Pet insurance costs fall - but breed and postcode could triple what you pay
- Pedigree dogs cost 66% more to insure than mongrels
- Insuring a Bernese mountain dog costs more than three times a Chihuahua
Pet owners can breathe a sigh of relief as new figures from Go.Compare Pet insurance reveals that average premiums have dropped year-on-year - but where you live and what type of furry friends you own can still make a big dent in your wallet.
The comparison site’s latest pet insurance price index shows that average monthly premiums for dogs have fallen by 12% year-on-year, while cat owners are spending 3% less.
|
2024 average monthly premium* |
2025 average monthly premium* |
|
|
Cat |
£9.39 |
£9.08 |
|
Dog |
£13.24 |
£11.68 |
The index also revealed pet owners in the UK’s smaller isles pay the most to insure their furry friends, with the average policy costing £11.66 a month. This is 21% more than in Wales, which is ranked as the cheapest region for pet insurance at just £9.61 monthly.
|
Location |
Average monthly cost of pet insurance* |
|
England |
£11.34 |
|
Isles |
£11.66 |
|
Northern Ireland |
£10.75 |
|
Scotland |
£9.99 |
|
Wales |
£9.61 |
It isn’t just location which affects how much pet owners pay. Breed plays a key role in the cost of insurance, especially when it comes to pedigree pets. The average monthly cost of pedigree dog insurance is £13.13, around 66% more expensive than the average premium for a mongrel dog, £7.90.* Large pedigree breeds push this even further: insuring a Bernese Mountain Dog costs £27.36 a month, more than three times the cost of insuring a Chihuahua at £7.46 a month.
As Rhys Jones, spokesperson for Go.Compare pet insurance explains, this is due to a greater likelihood of genetic conditions: “When returning a quote to you, insurers base their premiums on risk - with pedigree pets more prone to genetic conditions, it’s likely they will need more trips to the vets, upping the cost of insuring them.”
Rhys Jones adds: “From your location to your pet's breed and size, these factors can all impact what you pay. Pet insurance can provide vital financial support if your pet needs medical attention, so making sure that you have a policy in place can protect your pet and your wallet.”
The experts at Go.Compare Pet Insurance have put together their top tips for buying pet insurance:
- Opt for multi-pet policies: If you have more than one furry friend, some insurers offer discounts when you put more than one pet on the same policy. Check for specifics with your insurer, but they could help you save time, admin and money.
- Spay or neuter: Neutering or spaying your pet means they’re less likely to wander, become aggressive or develop certain health conditions, including some cancers.
- Compare quotes: Always shop around and compare the policies which are available to you - this will help you make sure you're getting the right policy for you and your pet at a price that works for you.
To find out more and read the full report, please visit here: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/how-much-does-pet-insurance-cost/
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*All data points taken from all Go.Compare Pet quotes from 01/01/2024 - 18/05/2024 and 01/01/2025 -18/05/2025. Only breeds with a minimum of 50 quote requests in this time frame have been included. Based on quoted Lifetime policies for pets 1 year old and under, with a cover limit of £1,000.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on Twitter; @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.Go.Compare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.