Dog insurance

Provided by Pinnacle Insurance plc

At Argos Pet Insurance, we provide dog insurance policies that can help you if your dog unexpectedly needs treatment. Whether you’re searching for puppy insurance for your 8 week old, or you want to insure an older or senior dog, take a look at our policies and get a quick and easy quote to find the best dog insurance policy for you and your dog.

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Collage image that includes a white dog playing with a toy, a dog owner petting their black dog and a close-up image of a Border Collie dog along with the quote 'make your dog as happy as Larry'

Why choose Argos dog insurance?

  • Dog cover for puppies from 8 weeks old
  • We can pay the vet directly so you don’t have to fork out
  • Time limited, maximum benefit and lifetime policies are available with a range of vet fee limits from £1,000 to £7,000
  • 24/7 medical advice with Argos Vet Assistance
  • We pay 99% of claims in 5 working days (Based on Argos Pet Insurance claims data from July 2022 to June 2023)

What does our dog insurance include?

Our dog insurance can cover your pooch from just 8 weeks old and help protect you from unexpected vet bills for various treatments, along with offering other benefits too. Which dog insurance you choose is down to your own personal circumstances, but our different policies could cover:

  • Veterinary fees including dental cover, complementary treatment, physiotherapy, behavioural illnesses and overseas veterinary
  • A range of ways to pay the vet – you can pay and then make a claim afterwards, or if the vet is happy for us to do so, we can pay them directly so you’re not out of pocket
  • 3rd party liability (dogs only)
  • Advertisement and reward if your dog goes missing
  • Theft or straying
  • Complementary veterinary helpline, live chat and video service
  • Emergency boarding kennel fees if you are hospitalised for over 48 hours
  • Other travel cover such as holiday cancellation, quarantine costs or loss of healthcare certificate or emergency expenses if your dog is sick or goes missing whilst abroad.

If your dog was to sadly pass away from an accident or injury, we can also cover some of the costs, including cremation if you choose.

Please note that we won’t cover any pre-existing conditions and that terms, conditions, excesses, exclusions and limitations apply. You can find out more about the terms of our cover in our policy documents.

Argos has three types of dog insurance for you to choose from: Dog lifetime insurance, maximum benefit and time limited.

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What is the best dog insurance cover?

Which dog insurance is best depends entirely on your own circumstances and what you’re looking to get from your insurance policy. Each type of our pet Insurance policies comes with a range of features. To easily compare our different policies, see the table of benefits below.

Time limited
Lifetime
Maximum benefit
Cover for 12 months or up to max amount…

Policy Documents

Benefits
£2.5k £4k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k

per condition

for 12 months

Up to £4k

per condition

for 12 months

Argos Vet Assistance
Argos Pet Portal
Death from illness
Up to £250 Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £250 Up to £750
Finding your Dog
Up to £250 Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250 Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200 Up to £200
Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £150 Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £250 Up to £1.5k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150 Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition £99 per condition
Covers up to max amount each year…

Policy Documents

Benefits
£2k £4.5k £7k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2k

per year

Up to £4.5k

per year

Up to £7k

per year

Argos Vet Assistance
Argos Pet Portal
Death from illness
Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k
Death from Accident
Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k
Finding your Dog
Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200
Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £1k
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £3k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £1k
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition

per year

£99 per condition

per year

£99 per condition

per year

Covers up to a max amount per condition…

Policy Documents

Benefits
£2k £5k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2k

per condition

Up to £5k

per condition

Argos Vet Assistance
Argos Pet Portal
Death from illness
Up to £750 Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £750 Up to £750
Finding your Dog
Up to £750 Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750 Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200 Up to £200
Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £500 Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750 Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500 Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition £99 per condition

