Does Pet Insurance Cover Cremation Costs?

If something unexpected happens to your pet you might turn to your insurer to help you cover the costs. But does pet insurance cover cremation costs? The answer varies depending on your insurance provider and policy type, and some will only cover up to a certain amount. We’re going to look at how this works, and an alternative option for those who want to make sure they can afford an individual cremation.

How many people have pet insurance in the UK?

Confusion over what you can claim for and rising premiums have put many pet owners off taking out insurance policies. Pet insurer Bought By Many says: “According to the ABI, 4.8m pets in the UK are insured, of which 2.8m are dogs, 1.3 cats and 700,000 others.” A quick poll of our Facebook fans shows that out of 889 people, 71% do have a current policy.

Does pet insurance cover cremation costs?

There’s no standard when it comes to what is covered by pet insurance. We took a look at some of the most popular insurance providers to see if their policies cover the costs of cremating your pet.

✔ Sainsbury’s Bank – Sainsbury’s do cover cremation or burial costs, saying: “We include cremation or cemetery burial cover as standard with all of our pet insurance policies, up to the value of £200. When claiming for cremation or cemetery burial costs, you’ll need to provide receipts detailing what you spent.”

✔ Argos Pet Insurance – Argos cover “Up to £100 towards cremation costs on all policy types.”

✔ John Lewis Pet Insurance – John Lewis cover “Up to £100 towards cremation costs on all policy types.”

✔ Agria Pet Insurance –  Agria cover “Up to £150 towards costs for cremation, burial and a house visit by a vet to put your pet to sleep.”

✔ Bought By Many – if your pet is euthanised at the vet Bought By Many offer Farewell Cover up to £150 towards cremation. They also offer additional Passing Away Cover for pets who are not put to sleep, check your policy to see if this is included.

✘ Animal Friends Insurance – Animal Friends do not cover “Costs of putting your pet to sleep, cremation and disposal, including post mortem costs, coffins or caskets”

✘ PetPlan – PetPlan does not currently cover any cremation or burial costs.

✘ Waggel – Waggel say “We would cover the costs in the case of an emergency. Otherwise, we don’t cover the costs for putting your pet to sleep and any associated costs such as cremation.”

✘ Direct Line – Direct Line do not cover “the cost of having your pet cremated, or for disposing of your pet’s remains.”

As you can see, there are many different ways in which insurers cover pet cremation costs. These are their stated in their general policies, correct as of 16th June 2020, so make sure to check your specific policy to see what’s covered.

Pre-Payment Plans for pet cremation costs

If you do not have pet insurance or your policy does not cover cremation costs, what can you do? Many people commented on our Facebook post saying that they place money into a savings account each month to cover unexpected costs. At Dignity we offer a Pre-Payment Plan option for those who want to ensure their pet gets a dignified and individual cremation. You can choose to either pay the total amount in one payment or set up a Standing Order to spread the cost over time.

If you would like more information about our Pre-Payment Plans or have any other questions about our pet cremation services please give us a call on 01252 844572 or email enquiries@dignitypetcrem.co.uk.