£1.9m pet insurance payouts a day... but some are barking!

A RECORD £1.9million is being paid out in pet insurance claims every day – with the typical sum now topping £750 for the first time.

The increase in claims and costs reflects the growing range of treatments available as well as rising vets’ bills, according to the Association of British Insurers.

Some of the more unusual claims handled include £1,600 to treat a cocker spaniel which swallowed a turkey baster on Christmas Day and £3,400 spent on treating an English springer spaniel which swallowed a grass seed.

In another case, £366 was spent on treatments for a cat diagnosed with lethargy.

Pet insurers forked out a record £706million in 2016, the ABI said. And the cost of an average claim reached £757 – up from £721 in 2015.

While an estimated 40 per cent of households have pets, the vast majority of owners do not insure them. Owners of dogs are nearly twice as likely to pay premiums as owners of cats.

Around 30 per cent of the 8.5million dog owners and 16 per cent of the 7.5million cat owners are thought to have insurance.

The ABI’s figures were released as part of National Pet Month – introduced to promote responsible pet ownership.

The data showed that in 2016 the number of claims also reached record levels, with 932,000 pet insurance claims made.

The £706million paid out was up 7 per cent on the previous year’s figure of £657million.

Rebecca Hollingsworth, from the ABI, said yesterday: ‘There is no NHS for pets, and the cost of veterinary treatment can quickly run into thousands of pounds, particularly with rising costs and a greater range of medical treatments for pets now.’