Pet insurance outsells health insurance

Monday, 18 August 2008 12:00

According to Tesco, pet insurance is nearly twice as popular as private medical insurance in the UK.

UK pets are the second most insured in the world, Tesco said, after Sweden. Last year, 23 per cent of pets were insured whereas only 12.2 per cent of the UK human population had private medical insurance.

Allan Burns, head of Tesco Pet Insurance said: "I'm not surprised by this finding. We have known for a long time that us Brits are pet mad.

"Tesco Pet Insurance continually finds ways to make pet cover more affordable for our customers, helping them through tougher times. This is why we are the second largest pet insurer in the UK."

Sainsbury's, which also offers pet insurance, said celebrity dog owners are influencing the type of pets people are buying - with an emphasis on smaller, more expensive animals.

The demand for 'handbag dogs' has increased by 41.3 per cent, according to the insurer.

This includes a 417 per cent increase in the number of Chihuahuas it now insures and a 248 per cent increase in the number of West Highland White Terriers.

However, Neal Devine, pet insurance manager for Sainsbury's, has warned: "Generally speaking, the cost of looking after a pedigree animal is more expensive than for a cross breed. Indeed, the most frequent claim for a small pedigree dog is for cardiac disease, which can run into thousands of pounds."

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