Specialist working dog insurance from petGuard
Protect your working dog with the right cover
We know that your working dog is more than just a four-legged friend. Your working dog can provide you with invaluable assistance in your day-to-day life and the loss of which, even if it is temporary, can make your duties that much harder. See if our insurance is right for you!

Over 20 years of Guardcover, supporting your passion
What’s included in your working dog insurance?
See how petGuard can protect you and your working dog
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Multi-pet Discount
Cover multiple pets on one policy, saving you time and money.
Specialist insurance for working dogs from petGuard
Why protect your working dog with petGuard?
Our insurance for working dogs is designed to make things easier. Take a look at what we can do to ease some of the stress of looking after your working dog.
Get a quoteVeterinary Fees
How does our vet cover work?
We offer three levels of vet fee cover, which means that you can be covered for up to £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000 per year if your working dog is ill or has an accident. Excludes any claims within the first 14 days of purchasing cover and any pre-existing conditions.
Emergency Boarding
Need somewhere for your working dog to stay?
Suffered an accident that requires emergency treatment? If you can’t look after your working dog then we can cover the cost of daily minding or boarding fees of up to £1,500 while you’re on the mend.
Multi-pet Discount
Have more than one pet?
Include more than one kitten, cat or dog on the same policy and we’ll automatically include our multi-pet discount. You can include up to five pets on the same policy and they will each be covered for the same vet fee amount that you have chosen. Sorry, we can’t offer cover to dog or cat breeders.
Holiday Cancellation
Holiday cancelled last minute?
Have you had to cancel or cut your holiday short because your working dog is seriously ill? We can provide up to £5,000 towards the cost of a cancelled trip if your working dog has gone missing or fallen seriously ill. Exclusions apply to conditions and illnesses.
Accidental Damage to Pet Accessories
Pet accessories taken a knock?
If your working dog’s cage or tracking device gets damaged or stolen, we can provide up to £500 to repair or replace it. Accessories or pet-related equipment must be owned from new and security requirements apply.

Optional extras for your working dog
Overseas Travel - We can help with the cost of vet fees abroad, as well as providing up to £1,500 to cover emergency expenses. Maximum 60 days cover per trip.
Dog Liability Insurance - Up to £2million per event in Public Liability insurance available if your working dog injures someone or damages property and you are held liable. If your working dog gets you into bother then we can help. Conditions apply and cover only applies in the UK. Some dog breeds cannot be covered by our liability option.
Some of the dog breeds that we cover
Find out which types of dog we cover
Frequently asked questions about working dog insurance
Want to find out more about our working dog insurance?
Got a question about our cover for your dog? Or want to know more about dogs in general? We’ve answered a few questions for you here!
Can I get insurance for working dogs?
Yes, we are able to cover working dogs. This would include a dog that is being used for shooting, hunting, or working with livestock. Also a dog that performs tasks to assist a human companion, including therapy dogs.
What are the best working dog breeds?
Working dogs can work with livestock, assist you in the field or they might even be a gun dog used for shooting and hunting. Working dogs will need to be obedient, have a good temperament and be relatively easy to train. Since they could be performing a number of different tasks, some breeds are more suited to being a working dog than others.
Here are some of the best and most common breeds of working dog:
- Border Collie
- Springer Spaniel
- Labrador Retriever
- Cocker Spaniel
- Hungarian Vizsla
- Pointer
What types of working dog are there?
Working dogs perform a variety of different roles. There are gun dogs used for shooting or hunting and work out in the field; working dogs who assist their owners and support dogs who provide therapy.
Our pet insurance provides cover for working dogs, support dogs and therapy dogs.
How does multiple dog insurance work?
If you’ve got more than one dog, then why not look at multi-pet insurance?
Instead of having each of your dogs on different pet policies, with our multi-pet insurance, you can save any hassle and take advantage of our multi-pet discount. You can cover up to five dogs on one policy. We are unable to insure dogs that are used for breeding purposes and pre-existing illnesses and conditions are not covered.
How does multiple cat and dog insurance work?
If you’ve got dogs and cats at home, then why not look at multi-pet insurance?