Time Limited

Cover for 12 months or up to max amount…

Policy Documents

Lifetime

Covers up to max amount each year…

Policy Documents

Maximum Benefit

Covers up to a max amount per condition…

Policy Documents

Benefits Benefits Benefits
£2.5k £4k £2k £4.5k £7k £2k £5k
Veterinary Fees Veterinary Fees Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k

per condition

for 12 months

Up to £4k

per condition

for 12 months

Up to £2k

per year

Up to £4.5k

per year

Up to £7k

per year

Up to £2k

per condition

Up to £5k

per condition

Argos Vet Assistance Argos Vet Assistance Argos Vet Assistance
Argos Pet Portal Argos Pet Portal Argos Pet Portal
Death from illness Death from illness Death from illness
Up to £250 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k Up to £750 Up to £750
Death from Accident Death from Accident Death from Accident
Up to £250 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k Up to £750 Up to £750
Finding your Dog Finding your Dog Finding your Dog
Up to £250 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k Up to £750 Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying Loss by theft or straying Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £1.5k Up to £750 Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs Third party liability and legal costs Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs Cremation & burial costs Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200 Up to £200
Hospitalisation / Kennel fees Hospitalisation / Kennel fees Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £150 Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £1k Up to £500 Up to £500
Holiday cancellation Holiday cancellation Holiday cancellation
Up to £250 Up to £1.5k Up to £750 Up to £750 Up to £3k Up to £750 Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad Emergency Expenses Abroad Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150 Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £500 Up to £1k Up to £500 Up to £500
Excesses Payable Excesses Payable Excesses Payable
£99 per condition £99 per condition £99 per condition

per year

£99 per condition

per year

£99 per condition

per year

£99 per condition £99 per condition

Other excesses

When your dog reaches 8 years old (for restricted breeds of dog this is 5 years) your excess will change from £99 to the greater of £99 or 20% contribution toward each vet claim made. Also, you should note that there is a £100 excess for Third Party Liability. Please note these values are subject to change. Please find further information on restricted breeds here.

Please note that we won’t cover any pre-existing conditions and that terms, conditions, excesses, exclusions and limitations apply. You can find out more about the terms of our cover in our policy documents.

Remember, we have an upper age limit for insurance policies. You can insure your pets from 8 weeks old but for cats you cannot take out a new policy after their 10th birthday, for dogs their 8th birthday (5 years for some breeds, please see FAQs) and rabbits their 5th birthday. However, once purchased, cover can continue up to any age if you renew the existing policy, without a break in cover.

Your dog insurance policy: what’s not covered

Under 8 weeks old…

You can choose to insure your puppy from 8 weeks old, right up to their 8th birthday (5th birthday for some restricted breeds). Once you’re signed up to Argos Pet Insurance you’ll be covered for the rest of your dog’s life. While covered, you must take proper and reasonable care of your dog – including keeping on top of those recommended check-ups and vaccinations.

Pre-existing conditions

This includes any condition or symptom, or anything related to it, that you were aware of or has been noted and/or investigated by a vet before the policy start date. If your dog does have medical history, tell us and we’ll be honest with you on what we can and can’t cover your dog for. If your dog suffers from a medical condition, it can become very difficult to get another insurer to offer cover for that condition. This means you could be stuck with an insurer to ensure your dogs existing condition remains covered. That’s why it’s important to take the time to select your Pet Insurance company based not just on cost, but on other factors.

Illness that could be prevented

Your dog doesn’t have to have been vaccinated for us to insure them, however if it catches an illness it could have been vaccinated against and you failed to vaccinate as recommended by your vet, we are unable cover your vet costs.

Dangerous dogs

Argos Pet Insurance does not insure any dog which should be registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and The Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 or any future amendments.

Dogs we can’t insure

American Bull Dog, American Indian Dog, American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bandogs, Boerboel, Bully Kutta, Canary Dog, Cane Corso, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dingo, Dogo Argentino, Dogue Brasileros, Fila Brasilerio, Gull Dong, Husky Wolf Hybrid, Irish Blue Staffordshire Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Terrier, Saarlooswolfhound, Japanese Tosa, Tosa Inu, Pit Bull Crosses, Pit Bull Terrier, Wolfdog, Wolf Hybrid or any crosses involving these breeds.

Restricted breeds are:

For restricted breeds new cover can only be taken out from 8 weeks old up to their 5th birthday. If they’re insured before the 5th birthday we’ll continue to insure them as long as there isn’t a break in cover.

Beauceron, Bernese Mountain Dog, Bulldog, Bullmastiff, Deerhound, Dogue de Bordeaux, Estrela Mountain Dog, Giant Schnauzer, Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Leonberger, 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, Neapolitan Mastiff. We also do not cover working dogs i.e. gun dog, farm dog, racing dog, dogs used for emergency rescue purposes, guard dog or any dog used for security purposes.

