Many of you may be considering bringing a new furry friend to your house. There are obviously many things that you might want to think about, starting from breed, food, toys, bed, etc. But often the thing that is the last consideration is making sure that you are protected against vet costs.

A veterinary visit is something that every new and current pet owner must do – whether it’s an initial checkup or a lesser injury. Everyone wants the very best health for their pets, but sometimes that can cost you a lot of money. Insurance never covers regular check-ups, vaccinations or neutering, but can cover the large unexpected costs.

That being the case, thank the stars that pet insurance exists! It’s there to cover us against some of the veterinary expenses that may occur should your animal fall ill..

But insurance for your furry friend can be complicated. With many insurance companies, it can be pretty hard to decide which is the perfect fit for your pet and your pocket.

So, which pet insurance do you choose? Emerald Life is a star choice for any customer that is looking for quality policies at affordable rates.

There are a lot of other providers out there. In this article, we will take a better look at Co-Op pet insurance and pull up the main features. Read on!

Who Is Co Op Insurance?

Co‑op Insurance dates back to 1867 and tries to help customers from the first day. While the brand is widely recognized for its high street grocery stores, it also offers funeral care, legal services, and insurance.

The Co-operative Insurance has increased its customer proposition by launching a new, affordable pet insurance product. They give dog and cat owners peace of mind knowing that if their animal is injured or ill, the care can be fully or partially covered by them.

Co Op Insurance Policy Options

Every pet lover wants to give their buddy the best possible care and vet treatment — when you consider all the love and happiness they bring into your lives, it is the least that you can do for them.

With the insurance policy in place, you won’t have to compromise when it comes to giving your dog or cat the treatment they need.

Co Op Pet Insurance offers two types of pet insurance: Classic (maximum benefit) or Select Plus (lifetime).

  • The Classic cover option is mainly designed for pet owners looking for essential cover for their pet. One that will be able to pay out up to £2,000 for any illness or injury sustained for 12 months after the condition is first identified.
  • The Select Plus option offers more comprehensive insurance where each new illness or injury is covered during the pet’s whole life, despite age or how long the condition lasts (as long as the policy is renewed every year)

Besides these two pet insurance policies, there are also optional extra services that you can include in your pet insurance cover should you what that service.

There are different rates for various cats and dogs, so you will need to go ahead and ask for a quote to know what is the correct rate for your pet and then check the details of any policy document (including any co-payment or excess) – which will allow you to compare. We will show you a sample of the approximate price of the Co Op insurance policy premium, so be sure to read until the end.

Select Plus

  • Covers your pet for treatment up to £5,000 per year
  • No pre-existing injury or illness 
  • £750 complementary treatment cover.
  • Receive up to £5,000 per year for dental cover as long as your pet has a checkup every year.
  • Cover for ongoing conditions such as eczema and arthritis for as long as your pet requires it
  • You have access to a legal helpline to give you advice on legal issues relating to your pet, which is available 24/7
  • £1m third party liability
  • This could be available for the rest of their life, as long as you renew each year without a break.

Classic

  • You are covered for costs up to £2,000 per year for vet fees when you claim.
  • No pre-existing injury or illness 
  • Claim for up to 12 months from when you first notice the injury or illness.
  • If your pet dies or is put down due to illness or injury during the policy term, they would pay out the amount you paid for your pet.
  • £1,500 cover if your pet is stolen or goes missing during the policy year and is not recovered or does not return.
  • Up to £2,000 cover in holiday cancellation. They will cover your travel and accommodation expenses if you have to cancel your journey because your pet is ill or injured.
  •  Up to £1,000 boarding cost cover for your pet at a licensed boarding institution or towards the cost of someone looking after your pet while you are in the hospital.
  • Cost of advertising cover and the amount you have paid to get your pet back, usually £300 per year.
  • This policy also gives you access to a legal helpline to give you advice on legal issues relating to your pet, and it’s available 24/7

Optional Extras

  • Add on or increase your cover for third-party liability, holiday cancellation, boarding fees, advertising, and reward if your pet dies from illness or injury or loss by theft or straying. This will still have an excess.
  • Emergency veterinary fees abroad. Up to £5,000 cover for the emergency cover your pet receives while abroad.
  • Quarantine costs. They will be able to cover up to £1500 per year towards the cost of quarantine whilst your pet is ill abroad or if you lose your pet’s travel documentation.
  • Emergency repatriation. If your pet passes away or becomes ill or injured during a trip, this would provide cover for the cost of bringing your pet home or up to £500 per year.
  • Advertising and reward whilst abroad. If your pet gets robbed or goes missing whilst you are away, this optional extra would provide up to £300 per year towards the cost of advertising the loss of your pet as well as a reward to get your pet back.

Now that you know all of the Co Op insurance policies and optional extras, you might be thinking how much will it cost you to get the classic or select plus plan for your pet. But before we go to the price section, let’s compare them with Emerald Life pet insurance so that you can get a better picture of what other pet insurance companies have to offer.

