Is a pet insurance policy sold to me by cold call legitimate?
Cold-call pet insurance sales are rarely from genuine insurers — many are fake policies that take your premium but provide no real cover.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Pet insurance fraud involves callers impersonating genuine insurers or selling worthless policies through unregistered companies. The quoted premium is attractive, the caller sounds professional and quotes genuine-sounding policy terms, and you receive a policy document by email. When you make a claim, you discover the insurer does not exist, the policy has exclusions that void every claim, or the company has disappeared. Legitimate pet insurance is sold by regulated insurers found on your country's financial regulator register. You can buy directly through insurer websites, comparison sites, or through veterinary practices. If you receive an unsolicited call about pet insurance, hang up and search for the insurer's name on the regulator's register before calling them back on a number from that site.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited call offering cheap pet cover
- Insurer name cannot be found on the financial regulator's register
- Policy document is a low-quality PDF with no policy number
- Caller pressures for payment before sending policy details
- Premium is significantly cheaper than comparison site quotes
What to do now
- Never buy insurance from an unsolicited caller
- Search the insurer on your financial regulator's register
- Use a regulated comparison site to find genuine policies
- Report fake insurance sellers to your financial regulator
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my existing pet insurance is genuine?
Search the insurer's name on your financial regulator's website. If they are not listed, contact the regulator to report the policy and seek advice.