Instead of having each of your dogs and cats on different pet policies, with our multi-pet insurance you can save any hassle and take advantage of our multi-pet discount. You can cover up to five pets on one policy. We are unable to insure dogs and cats that are used for breeding purposes and pre-existing illnesses and conditions are not covered.
Dog insurance with Public Liability
Public Liability insurance for your dog, sometimes referred to as Third Party Liability insurance, can provide up to £2million per event if your dog injures someone or damages property and you are held liable.
If you’re out for a walk with your dog and they were to knock somebody over, then we can keep you covered if you’ve chosen our Public Liability option. Heading out for a dog walk shouldn’t end in hefty compensation costs, which is why we offer dog owners Public Liability protection for claims of property damage or injury from a third party.
Cover only applies in the UK.
Some dog breeds cannot be covered by our Third Party Liability option, see “Are there any breeds of dog that you are unable to insure?” For assistance dogs to qualify for Third Party Liability cover, they must have been trained by a member of, and within the guidance of, the organisation of Assistance Dogs UK.
Can I get dog insurance for an older dog?
Yes! Our pet insurance includes older dogs. If you’re looking to get insurance for your long-time companion, or whether you’ve recently taken in an older dog, then we can provide you and your dog with cover.
What about dogs over eight years of age?
Much like us, as dogs get older their health and behaviour may have changed since they were a young pup. This might mean that they need more frequent trips to the vet. Their treatment can even be complicated by their old age and therefore potentially more expensive.
If you’ve got a dog over eight years of age and you’re making a claim for their vet fees, then the excess that you must pay is:
- The first £150
- Plus 20% of the remaining cost of treatment
The excess applies to each condition claimed for annually.
Is dog insurance worth it?
Owning a dog can come with those unexpected surprises. Dog insurance can help you when you’re given a particularly nasty surprise, but is it worth it?
All too often, dogs fall ill or suffer injury. That’s why with our dog insurance, you can get up to £12,000 a year to help cover those unexpected vet bills.
You never know when your dog could end up hurting themselves, so that’s why you can choose between either our Accident Only cover, or cover against Accident and Illness to protect you and your dog against the nasty surprises that could come your way.
No dog owner ever wants to make a claim on their pet insurance but having dog insurance means that you can be safe in the knowledge that you’ve got cover in place in case something goes wrong. We can also offer up to £1,500 in local advertising and reward costs if your pet has gone missing for over 24 hours and up to £500 to cover accidental damage to your pet accessories as standard.
Any claim for accidental damage to pet accessories requires a £50 excess and your accessories must have been owned from new. Insurance can start for dogs over eight weeks of age. We cannot cover any pre-existing conditions; nor any claim for a condition or illness within the first 14 days of cover starting.
How does dog insurance work for vet fees?
Having insurance for your dog means that you can be covered against the cost of potentially very expensive trips to the vet.
You get to choose either Accident Only cover or cover for Accident and Illness for your dog. We offer three levels of vet fee cover, which means that you can be covered for up to £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000 per year.
If your claim has been successful, then we can pay the agreed amount, less any excess, either:
- Straight into your bank account so you aren't left out of pocket, or;
- To your vet if this is more convenient for you and your vet.
All vet fee claims are handled in the UK by Covea Insurance. While your claim is being dealt with, you can receive regular updates on its progress via email or text message.
Can I get dog insurance which includes cover just for accidents?
Yes! Our Accident Only cover still offers you the same great choice of annual vet fee cover options for £3,000, £6,000 or £12,000.
Dogs can suffer injuries when you least expect it. Whether they’ve hurt themselves while out for a walk, or if playtime has ended in a trip to the vets.
Our Accident Only policy provides you with an uncomplicated level of cover for your dog which aims to protect you against potentially expensive trips to the vet to treat your dog for an injury.
Vet fees arising from illnesses that your dog may be suffering from are not covered and the excess you will be required to pay for treatment for injury depends on the age of your pet. Unfortunately, we can’t cover any pre-existing conditions; nor claims for injury within the first 48 hours of your cover starting.
Can I get dog insurance for a mixed breed dog?
Yes! Our dog insurance includes mixed breed dogs, as well as pedigree and cross breed dogs. If you’ve got a mixed breed pooch, then we can include them on your policy.
