
Winners revealed in the Finder Insurance Innovation Awards 2021
These inaugural awards recognise the insurance brands displaying the best innovations in their field.
Read more…Bringing a new dog home for the first time can be one of the most fun and memorable events in your family’s life. You’ve set up its bedding, bought food and treats and got the leash and toys ready. Everything is set for the big arrival. But have you remembered insurance?
A prolonged health issue can end up costing a minor fortune in vet bills, so many people look to avoid this risk with pet insurance. We wanted to see how many dogs were insured in the UK and look at some of the common costs that come with owning a dog.
The most popular dog breeds in UK during 2020 are mixed breeds, Labrador retrievers and Cocker spaniels. Did your favourite make it into the 20 most popular dog breeds? Find out in the table below:
Ranking | Dog Breed |
---|---|
1 | Mixed breed |
2 | Labrador retriever |
3 | Cocker spaniel |
4 | Jack russell terrier |
5 | Staffordshire bull terrier |
6 | Cockapoo |
7 | French bulldog |
8 | Border collie |
9 | Shih tzu |
10 | Chihuahua |
11 | Dachshund |
12 | German shepherd |
13 | Golden retriever |
14 | Yorkshire terrier |
15 | English springer spaniel |
16 | Pug |
17 | Cavalier king charles spaniel |
18 | Beagle |
19 | West highland white terrier |
20 | Bichon frise |
The average annual cost of the lowest coverage pet insurance for dogs and cats in the UK shows that insurance for dogs is £149 more each year than it is for cats. Insuring a cat with a standard insurance policy will cost you £10 per month on average, while a dog is closer to £23 per month.
Average cost of pet insurance | Per month | Per year |
---|---|---|
Dogs | £23 | £274 |
Cats | £10 | £125 |
All types of insurance policies are more expensive for dogs, except for accident-only insurance, which is more than double the cost for cats as it is for dogs. The most expensive plan is, unsurprisingly, lifetime insurance for dogs, which costs £419 per year. As well as being the most expensive annually, lifetime insurance policies increase by up to 25% for dogs and up to 20% for cats every year, with the increase in cost being higher with each year that your pet ages.
The most expensive dog to insure in the UK is the English Bulldog, for which the monthly premium will cost you £66.50 per month on average. A Border Terrier is a whole lot cheaper, costing just £17.84 per month.
As well as the breed of the dog affecting the cost of insurance, so will the dog’s age. Insuring a mixed breed puppy costs on average £23.28 per month, which increases to £28.25 when the dog turns 5. If your dog is 12 or older, the cost climbs to £79.83 per month. This means that there’s an average increase of 12% per year for the cost of pet insurance. The biggest increase occurs between the dog’s 8th and 9th birthday, when the premium rises by a staggering 55% from £38.66 to £60.11 per month.
Age | Cost of dog insurance per month |
---|---|
Puppy | £23.28 |
1 year | £22.67 |
2 years | £22.78 |
3 years | £23.70 |
4 years | £25.25 |
5 years | £28.25 |
6 years | £31.36 |
7 years | £34.53 |
8 years | £38.66 |
9 years | £60.11 |
10 years | £65.09 |
11 years | £74.70 |
12 years | £79.83 |
Illness | Percentage |
---|---|
Stomach issues | 29% |
Skin conditions | 20% |
Ear infections | 11% |
Eye conditions | 7% |
Pain | 7% |
Unusual growths | 6% |
UTIs | 6% |
Allergies | 5% |
Ligament injuries | 5% |
Limping | 4% |
Pet | Population |
---|---|
Cats | 11.1 million |
Dogs | 8.9 million |
Rabbits | 1.0 million |
Guessed cost | Percentage |
---|---|
Up to £20 | 19% |
£21 to £40 | 28% |
£41 to £60 | 23% |
£61 to £80 | 8% |
£81+ | 22% |
In reality, the monthly cost for a dog is much higher than these estimates. On average, we spend £144 per month on small dogs and up to £209 on large dogs. One way to keep the costs down is to have a good insurance plan.
Dog size | Monthly cost |
---|---|
Small | £144 |
Medium | £164 |
Large | £209 |
These inaugural awards recognise the insurance brands displaying the best innovations in their field.
Read more…We’ve compiled a list of some of the best pet insurance providers for cats.
Read more…See the full results of our independent customer satisfaction survey of 750 pet insurance customers – who’s the top dog?
Read more…Our Animal Friends discount codes can help you save on pet insurance. Apply now.
Read more…In this guide we look at how much pet insurance typically costs and offer tips on lowering your prices.
Read more…We reviewed insurance costs for different pets so that you can keep your pet safe and healthy in every circumstance.
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