The scheme is part of a package of rules designed to cut down the number of attacks and make it easier to deal with those which do occur. It stems from concerns that with most breeds of dogs, an attack on private property makes it legally difficult to successfully take action against the owner.

Surprisingly insurers don't back the idea. The Association of British Insurers said that while pet insurance can cover such an event, it was unlikely firms would want to offer attack cover to all dog owners. That's because insurers believe the likelihood of a payout is too high to make it profitable in all cases. At the moment most pet insurance specifically excludes some breeds such as those which are legally classed as dangerous.

The ABI noted that the plans in their current form are flawed as they require dog owners to get insurance, but don't require insurers to offer such cover. It also noted that there was no explanation]]> Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:19:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/pet-insurers-offer-winter-survival-tips.html This year's bitterly cold winter has made pet insurance even more beneficial according to specialist firms. One company says a customer saved more than £5,000 by being suitably covered before an icy disaster.

PetPlan says a pet poodle belonging to a customer was playing in the garden, slipped on ice and wound up crashing into a patio door, suffering both internal bleeding and a broken spinal cord. The bill for the resulting surgery and aftercare cost a total of £5,600.

The firm also said there are extra risks resulting from the way animals cope with the icy conditions. Dog owners should check the paws while walking their pet to make sure that grit isn't causing irritation which can cause the skin to split. They should also wash the paws as soon as they return home as this limits the danger of the dog licking grit from a paw and then suffering stomach upsets.

It's also important to take care to make sure pets aren't left unsupervised near a garden pond which has frozen over as the ice can easily crack under the animal's weight.

Another problem to watch out for is anti-freeze which has been spilt on the floor. One of its]]> Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:12:00 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/increase-in-pet-poisonings-reported.html UK pet owners are being urged to prevent access to medications following a large increase in pet poisoning reports according to Marks and Spencer pet insurance.

The growing problem of pet poisonings has resulted in a 34% year-on-year increase in reported cases to Vetfone, a 24-hour advice line available to M&S Pet Insurance policy holders.

One of the major increases of poisonings has been caused by nicotine based products, such as patches, chewing gum and inhalers. Nictoine becomes toxic to dogs at five milligrams per pound pet bodyweight and a 10mg/lb dose can be fatal.

An indication of the strength of nicotine products is seen when comparing a cigarette which contains 15-25 milligrams of nicotine to nicotine patches which can
contain far more at between 8-114 milligrams of nicotine. Even nicotine inhalers contain around 10 milligrams of nicotine.  Symptoms of toxicity are dose-dependent and include tremors, weakness, depression and vomiting.

Louise O’Dwyer, Vetfone Operations Manager & Senior Emergency Vet Nurse, commented... "It's very concerning that there has been such a large increase in reported pet poisonings. Nicotine poisoning can be particularly serious. Remember prevention is better than cure, so ensure products such as cigarettes, nicotine patches and gums and even ashtrays containing cigarette butts are kept away from your pets reach."

If you suspect that your pet]]> Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:56:23 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/new-post-office-pet-insurance-policy-launched.html The Post Office has today increased it's growing range of financial services products with the addition of a new pet insurance policy.

Underwritten by Axa, Post office pet insurance is designed to meet the real needs of UK cat and dog owners with a comprehensive policy that covers vet bills up to a maximum of £5,000 per condition. With the majority of pet insurance claims under £5,000 most pet owners don't need to pay extra for higher cover limits.

Unlike many policies, Post Office Pet Insurance won't stop paying out after 12 months, so pets can be covered for long-term health conditions. And with no age limit, cats and dogs of all ages can be covered against illness and accident.

Head of per insurance at the Post Office, Emma Baunach commented... "Dogs and cats are often a huge part of the family - with 11% of people saying they would re-mortgage their house to pay for a vital vet bill! To avoid such drastic measures, owners should look for a suitable pet insurance policy. But they must remember to check the cover features of policies rather than just choose the cheapest option, as this may not offer the right level]]> Fri, 1 Feb 2008 17:13:23 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/marks-and-spencer-pet-insurance-gets-added-benefits.html Marks and Spencer Pet Insurance is being overhauled with changes designed to give customers greater choice and control over their cover.

