Last updated: September 2026
Quick answer: The excess is a fixed amount you pay towards each claim, often somewhere between £50 and £200. A co-payment is a percentage of the bill you pay on top of the excess, commonly 10% to 20%, and it usually starts once your pet reaches a certain age. On a £1,000 vet bill with a £99 excess and a 20% co-payment, you would pay £279.20 and the insurer £720.80. A higher excess lowers your premium; a co-payment can make claims on an older pet much more expensive.
Excess and co-payment decide how much of every vet bill you still pay yourself. This guide explains both, shows the numbers on three real-size bills and helps you choose the right level.
What is a pet insurance excess?
The excess is the part of each claim you pay before the insurer contributes. Levels vary, and typically run from about £50 to £200.
There are usually two parts, as the PDSA explains:
- Compulsory excess: set by the insurer. You can’t change it.
- Voluntary excess: an extra amount you choose to add in exchange for a lower premium.
How often you pay it matters as much as the amount. Policies apply the excess in different ways:
| How the excess applies | What it means in practice |
|---|---|
| Per condition, per policy year | You pay it once for each separate condition each year, however many visits it takes. This is common. |
| Per claim or per incident | You pay it every time you claim, which adds up quickly for a condition needing repeated treatment. |
Check which one your policy uses. For a dog with ongoing skin problems, the difference between paying once a year and paying on every claim can be hundreds of pounds.
What is a co-payment?
A co-payment (sometimes called a percentage excess) is a share of the bill you pay on top of the fixed excess. Most insurers add it automatically once a pet reaches a certain age, because older pets claim more. Some examples:
| Insurer | Co-payment | When it starts |
|---|---|---|
| Petplan | 20% | Once a pet turns 10 |
| Perfect Pet | 15% | Dogs aged 8 or over, cats aged 10 or over |
Terms change, so always check the current policy wording. Some policies apply a co-payment from the start at any age, usually in exchange for a lower premium.
Worked examples: what you pay on three bills
These examples use a £99 excess. With a co-payment, the 20% is calculated on the bill after the excess has been taken off, which is how many insurers do it; some calculate it on the full bill, so check your wording.
| Vet bill | You pay (excess only) | Insurer pays (excess only) | You pay (excess + 20% co-payment) | Insurer pays (excess + 20% co-payment) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £300 | £99 | £201 | £139.20 | £160.80 |
| £1,000 | £99 | £901 | £279.20 | £720.80 |
| £4,000 | £99 | £3,901 | £879.20 | £3,120.80 |
What the numbers show: a fixed excess costs the same whatever the size of the bill. A co-payment grows with the bill, so on a £4,000 operation it adds £780. That is why the co-payment on an older pet matters far more than a small difference in the fixed excess.
How to choose the right excess
Raising the voluntary excess is the most effective way to cut the premium without reducing your cover. Choosing, for example, £250 instead of £90, lowers the monthly price because you share more of each claim.
Ask yourself three questions:
- Could I pay the excess several times in one year? If your pet has two or three separate problems, you’ll pay one excess for each. Choose an amount you could manage two or three times over.
- Is my pet likely to have lots of small claims? For a pet with recurring minor problems, a low excess makes more sense. For a healthy pet where you mainly want protection against big bills, a higher excess is usually better value.
- Would I rather lower the limit or raise the excess? Always raise the excess first. A slightly higher excess costs you a little on each claim, while a low limit can cost you thousands on a single operation. See how much vet fee cover you need.
How to deal with a co-payment on an older pet
- Check the age it starts before you buy, not when your pet is nine. Compare insurers on this point as well as on price.
- Budget for it. On lifetime cover for an older dog, set aside money for your share of any large bill.
- Think twice before switching to avoid it. A new insurer will exclude any condition your pet has already had, which usually costs far more than the co-payment. Read switching pet insurance and insurance for older dogs.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay the excess to the vet or the insurer? If you pay the vet and claim back, the insurer deducts the excess from what it reimburses. If the insurer pays the vet directly, you usually pay the excess to the vet.
Is the excess per visit? On most policies, no: it is per condition per policy year. Some policies charge it per claim, so check the wording.
Does a higher excess mean a lower premium? Yes. The voluntary excess is one of the main things you can change to reduce the price.
Can I avoid a co-payment? Some policies don’t apply one, or only apply it at an older age. Compare this at the point of buying, because moving insurer later means new exclusions.
Does the excess count towards my vet fee limit? No. The excess is taken off the claim, and the insurer then pays up to your limit.
Key takeaways
- The excess is a fixed amount per claim or per condition; the co-payment is a percentage on top.
- Check whether your excess applies per condition per year or per claim.
- Co-payments often start around age 8 to 10 and can add hundreds of pounds to a big bill.
- Raise the excess before you lower your vet fee limit.
New to the basics? Start with how pet insurance works, or see why pet insurance goes up.
This guide is general information, not financial advice. Always read the policy documents before you buy.