What will it cost to protect your pup this Christmas?

By JAMES SALMON FOR THE DAILY MAIL
Updated:

If you’re giving a pet to your child this Christmas, remember that your home is a minefield for puppies, ­rabbits and kittens.

Rich food, toys and wires are all waiting to be nibbled.

An estimated 1.4 million households will get a new pet this ­Christmas. ­Insuring them isn’t cheap, but it can be worthwhile

Part of the family: Shirley and Brian Bamforth with their dogs Millie and Max. Luckily the Bamforth's pay £19 a month for their pet insurance so when Millie slipped off a window ledge last Christmas day, they were covered

Part of the family: Shirley and Brian Bamforth with their dogs Millie and Max. Luckily the Bamforth's pay £19 a month for their pet insurance so when Millie slipped off a window ledge last Christmas day, they were covered

Peter Markey, head of insurance at More Than, says: ‘We get all sorts of unusual claims at Christmas.

‘Often, animals get excited when the tree goes up and try eating the baubles. Owners tend to feed their pets leftover turkey, which causes the animal to choke on the bones.

They also feed them ­chocolate, which is poisonous to dogs, and even alcohol.’

He adds: ‘We recently paid out £700 when a dog swallowed a musical Christmas card and had to be operated on.’

Pet insurance suffers from the same problem as most other forms of cover: soaring costs.

Premiums have risen almost 30 per cent in two years. As a result, just a third of pet owners now buy cover.

But with the average claim hitting £425, animal mishaps can be costly. Claims for vet bills can run into hundreds — even thousands — of pounds.

The average cost of treating a pet involved in a road traffic accident is around £850, according to ­charity ­People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals.

The cost of a policy will depend on the type of pet, their age, breed and where you live.

A Jack Russell in ­Swansea would cost £17.06 a month with Petplan. A Labrador in Mid ­Glamorgan would be £25.89 a month.

Most pet insurance policies just cover vets’ bills, but some more ­comprehensive — and expensive — plans will also cover your pet if it goes missing or is stolen.

Research firm Defaqto has its own rating ­system. For example, the John Lewis pet insurance plan is awarded five stars and covers up to £10,000 in vets’ fees and £2,000 in ­advertising costs and reward money if your pet goes ­missing.

More Than Pet Saver insurance is a two-star plan for more basic cover. Aviva’s Silver policy, Tesco Bank’s standard policy and Direct Line’s Pet Essential all get three stars.

All offer discounts if you apply online of between 10 per cent and 25 per cent. Go to www.defaqto.com/stars

To add to the confusion, insurance policies will use different methods to pay vets’ bills.

Some will pay out on a condition only once, which is a major problem for pets with chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

Others allow you to claim for the same conditions year after year, as long as you renew the policy annually.

It is crucial to get the right cover at the start because most insurers won’t cover a pet for any pre-­existing ­medical conditions.

Mike Powell, an insurance expert from Defaqto, explains: ‘The nature of pet insurance means that it is likely to be taken out for the lifetime of the pet.’

Check the excess. This is the amount of any claim you will have to pay before the insurer steps in.

As a pet gets older, some plans will charge you a percentage of the overall claim on top of the excess.

For a cat aged under eight, a £75 excess would ­typically be applied for all claims, says Defaqto. But once the cat turns eight the excess increases to £75 plus 20 per cent of the cost of the claim.

It can be more difficult to get insurance for exotic pets such as tortoises, though they are becoming far more common; up to eight million reptiles and amphibians are lurking in homes around the country.

Exotic Direct specialises in providing insurance for more unusual pets.

Read essential advice and compare prices at www.thisismoney. co.uk/pet

Our Christmas day nightmare

Shirley and Brian Banforth’s four-year old Bichon Frise, Millie, slipped off the window sill on Christmas Day last year, and required knee surgery.

Mrs Banforth, from Hollinwood, Greater Manchester, who works for the local council, says: ‘She let out a scream. It was horrible.’

The Banforths rushed Millie to the local vet in Oldham. Luckily, the Banforths had insurance with More Than costing £19 a month which covered the £263.12 claim.

Mrs Banforth, 55 (above, with Millie, and husband Brian with pet Max), says: ‘Dogs are part of the family, so you have to look after them.’

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