Ask the expert: Debenhams or Aviva pet insurance for my dog?

Barbara contacted me after having researched various pet insurance companies for her dog.

I have looked at loads of insurances for my dog and have narrowed it down to Debenhams, Aviva, but I can’t find any reviews on them. What do you think is the best insurance for little woofe (my dog)?

Many thanks
Barbara

Hi Barbara,

Thank you for contacting me via pet-insurance-discount.co.uk.

The main difference between Aviva and Debenhams is in the type of cover.

With Aviva, you will get a lifetime cover: this means that you have a yearly pot of money towards vet fees – regardless of the number of conditions you may be claiming for. Each year when you renew, this pot is replenished to its original balance – for instance £3,500 with Gold cover.

In practical terms, this means that if your dog had an ongoing condition, you would have money to take care of it year after year. It wouldn’t be excluded as long as you stay with them.

With Debenhams pet insurance, you can claim on a condition up to a maximum amount. As soon as you’ve spent £4,000 with the Silver Cover, the condition becomes excluded and you cannot claim for it anymore.

This is really the main difference. There’s 3rd party liability cover for both, so it comes down to how comprehensive you want your cover to be. If you want the more comprehensive out of the two, then Aviva may be more suitable, especially if there’s not much of a difference in terms of price.

Finally, it would advise you go for a cover level that provides a reasonable amount towards vet fees, especially as dogs are most costly to treat.

I hope this helps.