Pet Insurance Excess Explained
Excess is the amount you pay towards a claim before the policy pays the rest — here's how the different types work.
In plain English
Excess is the share of a claim you pay yourself. The insurer pays the rest, up to the policy limits.
Most policies set a fixed excess per condition each policy year. Some also let you choose a voluntary excess to lower your premium, and some add a percentage contribution once your pet is older.
Excess is separate from the vet fee limit. You can still pay an excess even when the bill is well inside the limit.
A real-world example
Luna the Domestic Shorthair. Luna has a £400 vet bill for an upset stomach. Her policy has a £99 fixed excess and a 10% co-payment.
- Luna's owner pays the £99 fixed excess first.
- The remaining £301 is shared: 10% (£30.10) is paid by the owner as the co-payment, and the insurer pays £270.90.
- If Luna needs more treatment for the same condition in the same policy year, the fixed excess for that condition usually doesn't apply again until the next policy year.
Three common types of excess
Different policies combine these in different ways. Examples include:
Fixed excess
A set amount you pay per condition each policy year (for example £99 or £150). Bigger fixed excesses usually mean a lower premium.
Example. Example: a £99 excess on a £600 claim means you pay £99 and the policy considers the rest.
Voluntary excess
An extra amount you choose to add on top of the fixed excess to reduce your premium. The policy will only pay once both have been covered.
Example. Example: choosing a £100 voluntary excess on top of a £99 fixed excess means you pay £199 first.
Percentage co-payment
A percentage of each claim you pay after the fixed excess — often added once your pet reaches a certain age.
Example. Example: a 20% co-payment on a £500 claim (after excess) means you pay an extra £100.
Both designs can be sold as "lifetime" cover — the policy wording explains which applies.
Things to understand before choosing
Per condition, per policy year
Fixed excess usually applies once per condition each policy year — but rules vary, so check the wording.
Excess on top of co-payment
If your policy has both, you typically pay the fixed excess first, then a percentage of what's left.
Voluntary excess and premium
Choosing a higher voluntary excess often lowers the premium, but means more out of pocket when you claim. Some owners compare a couple of options to see the trade-off.
Educational only. ClearPetCover does not recommend specific insurers or policies — always read the policy wording before choosing cover.
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