Record £1.23bn paid out in pet insurance claims in 2024, says ABI
Dogs led the pack, making up £933 million in claims, followed by cats at £232 million, and £61 million for other pets.
The total for 2024 was 4% higher than 2023 and marks the third year in a row that total payouts by ABI members have surpassed £1 billion.
The ABI said members received 1.8 million claims last year – equating to around 4,900 claims per day typically.
Its data also indicates that a record 4.6 million pet owners took out insurance – a 3% increase since 2023 and a third (33%) higher than before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019. Many people acquired new pets during the coronavirus lockdowns.
The average claim cost is £685, the ABI said, but some costs can be much higher.
The price of treatment for elbow dysplasia, a common cause of forelimb lameness in young, large and giant breed dogs, can cost over £50,000, the body said.
The average cost of care needed when a pet eats something they should not, whether it is food which is poisonous to them or a small household item, is around £4,000, the ABI said.
Jonathan Purvis, senior policy adviser, general insurance at the ABI said: 'You can't pull a rabbit out the hat when it comes to paying for veterinary bills, so it's promising to see more people making sensible choices to protect themselves and their pets financially.
' Insurance provides peace of mind that costs will be covered if your pet is ill or injured.'
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