West Londoners Pay Most For Pet Insurance

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Premiums are more than double other parts of the country

A survey has revealed that pet insurance rates in West London can be more than double that of other parts of the country. Data compiled by price comparison site Moneysupermarket for the Sunday Times showed that insuring a four year old Labrador if you have a ‘W’ post code can cost nearly £400 more than a number of Scottish postcode areas where less than £200 is paid for equivalent annual cover.

The UK average price for annual cover for a four-year-old Lab is £365 but costs £585 for West Londoners. Insurers will not say specifically which factors influence their pricing of pet policies, but the Sunday Times report suggests that possible referrals to ‘super-vet’ facilities with equipment like MRI and CT scanning could be driving up premiums in areas where they are offered. Vets can only offer more advanced treatments if there is a nearby specialist centre.

Also, treatments such as a dog’s dental scale and polish could vary between £100 and £300 depending where you live.

It is also thought that algorithms employed by the insurers can identify areas where dogs are being bought through less scrupulous puppy farms where the potentially fatal parvovirus is more common. This can cost over £4,000 to treat and Kennel Club figures suggest puppies bought from pet shops and online have a one in five chance of suffering from the disease.

Daniella Dos Santos, junior vice-president of the British Veterinary Association, told the Sunday Times, “Vet costs cover the healthcare and treatment they provide for animals as well as the vet team’s time and expertise.

“They also cover the necessary technology and equipment used, staff wages and out-of-hours care, and the overheads of running the practice itself.”

February 18, 2019