How we research

Sources we use

We prefer primary, UK-based evidence. In rough order of preference:

• Veterinary research. Above all the Royal Veterinary College's VetCompass programme, which studies anonymised records from UK first-opinion vet practices. It shows what problems dogs and cats actually see their vet for, not just what breed clubs or owners report.
• Breed health schemes and data from the Kennel Club, the BVA/Kennel Club health schemes and university research groups.
• Professional and charity bodies such as the British Veterinary Association and the PDSA.
• Cost data from published vet fee surveys, regulators such as the Competition and Markets Authority, insurer claims data and, where nothing better exists, individual practices' published prices. We say which kind of source a cost comes from.
• Insurers' own documents. Facts about a policy come only from the insurer's Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and full policy wording, never from adverts or third-party summaries.

How we cite

Every health, prevalence and cost claim has a numbered citation linking to the source list at the foot of the page, with the date we accessed it. If we can't find a reliable source for something, we leave it out rather than guess. Where a figure comes from a single study or a single practice, we say so.

Insurer information

Every insurer summary shows the date we last checked its documents. Policies change, often at renewal, so always read the current documents before you buy. Anything we couldn't confirm in an insurer's own documents is marked as unverified.

Vet review

Pages are researched and drafted with the help of AI tools, then checked against the cited sources. A page marked "Not yet vet-reviewed" hasn't yet been checked by a qualified veterinary surgeon. When a vet has reviewed a page, we show their name and the review date. Either way, nothing on SimplyPet is a substitute for advice from your own vet.

Independence

We don't take commission, referral fees or advertising from insurers. We don't describe any insurer as "best", because the right policy depends on your pet, your budget and how much risk you're comfortable carrying yourself.

Corrections

If you think something is wrong or out of date, email hello@simplypet.com with the page and the source you're relying on. We'll check it and update the page.