Pet owners face painful vet charges as average bills top £750
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Animal lovers face a sharp hike in veterinary charges with the average bill topping £750 for the first time.
Bills have risen almost 5% from £721 in 2015 to £757 last year with owners making a record 2,500 claims on their pet insurance policies every day.
Insurers paid out a record £706 million last year to help owners cope with unexpected costs said the Association of British Insurers (ABI).
Claims and costs are rising as the range of veterinary treatments increases and fees continue to soar.
One owner claimed £366 to treat a cat with lethargy while another claimed £3,400 to treat an English springer spaniel that swallowed one tiny grass seed.
Unusual claims included £1,600 to treat a cocker spaniel that swallowed a turkey baster on Christmas Day, £468 for a white cockatoo with respiratory problems and £790 for a Burmese python with anorexia.
The average cost of treating a tumour for a cat is £687, rising to £1,060 for diabetes.
ABI general insurance policy adviser Rebecca Hollingsworth thinks that owning a pet can be rewarding but also costly.
“There is no NHS for pets and veterinary treatment can quickly run into thousands of pounds with rising costs and a greater range of medical treatments now available,” she said.
However, the majority of pet owners are not insuring their pets.
Just 30% of the UK’s 8.5 million dog owners take cover, falling to 16% of 7.5 million cat owners, leaving them exposed to shock bills.
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