The clue is in the name – these policies only cover accidents, NOT illness. Some insurers will cover illnesses developed after an accident but it’s best checking before choosing. It’s worth noting that a recent Which? survey found 70% of claims were for illness, not accidents.

Before you choose an Accident only policy, first think how likely your pet is to get ill. How old are they? Is their breed prone to hereditary illnesses? Do they get lots of clean air and exercise?

Time limited or 12 month policies give you a maximum amount to spend on vet fees for each condition. You’ll be covered for this specific condition for a set time – usually 12 months from the diagnosis date or first treatment.

But the catch is that when this ends, that condition will be classed as pre-existing and no longer covered. Most insurers won’t accept pre-existing conditions, so if you move your pet’s policy, you’d be left to pay the vet’s bill for that condition for the rest of their life.

Maximum benefit policies give you a fixed amount of money to use to claim for individual conditions. Once the limit is reached, the condition will be treated as pre-existing and not covered anymore – just like time limited/12 month policies.

The difference is that there’s no time limit, so you have as long as it takes to reach your pay-out limit before claim payments stop. You will need to renew the policy each year to have access to the cover.

Again, it’s worth noting that most insurers won’t accept pre-existing conditions, so if you move your pet’s policy, you’d be left to pay the vet’s bill for that condition for the rest of their life.

Platinum is our lifetime cover and gives you a set amount of money to spend as long as you renew your policy with us and there is no break in cover, we reinstate your vet fees limit each year. So, if while insured with us, your pet starts to develop an ongoing illness, like diabetes or arthritis, or a reoccurring illness like an ear infection, we don’t put a time limit on how long treatment can last. You can continue to claim each year.

Cats and dogs, like humans, are more prone to illness and ailments as they get older. Your price will increase at renewal, because of this likelihood and also when a claim has been paid. New developments in diagnosis and treatments have meant that vets can give them even better care, which is great news for your family pet, but means an increase in vet costs. If your pet has ongoing conditions such as diabetes, you may find it difficult to get that covered under a new policy as you will probably find that other providers won’t cover pre-existing illnesses and injuries (known as pre-existing conditions) and it can be harder to insure older dogs. But rest assured, while you are insured with us under your Argos Platinum policy, you’ll be covered up to the total vet fees limit of £7,000.