Pet Insurance Exclusions

We know worrying about what your pet insurance does and doesn't cover can be stressful. After all, you want what's best for your furry bundle, so we've pulled together some guidance to our pet insurance exclusions to make sure you know where you stand.

Everyday Pet Care

You wouldn't have your buddy if you didn't love them, so this one is a given; you need to take proper and reasonable care of your pet, now and in the future. Keep them well-fed and well-loved and keep up with regular vet check-ups and all the necessary vaccinations. If you don't, it could affect any future claims.

Pet Insurance Eligibility

New Policies

New Everypaw Pet Insurance policies can be taken out from your pet turning 8 weeks old up to the upper age limits. The age limits for new policies are:

Rabbits: 8 weeks up to their 5th birthday
Cats: 8 weeks up to their 10th birthday
Most dog breeds: 8 weeks up to their 8th birthday
Some dog breeds (listed below): 8 weeks up to their 5th birthday

Beauceron, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Deerhound, Dogue de Bordeaux, Estrela Mountain Dog, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Leonberger, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Old English Bulldog, Old English Sheepdog, Poodle (Standard), Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, St Bernard, Standard Poodle, Tibetan Mastiff, Utonagan.

If you insure your pet before these respective birthdays and continue to renew without a break, Everypaw will continue to cover them as they get older. If you choose to cancel your policy and then return to Everypaw, this will be considered a new policy and applicable exclusions and eligibility criteria will apply.

Pets We Don't Cover

We do not provide our £8k, £9k and £10k Lifetime cover for the following breeds and crossbreeds:

Anatolian Shepherd Dog, Beauceron, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bernese Sennenhund, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Canadian Eskimo Dog, Coonhound, Danish Pointer, Deerhound, Dogue de Bordeaux, Estrela Mountain Dog, Giant Schnauzer, Greenland Dog, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Leonberger, Magyar Agar, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Newfoundland, Northern Inuit/Eskimo Dog, Pyrenean Mountain Dog, Old English Bulldog, Old English Sheepdog, Poodle (Standard), Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rottweiler, Shar Pei, St Bernard, Tibetan Mastiff, Utonagan.

We do not provide cover for any dog that must be registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dogs (Muzzling) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991, or any American Bulldog, American Indian Dog, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Bandog, Boerboel, Bully Kutta, Canary Dog, Cane Corso, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dingo, Dogo Argentino, Dogue Brasileiro, Fila Brasileiro, Gull Dong, Husky Wolf Hybrid, Irish Staffordshire Blue Bull Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull Terrier, Saarlooswolfhound, Tosa, Tosa Inu, Wolf Hybrid, Wolfdog, XL Bully, or any dog crossbred with any of these breeds.

We do not provide cover for working dogs, i.e. gun dogs, farm dogs, racing dogs, emergency services dogs, guard dogs or security dogs.

For new policies bought from 1st July 2024, we do not provide Third Party Liability cover for the following breeds and crossbreeds:

Akita, Cirneco dell'Etna, Dogue de Bordeaux, Japanese Akita, Korean Jindo, Mexican Hairless, Neapolitan Mastiff, Northern Inuit/Eskimo Dog, Portuguese Podengo, Seguguio Italiano, Shar Pei and Utonagan.

If you take out a new policy for these breeds, your premium will automatically adjust to remove Third Party Liability cover.

If you bought your policy before the 1st July 2024, the breeds and crossbreeds excluded from Third Party Liability cover are Akitas, Japanese Akitas and Neapolitan Mastiffs.

If your dog has previously shown signs of aggression and/or destructive behaviour, Third Party Liability will be excluded from your cover.

Pet Insurance and Pre-existing Conditions

Everypaw doesn't cover pre-existing conditions.

Any conditions, symptoms, illnesses or injuries your pet is suffering or has suffered from in the past will not be covered under the policy. This includes one-off or ongoing symptoms and conditions, and accidental injuries, even if your pet didn't receive treatment or you were told it was nothing to worry about. We also consider pre-existing conditions to cover discussions about your pet with your vet or other professionals regarding their health or behaviour.

Failure to inform us about any pre-existing conditions your pet is suffering from or has suffered from in the past may affect future claims and your policy.

When Your Cover Starts

Your pet insurance policy will commence on the date selected when taking out the policy. However, you will not be able to make a claim immediately; you will only be able to claim after 3 or 14 days.

3 Days

Incidents of poisoning and accidents that happen in the first 3 days of your policy are not covered. After 3 days, you can claim for new accidents or incidents of poisoning – it cannot be from an incident that happened in those first 3 days.

14 Days

Illnesses that your pet suffers from in the first 14 days of your policy are not covered. After 14 days, you can claim for new illnesses or conditions – it cannot be a condition your pet came down within those first 14 days.

14-day claim restrictions are also in place for Everypaw's policy features and benefits, including but not limited to Finding your Pet, Death from Accident or Illness, Holiday Cancellation etc.

