Value of pet insurance 'is heightened' over Christmas
Britons should ensure they have pet insurance in place for their animals over Christmas, according to a new study.
Pet insurance should not be overlooked this Christmas despite Britons planning to spend £157 million on their furry friends over the festive period, according to a new study.Research conducted by GoCompare.com revealed that 69 per cent of owners intend to involve their pets fully in the Yuletide celebrations, spending an average of £10.86 on each one.
Food treats (59 per cent) and toys (56 per cent) were found to be the most popular presents, with over a third of cats and dogs likely to receive a stocking.
According to the results, approximately a quarter of the UK's pets will be rewarded with a traditional Christmas lunch, while 11 per cent have already been given advent calendars.
Indeed, Britons place such value on their cats and dogs that that majority of owners (63 per cent) have admitted that they will spend more on them than their friends this year.
Furthermore, 14 per cent of respondents even claimed that their pets will receive more lavish gifts than their partners, with 13 per cent also planning to give inferior presents to their parents.
Lee Griffin, business development director at GoCompare.com, conceded that the figures underline the emotional bond between owners and their pets.
However, he noted that the importance of covering them with pet insurance is particularly crucial at this time of year, especially if they will be fully involved in the manic Christmas activity.
"It is important to remember that caring for our pets doesn't just mean including them in the Christmas celebrations," he said.
"Vet's bills can rival the post-Christmas January credit card statement when it comes to unwelcome surprises, therefore having insurance to cover such events can make a lot of sense."
There are an estimated 14 million cats and dogs in the UK, according to the Federation of British Herpetologists, with about 1.4 million households expected to get new pets this Christmas.
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