£706m paid out for pet insurance as vet bills rise

A rise in vet bills has led to pet insurance claims rising 10 per cent in two years, new figures reveal.

The Association of British Insurers said a record £706 million in pet insurance claims was paid out in 2016 – £1.8 million every day.

The cost of an average claim has topped £750 for the first time.

Owners of dogs are nearly twice as likely to insure their pet than owners of cats – around 30 per cent of the UK’s 8.5 million dog owners and 16 per cent of the 7.5 million cat owners are thought to have pet insurance.