Please note: any accident or illness your pet suffers from in the first 3 or 14 days, respectively, will be considered a pre-existing condition and not covered by your policy. If you switch to Everypaw from another provider, and can prove your previous policy ran up to your new policy, we can waive the 3-day and 14-day exclusions for you.

Pet Insurance Excess

You will need to pay an excess for each condition you make a vet fees claim against. The excess payable is different across cover types.

Lifetime Pet Insurance

The Lifetime cover excess is applied per condition, per policy year. This means if you submit a claim and that claim straddles your renewal, you'll need to pay two excesses for that condition – one prior to the renewal and one post renewal.

Maximum Benefit / Time Limited

The excess for Maximum Benefit and Time Limited policies are applied per condition. This means for each condition you make a claim for, you will need to pay the excess on that condition.

Changes to Your Excess

When your pet reaches a specific age, their excess will change. This changes when the upper age limits of the policy take effect. This happens for:

Rabbits at the renewal after their 5th birthday
Cats at the renewal after their 10th birthday
Most dog breeds at the renewal after their 8th birthday
Some dog breeds (listed below) at the renewal after their 5th birthday

After these birthdays, the excess will change from the set amount to either the set amount or a percentage of your claim, whichever is more.

The excess will be displayed on your Certificate of Insurance.

Third Party Liability Excess

You are responsible for paying the first £250 of any costs or compensation awarded. Please be aware that the cost is subject to change. The excess will be displayed on your Certificate of Insurance.

Third Party Liability Coverage

There are some breeds of dog that we'll insure but unable to cover for Third Party Liability.

For new policies bought from 1st July 2024, we do not provide Third Party Liability cover for the following breeds and crossbreeds:

If you bought your policy before the 1st July 2024, the breeds and crossbreeds excluded from Third Party Liability cover are Akitas, Japanese Akitas and Neapolitan Mastiffs.

The cover does not apply where the claim arises because of your profession, occupation, or business. This includes taking your pet to work and if you work from home. We appreciate that many people take their dog into work and also work from home. To clarify, while your dog is with you at work, either in the office or at home, they will not be covered for Third Party Liability. If you take your dog for a walk during a break they will be covered.

If your pet is kept on premises licensed for the sale of alcohol, incidents arising from when they're on premises will not be covered for Third Party Liability. However, they will be covered in other environments, such as when you take them for a walk.

You're responsible for the first £250 of any Third Party Liability claim. Please be aware that the value is subject to change.

Dental Care

Routine dental treatment and check-ups are excluded. We also do not cover treatment for deciduous teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks of age at the policy start date.

However, we can pay for dental work related to a dental condition, related condition, accidental injury or to relieve suffering. Cover is dependent on your pet having regular annual check-ups and you following any vet recommendations within 6 months of your pet's check-up.

The cost of routine and preventative trimming, burring or rasping of rabbits' teeth is not covered.

Cremation or Burial Costs

If your dog or cat passes away or is put to sleep due to an accident, poisoning or illness, we can pay towards the cost of cremation or cemetery burial up to your policy limit.

Your eligibility to make a claim may be affected by your policy terms and the age of your pet. The age limits are:

Cats: up to their 10th birthday
Most dog breeds: up to their 8th birthday
Some dog breeds (listed below): up to their 5th birthday

Convalescent Treatment

Be aware, the cost of post-op convalescent treatment isn't covered where the vet confirms you could have provided it in your home.

Routine, Preventative, Elective and Cosmetic Treatment

These are all excluded. This exclusion also applies to vaccinations and neutering for contraceptive purposes (as opposed to medical reasons).

Treatment for Vaccine-Preventable Conditions

Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions, where you've failed to vaccinate your pet is all excluded. Therefore, it's vital that you keep up will all your pet's vaccinations. If your vet were to recommend against vaccinating, we would not apply an exclusion.

The Cost of a Transplant, Prosthetic Limbs and Associated Treatment

Organ or stem cell transplants, limb prostheses including any vet treatment needed to fit the prosthesis are excluded. The cost of replacing hip, knee and/or elbow joints is covered up to your policy limit.

Policyholder's Hospitalisation

Claims for boarding fees in the event of the policyholder's hospitalisation do not apply when it's related to pregnancy or giving birth, or a result of alcoholism, drug abuse or self-inflicted injury. This is also excluded where the policyholder's illness or accident occurred before the policy start date.

Claims are excluded where your illness first occurs or shows symptoms within 14 days of the policy start date.

Get Your Pet Microchipped

Claims related to searching for or finding your dog as well as for loss or theft will be rejected if your dog is not microchipped. This will be in accordance with the applicable microchipping legal requirements in force at the time of any claim.

It's the law that all dogs must be microchipped.

90 Days of Coverage for Pets Abroad

We'll reimburse the cost of treatment your dog or cat has received when travelling to countries in the European Union. Coverage is for a maximum of 90 days in any policy year.

For full details on the above exclusions, please take the time to read the full policy details here.