Renewing your policy

This policy is a 12-month contract of insurance that can be paid annually or monthly.

You can cancel your policy at any time by calling us on: 0344 557 0300, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. You can also cancel by speaking to us on Live Chat or by emailing: info@animalfriends.co.uk.

We cannot cancel a policy without the policyholder’s permission.

If you cancel your policy within 14 days of your policy start date and we haven’t paid a claim, we’ll give you a full refund. If you cancel after 14 days of your policy start date and we haven’t paid a claim, we’ll refund you for any time left on your policy.

If we’ve paid any claims for something that happened in this policy year, you must pay the remaining premiums for the rest of the policy year, which is shown in Your Schedule.

For more information about cancelling your policy, please see the 'Cancelling your policy' section of your Policy Booklet.

You will receive your renewal documents, including your new price and any changes to the terms and conditions of your cover, approximately three weeks before your policy renewal date. You must read all of your policy documents carefully to make sure the cover still meets your needs.

If you pay by monthly Direct Debit, OR you have paid annually on your credit card and agreed to Continuous Payment Authority (CPA), your policy will renew automatically unless you tell us otherwise.

If you have paid annually and not agreed to CPA then you will need to make a payment for your cover to continue. You can do this in your online account or by contacting us on 0344 557 0300, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

You can increase your excess at any time. You can only decrease your excess at renewal, or when you decrease your level of cover during the policy year.

To make a change to your excess, you can do this in your online account, or by contacting us on 0344 557 0300, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

We use a number of things to work out your price each year. These include the age of the pet, where you live, and the cost of vet fees. When we look at all these things together, it does mean that your price might go up, even if you haven't made a claim.

As your pet gets older, it is more likely that they may get ill and the cost of treating them will increase. This means that the price for many policies is likely to increase, whether you have claimed or not.

Our renewal prices are based on the information we have about your pet as well as the information we have about pets of a similar age and breed. We use data from claims we receive to estimate how likely it is that you will need to claim, so if we see that there is a rise in claims for a particular condition for your pet’s breed, then your premium is likely to increase.

There are ongoing improvements in the treatments that vets provide which means the fees they charge also increase. The average fees vets charge in your area means that where you live can also affect your renewal price, so if you move house, it could mean that your price is increased or decreased.

You should consider carefully if this cover is right for you today and in the future based on this information and your ability to afford ongoing insurance for your pet.

If you pay for your policy annually with a credit or debit card, your renewal payment can be completed through your online Animal Friends account by clicking the 'Renew Now' button displayed under the 'My policies' section.

If you want to change your level of cover, you can do this in your online account or by calling us on 0344 557 0300, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Increasing your level of cover

You can increase your level of cover at renewal.

If your pet already has a condition, and you change to a policy with a higher limit, we’ll cover valid claims for this condition at your previous lower limit. This is true even if you haven’t yet made a claim or if you noticed something was wrong but your pet hasn't yet been to the vet.

You’ll be able to make claims at the higher limit for a new condition after 14 days and for new accidents after two days. You’ll still be able to make claims for new and existing conditions, within this 14-day period, but at your current lower limit. You’ll also be able to make claims for new and existing accidents, within the two-day period, but also at your current lower limit.

Decreasing your level of cover

You can decrease your level of cover at any time.

If you change to a policy with a lower limit, cover for new conditions and accidents will start straight away. Your new policy limit will apply to all new and existing claims.

The policy type and excess you select will affect the price you are given. As an existing Animal Friends customer, we may have more accurate and up-to-date information on your pet, so it is possible that what you’ve seen is not an identical policy. Please make sure that when making any comparisons you take these details into consideration.