Simplyhealth confirms exit from veterinary sector

The Simplyhealth Group has announced it has agreed to sell The Animal Healthcare Company (AHC) to Premier Veterinary Group (PVG).

The proposed transaction, which is subject to customary regulatory approvals, is expected to complete in November 2020.

Human health

This transaction will mean Simplyhealth will focus wholly on human health care.

Simplyhealth entered the pet health plan market in 2011 through the expansion of its dental capitation business model (Denplan) and in 2015 it acquired The AHC.

The business has since trebled in size and today provides cover for more than one million pets.

‘Right decision’

Simplyhealth chief executive Romana Abdin said: “Selling our pet health plan business is the right decision for the business itself, for Simplyhealth and for our customers.

“We can all see how complex and fragile access to health care is in the UK. Through the current coronavirus pandemic this is more evident than it ever has been and this sale will enable Simplyhealth to focus solely on everyday human health care.”

‘Develop and grow’

PVG chief executive Dominic Tonner added: “I believe PVG will prove to be a great home for the customers of Simplyhealth by continuing to innovate and deliver a first-class customer experience, through our dedicated and passionate team as well as our industry-leading technology platform.

“This acquisition will further strengthen PVG, and enable our dedicated team of people to develop and grow, and in so doing, facilitate clinics to deliver the very best in preventive pet health care, in its broadest sense, across UK, Europe and the US.”