Our lifetime pet cover gives you more than just insurance

Already the proud owner of a pet pooch or feline friend? Or thinking about getting a puppy or kitten? We can help you protect your pet.

Owning a pet is a big responsibility. As is taking care of their health and wellbeing. Cats and dogs can suffer recurring illnesses or conditions throughout their lives and they can be costly to treat.

We can insure your pet from as young as eight weeks of age. You can start a new policy for most breeds of dogs up to their eighth birthday, although for some breeds it’s their fifth birthday. Cats can start a new policy right up to their tenth birthday.

Once they’re insured with us, you can renew the cover beyond these age limits.

Our insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions – these are conditions or illnesses you knew about before buying the insurance. But so long as you renew your policy each year, our lifetime cover will give you financial support no matter how often an illness crops up or how long your pet needs treatment.

If you choose Sainsbury’s Bank for your lifetime pet insurance, you’ll get:

  • 24/7 advice from the Sainsbury’s Bank Vet Assistance helpline
  • A discount for every pet you insure with our multi-pet offer†
  • Additional discount for Nectar members*
  • Double Nectar points on Sainsbury’s shopping and fuel**

What does our lifetime pet insurance cover?

Lifetime pet insurance is the most comprehensive pet insurance we offer. If you need to make a claim, you get access to £2,500, £5,000, £7,500 or £10,000 towards vet costs each year – depending on the level of cover you choose.

There are four levels of cover to choose from, so you can find the best fit for you and your pets.

Benefit Lifetime £2,500 Lifetime £5,000 Lifetime £7,500 Lifetime £10,000
Covers up to max amount each year
Treatment period unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited
Treatment basis per year per year per year per year
Veterinary fees tick tick tick tick
Veterinary helpline tick tick tick tick
Additional benefits tick tick tick tick
Holiday cover tick tick tick tick

Benefit Lifetime £2,500 Lifetime £5,000 Lifetime £7,500 Lifetime £10,000
Dental Cover (routine dental not included) up to £2,500 up to £5,000 up to £7,500 up to £10,000
Complementary Treatment up to £750 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500
Physiotherapy up to £750 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500
Behavioural illnesses (excludes the cost of any damage to your home) up to £2,500 up to £5,000 up to £7,500 up to £10,000
Overseas veterinary treatment up to £2,500 up to £5,000 up to £7,500 up to £10,000

Benefit Lifetime £2,500 Lifetime £5,000 Lifetime £7,500 Lifetime £10,000
Death from accident/injury up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £2,000
Death from illness up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £2,000
Cremation up to £200 up to £200 up to £200 up to £200
Advertising & reward (dogs must be microchipped) up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £2,000
Theft or straying (dogs must be microchipped) up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £2,000
Emergency boarding kennel/cattery fees (if you're hospitalised for over 48 hours) up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500
3rd party liability (dogs only) up to £2 million up to £2 million up to £2 million up to £2 million

Benefit Lifetime £2,500 Lifetime £5,000 Lifetime £7,500 Lifetime £10,000
Holiday cancellation up to £1,500 up to £3,000 up to £3,000 up to £3,000
Quarantine costs up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500
Loss of healthcare certificate up to £250 up to £250 up to £250 up to £250
Emergency expenses abroad up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500 up to £1,500

There are some breeds that we won’t cover under our £10,000 limit which you can find details of in our FAQ section. Please note that we won't cover any pre-existing conditions and that terms, conditions, excesses, exclusions and limitations apply. You can find out more about the terms of our cover in our policy documents.

Our lifetime insurance helps cover the cost of treatment, even for recurring conditions and illnesses, for as long as your pet needs it. Our only requirement is that your pet must have developed the condition after the policy was taken out.

This is different to both our maximum benefit and time limited policies. Both of these make sure you can pay unexpected costs for new illnesses and conditions until your cover limit is reached or, in the case of time limited, for up to 12 months from the start of treatment. But if your cat or dog is affected by the same condition in the future, the treatment fees won’t be covered.

Get a lifetime quote


Handy guides for pet owners

Cats and dogs come in all shapes, sizes and personalities. We all want our pets to be happy and healthy. Our guides cover everything from fun facts to healthcare essentials to help you get the best out of each other.

All you need to know about pets

Curious about your pet’s habits?

Browse all guides
Jargon-free guide to pet insurance

Our glossary has it covered

Find out more
Health and wellbeing

Top tips for a healthy pet

Find out more

Got questions?

We understand how important it is to make the right decision on pet insurance. To help you get all the information you need, our FAQs list the most popular questions that pet owners ask – as well as others that aren’t so common.

Explore our FAQs

Help protect your pet with a lifetime pet insurance policy

If you’re all set to get lifetime pet insurance, you can buy a policy online today. It’s quick, easy and means your pets will get the cover they deserve.

Get a lifetime quote

Need to talk to us?

Find the details you need in our FAQs.

Other contact details

*The discount is based on information related to you and the Sainsbury’s and Sainsbury’s Bank transactions linked to your Nectar account. For more information on how we use your data, go to sainsburysbank.co.uk/privacy.

**Double Nectar points.
1) Only available to customers buying a new Sainsbury's Bank Pet Insurance policy.
2) You need to tell us your Nectar card number when you apply; and scan or swipe that card, or input your card number, with each Sainsbury’s purchase.
3) Double points begin on your policy's cover start date. If you don't tell us your Nectar card number until after your cover start date, double points will begin on the date you tell us.
4) Double points stop when the policy is cancelled or you stop paying premiums.
5) Each Nectar account can only collect points from one pet insurance policy.
6) It’s only the base points you collect at Sainsbury’s that are doubled. Bonus points won’t be doubled, nor will any points from Argos, Habitat, Sainsbury’s Bank (including travel money purchases), Sainsbury’s Energy or any other Sainsbury’s service.
7) By the 10th of each month, you'll get a bonus point award equal to the total of your qualifying points during the previous month, up to a maximum of 20,000 points.
8) Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd award the points from this offer. No cash alternative is available.
9) We reserve the right to change or cancel this offer without notice.

†Multi-pet discount is a minimum of £24 when insuring more than one pet as this is worked out at £1 per pet per month for each pet on a policy. Pets can have different cover levels. Discount deducted separately from any other offer.

Important information
Sainsbury's Bank plc, Registered Office, 33 Holborn, London EC1N 2HT (registered in England and Wales, no. 3279730) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (register no. 184514). Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd is an appointed representative of Sainsbury's Bank plc.
Sainsbury's Bank plc acts as an introducer to Pinnacle Insurance plc who is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (register number 110866). Registered Office: Pinnacle House, A1 Barnet Way, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, WD6 2XX. Sainsbury’s Bank plc and Pinnacle Insurance plc are not part of the same corporate group.