It’s clear that pets are well-loved family members, many of which have found their way into our hearts and homes serendipitously…
The survey of 2000 respondents shows that many pet owners’ journey with pet ownership began with a chance encounter. One customer found a kitten no bigger than five days old washed into their garden by Cyclone Gabriel while another found a puppy tied to a tree in the woods.
These pets are the lucky ones. Not only were their cries heard, but today, their owners have them insured as an added safety net. Though it’s worth noting, 12% had to say goodbye to pets in the past, having them euthanised because they didn’t have pet insurance at the time and couldn’t afford vet treatment.
Because Love Your Pet Day is all about giving pets the best and pet insurance is all about covering vet bills (and we know many Boost members are pet parents), today, we’re sharing some key insights from PD Insurance’s customer survey.
Biggest health risks for pets
The comprehensive study highlights that many of the top worries pet owners have for pets and PD’s most common pet insurance claims are aligned.
That means pet owners really have their ears to the ground and are doing lots of research into the typical kinds of accidents and illnesses affecting dogs and cats – which is great news because knowledge is power!
Some of the top worries pet owners have for pets are as follows:
Top 5 pet health concerns
- 60% – accidental ingestion
- 39% – broken bones
- 39% – intestinal obstruction
- 37% – bites from other animals
- 27% – arthritis
Top 5 worries about other general hazards
- 59% getting run over by cars
- 57% escaping and getting lost or hurt
- 49% being taken by someone else
- 46% getting into fights with other animals
- 33% emotional issues from being apart
Over the past year, PD Insurance’s top 10 insurance claims for cats and dogs have included several of these pet owner concerns. With this understanding, pet owners are better equipped to safeguard their pets and can plan ahead by taking preventative measures.
Unconditional pet love
As we’ve mentioned many (15%) of these pets ‘found’ their owners through chance encounters (PD Insurance shares more of these here). Others came from breeders (57%), shelters (27%) family and friends (14%) and pet stores (4%) or a combination of the above.
Since we’re celebrating Love Your Pet Day, another juicy stat from the survey tells us that as many as 21% of pet owners admit to loving their pets more than their partners! Considering what a pet loving nation we are (we’ve got nearly as many pets as people!) it might not surprise you to find out that 80% of respondents would pay more for pet friendly homes.
The truth about cats, dogs and technology
Another rising trend in pet ownership is the use of tech. While we at Boost tend to enjoy the benefits of bringing our dogs to work, pet tech can help owners keep an eye on pets that stay home.
PD Insurance’s survey shows that pet cameras, water fountains and smart pet doors are all popular. And it’s no wonder – as we embrace new AI assistants for ourselves, why not explore all that smart technology has to offer us as pet owners.
Speaking of pet-centric technology, PD Insurance’s survey shows nearly half of pet insurance customers have tried virtual vet appointments, something that gained popularity during the COVID lockdowns.
That said, most pet owners would prefer face to face appointments over virtual ones. It’s worth keeping in mind that our pets currently outnumber vets, and that vets are on the NZ skills shortage list. In addition to being in short supply, vets are experiencing high levels of burnout due to high workloads, overheads, and managing owner expectations.
Multi award winning pet insurance for Love Your Pet Day and beyond
The key takeaway is to be kind to your vet, even when you’re worried about your pet’s health and possible costs involved in treatment. And, to ‘boost’ this, it’s worth having pet insurance so you don’t have to worry about unanticipated vet bills and instead can focus all your energy on your cat or dog.
Nearly half (48%) of pet insurance customers in the survey say they’d be “very concerned” if they had to pay for a $1,000+ vet bill in the next three months without having pet insurance.
Why not take the worry away by simply investing in a multi-award winning pet insurance policy with PD Insurance. Pet insurance can help cover vet costs for accidents, illness and even dental, you choose the level of cover. Imagine having cover for costly treatments and diagnosis, including X-rays, bloodwork, surgery and more.