HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT DEAL

MAKE sure you get the rig ht level of cover — at least £ 4,000 annual cover for a non -pedigree dog, £7,000 f or a pedigr ee dog and £3 ,000 according to Which?.

CHECK comparison si tes such as Confused.com on Moneysupermarket.com and Comparethemarket. com. Then try larger insurers, such as Aviva, Direct Line and C o-Op dir ectly to see if y ou can beat the deal. DO NOT be afraid to haggle. CHECK the small print. Read your policy carefully to see what you are really buying and what cover it will provide if you need to claim.

IF YOU have more than one pet, find out if you can get a discount by insuring them with the same

provider. A multi-pet policy could result in a reduction of up to 10 pc.

BUY insurance when your pet is young and healthy. Pre-existing conditions are usually excluded.

MICROCHIPPING your dog has been a legal requirement since April 2016. You might reduce your premium by microchipping your cat. Having your pet neutered could also cut costs.

IT IS usually cheaper to pay annually for your insurance instead of monthly.

ONCE you have found a policy, see if you can get cashback buying it through sites such as Quidco and Topcashback. You may not be offered the same quote, so check carefully. And remember, cashback is never guaranteed until it is in your bank account.