Co-op Insurance and aggregator partner on pet cover

Co-op Insurance has teamed up with comparison website, Quotezone to make its pet insurance proposition available via the aggregator.

The new pet insurance product will be delivered with partner, Markerstudy Broking – a division of the Markerstudy Group, which will provide end-to-end administration for the Co-op Insurance pet brand.

Co-op Insurance’s new pet insurance provides cover for pets over eight weeks old as well as access to video consultations with fully qualified veterinary surgeons anytime as standard, and dental and farewell cover – this is subject to terms and conditions.

Greg Wilson, Quotezone’s pet insurance comparison website founder, said: “This is the first time we’ve featured Co-op Insurance pet insurance and we’re proud of its support for rescue animals and value for our customers.

“With the cost of living reaching a ten-year high and rising, it’s never been more important to have a quality pet insurance product to safeguard finances and make sure that animals get the best care.

“This product from Co-op Insurance aims to support those who choose to rescue their animals with discounted premiums, which hopefully entices more owners to consider adoption.”

Affordable pet insurance

The past years’ recurring Covid-19 lockdowns and changes in lifestyle have caused a surge in pet ownership, with 3.2 million UK households opting for a new pet according to statistics for 2021 from the Pet Food Manufacturers Association.

Meanwhile, YouGov’s December 2021 research revealed that 91% of Brits looking for a pet would consider adopting from a rescue centre, although 29% are deterred as they believe rescues would be expensive to insure and care for.

To help make adoption more affordable, Co-op Insurance has included an introductory discount on policies for those insuring a pet from a recognised animal charity or rescue centre – this is 7.5% for Co-op members and 2.5% for non-members.

Carl Sharples, Co-op Insurance’s head of sales and marketing, said: “Deciding to adopt a pet from a rescue centre is so rewarding.

“Since the pandemic, we’ve all seen how important rescue homes can be for animals, so we want to do what we can to make it easier for an animal to find a loving home.’’

YouGov figures also show that 12% of consumers regret acquiring their pets and would consider leaving them at a rescue centre, with 160,000 having already been given up according to Dogs Blog research from January 2022.

Therefore, rescue centres are now bracing themselves for another 77% of “pandemic pups” to be given up this year.

The RSPCA shared data with Quotezone in which it found that the number of French bulldogs being abandoned or relinquished was up by 1,567%.