According to a market study issued by Mintel, one in three domestic pets needs an unexpected visit to the vet each year. This means you are more likely to make a claim on your pet insurance than on your home & contents policy or even your car insurance.

The word “unexpected” is the important aspect here. If you’re looking for pet insurance to provide cover for scheduled treatments such as nail trimming, vaccinations or teeth cleaning, forget it – policies that provide cover for health maintenance treatments are as rare as hens’ teeth! Neither will you find cover for elective treatment, such as spaying or castration. This means that the most common reasons for visiting the vet are not insurableable.

But it’s those unexpected appointments that are liable to be the high-priced ones! Technical progress in animal care mean that more difficult conditions can be successfully treated. But the cost of emergency care can be horrific. A dog that tears a ligament that can now be treated – but the cost? Wait for it – around £1,500! After all, a series of X-rays could cost £400 complete with the anaesthetic. And a cat that gets knocked over could easily cost £700, even more, to treat. The costs can be serious!

So if most reasons for a vet appointment are uninsurable, what do we get for our insurance premiums?

Pet insurance plans fall into three categories. The first and cheapest option limits the payout per condition and ends cover after 12 months of treatment. The second places a maximum value on the total annual payout and the third limits the value of the claim for each condition or event. And with all these plans you’ll be required to pay an excess on any claim. The excess is usually between £100 and £50. Incidentally, most of these plans pay out a predetermined sum if you pet were to die.

How much does pet insurance cost? This depends on which type of policy you select, the excess you want to pay, the kind of pet you have, its age, its breed and even your post-code (apparently vets are more expensive in London!). But to give you a guide, an industry representative calculates approximately costs between £30 and £200 per year for a cat and £50 to £500 for dog.

The best advice is start a plan when your pet is young. Most pets can be insured once they are 8 weeks old and then you maintain the insurance for the rest of its life. If your pet is in it’s middle age, say eight or nine for a dog, then it may be difficult to get meaningful cover. That’s because it will be expensive and you’ll be unable to claim for treatments for any pre-existing health conditions.

So how can you lower your premium? You can normally get a discount if you can provide documentary evidence that your pet has been identity chipped. If you’ve got more than one pet you can sometimes get a discount for the second pet. And if your post-code attracts a premium rating – consider moving! Beyond that you’ll simply have to shop around. It’s lucky you have the Internet!

The Internet has become highly popular for buying insurance and no wonder – it makes shopping easy, quick and simple. What’s more it’s undoubtedly the cheapest starting place for all your insurance needs whether it be for your car, home, or pet. Sit down, relax and let your keyboard do the walking!