Petplan
Petplan is a UK pet insurance provider insuring over 1.3 million dogs, cats and rabbits through Covered For Life® and Essential plans. It is a subsidiary of Allianz Insurance plc and distributes via direct digital channels and veterinary practice partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersDatchet, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Petplan does
Petplan is a UK pet insurance provider trading as Pet Plan Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Allianz Insurance plc. Founded in 1974 and operating for over 50 years, the company insures more than 1.3 million dogs, cats and rabbits across the United Kingdom and self-positions as the UK's largest pet insurer. The core product set consists of two plan structures: the Covered For Life® lifetime plan, which offers annual vet fee limits of £4,000, £7,000 or £12,000 that reset each policy year, and the Essential time-limited plan, providing up to £3,000 per illness or injury for 12 months. Adjacent business lines include Petplan Equine (horses, veterans and riders), Petplan Sanctuary (B2B insurance for kennels, catteries, groomers and pet-care operators), and a partnership with ExoticDirect covering birds, reptiles and small mammals.
The business runs on a digital insurance platform comprising an online quote engine, the My Petplan self-service portal for policy administration and claim submission, and an eclaims system that enables veterinary practices to submit claims electronically on behalf of policyholders. Operations are scaled: over £5 million in claims are settled every week, 97% of claims are paid, 90% are processed within five working days, and Pet Expert Chat provides 24/7 video access to qualified veterinary professionals as a policy benefit.
Revenue is generated through recurring annual or monthly premiums priced on individual pet factors (age, breed, location, coverage level), supplemented by a 10% first-year acquisition discount and a £12-per-pet multi-pet discount. Distribution is primarily direct-to-consumer via the petplan.co.uk website and phone sales, reinforced by referral channels through thousands of UK veterinary practices and partnerships with over 1,200 animal charities. Customer retention is high, with a 90% annual renewal rate signalling durable recurring revenue.
Petplan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Petplan
- Legal name
- Pet Plan Limited
- Website
- https://petplan.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Petplan is a UK pet insurance provider insuring over 1.3 million dogs, cats and rabbits through Covered For Life® and Essential plans. It is a subsidiary of Allianz Insurance plc and distributes via direct digital channels and veterinary practice partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Petplan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pet Insurance
- NAICS
- Direct Property and Casualty Insurance Carriers (524126)
- SIC
- Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331), Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pet Insurance (FSAJAKAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Accident & Supplemental (Non-Life) Insurance (FSAJAKAA)
Keywords
Where Petplan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Datchet
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Petplan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Pet Insurance Premiums: Petplan generates revenue through annual or monthly insurance premiums charged to policyholders. Premiums are calculated based on individual pet factors including age, breed, location, and chosen coverage level. The company reported paying over £5 million in claims every week, indicating substantial premium revenue collection.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Covered For Life® Plan - Lifetime pet insurance with annual vet fee limits that refresh each year |
| Subscription | Annual | Essential Plan - Time-limited policy providing 12 months treatment up to £3,000 per illness/injury |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Petplan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Petplan provides pet insurance policies for dogs, cats, and rabbits under two core constructs: Covered For Life® lifetime plans (with annual vet bill limits of £4,000, £7,000, or £12,000) and Essential time-limited plans (12 months up to £3,000 per illness/injury). It also offers equine insurance via Petplan Equine, business insurance via Petplan Sanctuary, exotic pet cover through ExoticDirect, and value-added services including Pet Expert Chat and direct vet payments.
Product overview
Petplan is a UK-based pet insurance provider offering a portfolio of insurance products across multiple pet types. The core offering consists of two main insurance plan types: the Covered For Life® plan (lifetime coverage with annual vet bill limits of £4,000, £7,000, or £12,000 that renew each year) and the Essential plan (time-limited coverage up to £3,000 per illness/injury for 12 months). These plans are available for dogs, cats, and rabbits, with Puppy Insurance serving as a specialized entry point for young dogs. Multi-Pet Insurance allows policyholders to insure multiple pets with a £12 per-pet discount. Beyond companion pets, Petplan extends into equine insurance through Petplan Equine (covering horses, veterans, and riders), partners with ExoticDirect for exotic pet coverage, and offers Petplan Sanctuary for pet-care business insurance. Added-value services include Pet Expert Chat (free 24/7 vet video consultations) and direct vet payment capabilities. Petplan is a trading name of Pet Plan Limited, a subsidiary of Allianz Insurance plc, authorised and regulated by the FCA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Petplan Equine: Equine insurance products including Horse Insurance, Veteran Plan for horses aged 20-40, and Rider Plan for non-horse owners
- Petplan Sanctuary
- ExoticDirect
Products and services
- Covered For Life® Plan Petplan's flagship lifetime pet insurance plan providing ongoing coverage for vet bills year after year for the same condition, as long as the policy is renewed continuously. Policyholders can choose between £4,000, £7,000, or £12,000 annual vet bill limits. Available for dogs, cats, and rabbits.
