The guidance on this site is based on our own analysis and is meant to help you identify options and narrow down your choices. We do not advise or tell you which product to buy; undertake your own due diligence before entering into any agreement. Read our full disclosure here.
XL bully ban: Does pet insurance cover XL bully dogs under new rules?
Some insurers have never covered the breed, while others told us they will no longer fully insure them after new rules came into effect on December 31 2023.
Other providers are still deciding on guidance and we will update this article as we get more information.
After a spate of high-profile XL Bully attacks which saw 23 people die since 2020, the breed has been put on the Dangerous Dogs Act list of banned breeds. Since December 31 2023 the dogs must be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public.
It is also illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray.
At NimbleFins we have looked at the small print on a number of policies which state cover excludes dogs or crossbreeds of dogs in the Dangerous Dogs Act.
We have also asked for clarification from popular dog insurers, to find out which providers are still offering cover.
- XL Bully ban rules
- XL Bully ban rule dates
- XL Bully exemption
- Bully breed - what is an XL Bully?
- XL Bully insurance
XL Bully ban rules
The Government in England and Wales phased in the XL Bully rules to give owners enough time to prepare.
XL Bullies were officially put on the list of banned breeds on October 31 2023, but ownership rules did not come into force until December 31.
Now owners can only take their XL Bully dog out in public if it is muzzled and kept on a lead. It is also illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray.
The Government has brought in strict measures to monitor the XL Bully population and end breeding. The phased implementation period is now complete and all owned XL Bullies in England and Wales must be registered, microchipped, and neutered to remain legal. Furthermore, similar bans have since been established in Scotland (July 2024) and Northern Ireland (January 2025).
It is now illegal to own an unregistered dog and they will be put down. Those who break the law face a criminal record and unlimited fine.
To keep an XL Bully owners must:
- Have legal liability insurance
- Register their dog for a Certificate of Exemption
- Microchip and neuter the dog
- Keep the dog muzzled and on a lead when in public
- Keep the dog secure so they can't escape
- Keep certificate details up to date on the Index of Exempt Dogs
- Show Certificate of Exemption within five days of being asked by a council dog warden or police officer
- Ensure the dog lives with the named keeper
- Be over the age of 16.
XL Bully ban rule dates
October 31 2023: American XL Bully added to the list of banned breeds in England and Wales.
December 31 2023: Illegal to breed, sell, advertise, gift, exchange, abandon or let XL Bully dogs stray. XL Bully dogs must also be kept on a lead and muzzled in public.
January 31 2024: Owners must register their dog (apply for a Certificate of Exemption) online by 12 noon. The postal deadline is January 15.
February 1 2024: Illegal to own an XL Bully that does not have a Certificate of Exemption.
March 31 2024: Deadline for XL Bully to be microchipped if they were less than eight weeks old when you applied for exemption. Number must be sent to Defra.
June 30, 2024: The deadline to have dogs aged 12 months or older (on 31 January 2024) neutered has passed. Confirmation must have been sent to Defra by July 26, 2024.
December 31, 2024: The deadline for dogs aged between 7 and 12 months (on 31 January 2024) to be neutered has passed.
June 30, 2025: The final deadline for the youngest XL Bullies (under 7 months on 31 January 2024) to be neutered has also passed. Owners are now in breach of the law if their dog remains un-neutered without a specific, valid veterinary extension.
XL Bully exemption
XL Bully dogs are now banned, but owners can legally own them (and therefore stop them being put down) if they apply for a Certificate of Exemption.
The Government's temporary exemption scheme closed at midday on January 31, 2024. It is now a criminal offence to own an XL Bully without a Certificate of Exemption. New exemptions are no longer possible through the standard application route and can now only be authorised by a court order. If you possess an XL Bully without a certificate, you must contact your local police force immediately.
The dog must be microchipped, neutered and covered by third party liability insurance. This insurance means if you follow all the legal rules to keep your dog safe from the public and it does attack someone, there is insurance in place to support the victim.
The Certificate of Exemption costs £92.40 for each XL Bully dog.
To apply for a Certificate of Exemption for an XL Bully click here.
XL Bully breed - what is an XL Bully?
An XL Bully is a muscular, powerful-looking, large dog at least 51cm (20 inches) tall for males and 48cm (19 inches) tall for a female.
Its head is large and broad, with a large nose with open nostrils.
