From swallowed socks to life-threatening illness, specialist pet insurer Insure Your Paws has analysed its claims data¹ to reveal the most common pet insurance claims.
Among dogs, stomach upsets such as gastroenteritis are the most common illnesses. They are followed by knee problems, including cruciate ligament damage, as well as pancreatitis, slipped discs and cases where dogs have eaten something they should not.
Cats, meanwhile, are most commonly treated for urinary tract infection and injuries caused by road accidents, followed by pancreatitis, inflammation of the bile ducts and inflammatory bowel disease.
Recent research2 finds that the average cost of treating common pet conditions is £3,142 for cruciate ligament damage, £1,321 for foreign body ingestion, £1,168 for gastroenteritis, £704 for a urinary tract infection and £635 for an accidental injury.
The average cost of treating other common conditions is £1,181 for tumours, £1,024 for heart disease, £934 for a heart murmur and £791 for wounds.
Despite the cost of vet care, research from Opinium3, commissioned by Insure Your Paws reveals that almost one in five (18%) pet owners would struggle to afford an unexpected vet bill of over £500, and many claims are significantly more than this.
Dogs - Most Claimed for Conditions
- Gastroenteritis conditions
- Knee problems i.e., cruciate ligament damage & disease
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Slipped disc
- Foreign body (i.e., any object ingested or introduced into an animal's body that is not part of their normal diet or tissue)
- Deep skin cuts i.e., wound lacerations
- Mast cell tumours (skin cancer)
- Lipoma (fatty tumours or lumps)
- Hepatopathy (liver disease)
- Pyometra (bacterial infection)
Cats - Most Claimed for Conditions
- Urinary disease/obstruction
- Road accident
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- Cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Heart murmur
- Cardiomyopathy (heart condition)
- Kidney disease
- Cat bite
- Traumatic injury
Andrew Simpson Head of Pet at Insure Your Paws said: “Behind each of these claims is a pet who is or was unwell, and an owner who simply wants the best for them. We’re lucky in the UK to have highly skilled vets who provide excellent care. However, treatment costs can quickly add up. Insurance is now as essential as any other part of responsible pet ownership, and we encourage people to consider taking out a policy as soon as they welcome a four-legged friend into their home, so they have financial support in place if the unexpected happens.”
1 Insure Your Paws analysed claims data from 2023 and 2024. The data was analysed to find the most common claims.
2 https://www.nimblefins.co.uk/average-cost-pet-insurance-claims
3 Opinium online survey conducted with 1,000 cat or dog owners in the UK from 30 April – 6 May 2025