- Essential Plan
- Dog Insurance
- Cat Insurance
- Rabbit Insurance
- Puppy Insurance
- Multi-Pet Insurance
- Petplan Equine (Horse Insurance)
- Petplan Sanctuary
- ExoticDirect
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% of claims paid
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Petplan
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Petplan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Petplan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.
- ExoticDirectminorPetplan has partnered with ExoticDirect, the experts in bird, reptile and small mammal insurance, to provide coverage options for owners of exotic pets including birds, reptiles and small mammals.
- Petplan EquineminorPetplan offers equine insurance through Petplan Equine brand, providing Horse Insurance, Veteran Plan for horses aged 20-40, and Rider Plan for non-horse owners.
- Petplan SanctuaryminorPetplan Sanctuary provides insurance products for pet-care businesses including kennels, catteries, grooming services, and other pet business operations.
- Professor Noel Fitzpatrick (Supervet)flagshipStrategic brand partnership with Professor Noel Fitzpatrick (Supervet), a renowned veterinary surgeon. He provides pet insurance education content for Petplan, appearing in marketing materials, advice articles, and videos about choosing pet insurance and understanding coverage options.
- UK Veterinary PracticescorePetplan works closely with thousands of UK veterinary practices. Vets recommend Petplan to clients, and the company provides eclaims system for electronic claim submission. Petplan won Vet Trust Award for Most Trusted By Vets.
- UK Animal Charities (1,200+)corePetplan partners with over 1,200 UK animal charities, providing 4 weeks free insurance for rehomed pets and giving 10% of rescue pet premiums back to animal welfare organizations. Petplan Charitable Trust has raised over £8 million.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Petplan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ManyPets: UK-headquartered digital-first pet insurer offering dog and cat insurance with lifetime and time-limited plans. Directly competes with Petplan in the UK online quote and renewal channel, with a more technology-led underwriting approach.
- Agria Pet Insurance: UK pet insurance specialist offering lifetime dog, cat, and rabbit policies, including working dog and equine coverage. Highly comparable product structure and veterinary-channel distribution model.
- Animal Friends: Established UK pet insurance provider offering dog, cat, and horse insurance with lifetime cover options. Closely comparable product portfolio and target market to Petplan, also donating to animal welfare causes.
Broad incumbents
- LV= Pet Insurance: UK mutual insurer offering pet insurance as part of a broader general insurance portfolio. Direct competitor in the UK dog/cat insurance market with comparable lifetime and time-limited products.
- Tesco Pet Insurance: Tesco Bank pet insurance underwritten by a third party, distributed via the Tesco customer base. Competes on price-led propositions in the same UK dog/cat insurance market as Petplan.
- Direct Line Pet Insurance: Pet insurance offered as part of Direct Line Group's broader UK general insurance portfolio. Less specialised than Petplan but competes directly on UK dog and cat policies through aggregator and direct channels.
- John Lewis Finance Pet Insurance: Pet insurance distributed through John Lewis Finance, leveraging brand trust comparable to Petplan. Offers lifetime cover for dogs and cats with premium positioning similar to Petplan's higher tiers.
Emerging players
- Trupanion: North American pet medical insurer offering lifetime vet cost coverage with direct-to-vet payment — closely analogous to Petplan's Vet Direct Payments feature. Comparable product model and target customer, though geographically separate.
- Healthy Paws Pet Insurance: US-focused pet insurance provider offering comprehensive accident and illness coverage for dogs and cats. Comparable lifetime-claim model and unlimited payout structure analogous to Petplan's Covered For Life® design.
Regional players
- NFU Mutual Pet Insurance: UK mutual offering pet insurance as part of a broader rural/general insurance portfolio. Comparable product features (vet fee coverage, lifetime options) and competes for UK dog and cat owners with a mutual brand positioning.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Petplan social profiles
Digital presencePetplan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Petplan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Petplan subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Petplan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Petplan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Petplan
What does Petplan do?
Petplan provides pet insurance policies for dogs, cats, and rabbits under two core constructs: Covered For Life® lifetime plans (with annual vet bill limits of £4,000, £7,000, or £12,000) and Essential time-limited plans (12 months up to £3,000 per illness/injury). It also offers equine insurance via Petplan Equine, business insurance via Petplan Sanctuary, exotic pet cover through ExoticDirect, and value-added services including Pet Expert Chat and direct vet payments.
Is Petplan a public or private company?
Petplan is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Petplan founded?
Petplan was founded in 1974. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Petplan based?
Petplan is headquartered in Datchet, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Petplan make money?
One revenue line is on record: pet Insurance Premiums.
Who are Petplan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ManyPets, Agria Pet Insurance and Animal Friends. Broad incumbents are LV= Pet Insurance, Tesco Pet Insurance, Direct Line Pet Insurance and John Lewis Finance Pet Insurance. Emerging players are Trupanion and Healthy Paws Pet Insurance. NFU Mutual Pet Insurance is listed as a regional player.
Does Petplan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Petplan.
What industry is Petplan in?
Petplan's product category is Pet Insurance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAKAG, Pet Insurance, with a secondary code of FSAJAKAA, Accident & Supplemental (Non-Life) Insurance. Its NAICS code is 524126 and its SIC code is 6331.