Limited authorized and regulated by FCA |
| Technology | 4/4 | Customer portal available to manage policy Claim process online Very easy to navigate website, and accessible information |
Before choosing Animal Friends as your pet insurance, use our free tool below to compare the market's offers:
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Defaqto's and Trustpilot's reviews on Animal Friends
| Reviews | |
|---|---|
| Defaqto | Animal Friends Max Extra: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Plus: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Value: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Prestige: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Prime: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Prime Plus: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Super: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Superior: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Superior Plus: 3 stars Animal Friends Max Basic Plus: 2 stars Animal Friends Accident Only: 1 star |
| Trustpilot | 4,5/5 based on 19,271 reviews |
What does Animal Friends pet insurance cover?
Animal Friends's pet insurance plans cover 1 million pets in the UK! There's a reason for that, the company offers a wide range of benefits, amongst which:
- 5 types of pet insurance cover
- Lifetime policies with vet fee cover from £1,000 to £18,000
- A range of flexible excess options
- Free online vet support through Joii Pet Care
- Pre-existing conditions covered (if symptom/treatment free for 2 years)
- Claims paid direct to your vet
- Simple and easy to understand policies.
Animal Friends' coverage for dogs
| Cover Type | Vet fees | Death by accident | Death by illness | Lost or stolen | Boarding | Third party liability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Only | £2,500 per accident per policy year - No annual policy limit - 20% co-payment applicable for dogs aged 8 years and older and for cats aged 10 years and older | |||||
| Lifetime | £1,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | |||||
| Lifetime | £2,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | |||||
| Lifetime | £4,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | |||||
| Lifetime | £6,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | |||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached. No time restrictions | |||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached. No time restrictions | |||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached. No time restrictions | |||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 - Annual Policy limit of £4,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed | |||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 - Annual Policy limit of £7,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed | |||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 - Annual Policy limit of £10,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed |
Good to know
Animal Friends dog customers get bonus rewards when they use the free Biscuit Pet Care app. Customers can also receive a retail voucher when they refer a friend.
Animal Friends' coverage for cats
| Cover Type | Vet fees | Death by accident | Death by illness | Lost or stolen | Boarding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Only | £2,500 per accident per policy year - No annual policy limit - 20% co-payment applicable for dogs aged 8 years and older and for cats aged 10 years and older | ||||
| Lifetime | £1,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | ||||
| Lifetime | £2,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | ||||
| Lifetime | £4,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | ||||
| Lifetime | £6,000 limit per condition per policy year - Limits reinstated on renewal | ||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached | ||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached | ||||
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 - Cover until per condition limit is reached | ||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 - Annual Policy limit of £4,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed | ||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 - Annual Policy limit of £7,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed | ||||
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 - Annual Policy limit of £10,000 - 12 months from date condition was first noticed |
Watch out!
Animal Friends - unlike many insurers - cover pre-existing conditions (if the pet hasn't shown symptoms or received treatment for the past 2 years).
Animal Friends' coverage for horses
Animal Friends Insurance offers several cover levels to suit your budget and your horses’ needs best, including £2,000, £4,000 and £6,000 per condition depending on your horse’s age.
Here are some of the benefits of Animal Friends horse insurance offer:
- Rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot.
- Pre-existing conditions are covered (if symptom and/or treatment free for 2 years).
- You can build your policy to your needs with extras.
- Animal Friends can pay your claim directly to your vet through our online platform, Pawtal (more on this further down on this page).
- As a customer, you can receive a retail voucher when refering a friend.
- Online account to access policy information and update personal details at any time.
How much is Animal Friends pet insurance?
Cost of Animal Friends for dogs
| Cover type | Policy details | Monthly premium | Annual premium | Standard Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Only | £2,500 per accident per policy year | £4.48 | £53.76 | £99 |
| Lifetime | £2,000 limit per condition per policy year | £25.93 | £311.16 | £99 |
| Lifetime | £4,000 limit per condition per policy year | £38.68 | £464.16 | £99 |
| Lifetime | Per Condition Limit Per Year of £1,000 | £14.60 | £175.20 | £99 |
| Lifetime | Per Condition Limit Per Year of £6,000 | £50.66 | £607.92 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 | £13.88 | £166.56 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 | £25.27 | £303.24 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 | £36.75 | £441.00 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 | £11.57 | £138.84 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 | £17.18 | £206.16 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 | £23.72 | £284.64 | £99 |
Good to know
Quotes above are for a pedigree dog of one year old, not neutered nor microchipped.
