Draining cats and dogs...

Two-thirds of pet owners risk huge bills without insurance

THEY’RE the beloved members of millions of families – and fast becoming the most expensive to look after. DIAGNOSIS

That’s because there is no NHS for cats and dogs – and the cost of treating them when they fall ill or have an accident is soaring year on year.

New figures reveal more than twothirds of households with pets risk budget-busting bills of thousands of pounds because they don’t have pet insurance.

Figures from the Association of British Insurers shows 70% of dogs and 85% of cats are not covered – with some owners risking having their pet put down because they cannot cope with vet’s bills that just keep on rising.

ABI research reveals a record £1.8million was paid out in insurance claims EVERY DAY last year, as 2,500 owners made a claim every 24 hours.

The average claim was £750, up from £720 in 2015.

But for dogs alone the average was £768 – with bills often escalating to thousands of pounds as treatment for some conditions can take years.

Adding to the cost are ever-more expensive and constantly improving diagnosis, such as more accurate scans, and developing veterinary technology such as prosthetic limbs.

Rebecca Hollingsworth, ABI general insurance policy adviser, said: “Last year’s record levels of pet claims show that owning a pet can not only be very rewarding, but also very costly.”

Direct Line Pet Insurance says tumours or growths were the most common claimed-for condition for dogs last year.

The firm handled over 10,000 claims and paid out an average £700.

The second-most common was for musculoskeletal disorders, including strains and sprains, arthritis and abnormal joint development such as hip dysplasia.

The most expensive were blood disorders, with costs of up to £4,000, musculoskeletal disorders costing up to £3,800 and liver disorders with claims up to £3,500.

Prit Powar, head of pet insurance at Direct Line, said: “It is comforting to think vets can now do more to help our pets make a speedier recovery, although it is no secret vet bills are on the increase.

“The data for 2016 highlights the true costs of how much certain conditions are to treat – however the final total average cost is not confined to just one year.

“Treatment in some cases might be needed again for recurring issues, taking dogs way over a year to return to full health.

“Consequently this means by the time treatment is no longer required, the total cost can be very expensive – in some cases over £7,000.”