When comparing pet insurance, you’ll often see the term “excess”. Put simply, an excess is the amount you need to contribute towards an eligible claim before your insurer pays the remaining covered costs.
Understanding how your excess works is important because it can affect both how much you receive when you claim and how much your insurance costs.
Here’s what you need to know.
How does a pet insurance excess work?
If you make an eligible claim, your excess is deducted from the amount covered by your policy.
For example, if your eligible veterinary treatment costs £1,000 and your applicable excess is £125, you would contribute £125 and your insurer would contribute towards the remaining £875, subject to any other applicable policy limits, co-payments or deductions.
Your excess isn’t an additional charge from your insurer – it’s simply the portion of an eligible claim you’re responsible for paying.
What is the excess with Scratch & Patch?
With Scratch & Patch, the excess you pay depends on the age of your pet.
For dogs under 8 and cats under 10, the excess is £125.
For dogs aged 8 or over and cats aged 10 or over, the excess is £275.
The higher excess applies from your pet’s relevant birthday, so it’s worth remembering that the amount you contribute towards a claim can change as your pet gets older.
Always check your Policy Schedule and policy documents for the excess that applies to your individual policy.
When do I pay my excess?
The way an excess applies can depend on the type of pet insurance you have and the circumstances of your claim.
For Scratch & Patch claims, your applicable excess is taken into account when your eligible claim is assessed. If we’re paying an accepted claim directly to your vet, you’ll remain responsible for your contribution and any other costs that aren’t covered by your policy.
If you’ve already paid your vet and the accepted claim is being reimbursed to you, applicable deductions will be made when calculating your settlement.
Related guide: How do pet insurance claims work?
What if my vet bill is less than my excess?
If the eligible amount you’re claiming for is less than your applicable excess, you won’t normally receive a payment for that claim.
For example, if your applicable excess is £125 and your eligible veterinary costs are £100, there’s nothing for your insurer to pay after the excess has been taken into account.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no value in submitting the claim.
With Scratch & Patch, eligible costs from an initial claim can count towards your excess for continuation claims for the same condition within the same policy year, subject to applicable policy terms and deductions.
So, if you’re unsure, it’s worth checking how your policy applies before deciding not to submit a smaller claim.
Is an excess the same as a co-payment?
No. Although both involve contributing towards the cost of a claim, an excess and a co-payment are different.
An excess is a set amount deducted from an eligible claim. A co-payment is a percentage of the remaining eligible claim costs that you agree to contribute.
For example, imagine an eligible claim of £1,000, with a £125 excess and a 20% co-payment.
The £125 excess would first leave £875. A 20% contribution on that remaining amount would be £175, meaning your total contribution would be £300 and the insurer would pay £700, assuming there were no other applicable limits or deductions.
Check your Policy Schedule to understand whether a co-payment applies to your cover and how it is calculated.
Why do pet insurance policies have an excess?
An excess means the cost of a claim is shared between you and your insurer.
It can help insurers manage the cost of smaller claims and, more broadly, can help keep the cost of providing insurance sustainable.
It’s therefore important to consider your excess alongside the price of your policy. A cheaper premium isn’t necessarily better value if you’d need to contribute significantly more when making a claim.
Does the excess affect the price of pet insurance?
It can. Some pet insurance providers offer different excess options, with a higher excess potentially resulting in a lower premium because you’re agreeing to contribute more towards a future claim.
However, the excess is only one of many factors that can influence the cost of pet insurance. Your pet’s age, breed, location and chosen type and level of cover can also affect your premium.
Related guide: How much does pet insurance cost?
What should I look for when comparing excesses?
When comparing pet insurance policies, don’t look at the headline premium alone.
Consider how much you’d actually need to contribute if you made a claim, particularly if the policy includes both an excess and a co-payment.
It’s also worth understanding how frequently the excess applies. Different insurers and different types of policies can apply excesses differently, so two policies displaying the same excess amount won’t necessarily work in exactly the same way.
Read the policy documents carefully so you understand your potential contribution before buying.
Understanding your Scratch & Patch excess
Your excess is an important part of your pet insurance and determines how much you’ll contribute towards eligible claims.
With Scratch & Patch, the applicable excess is based on your pet’s age, and your individual excess will be shown in your Policy Schedule.
Remember that your eventual claim settlement may also be affected by a co-payment, policy limits, exclusions or other applicable deductions.
Understanding these elements before you need to claim means you’ll have a much clearer idea of what we’ll pay and what you’ll need to contribute if your pet requires treatment.
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