Critical Care Pet Insurance
Cover for emergencies when your pet’s life is at risk
Just what I need.
Designed by vets, loved by pets
Our Critical Care policy is designed to kick in for the ‘big ticket’ pet care costs – only when your pet needs to be admitted to the clinic for emergency surgery or hospitalisation because their life is at risk – including orthopaedic and spinal surgery. There is no excess to pay, and cover for that condition ends when your pet is discharged back to your care. It does not cover outpatient treatment or procedures that could safely be delayed.
Terms and conditions apply.
Emergencies are stressful enough. Critical Care helps take the worry out of the bill.
Critical Care pays for treatment while your pet is admitted to the vet for an emergency where their life is at risk – including orthopaedic and spinal surgery. Cover is split into three areas:
- Emergency surgery: covers urgent surgery for a condition that came on suddenly, is deemed an emergency and can’t safely be delayed. Without the surgery the pet would either die or suffer serious harm. Examples include pyometra, GDV, removal of a GI foreign body, acute spinal surgery (hemilaminectomy), splenectomy for an acute bleed and exploratory laparotomy for an acute abdomen.
- Emergency admission (hospitalisation): covers an unplanned inpatient admission for a sudden illness or accidental injury that is life-threatening or carries a high risk of serious harm, where the treatment or monitoring can’t be given safely as an outpatient. Examples include HGE/AHDS, acute pancreatitis, acute kidney injury, toxin ingestion that needs hospitalisation, Addisonian crisis, DKA, acute heart failure and heat stroke.
- Orthopaedics: covers treatment of a fracture, dislocation or subluxation caused by an identifiable accident. Cruciate disease, luxating patella, OCD, IOHC, angular limb deformities, conformational or congenital conditions, and anything that develops over time are not covered.
We pay for surgery, anaesthetic, imaging, lab tests, medication and hospitalisation while your pet is admitted. Cover ends when your pet is discharged, unless they’re re-admitted for the same condition within 24 hours.
Re-examinations, take-home medication and follow-up tests after discharge are not covered.
Terms and conditions apply.
Choose your cover level
We offer two policies for dogs and cats, built around the vet bills that matter most:
- Critical Care – emergency surgery and hospitalisation when your pet’s life is at risk, including orthopaedic and spinal surgery, from admission to discharge. No excess to pay.
- Initial Care – vet treatment for illness and injury for up to 42 days per condition.
Both policies come with a choice of three cover levels. Each has a limit per condition and an overall limit for all claims in the policy year.
Both policies also include free 24/7 video vet advice with VidiVet and emergency cover in EU countries for up to 30 days per trip (60 days a year).
Terms and conditions apply.
£3,000
per condition
£10,000
total claims per year
£6,000
per condition
£20,000
total claims per year
£9,000
per condition
£30,000
total claims per year
Compare our policies
Critical Care | Initial Care | |
|---|---|---|
Cover limits | ||
Vet fees – limit per condition | £3,000, £6,000 or £9,000 | £3,000, £6,000 or £9,000 |
Maximum age at policy start | ||
Dogs | Up to and including 12 years | Up to and including 8 years |
How the cover works | ||
Type of cover | Emergency surgery and hospitalisation when your pet’s life is at risk | Accident and illness – 42-day time-limited cover |
Treatment period | Until your vet discharges your pet | 42 days from injury, illness or first vet visit (whichever is first) |
What you pay towards a claim | ||
Excess | None | £100 per condition |
Waiting periods | ||
Accident and injury | 48 hours | 48 hours |
Extras | ||
24/7 video vet conversations (VidiVet) | ✓ Included | ✓ Included |
Not covered | ||
Third party liability (dogs) | ✗ Not covered | ✗ Not covered |
Please read the Insurance Product Information Document and policy wording for full terms, conditions and exclusions.
Why choose Heckin Good?
Digital, low-fuss claims handling
Multi-pet policies
Unlimited 24/7 video vet conversations with VidiVet, at no extra cost.
With an expert understanding of the pet industry, we’ve created insurance policies centred around essential pet care, providing the best care at the right time.
Critical Care questions, answered
Quick answers to what pet parents ask us most. See all FAQs