Emerald Life pet insurance:

  • You are covered for treatment up to £7,500 per year for vet fees
  • You can choose from four different policies that you
  • Pay monthly with no additional costs
  • Complementary treatments that can cover up to 25% of the full price
  • Clinical diets up to £200
  • Training and behaviour treatments up to £200
  • 24/7 access to FirstVet, Emerald’s tele-vet service

How Much Does Co Op Pet Insurance Cost?

In order to know the annual cost of getting co op pet insurance, you will need to go ahead and request a quote from them. You should be able to do that online or call them on the phone.

The cost will depend on the type of policy you choose, how old your pet is, where you live, etc.

For instance, we have managed to call them and get quotes for different pets so that we can provide you with an average premium of their pet insurance services.

So as we calculated, it will usually cost you approximately $35/month + shared expenses, which is somewhere above the average pet insurance premium.

Here is an example of various pets with the Select Plus policy cover:

  • 5-year-old mixed breed dog: £357 annually (Select Plus policy)
  • 5-year-old Labrador Retriever: £447 annually (Select Plus policy)
  • 6-year-old mixed breed cat (moggy): £246 annually (Select Plus policy)

Even though it offers great features, most people are probably looking for an even more affordable pet insurance company with the same and maybe even better policy covers. Emerald Life policies start from as low as £1.75 per week. So depending on your pet it may be one of the cheapest pet insurance policies out there. If you’re interested in joining us, then just go ahead and contact our team here.

What Do Customers Have To Say About Co Op Pet Insurance?

For both cat and dog insurance, the Co Op’s Select Plus policy ( with all optional extras) was awarded the highest 5 Star rating by Defaqto.

Fairer Finance (a service that is set up to help customers choose the best financial products) have not yet featured a particular Co Op pet insurance review. Based on other Co Op products, they have ranked the business as follows:

The Fairer Finance website ranks Co op 27th out of 47 insurance companies and gives it a bronze rating. Overall they have a strong rating, and by reading various customer reviews, the main thing they don’t like is probably the high pricing. It is ranked as the 3rd most expensive companies out of the 15 insurance providers featured.

And a lot of the people commenting are looking for a cheaper option, and if you are one of them, then Emerald Life has your back.

FAQ

Does Co Op pet insurance have any age restrictions?

Yes, they have restrictions for first-time pets being registered on new policies (the restrictions do not apply to annual renewals of lifetime policies). The maximum age limit is up to 10 years for the cats, while for dogs it is only up to 8 years old for most breeds or 5 years for ‘selected breed’ dogs. So if your pet is older, you won’t be able to get pet insurance from the Co Op.

Is Co Op Insurance any good?

The Co Op pet insurance is an excellent product with a comprehensive range of features and benefits. It is one of the highest-rated pet insurance companies. And for people who are ready to spend a bit more than the average price of pet insurance, this can be the most suitable pet insurance for them.

Is Co Op good pet insurance?

It is one of the top-rated pet insurance from the customers. Co Op is known for its flexible add-ons plans, remarkably competitive pricing and covers pets of any age. Though Co Op’s policies have some limitations, the company covers temporary pre-existing conditions, which isn’t a standard practice among pet insurers.

Which dog breeds are not covered by Co Op Pet Insurance?

We do not insure any dog that’s on the dangerous dog registry or the following types of dogs:

  • Pit Bull Terrier
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Perro de Presa
  • Fila Brasileiro
  • Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
  • Saarloos Wolfhound

So be sure to see whether your pet will be able to get insured before straight out asking for a quote or calling them.

What Is The Best Type Of Pet insurance?

If you want pet insurance, lifetime cover is probably the best type of pet insurance, especially in the UK. Lifetime covers your pet year after year, for your pet’s lifetime, as long as you don’t cancel your insurance policy.

That means medical conditions your pet develops should remain covered, whereas a non-lifetime policy would have any re-occurence of that condition excluded once the policy runs out, even if it is then taken out again with the same provider.

It’s the most comprehensive, and therefore it is the most expensive kind of pet insurance plan. It lets you claim up to a set amount such as £12,000, for each year of your pet’s life, for any type of condition.

But because the lifetime covers are so comprehensive, they are also the more expensive ones. Be sure that you are ready to pay the higher monthly amount before you sign your furry friend for lifetime insurance coverage.

Summary

Co op Insurance is a strong option for your beloved pet, and it has great insurance policy covers at reasonable prices. And with so many optional extras, Co op pet insurance can help you and your pet in many ways. However, if you are more price sensitive, then you may want to also get a quote from Emerald Pet….!

Emerald Life is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and has its registered address in England and Wales. You can visit our website at www.emeraldlife.co.uk where you can find our cookies policy (and other facts around cookies)

Article background: Coop Pet Insurance Reviews/Review Co Op/Co Op’s insurance reviews/Co op group plc insurance reviews