A new Premier plan has replaced the existing policy and is available to new customers and existing customers at renewal plus a Standard policy for pet-owners who need a more basic policy but still require the protection of lifetime cover.

Marks & Spencer was the first high street retailer to offer lifetime cover on pet insurance for cats and dogs. This means that even if a pet becomes ill, they will continue to be insured for the rest of their natural life as long as the policy is renewed.

The Premier and Standard policies now include the following extra benefits:

• Vetfone - free and unlimited access to a 24 hr advice phone line, staffed by qualified
  veterinary nurses.
• Best Pet Pharmacy - 5% discount on prescription and non-prescription medicines
  and specialist pet food.

The Premier policy now also includes:

• Cover for vet fees up to £7,000 a year for illness and injury
• No time limit on the duration of treatment provided the policy is renewed
]]> Sun, 6 Jan 2008 17:15:23 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/sainsburys-bank-reveals-the-cost-of-owning.html Research by Sainsburys Pet Insurance has shown that the cost of owning a pedigree pet can be up to 34% more expensive than a cross-breed.

The supermarket bank found that a pedigree dog owner will typically spend around £537 a year compared with £430 for cross-breeds, and pedigree cat owners £427 compared with £319 for cross-breeds.

Sainsbury's Bank says that one of the main reasons for this difference in expenditure is the amount spent on vet fees. Pedigree animals may incur higher vets bills because certain breeds are prone to various hereditary conditions. In fact, more than 350 inherited diseases have been identified in pedigree dogs alone.

Head of Sainsburys Pet Insurance, Steve Johnson, said: "Certain breeds, after generations of selective breeding, can be prone to various hereditary conditions which can require long term treatment. It's therefore best to insure a pedigree puppy or kitten as soon as you take it into your care and select a policy which provides adequate levels of long term cover. Once a condition becomes apparent it may be impossible to get it covered under a new policy."

"Despite the fact that we spend a small fortune on our animal companions, only around 12% of the]]> Thu, 29 Mar 2007 16:17:23 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/uk-pet-owners-trust-their-vet-more-than-hospital-doctors.html A survey released by Pet Plan Pet Insurance, the UK's largest pet insurer has found that UK pet owners trust the advice and knowledge of their local vet more than doctors at their local hospital.

The results are released as Petplan is asking people all over the UK to nominate deserving candidates for any of the four categories in the Petplan Veterinary Awards 2006.

The survey undertaken by NOP, asked 1,000 people which professional opinion they trusted most. Over a quarter of all pet owners interviewed said that they trust their vet (26%) more than most human health professionals. People trusted their vet over their optician (24%), hospital doctor (24%) and dentist (23%).

Further findings revealed that pet owners look after their pet more than they look after their own health. 51% of the pet owners interviewed are more likely to take their pet to the local vet at the first signs of ill health, but would wait for further symptoms in their own health before going to the GP.

Dr June McNicholas, psychologist, and one of Europe's leading researchers in the field of relationships between people and animals says, "I am not surprised at all by these findings. When people]]> Thu, 4 May 2006 16:20:23 GMT http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/more-pets-suffering-from-food-intolerances.html A new study by More Than Pet Insurance reveals that an increasing number of UK pets are suffering from food intolerances and allergies.

Almost 10% of pets suffer from food intolerances, mirroring the trend amongst humans estimated at 40-45% of the population. Contrary to popular belief, food intolerance is likely to be associated with the food that is most commonly eaten. Pets are most often allergic to wheat (e.g. biscuits) and beef; other common allergens include pork, chicken, milk, soy and fish.

Recognising dietary intolerance is difficult for pet-owners as recurring signs are often passed off as minor illnesses. Once diagnosed, healing the problem is not so easy either. This is made worse because of a lack of legislation governing pet food labelling, which means pet owners cannot always clearly identify what they are feeding their pets.

Pet food manufacturers are currently not obligated to name actual ingredients and some pet food labels use general terms such as 'meat by-products? and ?cereal or animal derivatives?. More Than is calling for those pet food manufacturers to use more accurate labelling to help pet owners and vets in diagnosing and preventing food intolerances. Nowadays 87% of UK vets are recommending more specialist]]> Fri, 21 Oct 2005 16:22:22 GMT