If you own a furry friend in your house, then chances are that you purchase all the things that your buddy needs: delicious treats, a fluffy bed, and lots of dolls.
Apart from all the entertaining stuff, keeping your pet healthy should also be a number one priority for every owner. This means that you will need to take your pet to the veterinarian regularly and provide him with medical treatment if needed.
However, unexpected veterinary bills can quickly add up. A routine vet visit will cost you around £280 for a dog and £223 for a cat. And if your pet needs surgery then you’re looking forward to paying at least £423 for your dog and £325.
The best way you can reduce the cost is by implementing pet insurance, and today we will be reviewing 4paws pet insurance. We will be going through all the important things such as policies, prices, alternatives, and FAQs. So, we suggest that you bear with us until the end of this review.
Table of Contents
Who Is 4Paws Pet Insurance?
4Paws Pet Insurance is a brand name of NCI Insurance Services which is registered in England and Wales.
- The covers start from 6 weeks old
- Vet fees can be paid directly to the customer
- UK-based contact centre
- 24/7 emergency claims
- Pay monthly with no additional cost
- Dedicated and trained pet staff ready to assist you
- Pre-authorize claims
With different levels of et insurance covers available to suit different budgets, all of their policies are underwritten by Covéa Insurance Ltd.
With over 65 years of trading experience, Covéa Insurance is one of the best UK insurers that has around 1,600 talented people across 11 offices and serving over 3 million policyholders. They are ideally placed with the knowledge and expertise to look after a diverse range of insurance needs.
4Paws Pet Insurance Plans
4Paws pet insurance offers different policies for cats, dogs and rabbits. It can cover any of these pets as long as they are 6 weeks old or more.
There are 4 different policies, including Time Limited, Maximum Benefit, Lifetime and Lifetime Contribution Cover.
Time-limited Cover – This type of policy is intended to help with covering the costs of the vet treatment for injury or illness. Their time-limited option will cover your pet for 12 months with a vet fees limit of £3,000 per condition.
The time-limited policy also comes with a £1m third party liability cover for pet owners.
Maximum Benefit Cover – This is an enhanced level of cover that has an extended range of additional benefits. The maximum benefit policies that are offered by 4paws pet insurance have no time limit on the claims, so you will be able to make claims for an ongoing condition (up to the fee limits) as long as you renew the policy each year. There are 3 different veterinary cover levels, including £2,000, £4,000 or £7,000.
Maximum Benefit also features a £1m liability cover and £1,500 if your cat or dog is lost, stolen or dies from illness and injury. There is also a separate £1,750 holiday cancellation and £1,250 limit for boarding fees and quarantine. Plus you will get a complementary treatment cover up to £1,000.
Lifetime Cover – This is the most comprehensive policy that 4paws pet insurance has to offer. They will cover veterinary fees up to £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 through your dog’s lifetime. (as long as you renew it every 12 months)
The lifetime policy offers up to £2,000 if your pet gets stolen, strained, or dies from an unexpected injury and illness. It will also cover holiday cancellations up to £3,000, boarding fees and quartine for up to £1,250, and advertising and rewards for lost pets up to £2,000.
Lifetime Contribution Cover – This features the same benefits as the lifetime cover. The main difference is that with this policy you will need to contribute 30% towards the cost of each clam, and after this, the price for your policy will be reduced.
How much does 4Paws pet insurance cost?
The cost of the pet insurance will really depend on a number of things such as the age and breed of your pet, where you live, and previous conditions.
In order to provide you with an example of how much it cost, we went ahead and requested a quote for several breeds.
On average, their dog policies start from £2.30 a week or £110 for each year. And for cats, you can expect to pay £2.14 a week or £103 each year.
In order to know the exact price, you will need to request a quote on their link or their number.
What Do 4Paws Pet Insurance Customers Say?
The pet insurance company itself has an average rating of 4.4 on Trustpilot from over 140 reviews.
The Lifetime policies for both dogs and cats are ranked 5 stars by an individual rating company, while the Time Limited and Maximum Benefit cover option are rated 3 stars.
Most of the reviews indicate that the whole process of requesting a quote and insuring their pet was really straightforward. The customer service was excellent and their claim payout is really quick without any hesitation. Over 90% of all the claims are being paid within 7 days.
By far, the biggest criticism about 4Paws Pet Insurance policies is that the renewal prices are really high. A lot of customers complained that their renewal price more than doubled, even though they haven’t made a single claim. So even though they offer a great service, they can be quite expensive for the average person.
Here are some of the reviews:
“This is truly a great website, it is extremely easy to use. This is my second month using their service. I haven’t made any claims so we will see how the whole process goes.” – Jake L.
“Even though that their services are overall good, their huge renewal prices is what made me want to request a cancellation.” – Dave S.
What is the best alternative to 4 Paws Pet Insurance
So, which pet insurance policy do you choose that will be a better alternative to 4 Paws Pet Insurance? Well, we think that the pet cover we offer at Emerald Life is the most suitable choice for you.
At Emerald Life, we prefer to ensure consumer satisfaction by simply placing our customers in the front driving seat. Our whole company is set up to assist customers by providing them with a comprehensive insurance solution that is available to all.
Also, Emerald Life Pet Insurance is clear when it comes to pricing and you won’t end up paying double the amount after the renewal dates.
Furthermore, any customer can come to Emerald Life and they will be treated like a genuine person, and not just like another number. We are trying to help people decrease their expenses on medical bills by providing covers up to £7,500
And to back our comments, we have a 4.9/5 rating on Feefo.com and 5/5 rating on SmartMoneyPeople.
- Four levels of insurance that will cover up to £7,500
- Monthly instalments at no extra charge
- 10% multi-pet discount
- Cover starts from only £1.75 per week****
These are some of the most important highlights of the Pet insurance packages. If you’re interested in knowing a bit more about our pet insurance policies, then just click here.
Once you know all the pet insurance policies and covers, you can get a FREE quote from EmeraldLife Pet insurance.
FAQ
How to make a 4Paws pet insurance claim
To make a 4Paws pet insurance claim you will be required to download the appropriate form from the official 4Paws website.
There are different forms for a range of claims such as veterinary treatment fees, holiday cancellation or even death.
Once you have the proper claim form you will need to fill it with the details of your pet’s treatment and information, or you can also ask the vet to complete this for you.
Then, you will need to upload the claim either on their website or send it by e-mail to petclaims@4paws.co.uk for vet claims.
You can also request a claim form by calling their official number 01423 534 040.
Are there any special discounts or promotions?
As we know, there aren’t any special discounts or promotions right now, but be sure to double-check because they might update this after a while. Discounts can be a great way to save money.
How do I cancel 4Paws Pet Insurance insurance?
In order to cancel your policy, you will need to contact their customer service at 01423 534 040 and they will the whole process. Usually, if you haven’t made a claim they will return some of your money. However, if you made claims in the past, then you shouldn’t expect any refunds.
Conclusion
4Paws Pet Insurance offers some of the most extensive pet insurance covers available on the market. And they are a genuine company that cares for their customers.
But their more expensive prices ad high renewal costs are something that a customer concerns about. So if you’re searching for a more affordable option, then Emerald Life is the right pet insurance for you.