Unfortunately, we cannot cover (whether pedigree, cross breed or mixed breed) any of the following: Dogo Argentino, Fila Brazillero, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull, Shar-Pei, Wolf or Wolf Hybrid dog and any animal registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dogs (Muzzling) regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 or any amendments.
There are additional breeds that we cannot cover for our optional Third Party Liability cover, see “Are there any breeds of dog that you are unable to insure?”
Do you cover BOAS in dog breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs?
BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) is a condition which is a progressive disorder that can impair the ability of certain breeds of short nose dog to exercise, play, eat and sleep.
We are able to consider claims provided that there are no pre-existing signs, symptoms or advice provided by a vet. In practice this usually means that the dog has to be insured with us from a very young age.
Are there any breeds of dog that you are unable to insure?
Unfortunately, for all of our policies, we cannot provide any vet fees or liability cover for any animal registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 and/or the Dogs (Muzzling) regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991 or any amendments; or (whether pedigree, cross breed, mixed breed or known or classed as the names listed) an Abruzzese Mastiff, African Crested Dog, African Wild Dog, Alangu Mastiff, American Bulldog, American Bully, American Bully XL, American Indian Dog, American Mancon, American Mastiff, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Rottweiler, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Argentine Dogo, Argentinian Mastiff, Australian Dingo, Bandogge, Bandogge Mastiff, Blue Bull Terrier, Boerboel, Bole, Brazilian Mastiff, Bully, Bully Kutta, Canadian Inuit Dog, Canary Dog, Canary Mastiff, Cane Corso, Cão de Fila de São Miguel, Cão Fila, Chinese Shar Pei, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, Dingo, Dogo Argentino, Dogue Brasileiro, East Siberian Laika, Fila Brasileiro, Gull Dong, Husky Wolf Hybrid, Inuit Dog American, Irish Staffordshire, Irish Staffordshire Blue Bull Terrier, Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Irish Wolfhound, Italian Mastiff, Japanese Mastiff, Japanese Tosa, Johnson American Bulldog, Korean Jindo, Korean Mastiff, Laika, Libyan Desert Dog, Neapolitan Mastiff, Northern Inuit Dog, Pakistani Bull Dog, Perro de Presa Canario, Pit Bull Mastiff, Pit Bull Terrier, Pocket Bully, Presa Canario, Racing Greyhound, Sarloos Wolfhound, Shar Pei, South African Boerboel, South African Mastiff, Tamaskan Dog, Tibetan Mastiff, Tosa, Tosa Inu, Utonagan Dog, Wolf Hybrid and Wolfdog.
Can I get insurance for guard dogs?
No, we cannot cover pets that are used for guarding.
Can I get insurance for crossbreed dogs?
Yes, we are able to cover a crossbreed dog.
Making a claim with petGuard
We’ve made making a claim so easy
If something has happened to your pet, then we're very sorry to hear it. If you find yourself needing to make a claim against your policy, then we'll tell you what your next steps are and how you can get in touch with us.
1. Get in touch
If you need to make a claim (excluding Third Party Liability claims), then feel free to contact our UK-based claims team. Once you've made a claim, we can keep you updated regularly by text or email. Make your claim by either calling Covea Insurance on: 0333 130 4534
Alternatively you can email:
claims@petadminteam.com
2. Worried that your pet is lost or stolen?
Cat owners will need to contact local rescue centres within 24 hours of your cat going missing. Dog owners must contact the police immediately if you suspect your dog has gone missing or has been stolen.
3. Make your claim
If your claim has been successful, then we can pay the full amount either:
- Straight into your bank account so you aren't left out of pocket, or;
- To your vet, if this is more convenient for you
Claims are handled in the UK by Covea Insurance. While your claim is being dealt with, you can receive regular updates on its progress via email or text message.
For Dog Liability claims, please contact Ageas Insurance by either phone:
0345 415 0495
or email:
Your policy document explorer
Documents apply to all pet insurance policies purchased from 27/09/2020 onwards.
Existing customers: If you purchased your policy before the date shown above, you can log into your account where you can view, amend, and renew your documents here. If you have not already signed up for an account, then you can register here.
If you purchased your policy before 23rd September 2019, please contact us on: 0345 450 7042