Revealed – top pet insurance claims, breeds in NZ

To celebrate International Pet Day (April 11), Tower has revealed some interesting information on pet insurance, including what tops the claims, which breeds are the most common, and more.

For the canines, nursing puppies back to health topped the list of claims reasons at 43%, while injuries were most common for felines at 39%. Cats were also less prone to racking up claims, as these domestic animals recorded 43% less claims than dogs.

As for breeds, Kiwis favoured the domestic shorthairs for cats, with 26% of all insured falling under it. Labradors, a consistent topper in the American Kennel Club’s most popular dog breeds in the world, is also the most insured dog in New Zealand. That said, there appears to be a diverse pool of breeds kept as pets in Aotearoa, as Labs only accounted for 6% despite topping the chart.

Rounding out the list

Other toppers for pet claims in both cats and dogs are:

Dogs

28% for injuries
24% for routine care appointments
2% for dentist appointments

Cats

31% for Illness
25% for routine care
3% for dental claims

Tower chief underwriting officer Ron Mudaliar (pictured above) said that Kiwi pet owners are willing to spend a pretty penny for their pets, and some even go further than that.

“We found that 35% of pet owners are willing to spend up to $1,000 for veterinary care and another 44% are willing to pay up to $5,000, but it’s not uncommon for vet costs to exceed these amounts in an emergency. Since launching pet insurance in late 2021, our largest claim has been for more than $7,000 and that was for specialist, life-saving care for one of our customer’s dogs,” Mudaliar said.

Another NZ insurer, Southern Cross, recently partnered with the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) to create what it claims to be the world’s first pet warning label for human products.

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