The Government says it will consider a dog to be an XL Bully if it fits the minimum height measurements and the majority of the characteristics it has identified.
Importantly, this is even if your dog was not sold to you as an XL Bully.
Crossbreeds that look more like an XL Bully than other breeds will also be considered an XL Bully.
XL Bully insurance
Under the new legislation all XL Bully owners must have third party liability insurance, which ensures if your dog does harm a member of the public of their belongings there is protection in place for the other person.
Some dog insurers are removing this from their XL Bully coverage, so owners may wish to contact their provider to check the status.
If you need third party liability insurance, the Dogs Trust provides this for anyone who signs up for their Companion Club membership. That is even the case for banned breeds. It costs £25 and you can find more information here.
However, if you want full insurance for your XL Bully, it may be more difficult to find a full policy as most providers don’t cover banned breeds. You maybe able to find specialist cover but that may be more expensive as they will be seen as higher risk to insurers.
It’s thought that although only 1 percent of the UK’s dog population is an XL Bully, they are responsible for 43 percent of attacks in 2023, according to campaign group Bully Watch.
NimbleFins went to the main pet insurance providers to ask them if they would insure XL Bullies or honour existing policies and got a range of responses. We have also reviewed the latest 2026 policy terms for Agria, ManyPets, Petplan, and Animal Friends.
Agria is now a standout provider, offering lifetime vet fee cover specifically for exempted XL Bullies (via phone applications). Petplan continues to support existing customers but has closed its doors to new XL Bully policies.
Conversely, ManyPets and Animal Friends both strictly exclude XL Bullies from their coverage, as their policies do not extend to any breeds restricted under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
We’ll update the list below when we get more information from providers.
If your provider is not on the list below and does not cover XL Bullies and you want cover, you may need to use a broker to find a specialist provider. You can find a list of registered insurance brokers on the Association of British Insurers website.
XL Bully insurance - Ariga
Agria is currently one of the few major insurers in the UK providing lifetime veterinary fee cover for both new and existing XL Bully owners in 2026.
As long as you hold a valid Certificate of Exemption, Agria can offer new policies to help cover the cost of illnesses and injuries. However, like other providers, Agria’s vet fee policies exclude Third-Party Liability for banned breeds.
This means while Agria will pay your vet bills, you must still hold a separate liability policy to comply with the law. Owners can apply for Agria's XL Bully cover over the phone to ensure all exemption details are correctly recorded. And can purchase separate liability insurance (through Dogs Trust) to ensure their Certificate of Exemption remains valid.
XL Bully insurance - 4Paws
4Paws has never covered XL bully breeds because they have been crossed with American Pitbulls, which it has refused to insure.
A spokesperson told NimbleFins: "The XL Bully breed type was developed through the crossing of various bull breeds, including the American Pit Bull Terrier.
"We have never accepted any dog on cover that is crossed or mixed with an American Pit Bull Terrier. As a result, there are no additional steps we need to be taking as a business as a result of the change to the Dangerous Dogs Act."
XL Bully insurance - Animal Friends
Animal Friends has clarified it does not offer standard pet insurance for banned breeds, including the XL Bully.
Like many mainstream insurers, its policies specifically exclude dogs listed under the Dangerous Dogs Act.
Owners of exempted XL Bullies must instead obtain specialised Third-Party Liability insurance — often available through organisations like the Dogs Trust — which is a mandatory legal requirement for maintaining a Certificate of Exemption.
XL Bully insurance – PetPlan
Although Petplan's terms and conditions state it does not insure dogs named in the Dangerous Dogs Act, it continues to honour existing policies for dogs that were already on cover before the ban.
However, it is important to note that Petplan does not provide the mandatory Third-Party Liability insurance required by law for XL Bullies. Owners with an existing Petplan policy for vet fees must still purchase separate liability cover (such as through Dogs Trust) to ensure their Certificate of Exemption remains valid.
XL Bully insurance - other providers
Scratch & Patch and Tesco Bank have since confirmed that they do not provide cover for XL Bully breeds or their crosses.
Scratch & Patch explicitly excludes all breeds defined in the Dangerous Dogs Act from their policies.
Because the initial transition period has ended, most traditional insurers have moved to exclude these dogs entirely.
Owners should verify their coverage annually, as failing to hold valid third-party liability insurance will invalidate a dog's Certificate of Exemption.
Read more: