Time Limited Pet Insurance

Provided by Pinnacle Insurance plc

As an alternative to Lifetime Insurance or Maximum Benefit Insurance, our Time Limited Pet Insurance could be the cover you’ve been looking for. A Time Limited dog or cat insurance policy means we’ll help you look after those furry little paws when they’re poorly or get themselves into a scrape. We’ll cover each condition for 12 months from first treatment date or until the vet fee limit is used up, whichever comes first.

Argos Pet Insurance want to be with you and your pet whenever we can be, not just when they’re a bit under the weather. Though we realise that’s when you need us most. All our policies come with a full complement of benefits to help look after you and your pet.

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Why choose Time Limited Pet Insurance

Range of cover levels to choose from across Cat Insurance and Dog Insurance Insurance

Vet fees and a full range of benefits included as standard

24/7 access to a qualified vet team with Argos Vet Assistance

Manage your policy in one place with the Argos Pet Portal

A well-behaved Spaniel puppy sitting down

What does Time Limited Pet Insurance mean?

So, what is Time Limited Pet Insurance? It means exactly that. It is Pet Insurance that’s limited to a period of time. At Argos Pet Insurance, this means that each condition is covered for 12 months from the first treatment date, or until the vet fee limit is used up, whichever comes first. That’s why it can sometimes be known as 12-month Pet Insurance. When you take out a Time Limited plan, your pet will be covered for illnesses and injuries up to the vet fee limit of the policy per condition.

What is the difference between Time Limited Pet Insurance and Lifetime Pet Insurance?

Where Time Limited differs from other policies is that as soon as your pet has that first treatment, the time limit on the policy kicks off. From that point, the condition will be covered for 12 months or until the vet fee limit is reached. As soon as the vet fee limit is reached or the 12 months expires, whichever is first, the condition is no longer covered. But it is only for that condition; if your pet suffers from a different condition, you can make a new claim, and the process will start again. Lifetime Pet Insurance has an annually renewed vet fee limit.

What is included with Time Limited Cover?

We offer Time Limited Insurance for dogs and Time Limited Insurance for cats as soon as they turn 8 weeks old, though there are upper age limits on taking out new policies. There are two cover levels to choose from, giving you either £2,500 or £4,000 to spend per condition on vet bills and treatment for your pet.

Included with every Argos Pet Insurance policy are our features and benefits, that are ready when you need them. If your pet goes missing, we can help with a reward and local advertising to help reunite you with your furry friend. And if you ever have a worry about pet’s health or even their behaviour, our vet nurses are available 24/7 through Argos Vet Assistance.

Compare Time Limited Pet Insurance Cover

Take a look at the below table to help you easily compare our Time Limited Pet insurance cover levels and see the difference between this and our other types of Pet Insurance cover.

Time Limited

Lifetime

Maximum Benefit

Cover for 12 months or up to max amount, whichever occurs first… Policy Documents
Benefits
£2.5k	£4k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k per condition for 12 months	Up to £4k per condition for 12 months
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £250	Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £250	Up to £750
Finding your Dog
Up to £250	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250	Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m	Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £150	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £250	Up to £1.5k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150	Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition
Benefits
£2.5k	£4k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k per condition for 12 months	Up to £4k per condition for 12 months
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £250	Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £250	Up to £750
Finding your Cat
Up to £250	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250	Up to £750
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees
Up to £150	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £250	Up to £1.5k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150	Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition

Covers up to max amount each year… Policy Documents
Benefits
£2k	£4.5k	£7k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2k per year	Up to £4.5k per year	Up to £7k per year
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Death from Accident
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Finding your Dog
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £3k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year
Benefits
£1k	£3.5k	£7k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £1k per year	Up to £3.5k per year	Up to £7k per year
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Death from Accident
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Finding your Cat
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees
Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £3k
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year

Covers up to a max amount per condition… Policy Documents
Benefits
£2k	£5k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2k per condition	Up to £5k per condition
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £750	Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £750	Up to £750
Finding your Dog
Up to £750	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750	Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m	Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £500	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750	Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500	Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition
Benefits
£2k	£5k
Veterinary Fees
Up to £2k per condition	Up to £5k per condition
Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness
Up to £750	Up to £750
Death from Accident
Up to £750	Up to £750
Finding your Cat
Up to £750	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying
Up to £750	Up to £750
Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees
Up to £500	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation
Up to £750	Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £500	Up to £500
Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition

Time Limited Cover for 12 months or up to max amount, whichever occurs first…		Lifetime Covers up to max amount each year…			Maximum Benefit Covers up to a max amount per condition…
Benefits		Benefits			Benefits
£2.5k	£4k	£2k	£4.5k	£7k	£2k	£5k
Veterinary Fees		Veterinary Fees			Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k per condition for 12 months	Up to £4k per condition for 12 months	Up to £2k per year	Up to £4.5k per year	Up to £7k per year	Up to £2k per condition	Up to £5k per condition
Argos Vet Assistance		Argos Vet Assistance			Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal		Argos Pet Portal			Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness		Death from illness			Death from illness
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Death from Accident		Death from Accident			Death from Accident
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Finding your Dog		Finding your Dog			Finding your Dog
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying		Loss by theft or straying			Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Third party liability and legal costs		Third party liability and legal costs			Third party liability and legal costs
Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m	Up to £2m
Cremation & burial costs		Cremation & burial costs			Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees		Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees			Your Hospitalisation / Kennel fees
Up to £150	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k	Up to £500	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation		Holiday cancellation			Holiday cancellation
Up to £250	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £3k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad		Emergency Expenses Abroad			Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k	Up to £500	Up to £500
Excesses Payable		Excesses Payable			Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition	£99 per condition
Benefits		Benefits			Benefits
£2.5k	£4k	£1k	£3.5k	£7k	£2k	£5k
Veterinary Fees		Veterinary Fees			Veterinary Fees
Up to £2.5k per condition for 12 months	Up to £4k per condition for 12 months	Up to £1k per year	Up to £3.5k per year	Up to £7k per year	Up to £2k per condition	Up to £5k per condition
Argos Vet Assistance		Argos Vet Assistance			Argos Vet Assistance

Argos Pet Portal		Argos Pet Portal			Argos Pet Portal

Death from illness		Death from illness			Death from illness
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Death from Accident		Death from Accident			Death from Accident
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Finding your Cat		Finding your Cat			Finding your Cat
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Loss by theft or straying		Loss by theft or straying			Loss by theft or straying
Up to £250	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Cremation & burial costs		Cremation & burial costs			Cremation & burial costs
Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200	Up to £200
Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees		Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees			Your Hospitalisation / Cattery fees
Up to £150	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k	Up to £500	Up to £500
Holiday cancellation		Holiday cancellation			Holiday cancellation
Up to £250	Up to £1.5k	Up to £750	Up to £750	Up to £3k	Up to £750	Up to £750
Emergency Expenses Abroad		Emergency Expenses Abroad			Emergency Expenses Abroad
Up to £150	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £500	Up to £1k	Up to £500	Up to £500
Excesses Payable		Excesses Payable			Excesses Payable
£99 per condition	£99 per condition	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition per year	£99 per condition	£99 per condition

Other Excesses

When your dog reaches 8 years old (for restricted breeds of dog this is 5 years) your excess will change from £99 to the greater of £99 or 20%
contribution toward each vet claim made.

When your cat reaches 10 years old your excess will change from £99 to the greater of £99 or 20% contribution toward each vet claim made.

Please note that we won’t cover any pre-existing conditions and that terms, conditions, excesses, exclusions and limitations apply. Also, you should note that there is a £100 excess for Third Party Liability. Please note these values are subject to change. Please find further information on restricted breeds here. Please note these values are subject to change. You can find out more about the terms of our cover in our policy documents.

Which Pet Insurance should I choose?

Now you’ve read up on Time Limited above, we’ll jump to Lifetime Cover Pet Insurance and Maximum Benefit Pet Insurance. Lifetime protects your pet up to a set vet fee limit, which resets every year, and gives you peace of mind that new conditions will always be covered. Maximum Benefit covers every new condition your pet comes down with up to a set vet fee limit per condition, reach the limits and then conditions are no longer covered.

We understand it can be a difficult decision when it comes to which pet insurance cover to choose, so take your time, get some Pet Insurance quotes, and make the choice based on the needs of you and your pet.

Got a question?

In a pet policy muddle or just need some info when it comes to your Pet Insurance? Our Virtual Assistant and FAQs can give you the answers you need. Read more below or visit our FAQs.

Frequently asked questions

What happens after 12 months?

If you have your pet covered by Time Limited Pet Insurance, have not made a claim and continue to renew, and your pet will be covered for any condition it comes down with.

If you do make a claim, within the 12 months of the time limit, you can make ongoing claims up to the vet fee limit. However, if the 12 months is up or if you max out the benefit first, the condition is no longer covered. You won’t be able to claim for that condition again, instead, you’ll need to cover the costs.

What are the ins and outs of Time Limited Pet Insurance?

While a time limit may sound a little restrictive, there can be benefits to every kind of cover. Here’s a breakdown of Time Limited Pet Insurance.

Cover tends to be less expensive than Maximum Benefit or Lifetime Cover

Each condition has its own vet fee limit

Ideal for one-off short-term illnesses or injuries

Single conditions are only covered for 12 months or up to the vet fee limit
Conditions are no longer covered once the 12 months is up or the vet fees have been spent, whichever is first
Pre-existing conditions are not covered
Routine care like vaccinations or procedures like neutering are not covered

Should I get Time Limited Pet Insurance?

Deciding which pet insurance is down to you, we can’t offer a recommendation of one over the others. Just read all the info for all the different cover types so you can make the choice. Armed with that information, then you should consider your pet and their history.

Types of pet insurance are similar but different at the same time. They all have vet fee limits included and come with a full range of features and benefits, so why should you choose Time Limited over more long-term, comprehensive cover like Lifetime Pet Insurance?

You and your pet might be in a position where you’re switching providers and are comfortable with pre-existing conditions being excluded from a new policy. It might be the case that as you know your pet’s medical history inside out, that you only need to cover your pet for one-off short-term conditions. Or it could be that it’s the only affordable option for you.

If this applies to you and you’re comfortable to cover costs if your pet suffers the same condition after 12 months, then Time Limited Pet Insurance could be the right cover for you.

You should be aware that your premiums will go up every year, and some of the rises can be significant. We’re not making a recommendation, just giving you all the info on all the different covers so you can make the choice.

Terms and Conditions

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. Pets can have different cover levels. Discount deducted separately from any other offer.

Argos Limited is an Appointed Representative of Home Retail Group Insurance Services Limited (HIS). HIS is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (register number 314050). Registered office: 489-499 Avebury Boulevard, Milton Keynes, MK9 2NW (registered in England and Wales, no 04109436). HIS act as an introducer to Pinnacle Insurance plc, who sell, administer and underwrite the policy and who are 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 (registered in England and Wales, no 01007798) . HIS and Pinnacle Insurance plc are not part of the same corporate group.