Pet insurance misconceptions

As many as 11 million British pet owners have no insurance cover for their pet cats and dogs, according to research from Sainsbury's Finance. The findings expose considerable misconceptions around pet insurance, with one in two owners (more than 5.5 million people) without pet cover believing that they do not need insurance for their pet.

In terms of the reasons people gave for not needing cover, Sainsbury's Finance found that more than 4.5 million dog or cat owners (42% of those who don't have pet cover) don't have pet insurance because they "don't think it is necessary". A further 897,000 (8%) are under the misconception that they don't need cover because "their cat or dog is healthy". Some 1.13 million (10%) people consider it to be "too expensive".

The findings are concerning in light of the fact that Sainsbury's Finance estimates that around 150,000 claims are made each month for veterinary treatment for dogs and cats.

Steve Johnson, Head of Pet Insurance, Sainsbury's Finance said: "Regarding pet insurance as unnecessary and discounting it just because the pet is currently healthy are probably the two most alarming responses to report. Dogs and cats are just as likely to get ill and require treatment as we are but there's no NHS for them. Pet insurance really is essential if you don't want to get caught out by costly vet bills - the average claim for vet's fees is around £300 with one in every 26 trips to the vet costing over £1,000.

"People with uninsured pets who later require expensive surgery and post operative care such as physiotherapy or have animals that develop chronic skin conditions which may require regular treatment could be left with crippling bills to pay. Taking a gamble and waiting until the "healthy" animal becomes ill before thinking about cover is not an option as any ailment arising before a policy is in place will be excluded".

Pet insurance need not be expensive Sainsbury's Pet Insurance for both cats and dogs, offers excellent cover, at competitive premiums - cover includes:

Up to £6,500 vet's fees for an accident or illness (one of the highest of any UK pet insurance product) £2,500 also available
No time limit on claims in relation to vet fees - unlike many other policies there is no 12-month limit after your initial claim
Help with costs in relation to finding your lost or stolen pets
Unlike some pet insurance policies, there is no maximum age limit for vet fee claims
Sainsbury's Pet Insurance will cover cats and dogs obtained from rescue centres

Sainsbury's Pet Insurance is designed to offer some of the widest range of benefits available at a competitive price. For further information, visit sainsburys.co.uk.