Pet Insurance and Cruciate Ligament Treatment UK
Cruciate ligament rupture is one of the most common orthopaedic injuries in dogs and one of the most expensive to treat. Surgery alone can cost £3,000–£5,000 per leg, and around half of dogs that rupture one cruciate will eventually injure the other. Understanding how your insurance policy handles cruciate claims — and what the bilateral exclusion means — is essential.
Key takeaways
- Cruciate ligament surgery is covered by most comprehensive policies, but the bilateral exclusion may limit cover for the second leg.
- Lifetime policies are important for cruciate injuries, as rehabilitation and potential complications can extend beyond 12 months.
- Contact your insurer before surgery if at all possible — some require pre-authorisation for costly procedures.
Is Cruciate Ligament Treatment Covered?
Most comprehensive pet insurance policies cover cruciate ligament surgery and associated rehabilitation, provided the injury is not pre-existing. Cover typically includes the cost of diagnosis (X-rays and examination), surgical repair using techniques such as TPLO or TTA, post-operative care, and physiotherapy if recommended. Accident-only policies may cover cruciate injury as a traumatic event, though this classification is sometimes disputed by insurers.
What Is the Bilateral Exclusion?
The bilateral exclusion is a clause used by many pet insurers to limit cruciate cover. It states that if your dog ruptures one cruciate ligament, any future injury to the cruciate in the other leg may be excluded as a related condition. This can leave owners funding the second surgery entirely themselves. Not all insurers apply this exclusion in the same way — some treat each leg as an independent condition — so it is worth checking the exact policy wording before you buy.
How Policy Type Affects Cruciate Cover
Cruciate injuries often require follow-up care over a period of months, and the condition can recur or require further intervention. A lifetime policy ensures cover continues for as long as the policy is active, even if the condition persists across multiple years. A time-limited policy may stop covering the condition after 12 months from first treatment, potentially leaving ongoing rehabilitation uncovered.
Steps to Take After a Cruciate Injury
Contact your insurer as soon as a cruciate injury is suspected, before any major diagnostics or surgery are carried out if possible. Some insurers require pre-authorisation for expensive procedures, and failing to obtain this could affect your claim. Keep all vet correspondence and invoices, and ask your vet to provide detailed clinical notes to support the claim.
Find a Vet Near You
Use CompareMyVet to search vet practices by postcode and compare prices where published — free, no sign up needed.
Related guides
Common questions
TPLO and TTA surgeries — the most common techniques — typically cost £3,000–£5,000 per leg at a specialist centre, plus the cost of diagnostics, anaesthesia, and post-operative care.
It depends on the insurer and whether they apply a bilateral exclusion. Some treat each leg independently and cover both; others exclude the second leg once the first has been claimed for. Check your policy wording.
This varies by insurer. Some classify it as an accident if caused by a specific incident; others treat it as an orthopaedic condition. The classification affects whether accident-only policies provide cover, so this is worth clarifying with any insurer before purchasing.
Find a vet near you
Search by postcode or city to find vet practices near you, with prices and ownership where available.
Find a vet near you →Run a vet practice?
List your practice on CompareMyVet. Free to register, no contract, and ahead of the CMA's September 2026 deadline.
Register your practice →