Norwich Union is entering the pet insurance market with Cats and Dogs, a policy aimed at helping Britain’s 14 million cat and dog owners cope with the rising vet bills.
Norwich Union is entering the pet insurance market with Cats and Dogs, a policy aimed at helping Britain’s 14 million cat and dog owners cope with the rising vet bills.
The cost of veterinary treatment has risen dramatically in recent years and this trend is set to continue. The most common injury - a broken leg - can cost up to Ł300 for a cat and Ł1,000 for a dog.
And with one in three pets needing to visit the vet each year, owners can be faced with hundreds of pounds of unexpected bills.
Norwich Union is offering people a choice of two cover options under Cats and Dogs – Essential Cover for those unexpected events for a maximum of 12 months* and Lifelong Cover, where each illness and injury can be covered for a lifetime.**
Premiums start at Ł8.30 per month for dogs and Ł4.69 per month for cats. Prices vary depending on location, age and breed of pet and level of cover taken.
The benefits of Norwich Union’s ‘Cats and Dogs’ policy include:
- Vet fees
- Third party liability for dogs if the owner is legally liable for an accident involving their dog
- Death by illness or injury
- Loss or theft
- Advertising and rewards if your cat or dog goes missing
- Holiday cancellation if cat or dog needs emergency treatment
Ian Bettridge, product development manager at Norwich Union, said: “Unfortunately there is no free health service for animals, and with one in three pets needing to visit the vet each year, all too often owners end up facing bills of hundreds of pounds to bring their four-legged friends back to health.
“We’ve launched our Cats and Dogs product to help take the worry out of pet ownership so people can rest assured knowing that if something goes wrong, their pet can get the best treatment it needs.”
For a free quote or to take out a policy, call Norwich Union Direct on 0800 107 0497 or visit the website at www.norwichuniondirect.co.uk
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Media contacts: Anick Purmessur or Matt Buchanan at QBO Bell Pottinger on 020 7861 2424 or Lucy Haughey/David Ross at Norwich Union Press Office on 08703 66 68 67
Notes to editors:
* Essential cover – provides cover for a set amount per injury or illness for 12 months only. If the monetary limit is used up before the 12 month period ends then there is no more cover for that condition. As it only covers for 12 months treatment from the date the injury happened, or the illness was first noticed, it doesn’t offer long-term cover for chronic conditions such as diabetes or cancer.
** Lifelong cover is an extensive policy that aims to provide cover for all conditions for the whole pet’s life. Offering a maximum benefit for all claims made in any one policy year. Including chronic illnesses, the client can claim year after year, for the same condition, provided the policy remains in force. The limit in the policy is reinstated at renewal regardless of any claims in the previous year.
- Norwich Union is the UK’s largest insurer with a market share of around 16 per cent and is more than 1.5 times the size of its nearest rival. It is also the largest personal lines insurer.
- It has a focus on insurance for individuals and small businesses. It insures:
- one in five households
- one in five motor vehicles
- more than 700,000 businesses
- Norwich Union products are available through a variety of distribution channels including brokers, corporate partners such as banks and building societies and Norwich Union Direct.
- Norwich Union’s news releases are available on the Aviva plc website at www.aviva.com
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