Dental cover

Although we do not offer cover for routine dental work such as cleaning, your dog will be covered for dental treatment if caused by an illness, accidents and injuries, provided there is evidence of having had dental check-ups as recommended by your vet and any advice received is followed up within 6 months.

Putting to sleep by government order

If, in the unfortunate circumstance your dog needs to be put to sleep, you will be covered if this is for humane reasons or to stop incurable suffering. We cannot pay for this if it is by order from any government, local authority or anyone with jurisdiction in the matter.

Treatment outside the EU

We won’t pay out claims for any incident outside the territorial limits of the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Eire and the Member Countries of the Pet Travel Scheme (non-EU listed countries as defined by DEFRA are excluded).

Death from illness

If your dog is aged 8 or older (5 or older for restricted breeds), we wouldn’t pay out on a claim for death from illness. Please note, this is not the full list of exclusions. Download our policy document for the full list.

A brown Daschund dog laying in its owners bed, under a duvet looking up at the camera

Multi dog insurance

Have more than one dog in the family? Insure all your dogs with our multi dog insurance and get a minimum of £24 discount, made up of £1 per pet, per month. Own a cat too? No problem. You can insure them too and still qualify for the discount.

Top tips to get the best from your dog insurance

Remember those jabs

Your dog doesn’t have to have been vaccinated for us to insure them, however if it catches an illness it could have been vaccinated against and you failed to vaccinate as recommended by your vet, we are unable cover your vet costs.

Keep your receipts

It’s important to keep any receipts you may have, following purchases or donations for your dog, in case you need to claim back for the amount you paid. We may repay the current market value for the breed of your dog If you don’t have your receipt.

Think of us when you’re abroad

If your dog requires veterinary treatment whilst temporarily abroad, you must pay the vet whilst you’re there. When you return home, call us immediately and report the claim.

Admin fees

There may be some administration fees included in your vet’s bill, say for filling in a claim form, but we cannot reimburse you for these.

To view full terms and conditions of our cover please ensure to read our policy documents

How much is dog insurance?

The price of Pet Insurance for dogs depends on different factors, for example the breed of your dog or where you live. Some dogs are predisposed to certain health conditions, and while that may not necessarily be a factor when they’re a puppy, they could become more of an issue as they grow and mature.

To get an idea of dog insurance prices, compare dog insurance quotes for all cover types and levels. It’s also important to research the dog breed to get an understanding of health problems they could potentially suffer from. Factor those into your selection process and you’ll find the right cover for now and the future.

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24/7 Argos Vet Assistance

24/7 access online or over the phone to veterinary nurses who can assist with healthcare concerns or pet related queries for example on nutrition or behaviour anytime of the day or night. Which means that if you’re not sure whether that cough is serious, or your dog seems a bit under the weather, just call our qualified veterinary nurses or check out the Argos Pet Portal.

Is dog insurance worth it?

Wondering if you need to insure your dog? Your dog could get themselves into a mishap at any time, meaning that you may have to pay unexpected vet bills that could cost a lot of money. At Argos Pet Insurance, we want to help you to focus on your dog’s health rather than worrying about paying the vet for their treatment. There are plenty of benefits of insuring dog, find out more by clicking below.

Find out more

If you need some help or have a question about our dog insurance or policies in general, our FAQs can help.

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Terms and Conditions

Multi-pet discount is a minimum of £24 when insuring more than one pet as this is worked out at £1 per pet per month for each pet. Pets can have different cover levels. Discount deducted separately from any other offer.

Argos Limited is an Appointed Representative of Home Retail Group Insurance Services Limited (HIS). HIS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (register number 314050). Registered office: 33 Holborn, London, EC1N 2HT (registered in England and Wales, no 04109436). HIS act as an introducer to Pinnacle Insurance plc, who sell, administer and underwrite the policy and who are authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (register number 110866). Registered office: Pinnacle House, A1 Barnet Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2XX (registered in England and Wales, no 01007798) . HIS and Pinnacle Insurance plc are not part of the same corporate group.