Cost of Animal Friends for cats
| Cover type | Policy details | Monthly premium | Annual premium | Standard Excess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accident Only | £2,500 per accident per policy year | £4.24 | £50.88 | £99 |
| Lifetime | £2,000 limit per condition per policy year | £17.83 | £213.96 | £99 |
| Lifetime | £4,000 limit per condition per policy year | £25.52 | £306.24 | £99 |
| Lifetime | Per Condition Limit Per Year of £1,000 | £10.64 | £127.68 | £99 |
| Lifetime | Per Condition Limit Per Year of £6,000 | £31.40 | £376.80 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 | £10.10 | £121.20 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 | £16.95 | £203.40 | £99 |
| Maximum Benefit | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 | £24.25 | £291.00 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £1,000 | £8.93 | £107.16 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £2,000 | £12.94 | £155.28 | £99 |
| Time Limited | Per Condition Limit of £4,000 | £16.16 | £193.92 | £99 |
Good to know
Quotes above are for a pedigree cat of one year old, not neutered nor microchipped.
To buy the best pet insurance policy at a competitive rate, compare offers online:
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How to contact Animal Friends pet insurance?
Here's all the information you need to get in touch with Animal Friends' pet insurance:
| How to contact Animal Friends? | Animal Friends contact details |
|---|---|
| Customer service's phone number | 0344 557 0300 For claim, complaints, vet queries or policy amendments: Mon-Fri (8:30AM - 6PM); Sat (9AM - 4PM), closed on Sunday. For payments and renewals, cancellations or new quotes: Mon-Fri (8AM - 8PM); Sat (9AM - 4PM), closed on Sunday. |
| Contact form | Use the Animal Friends contact form. |
| [email protected] | |
| Mail address | Animal Friends Insurance Ltd, Number 1 The Crescent, Sunrise Way, Amesbury, Wiltshire, SP4 7QA. |
| Livechat | Livechat is available on the bottom right hand corner of the website. You just need to click on the "Can we help?" button and start chatting. You can use the livechat Monday - Friday from 9am to 5pm. |
How to log in to Animal Friends customer portal?
You can log in to Animal Friends clicking on the "My Account" button on the homepage or here: Log In to Animal Friends.
Expert advice
If you are using the customer portal for the first time, you will need to register first.
How to claim at Animal Friends pet insurance?
There are several reasons to report a claim on your pet insurance:
- you had or will have to face significant vet fees or repeat medication;
- your pet is missing;
- your pet had or caused an accident etc.
At Animal Friends, you can easily report a claim on your pet insurance.
If you are claiming for vet fees, you can submit your claim through Pawtal, the claim system for vets or call the number below. Same for getting a pre-authorization. You can ask your vet to submit this through Pawtal or call the service below:
| How to claim on your Animal Friends pet insurance? | |
|---|---|
| Claim online | You can submit a claim through Pawtal, the animal friends online vets system. |
| Claim by email | [email protected] |
| Claim by phone | 0344 557 0300 (you can also request a call back on the website) |
| Claim by post | If you would like to claim back for repeat medication vets costs, you can download the repeat medical claim form of Animal Friends online and address it here: Animal Friends Insurance, No. 1 The Crescent, Solstice Park, Amesbury, SP4 7QA (or by email |
Download below Animal Friends pet insurance's claim form:
How to cancel your Animal Friends pet insurance?
At Animal Friends, you can not cancel your policy online but you can either do it by phone, or by sending your cancellation letter at the address mentioned below:
| How to cancel your Animal Friends pet insurance? | |
|---|---|
| Cancel online | You can also cancel online using the contact form and mentioning: your details your pet details your policy number. |
| Cancel by email | [email protected] |
| Cancel by phone | 0344 557 0300 You can also request a call back. |
| Cancel by post | Animal Friends Insurance, No. 1 The Crescent, Solstice Park, Amesbury, SP4 7QA |
Hi, Animal friends dosnt cover pre exisitng medican conditions or symptoms for cats or dogs. they aparently used to many years ago but i have spoken to 2 representatives today who told me they dont do that anymore. do you know if this is the case ?
Hello Chloe,
In general, many pet insurance providers, including older policies, often exclude pre-existing medical conditions or symptoms for cats and dogs. If you're looking for coverage options for pets with pre-existing conditions, consider using HelloSafe’s pet insurance comparison tool, which highlights policies tailored to specific needs.