Ending your Animal Friends membership made easy

About Animal Friends

Animal Friends is one of the UK's longest-established pet insurance providers, having protected cats, dogs, horses, and rabbits since 1998. Based in Amesbury, Wiltshire, this specialist insurer has built a reputation for comprehensive cover and their commitment to animal welfare - they donate a significant portion of their profits to animal charities each year. Unlike some insurance providers that operate purely online, Animal Friends maintains a traditional approach to customer service, which includes processing cancellations and policy changes through formal written correspondence.

The company offers lifetime pet insurance policies, which means they'll continue to cover ongoing conditions year after year, provided you maintain continuous cover. This distinguishes them from time-limited policies that only cover conditions for 12 months. Animal Friends operates as an insurance intermediary, arranging cover underwritten by various insurers including Pinnacle Insurance plc. Over the years, they've insured more than 250,000 pets and processed countless claims, making them a significant player in the UK pet insurance market.

Most importantly, Animal Friends operates under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulation, which means they must follow strict rules about how they handle cancellations, refunds, and customer communications. This regulatory framework protects you as a consumer and ensures that cancellation requests submitted in writing must be processed according to specific timescales and procedures.

Plans, features and pricing

Animal Friends structures their pet insurance around several core policy types, each designed for different coverage needs and budgets. Understanding what you're actually paying for becomes crucial when you're considering cancellation, particularly if you're switching to another provider or reassessing whether you need cover at all.

Dog and cat insurance options

The company offers three main tiers of cover for dogs and cats. Their Classic policy provides basic accident and illness cover with annual vet fee limits typically starting around £3,000. The Premier policy increases this limit substantially, often to £7,000 or more annually, and includes additional benefits like dental cover for accidents and complementary treatments. Their Ultimate policy represents their most comprehensive option, with vet fee limits reaching £10,000 or higher per year, plus enhanced benefits for physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and behavioural treatments.

Pricing varies enormously based on your pet's species, breed, age, location, and pre-existing conditions. A young mixed-breed cat in a rural area might cost £8-15 monthly for Classic cover, whilst an elderly pedigree dog in London could easily exceed £80-120 monthly for Ultimate cover. Keep in mind that premiums typically increase each year as your pet ages, which is one of the primary reasons people eventually cancel their policies.

Horse and rabbit insurance

Animal Friends also provides specialist equine insurance covering vet fees, loss of use, public liability, and personal accident. Horse insurance premiums depend heavily on the animal's value, use (pleasure riding versus competition), and the level of vet fee cover selected. Rabbit insurance follows a similar structure to cat and dog policies but typically costs less, usually ranging from £5-12 monthly depending on the coverage level.

Additional benefits and optional extras

Beyond core vet fee cover, Animal Friends policies typically include death benefits (paying out a portion of your pet's purchase price or market value), third-party liability cover (protecting you if your pet causes injury or property damage), and overseas travel cover for trips abroad with your pet. Some policies also include cover for advertising and reward costs if your pet goes missing, boarding fees if you're hospitalised, and holiday cancellation costs if your pet falls ill before a trip.

Additionally, you can often add optional extras like increased overseas travel duration, higher death benefit amounts, or extended complementary treatment cover. These extras increase your premium but can be removed at renewal if you're trying to reduce costs rather than cancel entirely.

Terms of service and cancellation policy

Understanding Animal Friends' cancellation terms is absolutely essential before you start the cancellation process. Insurance policies are legal contracts, and the terms governing how and when you can cancel are detailed in your policy documents - specifically in the policy wording and your insurance product information document (IPID).

The cooling-off period

Like all UK insurance providers, Animal Friends must offer a 14-day cooling-off period from either the date you purchase the policy or the date you receive your policy documents, whichever is later. During this window, you can cancel for any reason and receive a full refund of premiums paid, provided you haven't made a claim. This is your statutory right under the Insurance Conduct of Business Sourcebook (ICOBS) regulations.

Most importantly, if you've made a claim during the cooling-off period, you'll still be allowed to cancel, but Animal Friends will deduct the claim amount from your refund. This means you could potentially end up owing them money if the claim exceeds the premium you've paid. Always check whether any veterinary treatment might result in a claim before cancelling within the cooling-off period.

Cancelling after the cooling-off period

Once the 14-day cooling-off window closes, you can still cancel at any time, but the refund calculation changes significantly. Animal Friends will typically refund the unused portion of your premium on a pro-rata basis, minus an administration fee. However, if you've made any claims during the current policy year, they reserve the right to refuse a refund entirely or to deduct a proportionate amount based on the claims paid.

The administration fee for mid-term cancellations usually ranges between £25-£50, though this should be clearly stated in your policy documents. Keep in mind that even if you cancel, you remain liable for any premiums due up to the cancellation date, and any outstanding payments will still need to be settled.

Notice periods and effective cancellation dates

Here's where many people make a critical mistake: Animal Friends requires written notice to cancel, and your policy doesn't end the moment you post your letter. The cancellation typically takes effect either on the date they receive and process your written request or on a future date you specify in your cancellation letter. This processing time can take several working days, during which you remain insured and liable for premiums.

Additionally, if you pay by monthly direct debit, you need to factor in your bank's direct debit cancellation procedures. Never cancel the direct debit before Animal Friends confirms your policy cancellation, as this could leave you with unpaid premiums and potential debt collection issues. The proper sequence is: submit cancellation letter, wait for confirmation, then cancel the direct debit once you've received written confirmation that your policy has ended.

Legal requirements under UK insurance regulations

The Financial Conduct Authority mandates that insurers must handle cancellation requests fairly and process them within reasonable timeframes. Animal Friends must acknowledge your cancellation request, confirm the effective cancellation date, explain any refund calculations, and process any refund due within a reasonable period (typically 14-30 days from the cancellation date).

Furthermore, under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, cancellation terms must be fair and transparent. If Animal Friends includes terms that seem disproportionately punitive or unclear, you may have grounds to challenge them. However, standard administration fees and pro-rata refund calculations are generally considered fair and enforceable.

Cancelling by post - the complete guide

Postal cancellation represents the most reliable and legally robust method for terminating your Animal Friends policy. Unlike phone calls, which leave no automatic paper trail, or email, which some insurers may not accept as formal notice, a properly posted letter creates indisputable evidence of your cancellation request.

Why postal cancellation is the gold standard

First and foremost, insurance contracts are legal agreements, and written cancellation provides the strongest proof that you've fulfilled your contractual obligations. If any dispute arises about whether you cancelled, when you cancelled, or what you requested, a posted letter with proof of delivery becomes your definitive evidence. This matters particularly if Animal Friends continues taking payments after you believe you've cancelled, or if they claim they never received your cancellation request.

Additionally, postal cancellation forces you to be clear and specific about your intentions. When you write a formal letter, you naturally include all the essential details - your policy number, personal information, and explicit cancellation request. Phone conversations can be misunderstood or misrecorded, but a letter says exactly what you mean with no room for ambiguity.

Most importantly, Recorded Delivery or Royal Mail Signed For services provide tracking and proof of delivery. You'll receive confirmation when Animal Friends signs for your letter, giving you concrete evidence of when they received it. This proof becomes invaluable if they claim your letter arrived late or never arrived at all.

Essential information to include in your cancellation letter

Your cancellation letter needs to contain specific information to ensure Animal Friends can identify your policy and process your request without delays. At minimum, include your full name exactly as it appears on your policy, your complete postal address, your policy number (found on your policy documents or renewal notices), and the name of the insured pet.

Next, state clearly and unambiguously that you wish to cancel your policy. Use direct language like \