While dog ownership boomed during lockdown, it is slowly becoming a luxury many Brits cannot afford. Thousands of dog owners are being forced to part with their beloved pets because they can no longer afford their food, vet bills or insurance.
The RSPCA has revealed a 24 per cent increase in the number of animals being dumped on the streets this year, as many UK homeowners struggle with the adding costs. To help dog owners keep the costs down, Money Saving Expert has shared four steps people should follow to get the best and cheapest insurance for their pet.
Step one
When searching for the cheapest pet insurance, owners should use more than one comparison site, as many use different insurers and have different prices to one another.
Some of the most popular comparison sites include Money Supermarket, Compare the Market, GoCompare, Confused.com, Quotezone, Petplan and Direct Line.
Speaking about Money Supermarket, the Money Saving Expert said: "It returned the highest number of providers for us in our research and can give quotes for up to seven pets on combined policies."
And when discussing Compare The Market, they added: "It doesn't offer multi-pet policies, though if you buy through it, you qualify for its special offer: a year's 2for1 on cinema tickets and meals on selected days of the week.
"However don't be swayed by this to buy a more expensive policy as there's a trick to get Meerkat Movies and Meals for £1."
Step two
Rather than jumping at the first offer on a comparison sight, Money Saving Expert has urged dog owners to also "check hot deals not on comparison sites", as their special deals might beat your cheapest quote.
For example, some websites might offer you £50 off when you sign up to their service, making them the cheapest insurer to go with for the year.
Step three
Insurers sometimes offer a cash incentive to get you to buy a policy via them. They often do this to draw in more customers - but their offer might just beat those you have previously come across.
However, Money Saving Expert has urged pet owners to double check these quote as they may not cover everything they need.
They said: "These sites sometimes offer a cash incentive to buy a policy via them, which can beat the sites above. However always check your quote, as you may not get exactly the same prices as you would from comparison sites, and be mindful that cashback isn't 100 per cent guaranteed as sometimes it doesn't track or isn't paid out."
They say you can achieve this through two routes - either by using a cash site comparison or finding your cheapest insurer than going via a cashback site.
Step four
Make sure to check your policy carefully before buying it as "some comparison sites can make assumptions, which may not fit your profile."
Money Saving Expert added: "If you buy the wrong policy that doesn't provide the cover you thought it did, you could be faced with the awful decision of losing a pet or getting into expensive debt if you can't afford it."
Do you have a dog story to share? Email paige.freshwater@reachplc.com.
